Michael Reed Gach - Acupressures Potent Points: A Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments

I am grateful for the love I have received from my parents, teachers, and friends. I especially want to thank my students, clients, staff, and the faculty at the Acupressure Institute my extended family and community for over fifteen years for the professional support I needed to write this book.

I want to acknowledge all my teachers but particularly Iona and Ron Teeguarden and Frank Chung, C.A., O.M.D., who taught me the practical therapeutic applications of acupressures potent points.

The guidance and strong editorial contributions from Sally Zahner and Leslie Meredith transformed my manuscript into a comprehensive whole. I appreciate their insight, talents, and the tremendous amount of work they gave my book. I also want to thank Gina Velasquez for handling everything from editorial details to coordinating production.

I want to thank Paul Abell, Ph.D., Pamela Clarke, Joseph Carter, C.A., Alice Hiatt, R.N., and Brian ODea, C.A., for their technical advice and suggestions. I am especially grateful for the help of Cathy Hemming and Patty Leasure in getting this book published.

In terms of producing the way the book looks, Mary Sanichas, with her high-tech scanner and fully computerized desktop publishing expertise, did an outstanding job with the books graphic design. I am also grateful for the organizational and editorial computer work of Carrie Sealine.

I enjoyed working with David Lehrer again, who shot all of the fine photography in this book. Joan Carol, Christel Busch, and Gordon Pagnello certainly deserve acknowledgment for their anatomical drawings.

Finally, I want to express my appreciation to the models in the book: Molly Beck, Joella Caskey, Pamela Clarke, Nathan Hiatt, Herb R. Jorgensen, Alexander B. Levin, Takami Matsumoto, Bill Mathers, Frank Nuessle, Gene Poferl, Mary Sanichas, and Jo Ann Turner.

T his book presents in easy steps how you can use acupressure on yourself to relieve stress-related problems, both physical and emotional. These potent points and self-care exercises will enable you to participate actively in your own healing. At the same time, however, you should continue to see your doctor for individualized examinations, advice, and treatment. I believe that this book can complement your medical care by enabling you to take a vital role in getting and staying well.

This book is not intended as a substitute for medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his or her health and particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. Before utilizing acupressure, the reader should be certain to read all of .

Part I gives you general information about acupressure, its origins, how it works, what it is good and not good for, what a point is, how to find the points, and how to apply finger pressure. contains forty chapters of fully illustrated self-care methods for relieving common complaints from acne to headaches to wrist pain.

The ailments I deal with are organized alphabetically to enable you to find your problem easily. First, I discuss each complaint, giving some of its causes and tips for prevention. Then specific acupressure points that can relieve the symptoms are shown in illustrations, so that you can find them easily. I then present step-by-step routines for using acupressure and end each chapter with a list of other chapters that contain additional points for further relief. The index further guides you to find the potent points for relieving other problems.

It is a tremendous blessing to be able to help yourself and others, without costly equipment, simply using your hands, at any time, wherever you are. I hope that this book will lead you to a new dimension of well-being not only to be able to work actively to improve your health, but to expand your awareness of your own healing energy and potent life spirit.