APAJap – Associaçao Portuguesa de Acupunctura Japonesa Primavera 2026 – HARA-Jornal de Acupuntura e Shiatsu www.acupunturajaponesa.org
SHIATSU AND IMMUNITY:
STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATIONS, SUPPORTING LIFE
By Ivan Bel
After the pandemic, immunity has ceased to be a mere biomedical concept and has become an existential question: what truly protects us? Between Wei Qi, the strength of the core, and emotional regulation, Shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine offer an integrated understanding of health, where resistance is not a struggle, but the maintenance of harmony.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, the question of the immune system has acquired new relevance: why do some people get sick and others don’t? This question has spanned the entire history of medicine. In every era, faced with the emergence of a disease, human beings seek to understand what, within them, allows them to resist or, conversely, makes them vulnerable. Shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine offer, in this regard, a coherent and deeply structured understanding.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine terminology, the names of organs (Zang 脏) and viscera (Fu 腑) are written with a capital letter, to distinguish them from their Western anatomical meanings.
In the biomedical definition, immunity refers to the set of mechanisms that allow an organism to defend itself from external agents, particularly infectious agents. It relies on innate and acquired immunity, mobilizing cellular and humoral processes.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its part, does not describe an “immune system” in the organic sense of the term, but rather a global functional capacity: the ability to maintain the body’s integrity, regulate exchanges with the outside world, and preserve internal balance. It’s less about fighting and more about maintaining dynamic coherence.
Wei Qi (卫气): the first line of defense:
Studying how an external attack (climatic or microbial) penetrates the body, the ancient Chinese identified a first layer of defense: Wei Qi. It is a form of highly Yang energy that circulates between the skin and muscles, in a space called Cou Li (腠理). When a person possesses strong surface energy, Wei Qi seems to extend beyond the body itself. We probably know people who rarely feel cold and aren’t afraid of wind or rain, precisely because their protective energy is strong and their skin doesn’t feel vulnerable.
Wei Qi is produced by the combined action of the Spleen and Stomach, or rather, by the transformation of food and drink.
This leads us to reflect on what we ingest: does our diet contribute to strengthening our defenses?
The nutritional energy that nourishes the organs and the entire body is called Ying Qi (营气).
The blood from the Spleen, enriched by the Essence of food, rises to the Lungs, which spread Qi across the body’s surface, thanks to its connection with the skin.The entire system is supported by the energetic foundation of the Kidneys and is governed by the relationship between the Lungs and the Large Intestine.
If the Spleen fails to properly transform the food Qi (Gu Qi 谷气) coming from the Stomach, the Spleen Qi weakens. The Lungs are then unable to properly combine it with the air energy (Kong Qi 空气), diffusion becomes insufficient, and the Kidneys are unable to provide sufficient primary energy (Yuan Qi 元气) to sustain the system. Consequently, the immune system weakens. Naturopaths speak of an “immune terrain,” and here we understand that it is the internal balance that determines the ability to defend the surface.
Pathways of Pathogenic Factors:
After passing through the skin, external climatic factors penetrate the muscle and tendon layers, which the Chinese have mapped in the form of muscle-tendon meridians (Jing Jin 经筋). If this process is not interrupted, the attack can reach the main meridians and subsequently the internal organs, aggravating symptoms.
One area deserves particular attention: the abdomen. Considered less protected by superficial muscular structures than the back, it is particularly vulnerable to attacks from Cold (Han 寒). Direct penetration can affect the intestines, stomach, or uterus (Bao Zi 胞子), causing pain, digestive disorders, and gynecological changes, including infertility.
The Japanese tradition of Hara-maki, a sash worn around the abdomen and kidneys, well illustrates this ancestral awareness of the importance of protecting the body’s core.
Another theoretical interpretation is based on the five ancient Shu points (Wu Shu Xue 五输穴).
Aggression can penetrate through the extremities, fingers and toes, and progress along the meridian, following the flow of Qi. It then passes through the Well (Jing 井), Spring (Ying 荥), Stream (Shu 输), River (Jing 经), and Sea (He 合) points. This gradual progression highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate intervention before aggression reaches deeper levels.
The more they progress, the more serious and difficult the imbalances become to treat. However, one of the great advantages of these points is that they allow us to identify the different stages of pathogenic factors’ penetration and halt their progression. If we don’t intervene and go beyond the Sea point (located in the elbows and shoulders), the system loses its harmony, with a direct impact on health. Although each Yin organ is related to a specific emotion, it is the Heart, considered the Emperor, that perceives and integrates them all. This means that, over time, the Heart is inevitably influenced by emotions.
This understanding invites us to recognize that managing emotions is an integral part of maintaining our energetic balance and, consequently, our immunity.
The real question is: what do we do, in our daily lives, to balance and calm our emotions?
This is an essential reflection and an ongoing journey of healing and awareness.
