“There are three years of Ai at home, and the doctor doesn’t use it”Moxibustion is not only a traditional medicine treatmentIt is also a means for many modern people to maintain health at homeThe autumn wind is gradually picking up, and the temperature is getting coolerSore neck, shoulders, waist, and back, cold hands and feetGastrointestinal discomfort and other problems quietly came to the doorToday I will teach you to use “a wisp of mugwort” to solve autumn health problems

01、A wisp of mugwort

Protect the health of the whole family

As a therapy that has been passed down for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, moxibustion uses the warm power generated by burning wormwood to stimulate specific acupuncture points to achieve the effect of harmonizing qi and blood, dredging meridians, and enhancing the function of internal organs.

● Enhance immunity and prevent diseases

Modern research has found that moxibustion can activate the immune system by stimulating acupuncture points: on the one hand, it helps to promote the activity of macrophages and lymphocytes, thereby enhancing the body’s ability to remove pathogens; on the other hand, it regulates the neuro-endocrine-immune network and improves the overall disease resistance.

● Harmonize qi and blood, delay aging

Qi and blood are the basis for maintaining youthfulness. Moxibustion promotes qi and blood biochemistry through warming and relaxation, and improves pale complexion, hair loss, premature wrinkles and other problems. At the same time, its antioxidant effect (volatiles produced by the combustion of mugwort contain antioxidants) can reduce free radical damage and assist in delaying aging.

“Shuowen Jiezi” clearly annotates “moxibustion, burning, from fire”, revealing the essence of moxibustion treating diseases through cauterization.

The modern word “moxibustion” is composed of “long” and “fire”, which means “moxibustion fire is prosperous for a long time, and the fire of life is endless”. The ancients have long recognized that regular moxibustion can stimulate physical vitality and help health and longevity.

advantage

With the development of medicine, modern moxibustion technology has been iteratively upgraded: by optimizing the formula of moxibustion materials and improving the design of instruments, today’s moxibustion pays more attention to “gentle and comfortable”, avoiding the risk of burns while eliminating diseases, and is more suitable for home operation.

Moxibustion acts on the body surface through the warm stimulation generated by burning moxa velvet, without puncturing the skin, is safer, and simple to operate, and is more suitable for home self-conditioning.

note

Moxibustion is especially suitable for people with yang deficiency constitution, heavy cold and dampness, chronic strain, and low immunity.

Although moxibustion is safe, it is prohibited for patients with broken skin, high fever and pregnant women’s abdomen, and it is recommended to consult a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner for the first attempt.

02、Warm and clear the meridians

Relieve neck, shoulders, waist and back pain

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that “it is not painful, but it is not painful”, and qi and blood stasis and cold coagulation meridians are the main causes of pain (such as neck, shoulder, waist and leg pain, joint pain, etc.).

The warming effect of moxibustion can penetrate the skin, promote local qi and blood circulation, dissipate stasis, and relieve spasms.

Key acupuncture points

Dazhui point (the depression under the most protruding bone behind the neck when the head is lowered), Jianjing point (the midpoint of the line connecting the highest point of the shoulder and the base of the neck), can invigorate yang energy, Relieves muscle tension.

Choose the right mugwort

Beginners should give priority to fine mugwort strips with a diameter of about 2 cm (mild firepower, easy to control), and avoid coarse mugwort strips (strong firepower, require professional equipment assistance).

Master the technique

It is recommended to “mild moxibustion” (safest) – aim one end of the lit moxa stick at the painful area (such as the Dazhui point, Jianjing point), keep a distance of 2~3 cm (it can be slightly closer in the beginning, but you need to ask the moxibustor if there is a burning sensation), and the skin is slightly red, warm and comfortable.

If there is a large area of soreness (such as trapezius muscle), “circumflex moxibustion” (moving moxa strips in a circle) can be used with “bird pecking moxibustion” (one far and one near, simulating bird pecking).

Control duration

Moxibustion at a single acupoint is 8~10 minutes, and for children and sensitive people is 3~5 minutes, and the total duration is adjusted according to tolerance to avoid burns caused by moxibustion of the same part for a long time.

03、Fuyang solidified its foundation

Enhance physical fitness and improve immunity

In autumn and winter, it is easy to catch a cold and have discomfort in the waist and legs, and moxibustion can be used to repair the deficiency of yang qi and enhance the ability to resist diseases.

Moxibustion techniques

First, knead the mugwort into a pillar, and then use ginger, salt, garlic and other ingredients as “spacers” to enhance pertinence.

Ginger moxibustion: dispel wind and cold, prevent colds

Cut 3~4 mm thick ginger slices (pierce holes with toothpicks to help ventilate), place them on the Hegu point (the high point of the muscles when the thumb and index finger are together), and moxibust until the moxa pillar on the ginger slices is burned out.

Garlic moxibustion: detoxifying and clearing heat

Select single-headed garlic (about 2 cm in diameter), place it at the Quchi point (at the midpoint of the connection between the lateral end of the elbow striation and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus), and bend the elbow to fix it.

Salt moxibustion: nourishes kidney yang, warms the spleen and stomach, and is suitable for those who are weak and afraid of cold

Fill the navel (Shenque point) with salt, or slightly higher than the skin, then add ginger slices, and finally put moxa pillars for moxibustion.

Buy moxa

High-quality moxa velvet is mostly golden yellow (inferior green), soft as velvet (not coarse and crumbly), fragrant smell (not pungent), the more golden the color, the milder the taste, and the higher the quality.

Storage tips

moxa velvet/moxa strips need to be “bought and used”;

Avoid moisture (easy to fail), exposure to the sun (loss of volatile oil), and sealed storage (easy to mold), and the storage environment should be dry and ventilated, away from odors.

04、Improve cold hands and feet

Moxibustion is pure yang, which can warm cold and dampness, and accelerate the metabolism of water and dampness in the body.

Key acupuncture points

Shenque point (navel), Guanyuan point (three inches below the navel, about four horizontal fingers wide), warm and nourish the spleen and kidney, relieve uterine cold and dysmenorrhea.

Mingmen point (the back waist is directly facing the navel), warm the waist and strengthen the kidneys.

Smoke-free appliances are recommended

Sitting moxibustion device: Place a moxa pillar at the bottom, isolate the smoke through the filter, and warm moxibustion on the perineum point and the eight codyle points while sitting (improve the cold of the lower jiao and relieve the cold of the hands and feet).

Moxibustion patch/hot compress: contains wormwood powder and chemical heating material, tears and pastes on the abdomen/waist, replacing open flame moxibustion (suitable for dysmenorrhea and cold waist) through constant temperature heating.

Electric moxibustion box: rechargeable timer, built-in wormwood tablets, tied to the stomach or waist to adjust the temperature to avoid burns.

Suitable for children: If children over 3 years old have diarrhea and abdominal pain, they can use mini moxa sticks (mild fire) to moxibustion Zusanli and navel (Shenque acupoint) for 3~5 minutes each time, paying attention to ventilation and smoke exhaust.