Unified Practice

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is just around the corner. Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 will kick off the Year of the Tiger so, even though we’re about a month into the Western New Year, you still have an opportunity to recommit to your New Year’s resolutions next week…and acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help you stay on track and accomplish your goals with long lasting results. 

STRESS/ANXIETY/DEPRESSION

Stress, anxiety or depression, especially chronically, can disrupt the smooth flow of energy throughout your body, or Qi, in Chinese medicine. This energy flows through our body through meridian pathways. When stress reaches high levels, it can block this free flow of Qi—with acupuncture treatment, these energy blockages can be broken up. 

Acupuncture helps get into our parasympathetic nervous system— the “rest and digest” functionality that allows us to restore and repair, thereby lowering our stress levels.  Endorphins, which are natural pain-killing chemicals in the brain, are released during a treatment and serve to ease stress as well. Additionally, acupuncture improves the circulation of blood throughout the body, which oxygenates the tissues and filters out cortisol, the hormone that encourages the “fight or flight” response as well as other unwanted chemicals. Regular acupuncture treatments are relaxing and the benefit is cumulative. Once the needles are inserted, you are able to lie quietly on a comfortable table with dim lighting and soft, healing music, for 20-45 minutes. Studies have shown acupuncture can lower your blood pressure, decrease your heart rate and relax your muscles. With all that’s going on in the world, keeping stress levels at a minimum is key, and regular acupuncture treatments is a great way to maintain and control our stress levels. If regular treatments aren’t a viable option, acupressure and auricular acupuncture (acupuncture of the ear) are effective alternatives. 

PAIN RELIEF 

If you have long-standing chronic pain that affects your day-to-day life, and looking to “get your go back” this year, acupuncture offers a safe and excellent non-pharmacological option. Unlike medications, acupuncture won’t cause adverse reactions or unpleasant side effects. Instead, you reap the benefit of natural and effective pain relief that can allow you to get back this year to the quality of life and activities you once enjoyed. 

According to a number of studies conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), acupuncture has been proven to be successful in the treatment of chronic pain including neck and back pain, osteoarthritis, knee and joint pain, and headaches including migraines and tension headaches.

Because all bodies respond differently to treatment, there is no universal number for how many acupuncture treatments it will require to start feeling relief from your pain. Stay committed to the treatment and you will notice a difference!

MAINTAINING HEALTHY GOALS

When talking about New Year’s resolutions, maintaining a healthy weight or setting weight loss goals is one of the most common resolutions every year. Despite being so common, it can also be one of the most difficult to adhere to. Acupuncture can be helpful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and attaining weight loss goals by helping to curb cravings for unhealthy foods, boosting your metabolism, and helping you to choose optimal foods for the season and your body’s constitution. It can also ensure that you’re able to properly digest, which helps you derive more energy from the foods you do eat. Acupuncture helps correct imbalances in your body that contribute to weight gain, allowing you to shed unnecessary pounds and keep them off for the long haul because each treatment is catered to the individual patient’s needs.

With so many amazing benefits of acupuncture, we encourage you to explore this treatment option. Acupuncture has been benefiting humankind for thousands of years – and for good reason. Working with a Chinese Medicine practitioner can set you on the path this year to a longer and healthier life!