How to enhance your immune system with acupressure in TCM

Too much stress, poor quantity and quality of sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, and obesity are the most common factors that weaken your immune system, which in turn lead to sickness. To avoid getting sick and strengthen your immune system, try acupressure. Acupressure is a 2,000-year-old traditional Chinese practice that is effective in treating illness and pain. It is a method of sending signals to the body to turn on its own self-healing or regulatory mechanisms by applying physical pressure on different pressure points on the surface of the body with the use of the hand, elbow, or other tools.

The Qi - or vital energy - circulates through meridians, the natural pathways in the body. This method helps restore balance and the flow during an illness or pain. In turn, this will bring back the the body to a more natural state of well-being.

Here are the top seven acupressure points to strengthen your immune system that you can do yourself or apply to your loved ones.

Great Ravine – Great ravine is situated halfway between the highest point of the inner ankle bone and Achilles tendon. Alternately stimulate this point on both of your feet to help enhance the immune system. This acupressure point is also known to help treat asthma, sore throat, headache, and anxiety. It also helps regulate proper functioning of the kidney.

Great Rushing – Located on the top of the foot, in between the big and second toes, stimulating this point can help boost the immune system by improving blood flow all over the body and regulating Qi flow. In addition, it helps relieve vision problems, headaches, menstrual cramps, lower back pain, and insomnia.

Three Yin Crossing – This point is the intersecting point of the spleen, liver, and kidney meridians. It is positioned three fingers above the inner ankle bone, along the back of the tibia. Applying pressure on this point on both feet one after the other helps relieve immune weakness and restore vitality. Moreover, it helps reduce stress, treat gynecological problems like premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and painful or irregular menstruation, ease pain in the lower back and knee, and treat insomnia and dizziness. However, this point must not be stimulated during pregnancy.

Three Mile Point – Placed two finger widths out from the shin bone and one palm width below the patella, this point, when stimulated, helps re-energize the body and manage immune functions. Furthermore, it helps in stress reduction and depression and is an effective treatment for digestive problems, fever, and shortness of breath.

Shu Mansion – This point can be found below the collar bone in the depression near the breast bone. Applying pressure on this point can enhance the immune system, relieve depression and anxiety, clear nasal congestion, and treat difficulty in breathing.

Crooked Pond – Placed at the top of the elbow crease, at the rim of the joint, this acupressure point is recommended for treating fever and alleviating constipation and indigestion.

Upper Sea of Qi – This point is good for increasing the resistance power of the body to combat disease through the regulation of the thymus gland. It is also good for easing stress and anxiety.