Hey girl!
I see you!
Running on empty...
juggling a million things...
and I bet your immune system is probably ready to crash too.
It’s hard to remember to put ourselves first in this busy, distracting world we live in. Especially as parents.
But, here’s the truth!
You don’t have to live your life at the mercy of stress and sickness.
You are the CEO of your health, and today, I’m going to give you the tools to start feeling strong and energized again!
Why Immune Health is So Important for Moms
As a busy mom, we often don’t have time to be sick.
When we’re knocked down, the whole house feels it.
That’s why taking preventative measures to support our immune health isn’t just a nice-to-do—it’s a MUST-DO.
And immune health often starts with our bodies ability to handle the stress that is thrown its way.
How Stress Weakens Your Immunity:
Stress and immunity are closely linked, and for busy moms, this connection can quickly become acute.
When you're under stress, especially the chronic, low-grade stress that comes with the challenges of parenting, your body begins to produce cortisol to help you cope.
This cortisol over time, can suppress your immune response, making it harder for your body to fight off infections and illnesses.
This means you’re not just feeling tired—you’re actually more vulnerable to colds, flu, and other common infections. Which obviously isn’t great news with daycare/school germs! YUCK.
Stress also causes inflammation and disrupts sleep, both of which weaken the immune system. And I don’t have to tell you how important it is that we moms prioritize sleep hygiene - for what little we get of it.
So, when stress levels rise, immune resilience can fall, making it that much harder to bounce back from even minor health challenges.
The Power of Acupressure in Boosting Immunity
What is Acupressure?
Acupressure is like acupuncture’s needle-free cousin.
Acupressure uses your own touch to assist in bringing your body back into a state of relaxation.
It uses gentle pressure on specific points of your body to help restore balance and boost your immunity.
How Acupressure Works for Immune Support:
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is viewed as an intricate network of communication channels.
The channels, or pathways of communication are called meridians.
When energy is stagnated due to stress it can cause physical symptoms like a weakened immune system.
Acupressure helps the body re-establish lost communication along channels, and moves the stagnation to get your energy flowing again, helping you stay calmer, stronger and healthier all year long.
Key Acupressure Points to Boost Immunity
My Favourite 3 Acupressure Points for Immune Health:
Now that you understand why acupressure is such a powerful tool, let’s talk about a few key points you can use to help keep your immune strength up.
LI-4 (He Gu) – Union Valley:
This point is great for boosting your immune system and helping you feel more energized. It is the command point for the head and neck assist with pain in that area. It is also located on the LI channel that travels up to the nasal passages making it great for clearing congestion. It’s located between your thumb and index finger, and pressing it feels like an instant reset.
TIP: You can also place a clothespin on the point. Try this while relaxing in the bath to an added boost.
ST-36 (Zu San Li) – Leg Three Miles:
This point is known as the 'longevity point' in Chinese Medicine because it supports overall wellness and boosts immunity. It’s a great one to press if you feel run down, or just need an overall boost of energy. Also called “the point of a hundred diseases” it is a powerful point for strengthening our overall vitality.
It is said that in the ancient days that on expeditions when they needed to get further but were starting to tired they would massage this point and get an extra 3 miles in - hence the name.
LU-7 (Lie Que) – Broken Sequence:
This one’s your go-to during cold and flu season, as it helps protect your respiratory system. Easy to locate, this point strengthens our overall immune energy. It also helps to push any pathogens out that may be invading our external layers (ie. Chills, runny nose etc) Perfect for those days when your kids bring home every bug from school!
TIP: This is a great point for opening the chest from tightness and congestion. Use essential oils or Vicks for extra strength. Remember to choose oils safe for babies and if applying Vicks to your littles to buy the Baby Version.
Bonus: Mindful Movement/Posture
CV-6 (Zhong Ting) - Center Palace(Sea of Energy):
This point is all about giving your energy levels a boost.
Moms are often depleted, and this point helps replenish and strengthen your body.
Spend time focusing on this area more - while falling asleep, walking, doing dishes. Just try to bring more intentional thought to this area.
TIP: Another great option is to place our hands over the area while relaxing, falling asleep, or taking a bath. You can also apply gentle pressure with both hands and make circles going in clockwise direction using a nourishing oil like coconut or olive. Again, add Essential Oils if you’d prefer - find out the best oil for your body type in our personalized self-care quiz.
How to Use Acupressure Daily (Without Adding More to Your To-Do List)
Make It Practical:
I know you don’t have time for an hour-long wellness routine.
That was my main inspiration to start creating here.
As much as I would like to see you in my clinic monthly I know it’s not possible for many peoples lifestyles. AND I’m also limited to the moms I can see in person.
The beauty of acupressure is that it’s simple, quick, and you can do it anywhere!
Literally - two of the above points are on your hand - you have access to this at ALL times - there is NO excuse.
Tips for Incorporating Acupressure:
Make this new self-care practice PRACTICAL.
So often people fall off new wellness goals because they are big and impractical.
This is actually SO easy! Just add it into little moments through out the day and over time you will begin to see the shifts in your immunity and overall energy levels.
BUT remember, this is preventative self-care, not a drug, it may take a little while before you see the results, but stick with it for stronger immunity and more overall energy.
Two ways I personally add Acupressure to my daily routine!
While I’m waiting for my coffee to brew, I massage the LI-4 point in clockwise circles.
While sitting at a red light, I’ll press the ST-36 point to give myself a little boost on long drives.
And ALL THE TIME with my kiddos - its such a beautiful way to connect while helping support their growing bodies.
You Hold the Power: Final Thoughts on Taking Charge of Your Health
Remember, mama, YOU are the CEO of your own health.
And as a parent it is extremely important you prioritize self-care that nourishes. We both know how tight the day already feels when we are struggling with energy.
Acupressure can help to improve your energy and you can fit it into the pockets any day.
Make an intentional decision to take control of your health.
No one else will manage it for you, but with small, mindful actions like using acupressure, you can start to gain more control of your energy and improve your immune health.
You have more power than you think.
Start small, and be kind to yourself. Just know that every step no matter how small you take is one step closer to feeling strong, healthy, and in control again!
Live wild, get well.
Ready to Take It to the Next Level?
If you’re ready to dive deeper into using acupressure and other wellness tools designed specifically for busy moms like you, check out my upcoming workshop 3 Ways to Get Ahead of Stress OR Personalized Self-Care Quiz.
Let’s get you back to feeling like your healthiest self—because you deserve it.
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