Essential oils around children and pets
Diffusers, babies, cats and curious toddlers: which oils to keep away, how to store bottles, and exactly what to do if one gets swallowed.
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Tsuyu fatigue: feeling heavy in the rainy season
Japan's rainy season leaves many people heavy, foggy and short of sleep. What kampo calls dampness, what modern medicine says, and what actually helps.
Sitting on the floor: seiza, zabuton and a happier lower back
Seiza, cross-legged, legs to one side: how to sit on the floor in Japan without wrecking your back, knees or dignity when you stand up.
Miso, natto and nukazuke: fermented foods and the gut
Miso, natto and nukazuke are on many tables in Japan. What they contain, what the gut research really shows, and who should be careful with them.
Onsen etiquette and health: bathing safely in Kyushu's hot springs
From Beppu's steam to Ibusuki's sand baths: how to bathe the Japanese way in Kyushu, and how to keep heat, alcohol and winter chill from catching you out.
Health check-ups in Japan: what the annual kenko shindan includes
Workplace check-ups, tokutei kenshin from 40, city cancer screenings and the ningen dock: how Japan's check-up system fits together and how to read results.
Desk posture without the gadgets
You do not need an expensive chair to work from home in comfort. A stack of books, a cushion and a timer will get you most of the way.
Acid reflux at night: habits that help and warning signs
Why heartburn flares after you lie down, what late dinners and izakaya nights have to do with it, and which signs mean it is time to see a doctor.
Diluting essential oils for skin: a practical chart
How many drops in 10, 30 or 50 ml? A dilution chart for face, body, children, pregnancy and baths, plus the oils with their own ceiling.
Mibyo: the idea of 'not yet ill' and how to use it sensibly
Not ill, not quite well: the old East Asian idea of mibyo, how it lines up with modern prevention, and how to keep it from being turned into a sales pitch.
Eating through Japan's humid summer
Hot, sticky nights steal the appetite. How Japanese home cooks keep eating well through summer: protein in cold meals, sensible salt and safe bento.
Katakori: why stiff shoulders are Japan's signature complaint
Stiff shoulders are one of the most common complaints in Japan. What katakori is, why it builds up, what helps, and when it needs a doctor.