You don’t need to be in pain to get acupuncture and you don’t need to be ill. Because Chinese medicine is preventative medicine, acupuncture as a monthly “tune-up” can be just as helpful. How? Chinese medicine’s focus is on the cultivation of your body’s qi (translated loosely as your body’s “vital energy”). When your body’s qi is flourishing, it can better handle stresses and strains that may come your way. For example, if you are exposed too much to the elements—sun, wind, or dampness—or to toxins in our environment—molds, polluted air, and so on—you are likely to get sick. If your body’s qi has been supplemented through regular acupuncture treatments, it can better handle these external pressures.
With the healthcare reform debate continuing, one approach that is widely agreed upon by medical doctors, naturopaths, and Chinese medicine practitioners is that it is far better to prevent illness than to treat it once it has taken root within the body. Chinese medicine focuses on this preventative approach. I have stressed on my web page that Chinese medicine is not just about acupuncture. It includes the five modalities: acupuncture, tui na (Chinese therapeutic massage), dietary therapy, Chinese herbs, and qi gong (exercise). When you come in for a treatment, I may apply tui na (for example, after your acupuncture treatment), as well as prescribe herbs. I am also likely to discuss ways for you to cultivate your qi in your everyday life, through eating balanced meals and exercising regularly. Of course, my recommendations from a Chinese medical perspective are made in response to your unique health status and state of being. Although preventative medicine is good for all, preventative approaches are not the same for all! Write me or make an appointment if you’d like to discuss appropriate preventative medicine for you.
—Inger