September is healthy aging month and a chance to bring national focus to positive aging. If you're looking to prioritize your health, acupuncture is a great addition to your wellness routine. This age old modality is meant to move your body toward homeostasis and resolve issues in a lasting way.
Eight Ways Acupuncture Helps
Bone Health
Prevention is critical to maintaining skeletal strength. Acupuncture and herbal medicine can be used to help slow the progression of bone density loss. Trials have shown that acupuncture acupuncture combined with "moxa" (non-direct burning of mugwort) can improve and maintain bone metabolism and increase bone density.
Improves Sleep Quality A good night's sleep has endless health benefits. Sleep keeps our immune system strong, helps manage weight, heart health, blood sugar, reduces stress and inflammation, and gives our body time to heal. Even just one night of poor sleep triggers an inflammatory process.
Unfortunately, sleep issues are a common concern. As with all health concerns, Chinese Medicine looks at what is going on for each individual. Once a pattern is identified, both the symptoms and the underlying causes are treated.
Pain
The sooner the better!
Treatments can be done at the onset of an injury or for lingering pain. Acupuncture supports your body's natural healing ability and helps relieve pain, improve joint function, and brings micro-circulation to an injured area, speeding up recovery.
Neuropathy
Treatments increase blood and nutrient delivery to injured nerves. improve circulation, and stimulate the peripheral nerves to repair and heal.
Stress
Ongoing stress is linked to many health issues and slows the aging process. Stress and anxiety activate the sympathetic nervous system and send us in to "fight or flight" mode. Acupuncture reduces stress by calming the nervous system, activating a relaxation response, and helps to regulate neurotransmitters and hormones that promote emotional well-being.
Digestion
What we put in our body and how well we can absorb nutrients affects so many bodily functions. Poor gut health can trigger chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Research has shown that acupuncture and moxibustion (moxa) therapy provide great relief for constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.
Hypertension
Acupuncture, cupping, and Chinese herbal medicine can help keep blood pressure in check and can be used in addition to anti-hypertensive medications.
One way acupuncture has been shown to lower blood pressure is through increasing nitric oxide levels which we produce less of as we age. This signaling molecule is important for cardiovascular health.
Vision
Acupuncture helps increase blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients to the eyes, stimulating the ocular nerves and improving vision. Treat underlying health patterns and reduce overall pain and inflammation.
Comments