More Turn To Acupuncture
By MICHAEL ROIZEN
You may not like the idea of being needled, but acupuncture has been a go-to therapy for 5,000 years. This Chinese healing art, which uses needles to stimulate points in the body that affect chi or qi, the life energy, has been in the news lately, and not just because celebs such as Alicia Keys and Tour de France winner Vincenzo Nibali use it to stay energized, but because modern medicine is discovering more about the powers of acupuncture to heal the mind and body.
The World Health Organization says acupuncture may help ease digestive problems such as constipation and diarrhea; chronic sinus and lung infections; all sorts of pain from headaches and migraines to neck pain, back pain and osteoarthritis; infertility; and even urinary and menstrual problems.
No wonder the number of North Americans being needled jumped from 2 million in 2002 to more than 14 million in 2007.
If you like the idea and the treatments work for you, here are some recent insights into what acupuncture can do:
Acupuncture is a stress reliever: Levels of neuropeptide Y, a combo of 36 amino acids that acts as a neurotransmitter and constricts blood vessels, skyrockets when you’re tense, triggering the fight-or-flight response. Acupuncture helps control levels of neuropeptide Y, lowering blood pressure and relaxing muscles.
Click here to view original web page at www.thespec.com
Category: Alternative Medicine
