iStock_000017889609_Full (1)Slowly but surely, Eastern medicine is becoming more accepted by popular culture in the US and other countries as Westerners continue to look for non-medical remedies for a myriad of physical afflictions and emotional issues. People are actively seeking healing alternatives to health issues that don’t include pills with hefty price tags or unsavory side effects. Acupuncture, a form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting hair-sized needles into key acupuncture points, can be one of the most effective, healing alternative medicines in existence when practiced by the right ‘hands’. You may have heard of many of the benefits of acupuncture already such as pain relief and stress relief but regular practitioners know that the benefits go way beyond this. Here are five benefits of acupuncture that may surprise you:

  1. Help with weight loss. Obesity and extreme weight gain are maladies that unfortunately plague the masses in the US today. Weight-related health issues like Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease are on the rise and the ready availability of processed and high sugar, high fat foods makes getting rid of unwanted pounds almost impossible for many. One of the triggers for weight gain in many people is the hypothalamus, a section of the brain that regulates hunger. Acupuncture, if done correctly, can help stimulate the hypothalamus which can help control hunger signals and help maintain a healthy appetite. Also, thanks to its help with controlling stress hormones like cortisol, acupuncture can also help people control overeating due to stress.
     
  2. Counteracts the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. It’s bad enough that cancer patients have to deal with the disease itself, but the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments can wreak havoc on the immune system and the patients’ state of mind. Acupuncture has been scientifically proven to help people deal with the perception of some of their worst symptoms from their treatments such as having a very dry mouth and queasiness and nausea. Of course the added benefit of stress reduction can work wonders for someone who is dealing with something traumatic like cancer.
     
  3. Treats digestive issues. It’s fascinating to note that acupuncture, if done repetitively with many sessions, can actually help treat symptoms of stomach maladies like acid reflux. Although the research in this area is still in the preliminary phases, people that suffer from symptoms like nausea and sore throats from acid reflux and GERD could really benefit from acupuncture sessions geared toward treating these symptoms. Acupuncture actually alters that secretion of acids, which affects gastrointestinal movement.
     
  4. Having sleepless nights? You likely knew that acupuncture can help reduce stress and lower stress hormones, but it’s got the added benefit of helping you catch more shuteye. There is nothing more nightmarish than lying in bed unable to sleep, staring on the clock, and counting the hours you have left before your alarm beeps for your morning wake-up buzz. Research has shown that acupuncture improves the quality and duration of sleep by increasing the production of serotonin.
     
  5. Improves mood and depression. Acupuncture has been proven to boost your mood and help deal with feelings of depression. Data suggests that acupuncture helps in the release of neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine which can aid in the alteration of mood and depression.
     

Find out more about how acupuncture can benefit your health and overall well-being by setting up a personal consultation. Call 832.282.3306 or email us today.