Low immunity? Don’t worry! Massaging acupoints can improve immunity

This is the 3808th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

The recent national epidemic has made everyone realize that immunity is king. Close contacts and secondary close contacts may have been exposed to the new coronavirus, but some people have become "little foreigners", while others have spent their quarantined lives safely. Therefore, how to improve immunity has become a hot topic, and various vitamins and fruits have become popular commodities. Miss Zhang usually has low immunity and is particularly prone to illness. This time she was even more panicked. The "little foreigner" in their community is in their building. She hurriedly asked me if there is any good way to improve immunity at home? Is acupoint massage okay? I can't buy anything else. Can I have some red dates, wolfberries, etc. that I usually stockpile at home?

The main causes of low immunity

1. Overuse of the brain

Mental workers are under high pressure for a long time, with high mental tension and no time to exercise. In addition, they have unbalanced diet and bad living habits, which makes it easy for them to have reduced immunity. When people reach a certain age, their metabolism becomes low, their body functions weaken, and they are also under pressure. Therefore, it is necessary to properly adjust the mental state, relax more after work, and strengthen physical exercise, which can play a role in consolidating immunity.

2. Weak Qi and blood

When the Qi and blood are weak, the face will be pale, without complexion, and look very weak! For example, women tend to sweat easily when they move their bodies during menstruation. This is a clear sign of physical weakness! Because the blood in the body cannot be transported to the hands, feet, etc. in time, it is easy to cause cold hands and feet in the long run; it is not too obvious in summer, but it is most obvious in winter. Men are no exception. Many men will also have insufficient Qi and blood, and their hands and feet are often not warm. If the Qi and blood are often weak and the limbs are not warm, the immunity will be very low.

3. Insufficient Yang Qi

Eating cold food frequently can easily damage the spleen and stomach and affect digestion. These small behaviors will damage the body's yang energy, especially when the body is in a state of fatigue for a long time, which will make the immune system insufficient and make it easy to get sick. In addition, some people have insufficient yang energy in their bodies, and they eat without restraint, stay up late and hurt their bodies, which are more likely to cause a decline in their immunity!

Ways to boost your immunity

1. Acupoint massage

Shenque, Guanyuan, Qihai, and Zusanli are all acupuncture points with warming and tonic effects. Shenque, Guanyuan, and Qihai are on the Ren channel, related to the Chong channel and the Du channel, and regulate reproductive function and menstruation, and also have a good effect of warming the body; Zusanli can regulate the spleen and stomach, promote the generation of qi and blood, and make the body warmer. Rub your palms together, and after rubbing them warm, gently massage Shenque with the base of your palms as the center, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise, for 5-10 minutes each time, until the lower abdomen is slightly warm; you can use the thumbs or index and middle fingers of both hands to massage the Zusanli points on both sides at the same time, for 3-5 minutes each time, until the local soreness, swelling, and heat are appropriate.

2. Moxibustion

You can use hanging moxibustion with moxa sticks or moxibustion box. The moxibustion sites are the same as the above massage points. It is best when the acupoints turn red and hot. The effect will be better if the heat can penetrate deeper. Each moxibustion lasts about 30 minutes.

3. Diet therapy

You can eat warm food, but you can't eat too much, otherwise it may cause internal heat. Everything depends on whether your body is comfortable or not. If you like to drink tea, you can drink black tea, and add jujube, wolfberry, and longan. But if you have a body condition of coldness below and heat above, or internal heat and cold limbs, you can also add some foods that clear the heart fire or nourish yin, such as pears, lilies, light bamboo leaves, dendrobium, and polygonatum. Strengthen nutrition, supplement essential vitamins and trace elements, and eat foods that replenish qi and blood, such as red dates, wolfberries, and mulberries.

2. Prevent allergens

Allergens are closely related to children's adenoid hypertrophy. In the pollen season, children should wear masks when going out, wash their hands and face immediately, and change clothes after returning home; for children who are allergic to dust mites, parents should wash clothes, bedding and plush toys frequently. Parents should also avoid excessive use of disinfectants and sterilization liquids, which will inhibit the development of children's immune system and make allergies more likely to occur.

Doctor's advice

Try not to eat raw, cold, spicy, or irritating foods; eat more warming foods. For example, drink more warm water, drink less raw and cold drinks, and eat less cold foods such as ice cream. Be sure to keep your body warm, exercise more often, so that the blood in your body circulates, and avoid contact with cold things!

Author: Yueyang Hospital/Shanghai Acupuncture and Meridian Research Institute

Li Mingzhe