With so much - sometimes conflicting - health advice now available, it can feel overwhelming working out what changes support your health and wellbeing. In this 3 minute read, Belinda answers the question she most often hears in her clinic: What can I do to support myself between acupuncture treatments?
Before we look at the top three changes you can make to support yourself between acupuncture treatments, we need to take a moment to understand a little more about how acupuncture affects our bodies.
Belinda explains how acupuncture works
While there are many theories about how acupuncture works, a great way to think about how acupuncture works is by seeing our bodies as a network of highways.
These highways - coordinated by our brain and nervous system - send blood, body fluids (for example: tears, saliva, lymph) and electrical impulses (energy that acupuncturists call Qi or Chi) to every organ, bone, muscle and skin. This provides the energy these structures need so we can physically and mentally function well in the world.
But just like highways, sometime’s there’s traffic jams (where traffic gets blocked and stuck), as well one-lane roads, junctions and roundabouts (where traffic slows down).
Those traffic jams (energy blocks) are physically felt as tension, tightness and/or pain.
They’re also emotionally felt - when you feel flat, depressed or stuck in yourself or in your life.
Acupuncture needles are known to change the electrical impulses (energy or chi) from our brain and nervous system that affect our lymphatic system (body fluids) and circulatory system (blood) - which clears those traffic jams (energy blocks affecting body fluids and blood) in the highways (meridians) so your body can heal itself.
Belinda's top three tips - in reverse order - to support yourself between acupuncture treatments:
Coming in at number three:
3. Move or exercise regularly
When you think of your body as a network of highways that move nutrients and electrical messages around, then keeping yourself moving regularly makes sense.
Sitting for long periods slows the movement of nutrients and electrical messages in your body. But when you walk, bend, fold, stretch, press, push, shake or even jump - these actions all help your highways get moving again - because movement squeezes and lengthens muscles and tissues. In turn, these movements increase body fluid and blood circulation.
Moving for 20 minutes a day - where you get just slightly out of breath - is enough to help your body keep circulating the nutrients and energy you need to stay well.
Number two:
2. Reduce sugar and processed foods
Again, think about your body as a network of highways that move nutrients and electrical messages around.
If you introduce foods and drinks into your body that contain a lot of sugar and artificial additives, your body desperately tries to ‘dilute’ these substances, in order to break them down and send them out of the body ASAP!!!
When our body is busy trying to break down these substances, our digestive organs, our liver and kidneys then have to ‘clean up’ after us. Any extra energy we previously had to spend on the fun things in life, is now spent trying to get our body ‘back on track.’ In the meantime, you’ll likely experience digestive discomfort, uncomfortable bloating and fluctuating energy levels.
On the other hand, increasing your intake of gently cooked fresh fruits, vegetables and good quality proteins helps maintain good digestion and keep energy levels consistent.
And coming in at number one:
1. Stay well hydrated with good quality filtered water
The age-old saying is true: Water is life.
The network of highways that move nutrients and electrical messages around our bodies - relies on body fluids (AKA water) to circulate these to every bone, muscles, tissue and cell we have.
Most of us live life in a state of mild to moderate dehydration.
If we do just one thing between acupuncture sessions to support our health: adding just one extra litre of well filtered water to our day, gives our body the basic ingredient it needs to support itself.
A recap
Whilst moving your body and reducing sugary and processed foods will bring huge health benefits, the number one thing you can do to support yourself between acupuncture treatments is to drink well-filtered water to stay hydrated.
Hey there, I'm Belinda
I'm the owner of Aroha acupuncture. I have a BHSc Acupuncture, plus Diplomas in Tuina Massage and Qigong & Taiji. I've studied many forms of acupuncture, including Japanese-style acupuncture. I love this style of acupuncture because it’s so gentle, yet so effective.
I'm passionate about all aspects of women’s health, especially women facing menopause and mid-life changes. I also love to help women through their pregnancy journey and preparation for birth. Find out more about Belinda