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Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D. © Copyright
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Acu-Yoga for Hypertension Relief
Balancing High Blood Pressure*
Hypertension and high blood pressure occurs when the force of blood pushes too strongly against the artery walls. In addition to practicing Acu-Yoga and Acupressure, this condition should be seen and treated by a medical doctor to avoid serious health problems. Although there are points and Acu-Yoga postures that can bring greater balance, Acupressure is not a subsitution for medical care.
Holistic Health, Acupressure & Acu-Yoga
Holistic health involves seeing ourselves as integrated wholes. We look beyond symptoms for underlying causes, imbalances, and patterns of weakness. Hypertension is a symptom, a manifestation of imbalances in the body. Whether dietary or emotional factors predominate, we must open our body awareness in our lives to learn more.
We can go beyond surface symptoms and investigate the causes. High blood pressure can never be completely eliminated until the underlying cause is handled.
To achieve radiant health, you must take responsibility to change whatever aspect of your life is causing your imbalances. This can involve changes in your diet, exercise, work, or other lifestyle habits. It can mean getting individual help from practitioners of Holistic Health methods. It also requires you to work on yourself, through self-help methods such as meditation and Acu-Yoga.
We can go beyond surface symptoms and investigate the causes. High blood pressure can never be completely eliminated until the underlying cause is handled.
To achieve radiant health, you must take responsibility to change whatever aspect of your life is causing your imbalances. This can involve changes in your diet, exercise, work, or other lifestyle habits. It can mean getting individual help from practitioners of Holistic Health methods. It also requires you to work on yourself, through self-help methods such as meditation and Acu-Yoga.
Wing Lifting Acu-Yoga Exercise for Hypertension
The Acupressure points in the upper back illustrated below are traditionally indicated for relieving hypertension in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here are step-by-step instructions to stimulate these points.
1. Sit comfortably and clasp your hands behind your back with your palms facing each other.
2. Press your shoulders back, so that your shoulder blades are pushed together.
3. Inhale, raise your shoulders up toward your ears, and let your head drop back.
4. Straighten your arms and lift them away from your buttocks.
5. Exhale, and come to the resting position, as in Step 1.
6. Repeat the exercise five times. Work up to practicing for one minute.
7. Let go of your arms and relax. Lightly shake your shoulders. Remind yourself to breathe slightly deeper than you usually do throughout the day.
2. Press your shoulders back, so that your shoulder blades are pushed together.
3. Inhale, raise your shoulders up toward your ears, and let your head drop back.
4. Straighten your arms and lift them away from your buttocks.
5. Exhale, and come to the resting position, as in Step 1.
6. Repeat the exercise five times. Work up to practicing for one minute.
7. Let go of your arms and relax. Lightly shake your shoulders. Remind yourself to breathe slightly deeper than you usually do throughout the day.
Hypertension Dietary Issues
Reducing Salt Intake
Regarding dietary factors, there are tension-producing foods and tension-releasing foods. Eating a lot of salt, for example, has been shown to be directly related to high blood pressure. It bloats your body and constricts the arteries, impeding the blood flow. Thus, the heart must pump harder to circulate the blood through the restricted vessels.
Salt tends to stiffen the muscles, creating muscular tensions which also hamper the blood flow. Meat, which contains both salt and animal fats, contributes to hypertension. Since virtually all packaged, canned, and processed foods contain salt or white sugar (often both!), they should be avoided.
Salt tends to stiffen the muscles, creating muscular tensions which also hamper the blood flow. Meat, which contains both salt and animal fats, contributes to hypertension. Since virtually all packaged, canned, and processed foods contain salt or white sugar (often both!), they should be avoided.
Healthy Nutrition
Replace high-salt and processed foods with fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and various other natural foods, such as beans, nuts, and seeds.
Emotional Aspects of High Blood Pressure
Pressure and Stress
When people are under a lot of pressure, either from internal or external conflicts, they get charged up for action. This is a normal physiological response. It provides us with extra energy to handle a situation by automatically shifting our metabolism into a higher gear.
These days, we aren’t facing the physical dangers that require this shift but, unfortunately, our bodies still automatically provide it. By constantly “revving our motors,” emotional stress can wear us out.
