Are you interested in using either Acupuncture or Acupressure to manage your holistic health issues? If so, are you wondering which one is best for you? Let’s talk about the benefits of each of these modalities, as well as important differences. I also want to dispel some misinformation along the way! Read on or watch the video below to learn more about Acupuncture vs. Acupressure and decide which one is better for you!

What’s The Role of Acupuncture and Acupressure in Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Before we talk about the comparison between Acupuncture and Acupressure, it’s important that we take a step back. What these modalities are and what their role are in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?

Acupuncture is 1 of the 5 main branches of TCM, along with Dietetics, Herbology, Tuina Massage, and Qigong. Acupressure uses the acupoints from Acupuncture, but is a Tuina Massage technique, so is a combination of the two.

Both modalities stimulate the movement of Qi (vital energy) along channels in the body that link up with the vital organs they’re named after. When Qi is moving freely, we have no pain and are in good general health. When we experience pain or disease, this is indicative of Qi being stuck or vacant in a certain area. Acupuncture and Acupressure regulate the Qi in these regions to restore health and vitality.

What Do Acupuncture And Acupressure Help With?

Acupuncture and Acupressure are extremely effective in treating you if you have an existing health issue, such as:

Even more phenomenal, Acupuncture and Acupressure, as well as other aspects of TCM, are preventative health measures. With regular treatment, they help us stay healthy and free of disease!

Difference Between Acupuncture and Acupressure

Let’s talk about what makes Acupuncture and Acupressure unique. Take note of what sounds most appealing to you, or what you think would work best for your circumstances.

With Acupuncture, it’s performed by a Licensed Acupuncturist or a Medical Doctor. I have a strong opinion that you will get a more well-rounded experienced from a classically-trained Chinese Medicine practitioner. Some Western medicine practitioners will only treat pain conditions (and that is usually all that insurance covers). Disposable, stainless-steel needles are used to gently pierce the skin and access the Qi. It’s usually painless, but sometimes that’s unavoidable. There’s a chance of a punctured lung if the practitioner is careless when needling the torso. But if they know what they’re doing, that is easily avoidable and the only risks are slight bleeding and bruising. Because of the pain issue and fear of needles, some people have a strong aversion to Acupuncture. But if you have no issue with them, this can be deeply relaxing!

Acupressure, on the other hand, can be performed by anyone and even on oneself. Of course it’s best to first learn from a practitioner and understand that your intention while doing it is what’s most powerful. You can use your hands or shonishin tools. If you’re doing it on yourself, then you’re not completely relaxing. And it usually takes longer than Acupuncture to receive the desired effect with Acupressure. However that doesn’t matter so much when you are able to access this healing skill whenever you want and have complete control over your treatment.

Which is Best – Acupuncture or Acupressure?

Of course, that question is best answered by you!

If you would like to leave your house, rest for an hour on a table, want quick results, and don’t mind needles – then Acupuncture is best for you.

However, my own personal preference is Acupressure, and for many reasons:

• I love teaching people this skill so they feel more empowered with their self-care and healing abilities. Especially with moms – by just teaching her acupressure I’m treating the whole family!
• I also love incorporating the use of essential oils with Acupressure which accentuates the effectiveness of both.
• I’m able to do Acupressure with clients in our online Health Coaching sessions to help them resolve the energetic, emotional, and spiritual root of their health conditions.

I hope that this information was insightful and that it makes you want to try Acupuncture or Acupressure! As mentioned above, I do Acupressure in my Health Coaching sessions and currently have spots in my schedule for new clients. I love helping women with stress, anxiety, gut health, hormones, emotional stability, trauma, spiritual guidance and navigating relationships affected by their health. We do this in conjunction with Human Design. You can schedule a free 15 minute call with me here if you’d like to talk briefly about your holistic health issues and we can decide if we’re a good fit for each other.

Well wishes to you and your family!

We’re at the end of summer, with Back-To-School around the corner.  Usually at this time I’m helping families boost their immune systems to prepare for viral illnesses that come up in the Fall and Winter.  However, we’re seeing a surge of sickness here in the Summer, while still dealing with Covid-19 and it’s variants.  I feel that right now people need reminders of how to treat themselves at home if they do get sick.  I’ve counseled families a few times this week about how to manage a fever at home, which is a main concern when sick.   So that’s what we’re going to be focusing on in this article.

