Has seasonal allergies been bothering you, like many others? With our up and down weather, many have said it’s been extra bothersome this year.
If you’ve mentioned allergies or congestion during our appointment before, you may have been needled on either side of your nostrils. So as a quick solution, try giving yourself a mini acupressure treatment by pressing gently on the tender spots just beside the widest part of your nostrils. Use your pinky fingers, one on each side of your nose, press gently for about 10 to 20 seconds. Check if your breathing has improved. Repeat throughout the day as necessary.
Don’t forget TCM acupuncture can help reduce those pesky allergy symptoms (runny nose, itchy eyes, itchy throat, sneezing, coughing, headaches, hives, etc.) and strengthen your immune system, overall.
Lately, quite a few of you have been dealing with seasonal allergies. The congestion. The itchy eyes and nose. The sneezing. The misery…
Today, let’s talk about how to use acupressure near your wrist to help reduce all those pesky symptoms.
When you run one of your thumb along the edge of your other thumb, down to the crease of your wrist – you’ll hit the base of your palm and the lower end of your forearm. About half an inch to an inch towards your elbow, you’ll find the sore spot on your radius bone, it’s just to the side of your pulse.
If you have been in for a treatment and mentioned that you’d suffered from some cold or flu symptoms, you might remember that I’d needled near your wrist. This is the spot!
Now, gently massage this spot by drawing a small circle with your opposite thumb for about 30 seconds, each side. You can massage this spot 3 to 5 times a day, in combination with the points beside your nostrils, LI20 (discussed in a previous newsletter)
Here’s a copy of the info sheet created for the upcoming Active Living Fair!
If you’re already a client with me, you may be familiar with some of these suggestions and reminders. If you’re new and we haven’t met, I’ll try to elaborate a little bit below, so you can become a little more familiar with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach.
1. Eat Warm, Cooked Food.
Do you notice a bloating sensation after a meal or always feel fatigued??
Food is Medicine – your ingested food becomes your available energy. Cooked foods are easier to digest and absorbed because the cooking process has started to break down the food. Also, majority of us fail to chew more than 30 times per bite – yes, you’ve read that right! Chewing is the mechanical method to break down our food, however, we tend to be in a rush and not macerate or savour our food, properly.
Another reason is that cold, raw foods can “cool” down our Digestive Fire. No one has referred to our digestion as, the digestive freezer!
Let me ask you,… What happens if you put ice cubes on an open fire?
2. Stay Warm
Are your hands and/or feet feeling cold?
What happens when you go outside in the cold without a jacket? We tighten up. We contract. The constriction causes stagnation over time, affects the circulation of our blood and body fluids. In TCM, pain is due to the lack of free flow.
There are 2 very important acupuncture points in our extremities:
Kidney 1 – Yongquan (Gushing Spring) is located on the bottom of our feet. This is the first point of the Kidney meridian.
Spleen 6 – Sanyinjiao (Three Yin Intersection) is located 4 fingers width above our ankle bone on the inside of our legs. It is the intersection of 3 meridians; the Spleen, the Kidney, and the Liver.
It is in our BEST interest, to keep the lower third of our legs and feet toasty warm. This way, we can feel warmer, calmer and more grounded. If wearing socks or slippers are not enough, a nice warm foot bath for 10 to 20 minutes can be helpful. It just might help you fall asleep faster tonight!
3. Stay Hydrated
Do you have dry skin? Constipation? Acne? Bad breath? Frequent headaches?
It cannot be emphasized enough, we need to drink sufficient amounts of water on a daily basis for multiple reasons. We are about 60% water.
And before you say, doesn’t coffee and tea and sodas count? Unfortunately, caffeine is a diuretic, which means it increases the production of urine. Therefore, coffee, tea and sodas causes dehydration.
To allow for faster or easier absorption of water when you’re dehydrated, try drinking warm or room temperature water. Cold or ice water causes the digestive system to constrict or become sluggish – similar effects as eating cold foods.
Give it a try for a few days. Think of it as a scientific experiment.
Does the obligation of attending social events for the holiday season or the need to meet deadlines drive up your Anxiety levels?