Center, diffusion, and regulation:
In Chinese texts, everything refers to the concept of a strong center when discussing the ability to defend against external aggressions. A strong center can spread its Qi to the extremities and the surface of the body. Although the mechanism of Wei Qi involving the Spleen, Stomach, Lungs, and Kidneys has already been discussed, it is important not to forget a key player in our immune system: the Liver.
From a Western perspective, the liver is responsible for an impressive variety of functions: more than 500 different ones. This makes it one of the most important organs in the body, both in terms of its size and its activity. Among its main functions is the ability to filter blood from the intestines, identifying potentially harmful substances present in food molecules. With the increasing presence of preservatives, pesticides, sweeteners, and other endocrine disruptors, the liver is constantly under pressure. If this filtering function weakens, the body begins to accumulate toxins and can also affect the heart, as the blood filtered by the liver is then sent to the heart for distribution throughout the body.
Furthermore, the liver, like the spleen, plays an important role in the production of immune cells, particularly white blood cells, essential for defense against viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
Each organ contributes different functions, and it is the combination of these functions that allows the body to protect itself effectively.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Liver is described as the organ responsible for the distribution of Qi in all directions. This function is associated with vitality, movement, expansion, and the ability to project ideas and act in the world. Its central role in energy distribution is well known; suffice it to say that a strong impact on the liver area causes an immediate loss of energy. Together with the Lungs, which also distribute Qi, it forms two essential pillars for energy circulation and, consequently, immunity.
The Liver also has a less obvious but equally important function: its relationship with the Stomach in stress management. The Stomach is extremely sensitive to everything that “comes down” from the head, be it food or information from the senses and thoughts.
According to the Five Element theory, the Liver supports the Stomach, in a relationship in which the Wood Element regulates the Earth Element. The Liver helps absorb and manage stress, while the Stomach responds immediately.
For example, when faced with an emotional shock or bad news, it’s common to lose one’s appetite and feel a tightening of the stomach. This reaction weakens the Spleen and, consequently, the Basic Qi (Wei Qi). The Liver compensates, but if stress persists too long, it will eventually become overloaded, potentially transforming this tension into irritability or anger.
Today we know that, although stress is not a disease in itself, it aggravates pre-existing imbalances, blocks the circulation of Qi and fluids, alters physiological functions, and weakens the immune system.
It therefore creates vulnerabilities in the body’s defense system, facilitating the penetration of pathogens.
In summary, the main modern causes of a weakened immune system include:
– Stress: contracts the stomach and overloads the liver;
– Excessive mental activity: weakens the spleen and causes the liver yang to rise, disrupting the heart;
– Cold or processed foods: weaken the stomach, spleen, and liver;
– Lack of rest and insomnia: disrupt the liver, weaken the heart, and strain the kidneys and lungs;
–Sedentary lifestyle: weakens the spleen (muscles) and liver (tendons).
Recently, a client commented: ≪It’s incredible. Since I started practicing Taijiquan and weight training, I sleep well, eat better, feel more relaxed, and I’ve stopped getting sick during the winter.≫ Given the above, this improvement is perfectly understandable.
Shiatsu as a life-sustaining treatment:
It’s impossible to talk about Shiatsu without recalling the words of Tokujiro Namikoshi:
“Shiatsu is like a mother’s heart. By pressing on the body, the sources of life are awakened.”
Shiatsu is a simple yet profoundly effective tool. Through pressure on the body, it promotes the circulation of blood, lymph, and nerve impulses, while also relaxing muscles and connective tissues, such as tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Applied along the meridians, it also guides the circulation of Qi and stimulates organ function.
In this way, it is possible to strengthen the immune system, activating what Chinese and Japanese traditions call “self-healing forces.” The therapeutic strategy becomes clear: it is necessary to open and stimulate the body’s tissues, strengthen the center (Spleen and Stomach), promote the circulation of Qi (Lungs and Liver), and nourish the basic energy (Kidneys). This approach is particularly important during seasonal changes, such as between autumn and winter. However, when the immune system has been weakened for a long time, its regeneration requires more than Shiatsu treatment alone. It also requires the active involvement of the individual, through improved nutrition, the use of adaptogenic plants or medicinal mushrooms (such as reishi or shiitake), regular exercise, more conscious breathing, better sleep, and emotional balance. It is a gradual process, but absolutely possible.
Ultimately, from a Shiatsu perspective, immunity does not correspond to a specific anatomical structure, but rather to a quality of balance. An organism with a strong core, good fluid distribution, and a stable root naturally manifests greater resistance.
Strengthening the foundation, harmonizing functions, and restoring circulation are therefore the true foundation of health.
Ivan Bel is an international teacher, founder of Ryōhō Shiatsu and the NGO Missions Shiatsu Humanitaire, which is committed to promoting Shiatsu worldwide.
He divides his time between Europe and Africa. He has practiced martial arts for 40 years, studied Chinese, and traveled throughout Asia. He currently teaches postgraduate training courses on topics related to the most common pathologies.
He is also a journalist specializing in Shiatsu and regularly publishes articles on the blog: www.ryohoshiatsu.com in 6 different languages.
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