🌿 Folk Prescriptions

According to medical experts, 54% of women experience coldness, meaning one in every two women suffers from this condition, illustrating how widespread it is. In fact, during the transition from autumn to winter, a large number of female patients visit hospitals seeking treatment for cold hands and feet, as well as lower back coldness.
[Case] Last autumn, a woman in her fifties came to see me with typical symptoms of coldness. She said she was a self-employed clothing vendor who had worked outdoors all year round. Since last year, she began feeling coldness in her soles during winter, no matter how thick her shoes were, they couldn't warm her up, making it impossible for her to continue selling goods. "Many customers say they can't tell I'm an older woman. But judging by how I feel now, I won't survive this winter—I'll have to quit business!" She said this while shedding tears of sorrow.
[Tips] I told her there was no need to be sad about this issue, as there is an effective method to treat cold hands and feet. On the back of the hand, just below the little finger, lies a point called Yangchi. Yangchi is a crucial acupoint governing overall blood circulation and hormone secretion. Stimulating this point can quickly improve blood flow, balance hormone levels, warm the body, and thereby eliminate coldness.
[Technique] To stimulate Yangchi, it's best to do so slowly, for longer durations, with gentle pressure. It’s ideal to use both hands simultaneously: press Yangchi on one hand using the middle finger of the other hand, then switch and press the other hand’s Yangchi with the middle finger of the first hand. This posture naturally transfers force from the middle finger into Yangchi without needing assistance.
In addition to massaging Yangchi, combining stimulation of the Guanchong and Mingmen points along with the "palm center" can enhance effectiveness.
For women suffering from cold hands and feet, consistent stimulation of Yangchi alone can help them face winter without worry.
Cold Hands and Feet—The Antidote Is Yangchi
Cold hands and feet, also known as fear of cold, are often considered a female affliction, though many men suffer from it too.
Once, a 24-year-old young man came to see me complaining of severe coldness. His condition was so serious that he could not sleep at night due to coldness in his lower body. Though daytime symptoms were slightly better, he still felt extremely cold; if not for fear of ridicule, he would have worn a traditional elderly-style cotton jacket.
I advised him that whenever he felt cold hands and feet, he should rub the backs of both hands together to warm himself up.
"Is there any logic behind this?" he asked skeptically.
I explained that there is a point on the back of the hand called Yangchi, which is a key point on the Triple Burner Meridian. The Triple Burner Meridian governs the three heat systems in the body—the upper, middle, and lower burners. The upper burner regulates heart and lung respiratory functions, the middle burner controls digestive organs, and the lower burner governs urinary organs.
Everyone has experienced that after exercise or eating, body temperature rises. Why? Because the upper and middle burners are functioning. Why do we involuntarily shiver slightly after urinating? That’s because the lower burner releases heat.
The Yangchi point has miraculous effects on correcting imbalances in the Triple Burner Meridian. The name “Yangchi” literally means gathering solar heat. Stimulating this point restores the function of the Triple Burner Meridian, transmitting thermal energy throughout the body. Additionally, it connects to other acupoints corresponding to vital internal organs via meridians.
The marvel of Chinese acupuncture therapy lies in the fact that stimulating just one point can transmit its effect through meridians to related internal organs.
Yangchi not only treats fear of cold but also helps regulate internal organ functions, thus benefiting conditions such as colds, asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, and kidney dysfunction. Together with Hegu, it is rightly called a "universal acupoint," worth remembering for everyone.
Yangchi is located precisely at the junction of the metacarpal bones on the back of the hand. To locate it, simply raise your hand upward; several wrinkles will appear on the wrist. Press along the wrinkle closest to the back of the hand, and at the center, you’ll find a tender spot—the location of Yangchi.
Stimulation is simple: just rub the back of the hand around this point. As friction generates warmth, Yangchi receives adequate stimulation, effectively warming the entire body.
Those unable to fall asleep due to coldness should use this method before bed, then immediately cover themselves with a quilt. Their bodies will soon warm up.