acupoint Archives - Mend Acupuncture

Zhi: The Energy of Will, Purpose and Destiny
Gallery
Zhi: The Energy of Will, Purpose and Destiny

acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Wellness

Zhi: The Energy of Will, Purpose and Destiny

By JaimeRoslyn|2024-01-09T10:51:09-05:00January 3rd, 2023|Categories: acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, bladder 52, destiny, kindeys, water, will, winter, zhi|

The spirit of the Water Element is zhi (pronounced zhur). This is one’s will, ambition, purpose, and destiny – a force that moves a person towards their destiny without much conscious thought or effort. In this blog, learn more about zhi and ways in which you can cultivate this powerful energy. Additionally, zhi is thought to be the innate power of life itself – life that wants to live and survive. Zhi is housed in The Kidneys. Therefore, a person with strong Kidney strength has strong zhi, i.e. a drive to be alive; a person with less Kidney strength may [...]

Comments Off

Stomach 36: Point of Endurance
Gallery
Stomach 36: Point of Endurance

acupoint

Stomach 36: Point of Endurance

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-16T15:56:17-05:00November 16th, 2022|Categories: acupoint|Tags: acupoint, digestion, endurance, stomach 36, strength|

One of the points we often use in the treatment room is Stomach 36 (ST36, Zu San Li, “Leg Three Mile”). Commonly used for gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, stress and fatigue, ST36 is located four finger widths down from the bottom of your knee cap, along the outer boundary of your shin bone. If you are in the right place, a muscle should pop out as you move your foot up and down. Although this point has a strong association with digestion, in traditional Chinese literature and practice, ST36 is frequently stimulated for [...]

Comments Off

Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8
Gallery
Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8

acupoint, Acupressure, Seasonal Changes

Summer Acupoint Highlight : Heart 8

By Alexandra McElwee|2022-11-15T14:04:43-05:00July 6th, 2022|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Seasonal Changes|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, heart, Heart 8, Heat, summer|

Heart 8 is a perfect summer point because it is used for Heart heat. The season of summer is associated with the element of fire, and the element of fire is connected to the Heart. In Chinese Medicine, the Heart is emotionally associated with the Mind + Spirit (also known as Shen). Heart heat and the indications for using Heart 8 often show up as: Mental restlessness High anxiety Agitation Feeling manic Nightmares or vivid dreams Insomnia Combined with symptoms like: Palpitations Feeling overheated or aversion to the heat Chest pain Thirst Any of those babies sound familiar? Fear [...]

Comments Off

Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter
Gallery
Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter

acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness

Du20: To Raise Yang in the Yin of Winter

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:05:17-05:00January 11th, 2022|Categories: acupoint, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, du20, winter|

It seems important to start out by saying that there’s definitely something to leaning into the Yin of winter. That might look like letting ourselves feel less energetic and motivated, perhaps feeling inward and wanting to spend more time alone. Chinese Medicine is all about living in harmony with the seasons. That being said, in order for balance to exist, Yin cannot exist without Yang. This acupoint is just one tool to help balance the Yin of winter with a little bit of Yang. What is Yang? It’s the opposite of Yin. It is warmth, it is light, it [...]

Comments Off

Drain Yo Dampness: Spleen 9 for Late Summer
Gallery
Drain Yo Dampness: Spleen 9 for Late Summer

acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Drain Yo Dampness: Spleen 9 for Late Summer

By Alexandra|2022-11-15T14:05:35-05:00August 16th, 2021|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, dampness, sp 9, spleen 9|

The season of late summer is associated with the Spleen organ, which is related to dampness. (If you live in Baltimore, you are no stranger to the pathogenic factor of humidity!) Dampness in late summer injures the Spleen organ and can affect us with symptoms of fatigue, heaviness in our bodies, foggy heads, low appetite, bloating, loose stools, UTIs and yeast infections. In this context, we are talking about how the climate of dampness can affect us, however, it must be said that we can also have symptoms of dampness due to our constitution or from diet (most notably [...]

Comments Off

Bladder 58 – Fly and Scatter
Gallery
Bladder 58 – Fly and Scatter

acupoint, Mood, Pain, Take Home TCM

Bladder 58 – Fly and Scatter

By mca_sarah|2022-11-15T14:05:36-05:00August 3rd, 2021|Categories: acupoint, Mood, Pain, Take Home TCM|Tags: acupoint, anxiety, bladder 58, pain|

Photo by Sohel Patel from Pexels Bladder 58 is a point I was trained to consider when a patient describes feeling “scattered,” specifically when the scatter comes after a period of overwork or stretch of active anxiety. From this overtired place we can scatter our energy ineffectively, the mind can fly off in a thousand directions, and we can catastrophize all that could happen unless we do something about it all. This point is thought to restore order and containment and calm the urge to react and over-do. A glass of water is only a useful resource when in [...]

Comments Off

Lung 7: Broken Sequence
Gallery
Lung 7: Broken Sequence

acupoint, Acupressure, Allergies, Immunity, Mood, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness

Lung 7: Broken Sequence

By Allyson Schurtz|2022-11-15T14:06:21-05:00November 10th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Allergies, Immunity, Mood, Seasonal Changes, Self-Care, Take Home TCM, Wellness|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, aromapoint therapy, aromatherapy, Chinese medicine, fall, lung 7, lungs, metal, TCM|

Photo by Pedro Figueras In this challenging and tender season of life, the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides an invaluable framework to finding balance within even the harshest climates. A core tenant of TCM is living in accordance with the seasons. We currently find ourselves in the Metal (Autumn) season during a Metal year (Metal Rat). Metal is the element associated with the Lungs and Large Intestine and the corresponding emotional themes of grief and letting go. Given this context, it seems no coincidence that we are experiencing a global respiratory pandemic. Many of us find ourselves processing [...]

Comments Off

Home Remedy: Kidney 1
Gallery
Home Remedy: Kidney 1

acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care

Home Remedy: Kidney 1

By mca_sarah|2024-01-08T13:10:39-05:00June 11th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, anxiety, calm, consciousness, home remedy, insomnia, kidney 1|

Located on the sole of the foot, Kidney 1 is the lowest acupuncture point on the entire body. This is a powerful and effective point to shift consciousness (literally and figuratively). We consider this to be a great "home remedy" point because it responds well to pressure (think barefoot walking) or to a warm foot soak (consider adding vetiver or lavender essential oils). This point proved its potency on consciousness in a 2010 study when it effectively sped waking time for patients in a coma state due to a traumatic brain injury (Yiu, 2010). In Chinese Medicine, it has [...]

Comments Off

Mobilizing Clarity and Purpose with Kidney 1
Gallery
Mobilizing Clarity and Purpose with Kidney 1

acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care

Mobilizing Clarity and Purpose with Kidney 1

By JaimeRoslyn|2022-11-15T14:07:00-05:00February 18th, 2020|Categories: acupoint, Acupressure, Self-Care|Tags: acupoint, acupressure, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, kidney 1|

Adapted from Acutake's "Why Are You Doing That Point? Kidney 1" Located on the bottom of the foot, you may never want to be needled at Kidney 1. However, “Gushing Spring” hurts much less than you’d expect and often there’s no sensation at all (especially when administered by a skilled acupuncturist). Kidney 1 can also be used as an acupressure point (on yourself or another person) to help feel more grounded. But why even bother? Head-clearing Located on the bottom of the foot, Kidney 1 is the lowest acupuncture point on the entire body. This position allows the draining [...]

Comments Off