thought we could all use a little help with the release of our dietary intake over the holidays
Acupressure
for Weight Control
Apply steady, penetrating finger pressure
to each of the following points for 3 minutes.
1. Begin with 'Appetite Control' ear
point. This appetite control point can help you avoid overeating.
Begin your acupressure session stimulating this point. We suggest
that you end your session by stimulating these point
again.
Appetite control point is located in your
ear. While looking in a mirror, place your fingers on your
jaw, in front of your ears. Open and close your mouth a few times
until you feel your jaw bone moving underneath your fingers. Put one
finger where you feel the most movement of the jaw. Your finger
should be right next to a little fleshy protrusion of the ear (not
the ear lobe). Grab this part of the ear with your thumb and index
finger and press with steady pressure.
2. Spleen 6 (Sp 6) has a strengthening
effect on the digestive system.
This point is located on the inside
portion of your leg, above the ankle bone. From the center of the
ankle bone, slide up four finger widths. The point is just off the
bone, toward the back of the leg. When you find it, press with your
thumb or knuckle. Increase pressure until you are pressing quite
firmly, hold about a minute, and gradually release.
Caution: Do not press this point if you
are pregnant.
3. Stomach 36 (St 36) is the best point
to nourish the chi and blood. It has a beneficial effect on the
digestive system.
St 36 is located four finger widths below
the lower border of the kneecap and one finger width off the shin
bone to the outside. You've found the point correctly if you feel
the muscle move under your fingers when you flex your foot up and
down. Using moderate to firm pressure, hold for about one
minute.
4. Spleen 9 (Sp 9) This point is a close
neighbor of St 36. After pressing St 36, slide your finger across
the shinbone until you are just off the shinbone on the inside side
of the leg. Now slide your finger upwards along the shinbone towards
the knee about an inch, until you fall into a natural depression. Sp
9 is in this depression, right below a rounded prominence in the top
of the leg bone (tibia). This point is involved with the regulation
of water metabolism in the body.
5. Stomach 40 (St 40) An important point
for clearing excess damp and phlegm. It is also useful for
eliminating excess weight.
St 40 is located
6. Large Intestine 11 (Li 11) is useful
for clearing excess heat and damp from the body and to regulate
intestinal activity.
Li 11 is located at the outer end of your
elbow crease on the thumb side. Hold your arm in front of your
chest, as if holding a cup in your hand. The point is at the outside
end of the crease on your arm at the elbow joint. Another way to
find it is to note the length of your thumb from the tip to the
first joint, then move this distance up from the outside tip of the
elbow bone toward the crease lines at the elbow joint. Hold your
left hand close to your chest and use firm pressure with your right
thumb; press for about a minute, then switch arms.
7. Liver 3 (Lv 3) prevents chii
stagnation in the body and is the most important point for combating
stress.
Lv 3 is situated on top of your foot in
the webbing between your big toe and second toe. Start at the web
margin of skin between the two toes, and slide your index finger up
between the bones until you feel a depression about 1/2 inch up.
Still using your index finger, press between the bones (in the
direction of the root of the second toe). Start with light pressure,
as this point can be sensitive, and increase as much as you can
until you are using moderate to firm pressure. Press for about 1
minute.
The following two steps (8 and 9) are
optional.
8. Four Gates relaxes the nervous
system.
9. Neck and Shoulder Release will help to
relax and calm you as you make the transition to a new dietary and
exercise regime.
10. End your Acupressure session by again
stimulating the appetite control point on both ears.
