ACUPRESSURE FOR IMMUNITY, PART 1 (ST 36)

One of the most frequent questions I get from patients is “What are some ways I can support my immunity?” I firmly believe that preventing disease is the best kind of doctoring. Prevention begins with what we take into our bodies, our food, our water, our stress level, our activity, and our environment. These are the basics. If we can attend to those things first, we are less likely to get out of balance. But it turns out that even doing the basics can sometimes be a challenge. Today’s society is so hectic, and the most common schedules are enough to weaken our defense system. We also might have been dealt some interesting genetics, which, in Chinese medicine, we call Jing. So extra support through herbs and nutritional supplementation, or moxibustion might be necessary.

But what can you do right now, with your own two hands? Acupressure! It’s true, acupressure doesn’t give you the bang for your buck that acupuncture can. There is a a distinct physiologic response that happens when needles penetrate the skin. BUT, acupressure can still supply us with good feedback about the state of our bodies, and help with immune support.

One of the most important and frequently used points is called ST 36 (stomach 36). It lies on the shin, along the Stomach channel. (A channel or meridian is a line of subtle connective tissue that runs longitudinally through the body. In acupuncture, there are 12 main meridians). If you place your four fingers together and align them with the bottom of your knee cap, the point will be a (usually) tender spot about one finger breadth lateral (to the outside) of the crest of the tibia (shinbone). You can massage this spot in a circular motion, and/or press and hold and release until the soreness starts to lessen. You can also warm this spot with moxa (mugwort floss) if you have it, or place some moxa oil or liniment on it. I also love using an immune supportive oil like frankincense or Thieves Oil right on the spot.

ST 36

4 finger breadths below the patella, and 1 finger breadth from the crest of the tibia

St. 36 is called the Sea of Water and Grain, it regulates digestion and helps us to better utilize the nutrients in our food and transform them into usable energy and the basis for a strong immunity. We have two kinds of immunity or qi, the first is “pre-heaven qi”, our genetics. The second is post-heaven qi. the energy we get from what is around us and what we take in. St. 36 helps to enhance that post-heaven qi, and enables us to better battle nutritional and environmental deficiencies and enhances the positive food, drink, and environment we take in.

It boosts our wei qi, the defensive immunity, think white blood cells, and our first defense against the outside world, our skin, and through the five element theory, as an earth point it is the mother of metal (Think mining metal from the earth) so it strengthens the lungs, which are associated with the metal element.

St. 36 can be used if you’re starting to feel like you might get sick or if you’re feeling like your digestion is off, but truly, it is a great point for EVERYDAY use. It helps gives you a baseline of robust health, and who wouldn’t want that? Good health to you all!

Dandelion Reigns as Queen of the May

Dandelion is a versatile powerhouse of nutrition and flavors

Covid-19 has turned our world inside-out in too many ways to list, and there isn’t any need, we are all well aware of the changes thrust upon our communities. But I’ve noticed one very small, yet very powerful way the virus has been a force for good. Are you ready? Its a doozy. In the city of Buffalo, New York, they aren’t enforcing lawn mowing! Nearly, every lawn and meadow in the city has burst into sunny color this week. The neighborhoods are carpeted with the wild yellow manes of these Dandy Lions, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

I’m not the only one that’s excited. As I was digging up the good brown soil to plant salvias and summer bulbs, I noticed several sleeping bees, still tucked away for their winter’s rest. My digging in the warm sun brought them round, and they flew directly to the dandelions and rubbed themselves in heaps of delicious pollen. Can you imagine? The first time in decades Buffalo bees can awaken to such a feast! And not just the bees! We’ve been able to harvest dozens and dozens of flowers, and still leave plenty for the pollinators.

Why am I so freaking excited about this weed? Besides it being an ideal food for our bee friends? Because every part of the dandelion plant is edible, medicinal, and tasty. In Chinese medicine the plant is called Pu Gong Ying and is used to clear the liver and eyes of toxicity, treat urinary tract infection, and clear abscesses (it works really well for infected tonsils and for breast infections). Plus, why pay 4 dollars a bunch for dandelion greens at the market, when you can go out to your own (untreated!) lawn and pick these incredible mineral rich leaves. My sweet little Italian great grandmother used to make a dandelion green salad with chopped hardboiled eggs, chickpeas, and a garlicky dressing with cider vinegar and lemon. The greens are great braised, or even as a filling for fresh ravioli. They are rich in calcium, potassium, folate, and vitamins c, k and a. Dandelion greens are a perfect food for a pregnant or new mama.

Dandelion root is also famous as a tonic for the liver and can be taken as a tea or as a tincture. And those glorious manes are edible, too! If you trim away all the green bits, they impart a fragrant floral honey flavor to baked goods, butter, vinegar, or sugar syrup.

Don’t mow these nutritional and culinary powerhouses; harvest them! But be sure to leave some for the bees!

Dandelion Ginger Shortbread at Acupunktrix in Buffalo, New York

Here is my recipe for amazing May Day Dandelion Shortbread:

1 cup butter softened
1/2 cup sugar (I used fine raw sugar)
Pinch of salt
Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp of vanilla

Cream together well.
I then add one half packet of crystallized honey and ginger tea.
Slowly add 1/2 cup of almond flour, then 2 cups white flour (or flour of your choice) .
Add a few handfuls of dandelion petals, with all the green trimmed away. (I also added some chopped soft lavender leaves for some green color).

Add a small handful of chopped crystallized ginger.

Mix well.
Roll out and cut shapes.

Bake at 325 for 20-35 minutes depending on your oven and thickness of the shortbread. .
I made a glaze with confectioners sugar moistened with enough half and half to get drizzly, and added a capful of vanilla and a few drops of plant based yellow food color. I sprinkled the tops with dandelion petals.

These cookies are an absolutely divine treat for any spring celebration. Especially nice with dandelion lemonade, or early grey tea.