My advice as a Chinese Medicine practitioner is likely different from what your doctor may advise because of my emphasis on natural solutions.  I do believe this is a safer and more effective way to deal with the situation and to help your body heal quicker.  Whatever you decide to listen to is up to you though!  Trust your gut.  Read on to learn how to manage a fever at home naturally with Chinese Medicine, acupressure, essential oils, and other natural health techniques.  

When To Reduce A Fever

First, consider not reducing the fever at all!

Fever is one of the body’s best defenses for dealing with infections. The heat kills microorganisms and prevents them from multiplying in the body. The heat also increases our circulation so that they are expelled quickly from the body through our elimination pathways. We need to keep this in mind when we get sick!

A strong fever response is indicative of a strong, healthy immune system, and we don’t want to diminish it. Reducing a fever and slow the body’s ability to heal and allow more time for the pathogen to replicate in the body.

The thing is, we’ve all heard scary stories about people experiencing febrile seizures, which are usually associated with viral infections (and even vaccinations!). No one wants to have a seizure and they fear that brain damage will occur from that (which isn’t even true). So they want to immediately bring the fever down or keep it below a certain temperature. But the fear around this in the medical world is diminishing as we dispel some myths and learn more about the benefits of fever.

Some doctors are saying that people shouldn’t even be concerned about the actual number indicated on the thermometer. And that the only reason someone should try to reduce their fever is if they’re extremely uncomfortable.

Why you should avoid using Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen

Now if you decide to reduce the fever, you can do it with medications or with natural alternatives.

I prefer managing fevers naturally because of the side effects of fever-reducing drugs like Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (Ibuprofen), and Alleve (Naproxen).

But there’s even more complications that can arise, especially around Covid-19 infections:

• Ibuprofen has been thought to increase ACE2 receptors that SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect cells. As a result, researchers theorize that it could make the virus spread faster.
• Acetaminophen reduces intracellular glutathione levels. Glutathione deficiency has been noted in people most susceptible to Covid-19. These people are likely to also have Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer, Obesity, Respiratory Diseases, or other chronic health issues. Reducing a fever with Tylenol can actually make it more challenging for you to heal and may actually worsen symptoms!

Fever is more serious when accompanied by a stiff neck, hallucinations, and confusions. Please seek emergency care if you encounter any of these symptoms.

Natural Ways To Manage A Fever

I have several methods of managing a fever naturally that I turn to when my son is sick. These have worked so well for my family, that not once have I bought any fever-reducing medications. I recommend these methods to my clients too, who always have great success.

It’s important to note that these natural methods work in the following ways, which is different from fever-reducing drugs. These natural remedies:

1. increase one’s comfort level while their body is feverish
2. actively fight the infection, thereby reducing the body’s need to spike a fever
3. support the body’s ability to heal

These methods do not prevent your body from doing what is natural, with mounting a fever to protect itself.

Peppermint Essential Oil & Cool Washcloth

This is my #1 go-to when I’m dealing with a fever. A cool washcloth on the forehead and/or on the back of the neck will help one feel cooler. I always do this to help my son relax enough to go back to sleep. Adding 1-2 drops of high-quality peppermint or spearmint essential oils will increase the cooling effect.

Acupressure

Several acupoints have the ability to regulate the body’s response to pathogens and manage fever. See the video above for a visual of the points.

Popular body acupoints to mange fever

LI4 – on outside of hand at the corner of the crease between thumb and 1st finger

LI11 – at the end of the elbow crease on outside of arm

Du14 – below the 7th cervical vertebra

UB11 – bilateral, in the center of the paraspinal muscles in line with the 1st thoracic vertebra.

Auriculotherapy (ear acupressure)

Auriculotherapy uses points mapped on the ear to help regulate body function. When dealing with a fever, you can use your fingers, a small probe, or ear seeds to stimulate these points a few times a day:

Ear apex – the upper most part of the ear

Hot – on the upper part of the antihelix in line with the ear apex.

Plant Medicine

Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbs actively work to weaken the pathogen while strengthening the body’s ability to expel it. It’s a complicated process that should be monitored by a Chinese Medical Practitioner, Herbalist, or Acupuncturist. The herbal formula needs to match your symptoms and constitution. Otherwise, minor side effects may arise or they just may not be as effective.

