“Good digestion is the seat of a long life. ” It creates our entire bodies energy source, immune system and vitality.
Traditional Chinese medicine has long understood the importance of good digestion. One famous medical doctor from the 16th century named Yu Jia Yan wrote:
“If the Stomach is strong, life will be healthy; if the Stomach is weak, life will be unhealthy.”
If the stomach is strong, a person has the ability to transform food into valuable nutrients that the body can use. If the digestive force is weak or blocked, the body will not receive the nutrients it needs or properly eliminate waste.
In our modern society – we have forgotten the basic need to eat and consume nutritious and healthy food. Many of us now eat from packaged food, full of preservatives, which can affect our digestive system. Many of us walk around – and do not focus our attention on eating correctly. We shove down food and hurry to our next appointment or task. To the Chinese culture – meal time is a time of congregation – its time to sit down, chat, socilaize and share food. Mealtime means that you sit and chat and allow your food time to digest.
The organs in charge of our digestion from a Chinese Medicine perspective are the Spleen, the Stomach, and the pancreas. They work together to “rot and ripen” our food, separate out the good nutrients and the waste, and provide energy to our whole body. The Spleen sends the “good nutrients” up to the lung which then distributes the nutrients to each organ and the entire body. The “bad” nutrients (i.e waste) is then sent down to the large intestine to be eliminated by the body.
Many of us experience digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, Irritable bowel syndrome, reflux, gas, diarrhoea and either a loss of appetite, or ravenous appetite. These symptoms correlate to an imbalance between our Spleen and stomach organs.
In modern society many issues can affect how our digestion functions, some of these include:
Poor diet – consuming to much food, not enough food or food with little nutrients.
Excess of nutrition or malnutrition also gives rise to many health issues such as headaches and migraines, digestive system problems and much more.
Stress – when we are stressed, the levels of cortisol increases in our body and can cause weight gain. Stress can cause us to either overeat, or under eat – which effects how the spleen and stomach are able to function in regard to digesting our food.
Dehydration – when we are dehydrated we don’t have enough fluid to remove toxins from the body, this in turn can lead to inflammation within the body. It also puts more pressure on the digestive tract.
Other causes of digestive problems common in individuals are bacterial infections, chronic medical conditions, and inflammation in the tract of the digestive system.
Good digestion is the key to a long, healthy life. Traditional Chinese medicine uses acupressure to help stimulate good digestion. Chinese medicine works to balance the yin and yang of the body by stimulating acupoints to promote vitality and healthy digestion.
You can perform acupressure on yourself using the right essential oils to receive similar results to professional acupuncture. Stimulating specific points will improve your digestion, boost your immune system, and even improve your overall energy! Acupressure is best used with the right supplements and fermented foods to fill your gut with good bacteria and aid in healthy digestion.
You may have heard of acupressure.
The philosophical and clinical roots of Chinese medicine did not have words for the enzymes, minerals, bacteria, and other catalysts that we now know to be an important part of the digestive process. Nonetheless, modern medicine has found that acupuncture can effectively regulate the digestive system and strengthen its ability to break down food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste.
Chinese medicine understands the body as constantly balancing the opposing and interdependent forces of yin and yang, which are like the water and fire aspects of the body. This constant balancing act is expressed as qi (commonly spelled chi), which translates to “energy.”
Each organ in the body has its own qi and follows a specific pathway. Much like a river running through the earth, qi runs through pathways in the body called meridians. Meridians are like rivers of qi in the body. Where the qi collects is called an acupoint. Stimulating these acupoints is called acupressure.
How to Do Acupressure on Yourself:
1. Simple tips to get started:
- When applying pressure, begin lightly.
- Use four levels of pressure, gently pressing deeper each time.
- At the deepest level, massage the area in a circular motion.
- Apply acupressure to each point for about 1-3 minutes each. Apply acupressure to the point, depending on what is most comforatble for you. Some points can be more sensitive/tender than other points.
- Apply this routine after eating if you feel full, or bloated after eating.
2. When acupressure is combined with the right essential oil, the effect is comparable to acupuncture. Many times, an acupuncturist will use essential oils on children or on patients who do not wish to be needled.
- You can massage the essential oil directly into the acupoint.
- Or after applying acupressure, place the essential oil directly on the acupoint.
3 ACUPRESSURE POINTS TO ASSIST WITH DIGESTION
1. STOMACH 36:
The acupoint known as Stomach 36 (ST-36) is also called Zu San Li, which means “leg three miles”. The name refers to the ability of this point to greatly strengthen energy, so that a person can walk another three miles, even when exhausted.
To locate: Slightly bend your leg and place four fingers just below the kneecap. Begin with the index finger at the base of the kneecap. The point is where the little finger rests, on the outside aspect of the hard shinbone. Feel around for the tender spot.
