Once upon a time, long before I was born, my grandmother had a little too much at a holiday meal. She leaned back in her chair, doubled over, and shouted to my grandfather, “Charlie! I ate too much!” It was so funny to my mother and her siblings that she never lived it down. To this day, it’s a common refrain, met with chuckles after any holiday feast.
In Chinese Medicine, we call this Food Stagnation. It can happen when digestion is weak, when we eat something that doesn’t agree with us, or simply when we go back for one too many servings of Aunt Mary’s broccoli cheese soufflé—something we only enjoy once a year.
Fortunately, there are a couple of simple, quick solutions for those “I ate too much” moments:
Acupuncture Point: Conception Vessel 12 (Ren 12)
Located on the midline between your belly button and the bottom of your ribs, this point can be pressed with your thumb to support digestion and relieve indigestion. You can do it discreetly at the table—or be a hero and share it with others!
A Kitchen Herbal Remedy: While there are Chinese herbal formulas for food stagnation, here’s a quick grocery-store solution: fennel seed tea. Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds to 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, simmer 10 minutes, and strain. It works wonders after a bit too much holiday indulgence.
If you’d like support for digestion through the rest of the holiday season, you can schedule your first or next session ::HERE::.
