June Self-Healing Tips

As we transition into June, the key players of good-health switch out.  Spring starred the Liver and Gallbladder; Summer, however, sets the Heart and Small Intestine center stage.  In the five elements system of Chinese medicine, we are moving from Wood into Fire.  Where Wood is expansive, Fire is light, bright, creative.  Fire requests us to express our joy, to travel, to work, and to help others.

Aduki beans influence the Heart and Small Intestine.  They strengthen the adrenals, detoxify the body, clear excess heat, disperse stagnant blood, and reduce swelling.  The "juice" from cooking aduki beans also increases mother's milk.  Try cooking 1 cup dried aduki beans in 2-3 cups water, on simmer for 1 ½ hours.  Add salt, coriander, cumin, and ginger to spice.

Heart 7, Shen Men, or Spirit's Gate, nourishes the Heart.  It is the source point of the Heart, and it strongly calms the spirit, as well as helps detoxify the Heart and Small Intestine.  Shen Men treats anxiety, worry, stress, palpitations, poor memory, insomnia, and depression.  It is regulatory – invigorating the withdrawn, non-communicative state, or soothing the talkative, excitable insomniac state. 

To locate Heart 7, palpate a depression along the line of the inner wrist crease more towards the pinky side of the hand than the center or thumb side.  It will be roughly in line with the webbing between your ring finger and pinky were you to trace a line from that webbing straight down to the wrist crease on the inner forearm.  It will be sensitive.  This point is an excellent acupressure point for self-massage at night before bed to soothe the spirit, as well as any time you are feeling frazzled, anxious, stressed, worried, withdrawn, or out of balance.  2-10 minutes of massage bilaterally should cause a great shift in your energy.