If you experience any sort of anxiety, please find this point on either or both of your ears. It is named Shen Men (Spirit Gate). You can find it on the outer third of your triangular fossa. If you have a flat ear, feel around the upper region of your ear and find a sore or tender spot.
When you do, just press on it in a circular motion for about 15 to 30 seconds. Try to do it 3 times a day, or whenever you feel anxious or nervous. This point helps with down regulating your nervous system – shifting from fight-flight (sympathetic) to rest and digest (parasympathetic).
Shen Men is considered a Master point. In addition to helping with regulating your nervous system, it can also help with detoxification, addictions, and pain reduction.
If you’ve been in recently for a treatment, you might still have a sticker with an ear seed on this point. This is a gentle reminder to press that point, as you read this.
If you’re like me, sore throat means the start of a cold/flu. Did you know that you can nip a sore throat the moment you feel it by gargling with salt water, every hour. Don’t let it fester until it feels like you’re swallowing glass shards. Ouch!
If you’ve been to Acu Corner before while suffering from a sore throat, you may remember that I needled this spot by around your thumb, on your palm.
Acupuncture Point LU10
So the next time you feel the onset of a sore throat, try some acupressure by pressing and holding this spot for 5 to 10 seconds (you can do little circles on the spot). Repeat for 3 times, once an hour, along with gargling of the salt water. That could help with symptom relief and prevent worsening of symptoms. Usually this stops a cold from unfolding for me.
If you need help finding the spot, start with holding your left hand with your right hand. Place your right thumb tip on the left thumb metacarpal (see above image), along the edge of the bone where your palm transitions to the back of your hand. Run the tip of your right thumb along the metacarpal, you’ll find a sore spot right around the midpoint. Some of you may have a flashback of being in clinic with me – apologies! That’s the spot!
If your left side isn’t sore at all, switch hands and have your left thumb tip, check your right thumb metacarpal. Is that one sore?? Do acupressure on the side that’s more sore.
Don’t forget TCM acupuncture can help reduce many pesky cold/flu symptoms (fever/chills, runny nose, headache, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, fatigue, reduced/loss of appetite, etc.) and strengthen your immune system, overall.
Reduce your need to stay home with your child because of that bug that’s going around. Be pro-active. Book a session and strengthen each of your family member’s immune system with a treatment at Acu Corner.
This way, you can do as you please on your personal day, and not used as a sick day for you or your loved one.
Back to Basics is a series of posts I’ll be sharing about basic lifestyle choices to improve your overall health. They are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theories.
If you have concerns or just want to learn more about…
Gut Health
Insomnia
Mental Health
Low energy
Self care
and much more…
Please follow along and subscribe to my newsletter.
TCM is short for Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has been in use for over 2000 years and has helped countless people around the world as a holistic medicine. The evidence of its efficacy is in the existence and the proliferate Chinese population around the world alongside a collection of published studies in recent times.
Pulse diagnosis is part of TCM intake
One of my instructors at school is from China, he would see and treat 100 patients in the hospital with TCM, per day! Their complaints could be anything from regular flus and cold to severe, chronic issues like IBS, paralysis, infertility, etc.
TCM helps through 5 main pathways: Acupuncture, Herbs, Food therapy, Movement, and Hands-on manual therapy. It helps the body’s Qi (life force) to self regulate and rebalance back into homeostasis.
Acupuncture is the use of very fine, sterile, single-use, disposable needles.
Herbs is the consumption of teas and decoction of herbal formulas or use of poultice and other topical applications on the skin.
Food therapy follows the saying, “Food is medicine”. Eat in moderation!
Movement includes Taichi and Qigong to help improve the flow of Qi, blood and body fluids within the body – in order for proper nourishment of cells and disposal of waste and toxins. Without free flow, the body experiences what we call, stagnation which in turn results in ailments, physical and/or emotional pains, numbness or discomfort.
Hands-on manual therapy includes tuina (Chinese style massage), Guasha, and Cupping therapy which helps to break up stagnations in the body (think of muscle knots and more).
“If there is free flow, there is no pain; if there is pain, there is lack of free flow.” – Huang Di Nei Jing.
