Boost Blood Circulation Starting from Hands and Feet
Mnemonic: "Rub ears, rub hands, lift heels—lifelong benefits, never let go."
(1) Rubbing Hands
Technique: Interlace fingers, keep elbows suspended, point fingertips forward and upward. Rapidly rub hands together for one minute. Those with hypertension or heart conditions should rub gently.
Benefits: Interlaced fingers stimulate acupoints where Yin and Yang meridians converge, enhancing meridian flow.Initially, many find it difficult to sustain due to noticeable muscle soreness in the arms, reflecting diminished muscular strength and confirming its efficacy for upper arm muscle training. Accelerated heart rate and perspiration indicate its benefits for enhancing cardiopulmonary function. Hand rubbing also significantly improves blood circulation in the hands.
(2) Rapid Ear Rubbing
Key Technique: Perform ear rubbing with proper form. Use the "Laogong acupoint" on your palms to press against your ears. Pull your elbows inward forcefully and rub both ears vigorously in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
Benefits: The ears contain acupoints corresponding to the internal organs. A groove behind the auricle, known as the Hypotensive Groove, helps regulate blood pressure. Thus, ear rubbing aids in balancing the functions of all bodily organs.
(3) Heel Raises (Raising on Toes)
Key Points: Stand upright with chest out and abdomen tucked in. Place hands behind your back. Rise onto your toes, holding the highest position for one second. Repeat 30 times consecutively.
Benefits: As the lowest point of the body, feet have the poorest blood circulation. Normally, lower-body movement uses muscle contractions to pump blood back to the heart. Heel raises improve circulation through lower-limb muscle activity.
Professor Huang emphasizes integrating these movements into daily life, utilizing spare moments to maximize their fitness benefits.
Eliminate Fatigue: Yawn Deeply
Stretch Vigorous: Embrace Yourself
Mnemonic: "Breathe deep, push hard, take it seriously—don't underestimate"
Yawning expands our chest cavity to draw in more air, while stretching causes muscle contraction and accelerates blood flow. Both actions alter cerebral blood supply, instantly revitalizing us.These are natural physiological responses, but we shouldn't underestimate them—they signal bodily fatigue. So don't feel self-conscious when performing these actions; stretch your body fully. Mnemonic: "Chest out, shoulders hugged tight, don't forget to curl toes after sitting long." Specific method: Clasp hands tightly behind your back, chest out, stomach tucked in, and gaze upward.Hold for 5–10 seconds to fully stretch and relax the muscles and soft tissues of the shoulders, neck, and upper chest. Cross your arms across your chest, clasping your shoulders tightly, then bend forward, bringing your face as close to your thighs as possible. Hold for 5–10 seconds to fully stretch and relax the muscles and soft tissues of the shoulders, back, and back of the neck.Keep heels on the ground while vigorously curling toes upward, hold for one second, repeat 30 times.
Six Key Principles for Walking Exercise to Enhance Effectiveness
Mnemonic: "Head up, stride fast, arms swing high, breathe deep, time sufficient, hands firm, long strides most effective"
Action Guidelines:
1.Maintain proper posture: Naturally straighten your chest and tuck in your abdomen. This facilitates smoother breathing and preserves the spine's natural physiological curves.
2. Maintain a brisk pace: The core of walking exercise is "speed." Only brisk walking achieves cardiovascular fitness goals. Whether taking large or small strides, the key is maintaining a fast pace. For men, aim for 100 meters per minute, equivalent to 6 kilometers per hour.Women should aim for 100 meters in about 70 seconds, equivalent to 5 kilometers per hour.
3. Swing arms vigorously: Fast walking requires high arm swing. For straight-arm swingers, arms should swing nearly parallel to the ground; for bent-arm swingers, fists should reach chest height. Avoid side-to-side swinging to maintain speed and breathing rhythm; instead, develop a natural front-to-back swing.
4. Deep Breathing: The primary goal of walking exercise is to strengthen cardiovascular function, so mastering deep breathing is essential. There are two methods: natural deep breathing ("inhale-exhale-inhale-exhale") or the "three-inhalations-one-exhalation" technique ("inhale-inhale-inhale-exhale"). This ensures more efficient oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expulsion, significantly enhancing cardiovascular performance.Sufficient duration: Those aiming to lose weight through walking should ensure each session lasts at least 45 minutes to effectively burn stored body fat.
