Take Care of Your Back, Take Care of Your Health — 6 Simple TCM Ways to Nourish Your Back

There's an old Chinese saying the front of the body should be full like a mountain and the back lean like paper in other words a Strong well cared for back is one of the signs of good health The old folk wisdom even says care for your back and you care for your well-being Whether or not you take that literally there's real truth behind and I'll show you why in Chinese medicine The back is considered one of the body's great wellness zones and spring through summer Roughly April to August is the loveliest window to care for it the season of rising yang when the body is warm and open and Warming the back works with the season rather than against it. I'm Jimmy today I'll share six simple ways to care for your back easy to learn easy to do at home. Let's begin Why the back matters two channels and the organ map So why does the back matter so much two important channels run down it? Right down the center of the spine runs the governing vessel the do meridian in Chinese medicine, this is the great reservoir of the body's yang energy its warmth and vitality Keeping it warm and open is a wonderful way to support your overall energy and on either side of the spine runs the bladder channel And this is where something beautiful lives along It sits a series of points called the back shoe points in Classical Chinese medicine these are described as the places where the Qi of each organ system Gathers at the back and they're laid out in a rather elegant order roughly following the body itself The points related to the lungs and heart sit higher up around the upper back Those related to the liver gallbladder and spleen sit through the mid-back and Those related to the kidneys and the lower organs sit down around the lower back and waist So when we care for the whole back, we're gently supporting this entire map of points This is one reason the back is considered such an important wellness area from a physiotherapy view to The spine houses the spinal cord with nerves branching out to the whole body. So a warm Supple well cared for back serves you in every way Let's go through the six methods Method one pinching the spine the first method is spine pinching a Classic hands-on technique often used for children and adults alike using both hands You gently pinch up the skin along either side of the spine Lifting and rolling the skin between thumb and fingers Working your way up from the base of the spine toward the top of the neck Roll and lift as you go five to ten passes Because this runs right along that bladder channel and its back shoe points. It's a lovely way to stimulate the whole back Traditionally, it's used to support a rundown depleted body the kind that feels tired sleeps poorly Digests weakly feels the cold and catches every bug going around Now most of us will need someone to help with this one since it's hard to reach your own spine So it's a wonderful thing to do for a family member gentle steady never painful Method two warming the back two-way mocks are optional The second method is about warmth and I'll give you options the gentlest version needs nothing at all Rub your palms together until they're hot and warm the lower back and the area between the shoulder blades Or use a warm towel or a heat pack across the upper back and lower back Comfortably warm never hot enough to risk a burn This is especially good for anyone whose back feels tight cold or stiff And if you happen to be experienced with moxibustion the warming herb therapy The back is a traditional place for it Usually with a hovering moxa stick or a moxa box so it never touches or scorches the skin But please only if you're already familiar with it and can do it safely and Never alone on your own back For most people the warm palms or a heat pack are the easiest and safest way to bring that warmth Warmth here supports the yang energy of the governing vessel. We talked about Method three sunning the back. The third is one of my favorites for its simplicity Sunning the back Letting gentle sunlight fall on your back is a lovely natural way to warm the yang and it suits any season But timing matters and please listen to this pot in the hot summer months Do not do this in the middle of the day. The midday Sun is too strong and risks sunburn and overheating Instead catch the gentle early Sun before about 9 a.m For a short while in cooler seasons you have more flexibility, but the principle is the same Gentle early or mild Sun not harsh midday heat. Keep it comfortable Keep it brief stay hydrated and never let yourself overheat or burn Why backs trouble us differently? Let me pause here because a back that troubles you isn't always troubled for the same reason and this changes what your back needs most Some backs are cold a body that runs low on yang the back feels cold and achy Worse in cold weather better with warmth This back loves the warming methods the sunning the heat the gentle warmth Other backs are stiff and stuck more about stagnant Qi and blood Tense knotted sore in one spot worse after sitting still better with movement This back wants moving and unblocking the pinching tapping and gentle movement and Other backs feel heavy a damp heavy pattern a way down Sluggish tired heaviness across the back. This one needs the dampness gently cleared alongside supporting the spleen Say making back but warm one move one lighten another the right daily care depends on which is yours This is exactly why I built a three-minute assessment at identify TCM.com 29 gentle questions and it tells you which of the nine TCM body types you are Whether your body runs cold stuck or damp then builds a daily plan around your type your age where you live and the season Identify TCM.com link in the description now three more methods Method for rubbing the back the fourth is rubbing the back and it's wonderfully simple perfect for the shower or bath take a towel drape it over one shoulder and down the back hold both ends and Saw it back and forth across the back up and down side to side until the whole back feels warm and glowing This gentle friction warms the back Supports the yang and helps ease that tight stiff achy feeling across the shoulders and lower back and Many people find it eases a stuffy tense feeling in the chest and upper back, too If you can't reach comfortably a family member can help Just keep the pressure kind enough to warm the skin Never enough to chafe or hurt it method five gentle back tapping against a wall the fifth method Traditionally involves gently bumping the back against a wall and Because it's a favorite I want to teach it but with real care, so please listen closely Stand with your back to a wall feet about shoulder width apart and a comfortable step away from it Keeping your feet planted gently lean back So your back makes soft contact with the wall and as it does let the breath release from your chest with a soft natural sound like a quiet ah It's traditionally said to help open and release the chi of the chest and upper back Now the safety part and this matters keep it gentle This is a soft lean and touch not a hard slam Start barely touching the wall and only ever go as firm as feels completely comfortable And please skip this one entirely if you have osteoporosis or thinning bones any spinal condition Balance problems or if you're frail or elderly for you The gentle rubbing and warming methods are far better and safer As a method six pat in the back and the sixth to finish is patting the back again Easiest with a helper since your own back is hard to reach With loose hollow fists or cupped open palms gently pat up and down the back in a steady comfortable rhythm This gentle patting helps loosen the muscles warm the back Support the yang energy and leave you feeling refreshed and enlivened Keep it light and rhythmic a pleasant warming tapping never hard a lovely way to round off caring for the back before we close Everything today is gentle everyday self-care Grounded in classical chinese medicine and physiotherapy It is not a medical treatment and it doesn't replace medical care if you have persistent back pain back pain that travels down a leg numbness weakness Pain after an injury or any symptom that worries you back pain has many causes And some need real treatment And please remember the safety notes keep the wall method very gentle and skip it entirely with osteoporosis spinal problems balance issues or frailty Keep warmth comfortable never hot enough to burn Avoid the harsh midday sun And if you're pregnant managing a health condition or elderly check with your health care provider before starting so Six simple ways to care for your back pinch the spine Warm it sun it gently rub it a gentle wall lean and a light patting Warm the yang ease the tension and keep that back supple and well Care for your back and you care for your whole self And if you'd like to know whether your back runs cold stuck or damp and exactly how to care for your type Identify tcm.com will map your constitution in three minutes I'm, jimmy. Let's keep sharing the beauty of chinese medicine See you next time