I recently took the jump into the land of acupuncture. I’ve always been a bit curious about its healing powers in terms of infertility but it wasn’t until my doctor mentioned checking it out that I got serious and made an appointment.
Here’s the rundown: Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine and considered one of the oldest healing practices in the world. By stimulating specific acupuncture points by inserting extremely thin needles at specific spots, your body is able to correct imbalances in the flow of energy – or life force known as qi or chi – believed to flow through channels referred to as meridians. Each meridian corresponds to a particular organ, nourishing it and extending it to an extremity. Basically, they keep your yin and your yang in harmony.
My first appointment was preceded by a 30 minute consultation with the acupuncturist. I had been given paperwork to fill out before my visit that asked a bazillion questions about my eating habits, sleeping habits, instances of pain, previous and current medical issues and family history. After checking my pulse, looking at my tongue and fingernails, she gave me the results. Apparently, I have a few things going on that need some attention, most importantly my kidneys are unbalanced and I have a low blood supply. Most of my issues could be cleared up with some major changes to my diet and she recommended that I immediately cut out all dairy, pork, alcohol, wheat and breads. So basically ALL OF THE THINGS I LOVE MOST.
Once we got all that out of the way, I was taken to a dark room where I removed my shoes and climbed onto a massage table. A sound machine played ocean waves while the acupuncturist stuck about a dozen or so needles in different spots. This was not at all painful – weird but not uncomfortable. She turned on a heating lamp at my feet and left the room while I laid there pretending I was relaxing by the sea. After maybe 45 minutes, she returned, removed the pins and I was off to start my day.
The results? I felt happy as a clam and 10 lbs lighter. So I decided to go back.
My second visit was a bit different. I listened to the same waves while she pinned me but this time in different spots. Once she was done, she switched the iPod over to a meditation series, turned on the heating lamp and left. Within minutes I was on another planet. I wasn’t sleeping really but I wasn’t awake either.
I left a total space cadet and spent the rest of the afternoon watching Who’s the Boss reruns.
Would I do it again? Most definitely. I have never felt so relaxed and full of positive energy. And after doing a little research, I think I do believe in the power of acupuncture. It will take some time before I know how it’s working for me but I can tell you that B is loving that I am so chill. Dog hair on the sofa? Don’t care. Finding 6 pairs of his shoes on the floor – in the same room, no less? Didn’t say a word.
I don’t plan on saying sayonara to bacon, wine or cheese anytime soon but I do plan on establishing some limitations on what goes in and adding more of the recommended foods to get my body yinning and yanging.
So what are your thoughts? Is acupuncture a do or a don’t?
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