Note that sometimes you may feel temporarily worse before you get better. It’s important to stick with the course of herbs until symptoms are gone, otherwise. But usually fever is an early symptom that tends to resolve within a couple of days, depending on the illness.

Essential Oils For Immune Support

Many essential oils have antiviral function. You can choose a one or more to apply topically to the body. Diluting with a carrier oil keep the essential oil on the skin longer so it’s better able to be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. Essential oils are able to penetrate into the lipid membrane of cells, helping to stop viral replication in our bodies.

My favorite blend to use on kids is the Stronger essential oil blend from doTERRA. It contains Frankincense, Rose, Litsea, and Cedarwood. You can roll it along the spine or place on the soles of the feet.

You can check out this Back To School Kit of essential oils that I’ve curated myself. It includes the Stronger blend as well as many other products to keep your kids healthy (includes wholesale account starter fee).

In Conclusion

I hope these pointers help you feel less afraid and more confident when one of you has a viral fever. The goal is to stay comfortable and rest while your body heals! You want to stay out of the hospital with secondary infections, so let the body heal completely the way nature intended to prevent any relapses!

Have you tried any of these natural remedies for fever? I’m interested to hear about how they worked for you, in the comments below. Well wishes to you and your family!

Do you love to spend time on long hikes in the forest, sitting by a gentle stream among trees, or having picnics in beautiful meadows? Like me, you may enjoy the sounds of nature, the company of the fauna, and the clean air that you exchange with the flora. There is a huge positive impact on our physical, mental, and emotional health when we spend time in nature. This is true, especially with forest bathing. However, it’s not always possible to retreat to nature when we need it in our everyday stress-filled lives. There are many things you can do to bring forest bathing indoors, to replicate it at home.

Forest Bathing Benefits

Forest Bathing, or Shinrin Yoko as it’s called in Japan, is a very popular lifestyle practice in Asia and Europe. Many peer reviewed studies show the benefits of forest bathing. The results are so positive, that it’s actually prescribed to people who are overworked and dealing with stress and anxiety.

Regular forest bathing results in:

• reduced blood pressure
• elevated mood
• reduced stress hormones
• increased focus and concentration
• increased natural killer cells which boost immune health
• and much more…

As I’ve mentioned before, spending time in nature can deepen your spiritual connection and is even more potent in ancient forests!

Unfortunately, many of us are not able to go walk in a forest at the end of each workday. And for some, it’s hard to go at all because they don’t have access; are sick, disabled, or injured; or are afraid (seriously, this is the case with some people, and that’s okay). And for this reason, it’s a good idea to try to reproduce forest bathing at home, bringing nature indoors to promote holistic health.

How To Forest Bathe At Home

There are many aspects of forest bathing that you can do at home if you’re not able to engage in the real thing.

Whenever you’re feeling stressed out, or as often as you like to prevent anxious feelings, try one or more of the following:

Diffuse Essential Oils

The visual beauty of a forest is a major reason why so many people experience a greater relaxed state. However the aroma of the forest may be even more powerful in affecting one’s mood. That’s because when we smell, we’re stimulating the limbic area of the brain which processes emotions and holds memories. Inhaling the natural essential oils in the woods or the essential oils extracted from plant parts, are equally effective in enhancing your mood!

To experience the benefits of forest bathing, simply diffuse the essential oils of trees that are present there. Try using:

• Cypress
• Fir trees (Siberian, White, Douglas, Balsam)
• Juniper Berry
• Spruce
• Frankincense
• Cedarwood
• Eucalyptus
• Tea Tree
• Myrrh
• Sandalwood
• Copaiba
• Arborvitae

DoTERRA is my favorite brand of essential oils because of their commitment to quality and purity, their sustainability efforts, and their close relationship with indigenous farmers around the world. Learn more here.

Listen to Forest Sounds

Close your eyes and imagine you’re in the forest as you listen to tracks of birds, wind through trees, a bubbling stream, and other woodland sounds.

Watch Calming Nature Videos

Viewing scenes of nature is better than nothing! Soothing scenes can definitely relax you. Research shows however, that these effects are more temporary than real-life experiences. You’re also dealing with the effects of an electronic device, so I recommend this option the least.

