Acupuncture As A Supportive Therapy for HAP

Acupuncture is an excellent supportive therapy for those embarking on the Healthy and Active Program because it facilitates the clearing of energy blocks in the body that could be affecting the way your body absorbs nutrients from what you eat.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a healing modality that uses needles to stimulate energy points in the body. This relieves symptoms and cures conditions that cause pain. Acupuncture is based on the belief that there is a living flowing energy, invisible to the eye that flows through every living entity.  In humans, this energy, flow through the body through pathways called meridians.  Each of these pathways is associated with a specific body system or organ.

Acupuncture treats the human body as a whole. There are twelve meridians with ten corresponding to physical organs and two corresponding to functions (such as the San Jiao meridian that is also known as the Triple Burner or Triple Heater.)

Acupuncture is thought to have originated in China and is most commonly associated with Traditional Chinese medicine.  Different types of acupuncture (Japanese, Korean, and classical Chinese acupuncture) have been practiced and taught throughout the world since one million B.C. 

Millions of people all over the world use it as a common treatment for all kinds of aches and pains.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Before you are treated the acupuncturist will ask you a few questions about your health. You will be asked about your digestion, any symptoms you have, and the regularity of periods, about our appetite, thirst level and other matters.  Your body may be felt to find tender acupressure points along meridian lines. You might also be asked to stick out your tongue to help diagnose your issues.

During the treatment, the acupuncturist inserts thin needles at different points in the body. Although there is sometimes an initial feeling of comfort, it soon disappears for some people. If the person is very blocked along one energy meridian, they could experience some very mild pain as the blockage is cleared along the meridian point.

Most acupuncturists use very thin needles that are made from stainless steel.  The needles are sterilized in an autoclave and inserted beneath the skin from anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. The needles may also be jiggled by the practitioner to help activate positive chi.

There are numerous things that acupuncture can do for you to help support a happy and active life style. This includes –

 

Relieving back pain that could prevent exercise

Curing cravings that could sabotage a healthy diet

Managing addictions that could jeopardize a healthy lifestyle

Curing migraines that prevent you from functioning

Relieving anxiety that keep you from going forward and being active

Relieving joint pain that prevents you from being active

Reducing bloating that can be the result of a new diet

Aiding in relieving detoxification symptoms that can be caused by diet changes

Curing flatulence caused by eating an alkaline diet

Relieving nausea caused by detox symptoms

Helping with post-operative pain

Quitting smoking

Helping with irritable bowel syndrome caused by a damaged system

There are very few side effects to acupuncture. Some people experience minor bruising or bleeding at the points where the needles are inserted, but the reality is that only bout 2% of people experience bruising. 

For more information about the Healthy & Active Program and recommendations about acupuncture treatment as a supportive treatment for the program, please visit our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr. Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.