GPS For The Body

Most of the books about acupuncture and acupressure point this out but this gem is worth repeating:

In ancient China, physicians received a fee only as long as their patients remained healthy. Treating someone who is already ill, they taught, is like starting to dig a well after you have become thirsty. We can learn from them to care for our own future health by eating well, exercising appropriately, and learning to calm the mind and body with relaxation and meditation...(20)

I like this tip about how to apply pressure:

9). Keep your pressure at a maximum of 15 lbs. (You can teach yourself what 15 lbs feels like by pressing on a bathroom scale with your thumb or fingers). (61)

Finally, another reason to use the scale besides weighing myself.

In chapter eight, For Best Results: Take A Holistic Approach To Your Health, I liked this advice:

11). Be Happy. Make a conscious choice to be as happy as you can...In the long run, most difficulties tend to work out; bad feelings dissolve; a solution to problems is found. So get plenty of exercise, listen to music, dance, sing, visit friends, meditate...(78)

If nothing else, besides fueling my curiosity about acupressure, this book reinforced, for me, how dangerous not dealing with stress can be.

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, the main effect of stress on the body is the disruption of the smooth flow of ch'i or Life Energy, which is the forerunner of many illnesses...(361)

I loved how this book described the pressure points. Plus, instructions are given for acupressure, reflexology and shiatsu to deal with various conditions. I felt like I had a GPS to the acupressure points since they were described so accurately. And what can I say? I have a thing for global positioning devices.


What are you reading?