Do Guided Meditations Set In A Forest

The mind is a powerful force! You can use guided meditations set in the forest to create a space for very deep healing. This is whatI often do with coaching clients to support their mental, emotional, and spiritual health. If you do an online search, you’re sure to find a few helpful audio or video tracks. Feel free to reach out to me if you’d like my personal help.

Communicate With Trees Near Your Home

You don’t need to explore a whole forest just to experience the benefits of this nature therapy. Opening up your senses and connecting to the trees around your home may be more convenient as is still very effective. I like to combine grounding with a meditation:

1. Find a comfortable space outside near a tree.
2. Take off your shoes & socks and allow your feet to sink into the earth.
3. Consciously relax your body, letting it sink further with gravity.
4. Imagine that you’re sending roots down through the center of each foot.
5. See these roots connecting with the tree(s) around you, like you’re holding hands/roots with them.
6. As you breathe fully & deeply recognize how you’re exchanging life energy with the tree and how you have a symbiotic relationship with it.

Bring More Plants Into Your Home

Adding lovely ferns, orchids, and other forest plants to your home can create the visual appeal of time in the woods. If you’re serious about stress management, it’s a good idea to surround yourself with plants, especially if you work from home.

In Conclusion

Of course it’s best to experience the forest in real life! I’ve had so many amazing downloads, breakthrough, and moments of deep peace among the trees. But the home lifestyle practices I mention here can still be transformational if you don’t have access to nature on a regular basis.

I’m curious, do you forest bathe? What do you think of these at-home substitutes? Let us know in the comments how these nature therapies support your holistic health!

Are you looking for natural, impactful ways to tame stress?  Is it becoming more challenging to manage it since we’ve been bombarded with one event after another this year?  Want to stay ahead of stress and learn how to release it quickly?  (Remember, there’s still U.S. elections to come!)  If so, then you’ll want to join my free 5-day Stress Less Holistic Health Challenge starting September 28!

You see, mini vacations and beauty treatments will only do so much in helping you deal with the challenges of our times. And dropping back several glasses of alcohol, taking drugs that relax you, and loading up on sugar can provide temporary relief, but damage your health in the long term (which creates another huge layer of stress).

The most calm, composed, resilient people right now are those who are fully awake and aware of what’s happening in them and around them. And they manage stress daily by natural means, constantly trying to improve their holistic health.

Who Will Benefit From This Challenge?

This challenge is perfect for you if you want to:

• Relax your body with natural, nourishing self-care practices
• Clear your mind in order to focus on what’s really important
• Open your heart to experience more love, patience, and understanding (with yourself and others!)
• Learn how to take life in stride regardless of what is coming at you (thanks 2020 for the opportunity to practice this ?)

You can’t control what’s happening around you, but you can control how you respond! I can teach you!

How Does The Free Health Challenge For Stress Work?

The challenge begins on Monday Sept. 28. Each morning (7:00am PDT) of the challenge, I’ll give you a practice that you can work on throughout the day to help you approach it in a more easy-going manner. Then in the evening (7:00pm PDT), I’ll be coming on LIVE in our community Facebook group to do a self-healing practice with you to help you release any stress that may have accumulated throughout the day.

If you’re not on Facebook, that’s fine. I’ll be emailing out these practices too. (The evening one will just be a little delayed since I’ll need to process the video replay to share with you).

I’ll be pulling from my expertise, sharing practices including yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, qigong, acupressure massage, aromatherapy, journaling, and more!

We’ll take some time to compare how your stress level has shifted throughout the week. You’ll then take what worked well for you and integrate it into your daily & weekly routine.

I know you will see a significant change! Your friends and family will probably notice too!

I look forward to working with you!

I know this free health challenge is going to help many people manage their stress and find more joy in their lives! If you have any friends or family members who could use help releasing stress, who are open to natural healing practices and willing to do the work, please share this post with them and encourage them to join!

The world needs this shift in perspective, how we see and manage the challenges before us in a positive way. I’d love for you to join me in modeling what that change looks like!

Back to school time can be both exciting and stressful.  But this year we have the added stress of Coronavirus, the policies around it, and shake ups in learning methods.  These can all challenge the whole family’s physical, mental, and emotional health.  The following natural health tips, including essential oils for back to school, can help you manage just about anything that comes up to help your family survive Fall 2020!

