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| Article: Should I Try Acupuncture? - by Jonathan Klemens, BS Biol, BS Pharm | ||
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Within our system of explanation there is no reason why the
needleprick should be followed by an improvement of the
liver function. Therefore we say it cannot happen....as a matter
of empirical fact, it does happen. Inserted at precisely the right
point, a needle in the foot affects the functions of the liver. - Aldous Huxley Most of us can relate to the above quotation by the famous author of Brave New World. Acupuncture is, to most people, their only exposure to what we call "Oriental Medicine." Acupuncture is actually only one of the eight branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine , in turn, vastly influenced the development of traditional medicine in Korea, Japan and Viet Nam. Each of the eight branches is basically the study and application of Chi to balance and harmonize the three realms of HEAVEN-HUMAN-EARTH. ORIGINAL EIGHT BRANCHES OF CHINESE MEDICINE ( Tao Healing Arts ) Acupuncture Herbal Therapy Diet / Five Phase Nutrition Massage / Manipulation /Bone-Setting Exercise / Chi Kung / Tai Chi Chuan / Internal Kung Fu Meditation / Self-Cultivation Cosmology / Ba Kua / I Ching Feng Shui / Natural Arrangement Oriental medicine is a 5,000+ year old system based on the holistic bioenergetic concepts of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang represent the balance of energy in nature. Yin represents soft, light, expanding, feminine qualities - Yang represents hard, dark, contracting, masculine qualities. Disease occurs when our bodies are out of equilibrium - the Yin and Yang aspects are out of balance. The basis of acupuncture is a belief that the insertion of acupuncture needles stimulate or regulate the flow of Chi (Ki) energy through key points on a series of twelve major meridians that channel this energy. Acupressure utilizes the same points but with a lessor effect. Historically, the number of recognized points has varied from 365-763 but modern medical devices have been able to locate more than 2,000 acupuncture points! This bodily flow of Chi pulsates with a fifteen minute cycle overlapping a larger twenty-four cycle. By regulating the flow of Chi energy, using one or more of the eight branches of the tao healing arts, a practitioner can balance Yin and Yang and restore health. A certified oriental medical doctor (OMD) is trained to detect "patterns of disharmony" and then choose the appropriate therapy. A complete exam is lengthy and includes a complete medical history, called the "four examinations" (looking, listening and smelling, asking, touching), using the energetic parameters of Yin and Yang, the twelve meridians, the eight therapeutic principles, the five phases and the six energetic layers. These practitioners can treat most sport injuries, strengthen the body and restore health. Acupuncture, massage, nutrition, herbal therapy and meditation are most commonly used. Traditional Chinese medicine is an excellent health choice when an alternative form of medicine is desired. Do your homework and locate a certified oriental medical doctor or someone skilled in acupuncture/acupressure, oriental herbal therapy and oriental massage therapy. |
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The author is a pharmacist, biologist, and martial artist interested in Integrative Medicine and Oriental culture. He has written many articles on Integrative Medicine and has a website: http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/RightWay/gdims He can be contacted At: jksamurai@hotmail.com |
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