I’m not an expert in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), but I do have an incredible respect for the wealth of wisdom in this ancient body of knowledge, which is believed to have begun as far back as the Neolithic Stone Age, around 6000 B.C. And I’ve always been impressed with the ability of trained TCM doctors to diagnose conditions using tongue analysis, pulse analysis, and other tools so foreign to our Western, high-tech way of thinking.
One thing I know for sure – at the very center of TCM (and many of the other Eastern traditions, for that matter) is the concept of energy. In China it’s called qi (or chi); in Japan, ki; and in India, prana.
Energy pulses through us (and everything else in the universe), and when that energy force is depleted or disrupted, then our health (and our energy, as in vitality) suffers. Conversely, when you qi is at optimal levels and flowing smoothly, we’re ready to take on the world. Spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically, we’re strong, healthy, and energized.
One way to balance that qi-or, if you prefer the more Westernized version, to increase your energy – is through acupuncture. I can tell you that the dozen or so time I’ve tried it I’ve left the sessions feeling both relaxed and energized, a combination that sounds strange on paper but feels quite terrific and not at all paradoxical.
I’m not alone. Acupuncture needles were probably first manufactured during the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122 B.C.), when bronze-casting technology was first developed. So this stuff has been around for a long time.
THE CONCEPT OF QI
Acupuncture is based on the precepts of TCM: that the body and mind are inextricably linked; that vital energy – or qi – regulates a person’s spiritual, mental, and physical health; and that each of us is a delicate balance of opposing and inseparable force – yin and yang – and when that balance is disrupted, vital energy becomes blocked or weakened.
According to TCM, qi flows through the body along an interconnected network of pathways, called meridians. There are twelve main meridians that correspond to the twelve major organs or functions of the body (as well as eight extra meridians where qi can be stored) that can be accessed through more than 400 (some sources say 2,000) acupoints – where qi is believed to flow close to the surface of the skin.
The goal of acupuncture is to maintain health by ensuring that energy circulated effortlessly throughout the body. When qi is blocked or weakened, an acupuncturist stimulates meridians at carefully selected acupoints – generally by inserting and manipulating thin metal needles – to balance energy and allow the body to heal itself. Because the effects of acupuncture correspond to the meridian that is stimulated and not necessarily the location of the needle, an acupoint used in treatment may be in a different part of the body than the symptom. For instance, a point in the foot may be used to treat the eye.
Recent neuro-imaging studies have shown that certain acu-points stimulate areas in the brain that correspond to their intended target. For instance, acu-points associated with hearing and vision light up the auditory and visual centers of the brain.
GETTING ON YOUR NERVES
Although Western medicine hasn’t been able to figure out the exact biological mechanism of acupuncture, some researchers theorize that it influences the body’s electromagnetic fields, thereby causing responses in nerves cells, the pituitary gland, and parts of the brain, which release proteins, hormones, and brain chemicals that control a number of body functions. The may explain how acupuncture affects blood pressure and body temperature, and boosts immune system activity.
Many studies provide evidence that opioid peptides – the body’s natural painkiller – are released during acupuncture, which may account for why people receiving acupuncture feel so terrific (and so energized). Scientists here and abroad are currently studying the efficacy of acupuncture for a wide range of conditions.
Today, acupuncture is used for a wide variety of conditions, including pain management, relief from postoperative nausea a vomiting, and treatment for addiction. For all those energy-draining conditions, people undergoing acupuncture report feeling a lot of relief. Research has demonstrated acupuncture’s effect on various biological systems, including the digestive tract, cardiovascular system, immune system, and endocrine system. All I know is that after a session, I’m walking on air.
If calm, focused energy is what you’re after, acupuncture is definitely worth a try.
WORTH KNOWING
There is no one who’s more of coward when it comes to pain than I am. I get nitrous oxide (laughing gas) when I get my teeth cleaned. So when I tell you that the needles used in acupuncture are absolutely, completely painless, you can take that to the bank. The only thing weird is knowing they’re in there. Half the time if you didn’t see them sticking out (which you won’t when they’re in your back) you wouldn’t even know they’re there. Seriously.
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