Check out Back to School Essential Oils and Health Tips to learn natural health tips for immune support, essential oils for digestion, how to detox naturally, mood lifting techniques, and how to keep your kids focused. I also share bits about my homeschool approach that may help build your confidence in teaching your kids at home.

Before settling in to watch this, you may want to first download my FREE Stress-Relieving Acupressure Guide for Moms which can be a huge support for you in these times! You’ll learn 6 of my favorite acupressure points to relieve physical tension and help you manage your emotions. As a result of this quick self-care routine, you’ll sleep much deeper which is so important for staying happy and healthy!

A healthy lifestyle comes down to eating right, exercising, getting plenty of sleep, managing stress, reducing your toxic load, being able to stay positive & focused, and tending to your body when it’s ill with natural medicine. Essential oils have a place in all of these lifestyle principles.

Best Essential Oils and Natural Products for Back to School

Many of the protocols I mention in this video class are from the doTERRA collection here. I use them often for my family and recommend them for yours too!

This starter kit features the Kid’s Collection which are seven roller bottle blends that are completely safe, super effective, and easy enough for kids to use themselves.

I’d love to hear about the schooling choices that your family has made this year. Are you trying to adjust your lifestyle to make sure your family stays healthy and happy? Please tell me if any of these essential oils for Back to School help you!

Do germs terrify you? Do you try to sterilize your home and body to prevent infections from viruses, bacteria, and fungi? What you may not realize is that our immune health depends on microbes and that your cleaning routine may actually be harming your health and contributing to chronic disease for the entire community. Germs are good for you!  

As, I’m writing this, we’re in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic so what I’m saying may seem strange.  Even with this crisis, I believe (and many scientists concur) that killing everything in the environment that has the potential to harm us through our sanitizing regimens, and sterilizing our bodies with pharmaceuticals, is not a good idea!

Unfortunately this is the message many of us hear from the medical community, from politicians, and commercials for popular cleaning products. We’ve been led to believe that if we can’t control nature, we’re at it’s mercy, and there’s nothing else we can do about it.

I’m hoping you’ll hear me out! I believe our health problems are much, much bigger than Covid-19. Our aim of sterility and fear of infectious disease is contributing to these other problems – especially with our children. 

With this information, it’s my wish you’ll become less fearful of the beautiful microbial world. You’ll see that it’s necessary for us to interact with in order for our immune systems to function well. Here’s 4 reasons why you should stop obsessively disinfecting today.

Why We Need to Stop Sanitizing Everything

1) Over 97% of Microbes Are Benign or Beneficial

Our microbiome, the population of beneficial bacteria in our gut and on our skin, are needed to protect against possible pathogens.  We can think of them as generals of the immune system to direct it’s weapons against invaders. 

Our bodies are inoculated with these microbes as we exit the birth canal. This is one of the many reasons we need promote natural birth when possible. It’s why we shouldn’t bathe our babies so much. If we promote extended breastfeeding, babies and toddlers will continue to populate their guts with beneficial bacteria in mother’s milk.  These practices give children a head start with good health and wellness.

But that’s still not enough! We need these beneficial microorganisms throughout our lifetime through exposure in our soil, from pets and farm animals, in fermented foods that we should all be eating, and from human interaction. Hugging, kissing, and shaking hands are all necessary for our physical and emotional health!

2) Lack of Microbial Exposure Can Cause Chronic Disease

This Hygiene Hypothesis says that conditions like allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders, and obesity are caused by lack of exposure to microbes. 

An interesting 2016 study looked at children in two traditional Christian farming groups: the Amish and the Hutterites. The Amish practice traditional farming, using hand-held tools. Hutterites, on the other hand, use modern farm equipment and have less interaction with the soil.

Researchers found that far less Amish children had asthma compared to the Hutterites. After testing their blood, they also discovered that the Amish kids had significantly more white blood cells. We know that white blood cells are necessary for fighting infections. One could guess this was because of their direct exposure to microbes, which boosted their immune system.

We have a major issue with chronic disease in this country, and it’s growing at an alarming rate with children. Many people with chronic disease have poor gut health and it directly affects immune system function.

