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What Is The KD 7 Acupuncture Point?
The acupoint gets its abbreviated name from it’s relation to kidney health. It is also known by its Chinese name Fuliu and its English-translated name returning current/recover flow.
These names allude to the power the KD 7 acupuncture point has over energy flow through the body. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys’ function goes far beyond the processing of waste from the blood into the urine. The kidneys are actually a crucial part of our life force. They store and protect the body’s life energy, also known as Jing essence. We are each born with a set amount of this energy, making it essential that our kidneys are healthy and capable of sustaining that life essence for many years. Weak kidneys can cause a loss of that essence and cause aging early in life.
This life essence is how the health of your kidneys, as promoted through the KD 7 point, directly affects the ability to maintain vivid black hair. Greying of the hair display poor kidney function and an inability to cope with the loss of Jing essence in the face of extended periods of stress.
It is important to properly care for your kidneys throughout your life and make acupressure of the KD 7 point a regular event. This will ensure that you will maintain vivid black hair throughout your life, and you will reap a variety of other health benefits, both physical and mental, that are associated with this location.
Where Is The KD 7 Acupuncture Point Located On The Body?
Despite being related to healthy kidney function, the acupoint is actually located near the ankles. This is because the kidney channel starts at the base of the feet and runs up the ankles, legs, groin, and abdomen until it ends in the upper back. Even though this long chain of kidney acupuncture points runs nearly the entire length of the body, the most impactful acupoints are considered to be those closest to the foot and ankle.
To identify the acupoint’s location, you must start at the KD 3 location. The KD 3 point can be found halfway between the highest point of your medial malleolus, also known as the outer protrusion of your ankle, and the attachment of your Achilles tendon. Your Achilles tendon is the seemingly round and firm chord of the tendon extending up each leg from the heels.
After identifying the KD 3 location, the KD 7 location can be determined precisely two cun directly above KD 3. Cun is a historical form of measurement used primarily in acupuncture. Two cun translates to about 2.5 inches, typically the width of a person’s pointer, middle, and ring finger when measured across the knuckles. Feel free to measure two cun up from the KD 3 however you find most comfortable and most impactful.
When you locate the acupoint, you should notice that it is not aligned with the ankle. Instead, it falls slightly towards the back of the leg. This is crucial information because the KD 8 point is at the same level as the KD 7 point; however, it is in line with the ankle and has different benefits.
How Do I Massage The KD 7 Acupuncture Point?
Now that you have identified the KD 7 acupressure point on both legs, you can begin to apply massage for the treatment of kidney function and improvement of hair color.
The KD 7 point is located on the outer portion of the leg. However, its proximity to the thinner rear portion of the leg makes it possible for acupressure through a pinching motion. This thin part of the leg can be held with your index finger on the KD 7 point and your thumb directly across from it on the inner portion of the leg. In this position, you can apply gentle pressure with both fingers. A gentle circular massaging motion is optional depending on how comfortable you feel.
It is generally easiest to apply acupressure from both sides when treating the acupoint since that area of the leg can fold away from pressure easier than other areas. There is also the option to use dull yet precise objects, like chopsticks or a gua sha board, to apply pressure to the KD 7 point. The pressure applied should be firm; however, it should never break or damage the skin for acupressure treatment.
How Does This Point, In Combination With Others, Help Maintain My Health?
When the acupoint is combined with the KD-6, KI-1, and KI-3 kidney acupuncture points, the benefits are increased. This is because all of these points relate to improving the kidneys’ health and functionality, thus, increasing their ability to maintain vivid black hair through the protection of Jing essence.
The KD-6 point can be found directly below each ankle’s inner protrusion, and it serves to nourish the kidneys and calm the body’s energy. The KI 1 point is located two-thirds of the way up each foot from the heal in line with the crevasse created from the third toe from the pinky toe. This point acts to promote healthy Jing and subdue excess liver yang, an energy that can negatively impact the kidneys’ health over time. The final acupoint of this quartet is the KI 3 point, and it is located directly between the outer peak of the ankle bone and the Achilles tendon, as mentioned prior.
Massaging this chain of kidney acupuncture points opens up the energy pathway to the kidneys for proper health and prevents the buildup of harmful energies. These acupoints can be massaged in any order for an improved impact on maintaining vivid black hair, as long as they are all used in close proximity. Remember to apply acupressure regularly to these areas for the best results.
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