If you want to boost your own immunity without leaving the house here are some great acupuncture points to use daily, that may help you feeling better, boost your innate self healing abilities or even to decrease pain.
The points I introduce to you are based on Miriam Lee. In her book, Insights of a Senior Acupuncturist she describes 10 powerful points, she calls them the 10-Greats.
Acupuncture points can also easily function as acupressure points, and you can use this knowledge simply for yourself or your near ones by applying pressure with love and healing intention.
With practice you can influence the points with your thoughts and by channeling your focus and awareness. With regular use of pressure point stimulation you will be helping your body achieve greater interconnectedness, which sets the stage for vibrant production and freely flowing of Chi.
How to use these points:
Apply gentle pressure (never cause pain) using your fingers or thumbs. Alternate with steady pressure and small movements. Your contact on these points encourages the Qi to get moving through meridians. Do not use an acupuncture point if it is under a mole, wart, varicose vein, bruise, cut, or if the skin at the point is injured in any way. All of the meridians and points are present on both sides of the body, be sure to contact the points on both the left and right for the best results.
Utilising the healing potential of these points is both an art and science. The skill of getting results comes from experience – so explore, wonder, feel and trust your intuition. You could work with the points by massaging a healing oil or salve on them as well. I like to use camphor infused apricot oil.
How to locate the points:
- Be centered, grounded, and connected to your breath and energy.
- Allow your energy to guide you as you gently place your finger or thumb on the acupressure point
- As you make contact, allow all of your mental focus and awareness to seep through your body to the acupressure point.
- Allow your pressure to sink into the point.
- Always notice how your pressure is being received.
- If you apply on others:
- Ask the person to verbalize if they want more or less pressure.
- Notice if their breathing becomes restrained (lighten your pressure), or more relaxed (you have the right amount of pressure).
- Keep your intention focused while sensing the Qi (energy) at the acupressure point.
- You will feel an urge to vary the depth, to use small circular massage, or to be still – follow that urge. These urges are your intuition responding to the Qi. It is your direct guidance from the Qi. Your contact will vary from person to person, and from point to point.
Here are the Great-10 wonderful acupuncture points to activate your immunity and self-healing abilities. All you need to know are actually only 5 locations, as they will be stimulated on both of the body sides.
Large Intestine 4 – He Gu – Joining Valley
How to locate LI 4:
- Spread your fingers and thumb, the point is on the back side of the hand.
- Gentle squeeze in the center of the web between the thumb and first finger.
- In order to get the full benefit of LI 4, you need to get the energy moving by making little circles while applying pressure.
*Do not use this point on pregnant women!
Traditional Uses:
- Relieves headaches, cough and sinus congestion, tooth aches
- Alleviates all upper body tension, hence its also called the ‘Great Gate’
LI 4 the without any doubt most used acupuncture point of all due to its pain alleviating qualities all over the body. It is the main point for the five senses, relieving fever, cold, improves immunity, lowering high blood pressure. It influences the circulation of chi and blood. The Large Intestine is actually also the home to much of our immune system. The colonies of bacteria and micro flora in our bowels have implications in our ability to fight off pathogens. It just might be the case that your colon is involved with the sniffles, allergies, frequent colds and flus, headaches. A simple indicator of good health: if your poop looks good and smells okay, you’ve got a good chance of being healthy and happy. If it’s just a foul-smelling mess, or just a hard block of constipation, you can guess, it’s not just a reflection of what’s going on inside, it actually is what’s going on inside. It’s a clear message to clean up and pimp up your game.
LI 4 is your ‘Marie Kondo’, a great point to help you sort out what you no longer need to help you sparkle.
Large Intestine 11 – Qu Chi – Pool at the Bend
How to locate LI 11:
- Bend your elbow
- Find the end of your elbow crest on the outside arm
Traditional uses:
General immunomodulation
- Homeostatic effect
- Great to release ‘heat’ for example fever, skin diseases, allergies, inflammation
In Acupuncture heat is also another way of talking about “inflammation”. In the process of life there is a metabolic fire that consumes fuel and oxygen. This fire is used to run the physiological processes that move and maintain us and and all the other things that it takes to maintain being a warm-blooded human, but fire can also easily burn.
To keep the flame bright but steady LI 11 is your hero.
Stomach 36 – Zu San Li – Leg Three Mile
How to locate Stomach 36:
- Place your hand just below the kneecap
- Feel for the shin bone, then slide to the outside of the leg about one inch.
- ST 36 is just below the lower edge of your hand and 1 inch to the outside of the shin.
Traditional Uses:
- Rejuvenates, relieves fatigue
- Revitalizes our energy system
- Relieves digestive issues (bloating, cramps, pain)
- Helps restore the Qi when recovering from long illness
Walking was the way to get to where you were going therefore the name “Leg Three Miles” tells us that ST 36 can give us the energy to walk more miles, even if we are already exhausted. It also helps to boost the metabolism and aids in digestion. Use ST 36 to restore energy or when there is any digestive complaint.
ST 36 is your inner alchemy point for a vibrant life.
Lung 7 – Lie Que – Broken Sequence
How to locate Lung 7:
- Bring your hands together to a “thumb shake”
- Place the index finger of the other hand behind the inside wrist
- Find the point just right under your index finger tip
Traditional Uses:
- Stimulates the descending and dispersing of lung qi
- Relieves respiratory diseases
- Relieves scratchy throat, runny nose, congestion, sneezing
- Relieves chills/fever and body aches
- Main point to release neck pain
LU 7 is my most favorite point to address the lung meridian and it is a key point for boosting the immune system. It is excellent for runny noses, congestion, chills and fever, scratchy throat and sneezing because it is basically activating your body’s response to viral attacks.
LU7 is your body guard, fighting off viruses and bacterias
Spleen 6 – San Yin Jiao – 3 Yin Intercrossing
How to locate Spleen 6:
- Place your hand on the inner ankle bone with the pinky finger on the high point
- The edge of your first finger is how high up the point is from the ankle
- SP 6 is in the center of inner surface of the lower leg and at the edge of your first finger
Traditional Uses:
- Support the smooth flow of Qi and blood and the menstrual cycle
- Relieves menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome
- Stops pain, calms the mind
- Supports the quality of blood, moves and cools the blood
- Nourishes your Yin
*Do not use this point on pregnant women
This point is where the Qi of the Spleen, Liver and Kidney Channels meet, nourishing to these organs and therefore it’s a very powerful point. As the great yin point it relates to our womb, the genital system and our hormones. This action might be also easy also too much due to its uterus connection for pregnant women.
In general it helps with blood flow, the lymphatic flow and with emotional regulation. Energetically it is beneficial to all internal processes, to get harmony in “the home within ourselves”.
SP 6 is the point for balance and harmony within.
It is a great point to combine with ST 36 to relieve fatigue and to bring yin and yang in balance. I love to combine these two to boost the overall energy of the body, the health of my organs and the peace of my mind.
In times of crisis, your body and mind can easily fall into distress. Staying connected, practicing meditation, yoga, and self-care as well as resting boosts your physical and mental resilience and strengthens immunity.
Give yourself and your close ones some love with these acupressure points, practice makes perfect!
May you be healthy now and always,
Alex