3) Bleach & Other Disinfectants Can Damage Your Body and Increase Infections

When we use harsh cleaning chemicals indoors, they are killing ALL microorganisms – the possible pathogens as well as the beneficial ones. These products also strip our skin and gut of it’s protective microbiome. Remember that when gut health is diminished, so is our immunity, and we’re more prone to infections.

A 2015 study in the Occupational & Environmental Medicine journal looked at the effects of bleach use in the homes of more than 9,000 kids ages 6 to 12 in Spain, the Netherlands and Finland. In homes where bleach was used, there was a much greater incidence of the flu, tonsillitis, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.

In addition to killing our beneficial microbiome, we also know that many cleaning products contain chemicals that are known or suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors (meaning they affect hormone balance and regulation), and increase the risk of chronic respiratory disease. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 53% of cleaning products harm the lungs and “about 22% contain chemicals reported to cause asthma to develop in otherwise healthy individuals”.

4) Sanitizing Our Bodies and Environment is Pressuring Microbes to Mutate

Anti-microbial soaps, hand sanitizers, disinfectants, and ALL pharmaceutical drugs that are meant to protect us from and treat infections actually threaten the existence of microbes. 

The problem: Microbes want to live as passionately as we do! And nature is smart. Remember these words from Jeff Goldblum’s character Ian Malcom in Jurassic park?

via GIFER

Microbes will evolve and mutate in order to live. We are pressuring them to change in order to infect us better! This is a response to our interaction with them.

Antibiotics and antibacterial products are not fooling them at all. Chemicals like triclosan are so purified that it’s easy for the microbes to recognize and form resistance against them which creates superbugs that cannot be managed with standard antibiotics.

Triclosan typically ends up in nose secretions of people who use triclosan-containing products.  Methicillan Resistant Staphlococcus Aureus (MRSA) then binds to collagen and keratin proteins there since tricolosan poses zero threat to them. This creates harmful infections that don’t respond to standard medicines.

Although it was banned from handsoaps by the FDA, triclosan is still present in popular toothpastes, dish soaps, personal care products and other items on your store shelves to this day.

How Do You Stay Healthy During An Outbreak?

Let’s get back to the elephant in the room, that we’re dealing with a global pandemic. What do I hope you’ll glean from this information that will help you and your family stay healthy & well?

I’m hoping this information relaxes you to the point where you can focus on what truly matters right now. Instead of killing everything in the environment and hiding from each other, we should instead focus on wellness. How do you do that during a pandemic?

1. Hand washing – gentle soap and water will remove potential pathogens from your hands without depleting the microbiome on your skin or in your gut. 
2. Building your immunity – you can read more on how to do this in How to Boost Immunity Naturally with 5 Key Tips.

If you were to let go of your sanitizing efforts and instead focus on boosting your health, then you’ll continue to live your life with greater confidence, trusting your body and nature. 

We also want to think about future consequences of our actions right now. 

If we keep obsessively cleaning our environment and sanitizing our bodies, then we will no doubt see a greater increase of infections in the future. This will not be due to a lack of social distancing with fellow humans, but because pathogens are getting stronger and smarter, and we are becoming more weak.

I hope you found this information interesting. If so, please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!

If you’re intrigued by the idea of cleaning the nose & sinuses but are concerned about using a neti pot, you can use a purified saline spray. In my experience it can help, especially with kids. For adults with chronic allergies, a neti pot is definitely more effective.

I would love to hear how your experience with jala neti has been. For those of you who’ve done it, did it work as you expected? And if you have any questions, please post in the comments. I’ve been using one for almost 20 years so I can probably help you out!

Ready to learn more about how to boost your health this Spring? Check out Ayurvedic Techniques for Spring Health, part 2: Kapalabhati Breathing

Asthma is on the rise in this country for many reasons.  Chances are, you or a close family member is suffering from this chronic disease right now or will be soon.  I’m sharing with you today, 10 acupressure points for asthma which can be used as a long-term, natural approach to managing asthma attacks and help support your respiratory health.

An alternative approach to asthma is needed, since unfortunately, steroid medications used to control attacks suppress the immune system.  This means that asthmatics are more likely to come down with colds and other infections, which then aggravates their asthma.  So they’re stuck in a cycle of sickness with medications that are actually making them sicker.  In integrative approach to care is needed so one doesn’t have to be as dependent on steroids and can get ahead of their illness to improve health.