This acupoint can boost the immune system, and it can also strengthen overall energy. It is often used to strengthen weak digestion and improve digestive disorders, ranging from constipation to diarrhea, gas, bloating, vomiting, and nausea.
Essential oils: Orange, Neroli, or Bergamont.
Caution: All of these oils can make the skin sensitive to sunlight and are phototoxic. Use only in the evening or when you plan to stay indoors.
Supplement: When your stomach is not digesting food properly, it’s important to get the most bio-available sources of nutrition.
Use a supplement such as Vital Greens – you can use it in a smoothie. This provides you with good essential nutrients.
Make sure that you take a probiotic – this helps to enhance our digestion and may aid with some symptoms of bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea.
Make sure you change to a gluten free diet. Many people who suffer from digestive issues find that switching to a gluten free diet reduces the issues that they have with their digestion.
Consume kefir grains, kombucha or a teaspoon of sauerkraut a day to assist with your digestive function.
Make sure that when you are cooking you include ginger, garlic and onion in your cooking – these herbs assist with digestion and also boost the immune system.
2. REN 12:
The Ren channel runs directly up from the top of your pubic bone to the bottom of your lip – so right up the midline of our body. The ren channel is where all the yin fluids of the body collect. Ren 12 (CV 12) also called Zhong Wan or “middle cavity,” is specifically where the energy of the stomach gathers and collects. In Chinese medicine, the stomach is called the “sea of water and grain”. One of its principle functions is to transform water and grain into usable nutrients.
This point is known as the empirical point to treat digestion. I use it on all my clients for digestive and energy issues.
To locate: Find your belly button and locate the point where your ribs come together, where there will be a soft depression. If you draw a line from the point where your ribs meet to your belly button, Ren 12 is in the center of this line. In the chakra system, this relates to the solar plexus.
This acupoint is used for lack of appetite and indigestion. Excess emotion while eating, especially anger, can damage the function of the stomach. This acupoint relieves stomach upset that is related to emotions. It can also alleviate fullness from overeating, gas, bloating, and acid regurgitation.
Essential oils: Ginger.
On sensitive skin, mix ginger essential oil with a carrier oil, such as jojoba.
Supplement: In addition to acupressure, digestive upset and acid regurgitation can often be alleviated with the addition of good bacteria in the form of fermented foods and beverages. Combining diet with acupressure is like two people coming together for a common goal. The effect is often more profound.
To aid with digestion try drinking a glass of warm water first thing in the morning. You can add a few slices of lemon as well – this stimulates and awakens our digestive organs.
- The good bacteria in a fermented beverage can often calm down gas and bloating.
- Research also suggests that acid regurgitation may be due to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Good bacteria keep those bad guys in check.
3. STOMACH 25:
Even though this acupoint is located on the stomach meridian, it is where all the energy of the large intestine gathers and concentrates. The name for Stomach 25 (ST-25) is Tian Shu, which means “heaven’s pivot”. This acupoint is where the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract meet and relate to each other.
To locate: Place three fingers parallel and alongside the centre of the bellybutton. The point is at the edge of the last finger, three fingers away from the centre of the bellybutton. I use the middle 3 fingers.
Stomach 25 is especially useful in alleviating constipation, diarrhea, and any other kind of intestinal disorder. Stimulating ST-25 also moves abdominal blood and can alleviate menstrual irregularities.
Essential oils: Fennel or Frankincense.
Try direct application. Or mix a few drops of fennel or frankincense with a carrier oil. Coconut oil and apricot kernel oil are especially good choices. With light pressure, massage around the bellybutton in small circles that move from right to left.
Caution: If you are pregnant, avoid fennel essential oil.
Abdominal Massage to aid digestion.
- Begin at ST-25 on the right side.
- Massage in small circles up towards Ren-12.
- Continue massaging in small circles, moving toward ST-25 on the left.
- Continue massaging in small circles to a place that is a couple of inches below the bellybutton.
- Complete the circle, and continue massaging in small circles until you reach ST-25 on the right side.
- Repeat for several minutes and breathe deeply.
For issues with constipation – make sure that you are eating a high fibre diet, and drinking at least 2L of water a day.
Rhubarb – known as Da Huang in Chinese Medicine is use to assist with constipation. Why not try cooking a small amount of rhubard and apple together. Try and aim for one serve of rhubarb a week.
TAKE HOME POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE:
Good digestion is the key to a long, healthy life. Traditional Chinese medicine uses acupressure to help stimulate good digestion. Chinese medicine works to balance the yin and yang of the body by stimulating acupoints to promote vitality and healthy digestion.
You can perform acupressure on yourself using the right essential oils to receive similar results to a professional acupuncture treatment. Stimulating specific points will improve your digestion, boost your immune system, and even improve your overall energy! Acupressure is best used with the right supplements and fermented foods to fill your gut with good bacteria and aid in healthy digestion.
If you are suffering from digestive issues and would like help please give us a call on (07) 3999 8535 to have a chat about how we can assist you.