High blood pressure is one element in the shift to high gear. It can become a chronic problem if we are constantly under a lot of stress. This is true especially if we have difficulty letting go of these emotional pressures.
These days, we aren’t facing the physical dangers that require this shift but, unfortunately, our bodies still automatically provide it. By constantly “revving our motors,” emotional stress can wear us out.
High blood pressure is one element in the shift to high gear. It can become a chronic problem if we are constantly under a lot of stress. This is true especially if we have difficulty letting go of these emotional pressures.
A Healing Story Using Acupressure
By Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D.
The following story illustrates all of these aspects of hypertension from a holistic perspective. I used to give Acupressure sessions to a successful and wealthy man who had a bad case of high blood pressure. During an Acupressure session, he relaxed so deeply that he fell asleep for several minutes, so that his session ended a little later than usual.
However, he had a doctor’s appointment soon after that, which he had neglected to tell me about. When he woke, he realized he’d be late and started frantically rushing around to get ready.
The Acupressure session had lowered his blood pressure, but I was sure that it had soared back up again from all his rushing around. The next time I spoke with him, I was surprised to hear that his doctor said that he had had a normal blood pressure reading for the first time in years.
However, he had a doctor’s appointment soon after that, which he had neglected to tell me about. When he woke, he realized he’d be late and started frantically rushing around to get ready.
The Acupressure session had lowered his blood pressure, but I was sure that it had soared back up again from all his rushing around. The next time I spoke with him, I was surprised to hear that his doctor said that he had had a normal blood pressure reading for the first time in years.
Measuring Acupressure’s Effect
Blood pressure is one of the few medical tests that I had access to that could measure the benefits of Acupressure. Consequently, I had my client’s wife take his blood pressure before and after the Acupressure session, so that we could measure the difference.
His systolic blood pressure was 162 before I worked on him — a number that’s over 40 above normal, which is about 120. After the one-hour session, it had dropped 38 points to 124.
His systolic blood pressure was 162 before I worked on him — a number that’s over 40 above normal, which is about 120. After the one-hour session, it had dropped 38 points to 124.
Looking for Causes
Even though Acupressure clearly lowered my client’s blood pressure, it is only a limited, temporary measure. He still needs to look into what is causing his condition and begin to deal with that.
For example, he had been drinking to “help himself relax.” He decided to stop drinking alcohol for awhile, because he thought he was going to have a heart attack if he didn’t. My client’s hypertension actually vanished as soon as he stopped drinking. He was also learning new, constructive ways to relax through Acupressure instead.
For example, he had been drinking to “help himself relax.” He decided to stop drinking alcohol for awhile, because he thought he was going to have a heart attack if he didn’t. My client’s hypertension actually vanished as soon as he stopped drinking. He was also learning new, constructive ways to relax through Acupressure instead.
*NOTE: Acupressure and Acu-Yoga are not a substitute for medical care. If you have high blood pressure, please see your medical doctor regularly. You can still continue your Acu-Yoga and Acupressure exercises and routines. They can easily be combined with your medical treatment. Your self-care methods allow you to enhance your health at any time that works for you.
Acu-Yoga Resources for Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Check out the Acupressure Healing Meditations online course, with fully guided Self-Healing transformative practices and teachings which can balance hypertension. See below the following instructional products for more details on how you can benefit from this online meditation course with Michael Gach.
The Acu-Yoga video series will teach you how to do Acu-Yoga. It has instructional programs for relieving Stress, enhancing Flexibility, promoting Shoulder & Neck Relief, and how to open the 12 Meridians. DVD, rental and downloads available.
DVD • Download • RentThe Acu-Yoga book gives you Acu-Yoga exercises for a wide variety of issues. These include back problems, headaches, insomnia, and many more. It utilizes postures, points, and breathing techniques, along with dietary recommendations.
Book DetailsAcupressure
Healing Meditations
Fully Guided Online Self-Healing Transformative Practices & Teachings Which Can Balance Hypertension
4-Week Course • 1-Year Access • Learn 15 Meditations
• 4-Week Course
• 1-Year Access
• Learn 15 Meditations
• 1-Year Access
• Learn 15 Meditations