I’ve already written about how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can be one of the best integrative approaches for treating asthma.  TCM is great for kids too!  Asthma sufferers have reported that TCM treatments result in:

• Symptom relief – deeper breathing, less wheezing, greater physical endurance
• A decrease in asthma attacks
• Less dependence on medications

I highly recommend working with a TCM practitioner who can give you personalized treatments and advice.  They will still ask that you do your part to treat yourself at home.  This acupressure protocol can be one of your best tools!

Before you learn these 10 acupressure points for asthma, you may also want to grab my acupressure guide for stress.  You can download it here for FREE.

In the stress relieving acupressure guide I share 6 other acupressure points that can help you relieve tension and help you sleep at night, which everyone needs!

Acupressure Points for Asthma

I am not a medical doctor and this is not medical advice. It is advice meant to empower you to care for yourself and your family at home just like our ancestors used to. It will also build your confidence to talk with your medical provider about weaning off medications when you become healthier with acupressure and natural medicine.

You don’t need anything special for acupressure – just clean hands. If you’d like, you can enhance the effects of acupressure by using therapeutic grade essential oils topically on the points as you press. For asthma, I suggest using Frankincense (boosts cellular health), doTERRA Breathe blend (opens & relaxes airways), and/or Lavender (anti-inflammatory).

Press each point for 30-90 seconds, depending on the age of the person you’re working on (hold longer, the older the patient). You can also round rub each point, instead of holding your fingers still. See the video above for the best demonstration.

Lung 1 & 2

Kidney 23 & 25

Ren 17

Urinary Bladder 13 (Lung point)

Urinary Bladder 23 (Kidney point)

Stomach 40

Kidney 3

Lung 9

I’m eager to hear how you did with acupressure! It may take some time to notice a difference, and you shouldn’t expect your asthma to completely disappear. First, you’ll notice you’re getting sick less. Then you’ll have less asthma attacks, wheezing, and chest tightness. Again, this is a long-term solution – wellness is something we need to be working on everyday!

Having a nourishing morning routine is a great first step to developing healthy habits.  In this post and video, I’ll be teaching you all about oil pulling, an Ayurvedic practice that is known for improving your oral health.  But it has even broader benefits for whole body health, if you do it regularly. Learn about the benefits of oil pulling and how to do it here!

All this month I’ve been sharing my morning rituals with you, including a helpful meditative yoga practice and a pranayama breathing technique.  Oil pulling is another useful practice you can add to the morning that is easy to do and only takes 10-20 minutes (and can be done while you’re multitasking with something else!).  Seriously, there is nothing to lose and only health to gain, so I hope you’ll give it a try!

If you’d like to sandwich your day with self-care, consider downloading my FREE Self-Acupuncture guide too. These 6 acupressure points will help you manage your stress and relieve any tension in the body in just 10 minutes. It’s fabulous to do before bed! Get it here:

What are the Benefits of Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is a panchakarma, one of the Ayurvedic cleansing techniques that is quite popular here in the U.S. because of its oral health benefits.

People have found that swishing their mouths with sesame and/or coconut oil reduces gum inflammation, bad breath, and helps to whiten teeth.  This is because the oils help to manage the populations of plaque-forming bacteria in the mouth.  

There’s even broader benefits than just supporting healthier tissue in the mouth. Streptococcus mutans, the main bacteria that causes problems in the mouth, can also cause plaque in the arteries, heart, lungs, brain, and can affect blood sugar metabolism. These problems start in the mouth with S. mutans getting into the bloodstream as the gums bleed from infection.  So when you’re oil pulling, you’re preventing the spread of this bacteria through the body.

Oil pulling is also a better choice at cleaning the mouth than using conventional mouthwash. Most mouthwashes contain alcohol which kills ALL bacteria in the mouth, even the good bacteria. We need beneficial bacteria to protect our gut lining! These bacteria help form a solid defense against other microorganisms and are the major part of our immune system.

Coconut oil, sesame oil, as well as several essential oils, have a chelating effect in the body.  They bind to and pull out fat-soluble toxins like heavy metals & pesticides that accumulate in our body. Therefore, oil pulling can be an important detoxifying protocol that we could all find very useful since our environment is becoming increasingly toxic.

