BALANCE IN YOUR BODY THROUGH ACUPUNCTURE

My name is Beth Busse, and I am a licensed acupuncturist at The Soul Source, LLC.  This month, our collective of independent contractors are promoting the benefits of creating and maintaining BALANCE in our bodies, minds and spirits, so I wanted to share with you some information about how YOU can use acupuncture to do this.  I offer individual treatments and provide Community Acupuncture (an affordable and effective option where 4 or 5 individuals receive personalized treatment in a open but quiet space so their common goal of healing can be amplified and shared) at The Soul Source, LLC every Tuesday and Thursday between the hours of 4-6PM.  We use a sliding scale contribution of $40.00-$25.00 per person, per treatment so it is affordable for people to come often, if they want. 

To create and maintain BALANCE in our lives and bodies, we need to remind ourselves and others that we ALL have ups and downs, and in living a healthy and balanced life, we generally benefit from having both extremes in our experience, because it assists us in discerning what BALANCE is.  As the old adage states, "Without the bad, we wouldn’t appreciate the good in our lives."

What does that have to do with Chinese Medicine and acupuncture? Creating Balance and homeostasis is the objective behind acupuncture. Finding the middle ground between Yin and Yang, Heat and Cold, Internal and External, and Excess and Deficiency is important. By nourishing both Qi (our internal energy source) and Blood we can create Balance if our life and be more aware of it in our world.

Our bodies were created with an inner wisdom to be able to naturally heal. Acupuncture uses these instincts to unblock stasis and find what areas of the body need to be harmonized. All acupuncture points increase circulation, but some run deeper and wider and can influence larger areas of the body.

Our goal this month is to focus on a point that does just that.  ST (Stomach) 36 is a major acupuncture point that fits the bill. It’s located one hand-width below the knee and one finger-breadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia. This can sound rather confusing, so feel free to refer to the picture provided.

Its Chinese name is Zúsānlĭ, which translates to "Leg Three Mile." Thousands of years ago, when Chinese Medicine was developed, people walked everywhere. It was said that if a person had walked so much that they felt physically drained and depleted, they simply needed to needle ST36.  By doing this, the ancient wisdom claimed the body would restore enough energy to the legs to get in at least three more miles.

ST36 is the Command Point for disorders of the abdomen. It is a Sea of Nourishment point which shows its supportive quality. It’s also categorized as a Heavenly Star point, which makes it one of the most vital acupuncture points.

There are numerous actions this point promotes. Obviously, ST36 harmonizes the Stomach. The Stomach works very closely with the Spleen, thus fortifying the Spleen and resolving Dampness. It supports Correct and Original Qi that promotes healing. Both Blood and Yin are tonified and nourished. Fire is cleared and the spirit is calmed. Yang is revived and has the ability to restore consciousness. The Stomach Channel runs from your head all the way down to your feet, therefore it can activate and alleviate pain along the entire channel, not just in the abdomen.

Clearing Fire, tonifying Blood and Yin, and reviving Yang aren’t exactly what we’re used to hearing in Western Medicine. So, what kind of indications are actually being seen? The applications for ST36 are practically countless, therefore I’ll touch on some of the main ones.

• Anything related to the abdomen, such as pain, nausea, vomiting, hiccup, belching, distention, fullness, a feeling of heat, hunger, poor appetite, difficult digestion, shortness of breath, cough, palpitations, hypertension, breast pain, lumbar pain, difficulty turning, and chest pain are all implications.
• Diarrhea, flatulence, undigested food in the stool are common.
• Any problems relating to the legs, such as pain, swelling, heaviness, inability to stand, thigh, knee, or shin pain can all be treated with ST36.
• Because the Stomach Channel travels through the head, it is helpful for dizziness, dimness of vision, tinnitus, mania, depression, anger, frustration, fright, sadness, agitation, irritability, lockjaw, loss of consciousness, and headache. 

These are just some of the most common ailments and conditions ST36 can treat.  It is INCREDIBLE!  When combined with other acupuncture points, it seems that ST36 could probably help with just about any ailment, because its range of actions and indications are extremely broad. It barely seems an exaggeration that Chinese medicinal lore claims, "All diseases can be treated with this point!" 

If Balance is what we’re trying to achieve this month, ST36 is the perfect point.  

If you have any questions about this information, feel welcome to post something in the comment section here or send us a personal message on FB.

---