6. Alternate fist clenching for added strength: While walking, engage your upper body by alternately clenching your fists with force. This transforms a lower-body-only activity into a full-body workout, proving simpler and more effective than using walking sticks.
Finger Exercises for Health and Brain Fitness
"Climbing and Descending Stairs": Position one palm facing inward and the other outward.Form a rectangle with the thumbs and index fingers of both hands. Using the thumbs and index fingers as pivots, alternate moving both hands upward (climbing stairs) and downward (descending stairs). Perform each movement for eight counts, alternating between them. Start at a fast pace, slow down, then accelerate again.
"Peacock Spreads Its Feathers": Spread both palms outward. Starting with the thumb, fold each finger one by one toward the palm until all fingers are clenched into a fist. Then unfold each finger one by one, returning to the outward-facing palm position. Alternate between these two movements. Start at a fast pace, slow down, then speed up again.
Health Preservation Exercise #2: Meridian Health Exercise to Clear Your Meridians
"You tap once, I tap once, tap limbs in sequence"
Upper limbs: Three Yin meridians run from the chest through the shoulder, roughly along the line of thumb, middle finger, and little finger. Three Yang meridians ascend from the back of the hand, also roughly following the line of thumb, middle finger, and little finger.To align with the flow direction of yin and yang meridians, when tapping along the meridians: - On the palm side, tap downward along these three lines. - On the back of the hand, tap upward along these three lines.Apply firm pressure during tapping, utilizing explosive force to achieve a springy impact. However, if you have a bleeding tendency (e.g., bleeding gums when brushing teeth or bruising easily from minor bumps), tap gently or consider alternative health methods instead of tapping.
Lower Limbs: The tapping sequence for the lower limbs is the reverse of the upper limbs.The three Yang meridians flowing through the lower limbs descend along the front, middle, and rear lines of the thigh and calf. The three Yin meridians ascend from the foot through the inner ankle, following the front, middle, and rear lines along the inner thigh up to the groin. Therefore, when tapping the thighs and calves, the outer and rear sides should be tapped from top to bottom, while the inner sides should be tapped from bottom to top.
"You tap two, I tap two, shoulders and back each get thirty-two taps (four sets of eight taps)"
When tapping around the shoulders, focus on painful areas for those with shoulder conditions; otherwise, tap around the shoulder joint.Tap the Shoulder Well point (GB21) at the center of the shoulder. Use the right hand to tap the left side and the left hand to tap the right side, alternating. Tap the Heavenly Palace point (SI1) in the depression behind the shoulder blade using the palm, tapping through the armpit. Tap the Great Vertebra point (GV14) at the base of the neck, below the seventh cervical vertebra (below the most prominent spinous process when the head is lowered).
"You tap three, I tap three, waist and abdomen tapping regulates intestines and liver"
Face palms together and tap: one hand taps the Qihai point at the center of the lower abdomen, the other taps the corresponding Mingmen point at the center of the lumbar-sacral region. At the moment of tapping, do not inhale or hold your breath—exhale instead, using the rotation of the waist to drive the arms. This generates power while conserving energy.Professor Huang shared: "A listener told me that by following your waist-abdomen tapping method—300 to 500 times daily—not only did their digestion improve, but their beer belly vanished! You might want to give it a try too."
"You tap four, I tap four, spine and organs all function well"
Using the backs of both hands, start from the sacral region and tap sequentially along both sides of the spine—first upward, then downward. Combining this with waist rotation to drive the arms enhances power while conserving energy.
"Tap five? I tap five? Tap the belly, knock the chest, expel stagnant qi."
Make a loose fist, take a deep breath, then as you exhale slowly and fully, gently tap upward from the groin along the lower abdomen to the chest, reaching the collarbone before exhaling again.Use the left palm to tap the right side, and the right palm to tap the left side. Complete one full upward stroke in a single breath. Alternate sides, performing four taps on each side. Professor Huang advises: "Whenever you feel unhappy or have pent-up emotions, you can perform this meridian tapping exercise to regulate your mood."