How to Oil Pull with Coconut, Sesame, and Essential Oils

Let’s teach you how to oil pull! 

You’ll need:

• 1 T Coconut or sesame seed oil (1/2 T of each if combining)
• 1-3 drops dōTERRA therapeutic grade essential oils (I recommend Spearmint, Celery Seed, On Guard, or Turmeric)

Add the essential oils to the coconut and/or sesame seed oil on a spoon or in a cup. Put contents in your mouth, chew, press through teeth with your tongue, and swish in between all your teeth for 10-20 minutes.

When you’re done, be sure to spit out the oils into the trash. DO NOT SPIT THE OILS INTO YOUR SINK or you may create problems with your plumbing.

That’s it! Your oil pulling experience is done. It may take some practice and to get used to keeping the oils in your mouth without swallowing. You can always start out with a smaller about of oils until you get used to it.

What do you think of oil pulling now that you know the benefits and how easy it is to do? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!

Feeling low?  Apathetic?  Uninspired?  Aromatherapy can be a safe and effective form of natural medicine that will help you feel better quick.  Read on and watch the video below to learn which mood lifting essential oils will help you fight the blues and support holistic wellness.

The essential oils mentioned in this post and video are great to use in my stress-relieving self-acupressure guide. It will help you relieve tension, stress, and promote healing in body, heart, and mind. Click below to download for FREE.

How Essential Oils Affect Emotions and Mood

Emotions are actually information carrying molecules that bind to cell receptors in the brain and throughout the body.  There’s three places where this neurological processing occurs: the mind, the heart and the gut.

Here’s some interesting facts that you may not know:

The great majority of the processing that occurs in the mind is subconscious!  And most of the neurological pathways go from the heart to the mind – not the other way around.  Also, 90% of the feel-good chemicals like serotonin reside in the gut.

When we’re feeling down, at least one of these areas is not being fed sufficiently.  In addition to feeling anxious or depressed, we might also have head tension, confusion, apathy, lack of compassion, and painful, irregular digestion.

Essential oils, similar to emotions, are also information carrying molecules that bind to cell receptors in the brain and throughout the body. They balance the emotional responses in the brain, heart, and gut, allowing us to function better on all levels in life.

It’s simply biochemistry! Though everyone is different, in general these are the essential oils that match up with the emotions we’re trying to create, based on their chemical makeup.

My 4 Favorite Mood Lifting Essential Oils

There are four main essential oils and blends that I turn to whenever I’m needing a shift in mood and perspective. These are what I diffuse in my yoga classes and use on clients too, with fabulous results.

1. Lime Essential Oil

2. Peppermint Essential Oil

3. Elevation Blend Essential Oil

4. Adaptiv Blend Essential Oil

How to Use Essential Oils to Improve Your Mood

The quickest way to affect your mood with essential oils is by smelling them. When we experience an aroma, it’s perceived by the limbic area of the brain which is the oldest part of the brain. It’s also the place where we hold emotions and memories. So this is the place where we need to make a shift.

Experience essential oils aromatically by:

• smelling directly from the bottle
• putting 1-2 drops in your hands, rubbing them together before smelling them
• using an essential oil diffuser (extends the experience for 1-12 hrs depending on the settings)
• using diffuser jewelry like lava stone pendents (lasts 1-2 days)

Of course essential oils can’t take away the challenging experiences we face in life. But they do help us respond to grief, anxiety, and stress with grace and with the awareness that the intensity of the feelings will pass.

If you’re experiencing severe depression, it’s wise to seek the help of a medical doctor. Essential oils can always help, but in extreme cases, you’ll likely need more support.

You should also know that there’s a huge difference of quality among essential oils on the market. It’s important that you use a brand you trust. I only use and recommend dōTERRA Essential Oils since their commitment to quality and purity is unmatched in the industry. If you use lower quality essential oils, which are often synthetic or diluted with alcohol, you will not get the same results managing your emotional health.

I hope that you’re feeling more confident about using essential oils for uplifting your mood! I would love to know if you’re already using essential oils for emotional support or if you are eager to try what I’ve shared with you here. Please comment below with the oils that you find most useful. Well wishes to you…