Acupuncture can play a very important role in helping to achieve some of the traditional New Year’s resolutions. This is some of them listed below but by no means all of them.
Resolution 1: Weight Loss
Losing weight is the most common New Year’s resolution and often one of the hardest to maintain. Acupuncture treatments can help you reach your target level of fitness and maintain that level by promoting better digestion, reducing appetite, improving metabolism and eliminating food cravings. Acupuncture is used as a supportive treatment in conjunction with other weight management programmes. Each treatment is catered to the needs of the individual.
Resolution 2: Stop Smoking
Many people who make New Year’s Eve their last night smoking often find it tough in the first few weeks and may need additional motivation and support to help with the cravings. Acupuncture has been proven as a successful aid to smoking cessation and has turned a growing number of cigarette smokers into permanent ex-smokers. While also aiding in relaxation and detoxing, the acupuncture treatment centres on restlessness, irritability and cravings that are part of the quitting process. Acupuncture is effective in making it easier to quit and remain smoke-free for good.
Resolution 3: De-Stress
Christmas can be a stressful time of year and people often feel overwhelmed due to financial, family and work pressures. Stress, anxiety, depression or any other strong emotion interrupts the smooth flow of energy throughout the body. Stress may affect many other parts of the body, most notably digestion, the ability to sleep, pain conditions, and blood pressure. Stress can also aggravate any existing troublesome health conditions.
Through acupuncture, energy blockages caused by stress can be addressed, helping to relieve the symptoms of stress and anxiety. Acupuncture works to alleviate stress by releasing natural pain-killing chemicals in the brain, called endorphins. The calming nature of acupuncture also decreases heart rate, lowers blood pressure and relaxes the muscles, which all help to reduce stress.
Resolution 4: Improve General Well-Being
Running around preparing for the festive season can leave you exhausted and run down. The weather this time of year generally does not help either. Acupuncture works in harmony with the body to achieve a physical and mental balance; the body’s natural, well state. The science of acupuncture is based on the movement of an energy force called Qi (pronounced ‘chi’), which circulates through channels in the body called meridians. When this flow is disrupted, negative health consequences may follow. Through the stimulation of particular acupuncture points, the disruption can be corrected and the flow of Qi restored. By correcting imbalances, acupuncture can provide symptomatic relief and treat underlying causes, making it an effective tool for healing the body as well as a powerful preventative therapy.
Resolution 5: Return to Exercise
As acupuncture improves general health, it can give you a great boost if your New Years resolution is to return to exercise or sports. Many people fall out of the routine of regular exercise due to other demands in life or due to previous sporting injuries. Acupuncture works to encourage the body to heal itself. Acupuncture can be used in two ways to treat injuries, either by treating the injured area only, or by following the principles of traditional Chinese medicine where the patient’s complete picture of health is taken into account. It works on the whole body, aiding painrelief and relaxation.
There is evidence that acupuncture can aid healing and resolution of injuries, including reducing pain, increasing local microcirculation and aid dispersal of swelling and bruising. Acupuncture is one treatment that is increasingly used by top sports players and athletes to treat musculoskeletal problems and keep them performing at their peak.