Articles of Interest

HOW ACUPUNCTURE BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNITY

Allopathic healthcare, which is the umbrella term for conventional or Western medicine, is geared toward relieving the symptoms of a disease rather than treating the underlying cause. And that’s all well and good until we’re hit with a virus we’ve never seen before, and we have no medications available to cure it. 

DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME, TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE OFFERS A FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE.

 Acupuncture, like Chiropractic and other forms of TCM, is a method of supporting the body’s own systems in their ability to heal naturally. It’s believed that prevention or intervention at the early stages of a disease is more effective than taking drugs to reduce the symptoms. Acupuncture has been widely used for this purpose since ancient times, but underscoring its importance in building a strong immune system is critically important now more than ever. 

Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into specific spots on the body to improve the flow of qi (vital air/energy). Doing this also balances Yin and Yang, which translate closely to the Western idea of homeostasis. By stimulating certain acupoints in a specific combination, practitioners are able to obtain different effects on the immune system, restoring and promoting its healthy function. 

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE AN ACUPUNCTURE APPOINTMENT NOW

Here are the bullet points:

• Even just one acupuncture visit will make you less susceptible to viruses and other pathogens. For starters, acupuncture strengthens a weakened immune system by increasing the production of red and white blood cells and T cells. (1)

• Furthermore, acupuncture has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. We know that emotional distress negatively impacts immunity, so an acupuncture session does double duty, relaxing you and supercharging your resistance. (2) 

• A single session may cause a rise in levels of interferon - one of the immune system’s messenger hormones--for 24 hours or more.  Interferon is a protein released in our cells, usually in response to the entry of a virus, which inhibits the virus’ replication. (3)

• Acupuncture has proven effective in reducing symptoms of pain and disease. Experimental research indicates that acupuncture induces the formation of opioid-like peptides in animals. These can effectively relax the body and reduce pain. (4) 

• Acupuncture speedsup healing. It also promotes anti-inflammation effects and enhances anticancer functions. Studies in Crohn’s Disease patients demonstrated that acupuncture assists the repair of damaged tissue in the colon and may restore the balance of immune cells in the intestinal lining. This is especially important because we now know that 70-80% of our immunity resides in our gut.