How to Reverse Aging Naturally With DIY Acupressure Massage Therapy - The Epoch Times

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Who doesn’t want to be beautiful?

Using Chinese medicine for beauty had already advanced significantly more than two thousand years ago.

During the time of Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi, her beauty routine was a regiment.

The Empress would apply pearl powder on her face to keep her youthful looks and her face wrinkle-free. Cixi would use a mask made of mung beans, green tea extract, and motherwort.

Beauty Secrets of One of the Four Beauties of China​

Another famous ancient beauty was Yang Guifei, a concubine, the favorite wife of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. The emperor was deeply mesmerized by Yang’s beauty that he neglected his duties as the ruler. Being one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, Yang was not only beautiful and curvy, her skin was as soft as a baby’s.

Yang also had her own beauty secret.

Chinese Medicine and Herbs​

Empress Yang religiously consumed almonds. Almonds were used as a nourishing and skin-moisturizing medical ingredient in ancient China. She would use almonds, musk, and talc to make a cream moisturizer for her skin. Almonds are known to increase dermal microcirculation and regeneration.

Barley was also one of her secrets. Empress Yang used barley to make beauty oil. Barley in traditional Chinese medicine has excellent properties due to its richness in vitamins and nutrients. Not only does it improve constipation, but it also reduces acne, dark spots, and wrinkles.

In her diet, the Empress enjoyed lychee and incorporated the Chinese herb ginseng.

People would search for the best lychee as an offering to the Empress. Its rich nutrients are suitable for the heart and spleen. It nourishes the liver, blood, and complexion. Ginseng, on the other hand, replenishes the five organs and relaxes one’s mind. It also helps eyesight, heart, and memory.

The most famous was her love for hot springs and face-tapping. Like acupressure massage, Yang would tap lightly around her face to stimulate different acupoints to enhance blood circulation and skin cell functions. Acupressure massage was also an anti-aging method in ancient China.

Ancient Beauty Medical Books Discovered​

In 1972, 14 types of ancient medical books were discovered at the Mawangdui Han Tomb excavation in the eastern suburbs of Changsha City, Hunan Province. These books documented knowledge of medicine, diet, acupuncture, and qi gong, specifically to enhance beauty.

In Traditional Chinese medicine, the health of the face and skin relates to the human body’s internal organs, qi, blood, yin, and yang energy. Acupressure massage harmonizes the yin and Yang of qi and blood, promoting blood circulation, thereby removing wrinkles and leaving the face radiant.

Dr. Ritsugaku Ken, Chinese medicine physician and president of the Acupuncture Clinic Center at Kurashiki Heinari Hospital, explained in an interview that traditional Chinese medicine,
“Beauty treatment focuses on the overall nourishment and maintenance of the human body.”

The well-being and balance of human skin are inseparably linked to internal organs, meridians, qi, and blood through the meridians of the human body.

Dr. Ritsugaku shares his secrets of the eight DIY acupoint-specific massages for reversing signs of aging.

1. Acupoint: Leg Three Li (ST36)​

Location: 3 inches below the kneecap, slightly off the center on the outer side of the calf

Function: Prevent diseases, strengthen the body, anti-aging, regulate complexion and radiancy.

Direction:
1. Press the acupoint Lee Three Li (ST36) with your thumb with a kneading motion until a sensation of soreness and heat.
2. Press 15-20 times every minute and 5-10 minutes each time.

Note: To avoid damaging your skin from rubbing too hard, use a thin cloth or pad to protect the massage points.

See ST36 in the image below.

2. Acupoint: Four Whites (ST2), also called The Beauty.​

Location: the dented part one inch below the pupil of each eye

Function: Strengthen the spleen and qi, remove dampness, reduce swelling, and improve dark eye circles and bags under the eye.

Directions:
Gently massage and press the acupoint Four Whites with fingers for 15 seconds, five times.

3. Acupoint: Cheek Bone Hole (SI18)​

Location: The dented part right below the cheekbone. Same on both sides.

Function: promote facial blood circulation, reduce pigment accumulation, and brighten the complexion.

Direction:
Knead and gently press the acupoints with your knuckle for 15 seconds.
Repeat five times.
Alternatively, use your fists gently push the acupoints upward once per second.
Massage in the morning and before bed for 3-5 minutes.

4. Acupoint: Welcome Fragrance (LI20)​

Location: 1.5cm (0.59 inch) from the nose wing. Same on both sides.

Function: Promote dermal detoxification and blood circulation. Reduce eye puffiness and firming.

Direction:
Press using your knuckles for 3 to 5 minutes daily until both sides of the nose wings feel warm.

5. Acupoint: Pupil Bone Hole (GB1)​

Location: on the outer corner of the eye. It is slightly dented when you close your eyes.

Function: Promote blood circulation at the end of the eye, prevent and remove wrinkles, and improve eye diseases such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, and night blindness.

Direction:
Press the acupoint 100-200 times daily.
Repeat if needed.

6. Acupoint: Silk Bamboo Hole (SJ23)​

Location: on the dented point of the brow tip.

Function:
Balance eye qi and blood circulation, and remove crow’s feet (a type of wrinkle).

Direction:
Massage gently using both of your index fingers 100-200 times daily.
Repeat if needed.

7. Acupoint: Earlobe​

Function: Massaging earlobes stimulates face qi, unblocks qi and blood, and achieves a rosy complexion.

8. Acupoint: Three Yin Intersection (SP6)​

Location: 2 inches above the ankle on the inner side of the shin, behind the tibia bone, that is the shinbone. Same on both sides.

Function: Replenish qi and blood, beautify, regulate kidney, liver, and menstruation, and remove dark spots.

Direction:

1. Massage daily using knuckles for 3-5 minutes until the acupoints feel slightly sore.

Words in photo: Three Yin Intersection (SP6)

Acupoint: Three Yin Intersection (SP6)is located 2 inches above the ankle on the inner side of the shin, behind the tibia bone, that is the shinbone. Leg Three Li is located 3 inches below the kneecap. (Shutterstock/The Epoch Times)

Which one of the acupoints works best for you?

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Ellen Wan has worked for the Japanese edition of The Epoch Times since 2007.