A body that lets you go wherever you want, whenever you want — Wellness that nurtures happiness —

The other day, I was speaking with a woman in her sixties.

"I love traveling, you know. But lately, my knees hurt, and I can't walk for very long."

She smiled as she said this, but then continued:

"Even getting into a car is a struggle, and standing up from a chair is a real ordeal. There are places I want to go and people I want to see, though."

Hearing those words made me realize something.

Knee pain isn't just a problem with one's legs.

It is also something that gradually robs you of the "freedom to go where you want" and the "strength to go see the people you care about."

What does health mean to you?

Not getting sick?

Having a clean bill of health at your checkup?

Of course, those are aspects of health.

But I believe there is more to it than that.

Being able to play energetically with your grandchildren.

Being able to travel whenever you want.

Sharing a meal and a laugh with friends.

Fully enjoying your hobbies.

Isn't that what true health is all about?

In fact, I used to think that "not being sick" meant being healthy.

That mindset changed drastically when my mother fell ill.

Watching my mother grow weaker day by day was the most painful time of my life.

In a notebook she left behind, she had written these words:

"If my dream could come true, I’d want another version of myself to do exactly what she wants—to live freely and do the things she loves."

Seeing those words made my heart ache.

I realized that health is, in itself, a time of happiness.

I understood that the time I spent with my mother—which I had taken for granted—was never a given.

And I felt then that health doesn't belong to the individual alone.

Seeing the smiles fade from a loved one's face is painful for the family by their side, too.

That is why protecting your health isn't just for your own sake; it is also a way of protecting the people who matter most to you.

This sentiment resonates deeply with the principles of Eastern medicine. Eastern medicine embraces the concept of *mibyo*—the state of being "pre-ill."

Rather than simply treating an illness after it strikes, this approach focuses on maintaining balance and preserving your natural vitality before sickness takes hold.

Eastern medicine has always valued not just "curing," but "maintaining a state of wellness."

It is not about making a sudden effort only when you feel unwell, but about gradually nurturing your mind and body through the accumulation of daily habits.

Our bodies have reached their current state over the course of decades.

That is why restoring balance cannot happen overnight.

In Eastern medicine, the "Kidney" is considered the foundation of our life force.

It is an organ system that becomes increasingly important as we age,

and its condition does not change drastically in a single day.

Daily meals, lifestyle habits, and caring for your own body—

It is the accumulation of these small actions that cultivates your future health.

Just as the seasons change, life brings fluctuations in our physical health, our work, and our relationships.

No one knows what the future holds.

That is precisely why caring for your mind and body while you are healthy is a way of protecting yourself.

Five years from now, ten years from now...

A body that allows you to go where you want to go.

The vitality to visit the people you want to see.

Time to share laughter with your loved ones.

The energy to pursue the things you want to do.

I hope you spend your days not resigning yourself with thoughts like, "There are places I’d like to go and people I’d like to see, but..."

but rather saying with a smile,

"I went there."

"I went to see them."

What matters is not doing something extraordinary.

Even if you don't see dramatic changes immediately, your body absorbs the impact of your daily choices.

Make a gentle choice for your well-being today.

Won't you join me in continuing a lifestyle of self-care that nurtures happiness?
 

Yuka Itadani
International TCM Medicinal Diet Specialist (国際中医薬膳師)