Looking for something simple you can do to increase your health during the holidays? Try Acupressure!
Acupressure has been used for thousands of years in China. It’s based on the same principles as acupuncture - to promote balance in the body and help illnesses. The 5 points below work to boost immunity, relieve stress and anxiety, reduce pain, help digestion, and improve sleep.
How to Stimulate: massage or tap the area for 20 sec for each point (about 10min total). The points are found on both sides of the body. Tty to take time to do the whole sequence 1-2 times a day, for example when you wake up in the morning and then again before bed. If you are having issues you can do the whole sequence multiple times a day, or just focus on a couple points as needed.
Though you can stimulate the points in almost any position, I recommend doing the sequence seated in a chair. Place both feet on on the ground, knees at 90 degree angle and about hip width apart. Try to feel equal pressure on both sit bones, as well as going from your feet into the earth. Imagine a string pulling you down to the earth from the sit bones, and up toward the sky from the top of your head, with your spine stretching and lengthening between them. Take a few deep belly breathes before you begin to calm and center yourself.
Start at the top of the body (Lung 1), then do the wrist and hands, finishing with the leg (Stomach 36). Try to pause between points for a breathe or two to let your body relax and absorb the stimulation. If you wish you can stimulate Lung 1 and/or Stomach on both sides of the body at the same time. If you have time, close your eyes and focusing on your breathing for a minute or two at the end.
LUNG 1 (Zhong Fu)
Location: In the upper corner of your chest where your collar bones meets the shoulder joint. There’s often a depression.
Helpful for: cough, asthma, chest pain, difficult respiration,
bronchitis, wheezing, pulmonary infections, stress, and anxiety.
LARGE INTESTINE 4 (He Gu)
Location: In the middle of the webbing between your thump and index finger.
Helpful for: strengthening the lungs, pain relief (whole body), headache, toothache, facial pain or paralysis, disorders of the eyes/nose/throat, nasal and chest congestion, fever
Do not use if pregnant - stimulates uterine contractions
PERICARDIUM 6 (Nei Guan)
Location: 3 fingers-width from your wrist crease. Between the two tendons.
Helpful for: tension in the chest, palpitations, gastric disorders, nausea, insomnia, stress, anxiety
LUNG 10 (Yu Ji)
Location: In the fleshy area at the base of the thumb between the white and red skin, halfway along the bone
Helpful for: Sore or swollen throat, lung inflammation, pneumonia, cough, shortness of breath, insomnia
STOMACH 36 (Zu San Li)
Location: About 3 finger breadths below the knee cap, just to the outside of the shin bone. There is often a soft indentation.
Good For: boosting the immune system, any digestive issues, excess mucus in the throat or nasal passages, overall strengthening of the body.