Linking East and West

This much needed alternative medicine article is from Men's Fitness Dec 1999.

Acupuncture is based on the concept that the body has an energy force known as qi (pronounced chee) that flows through 14 pathways, called meridians, which run up and down the surface of the body. When any of the meridians become blocked or unbalanced, an illness may occur; illness or injury may also cause an interruption. Specific points along the meridians are "needled" to improve and clear blockages.

A study commissioned by the NIH found that electrical signals do indeed move along the meridian lines where they intersect with a number of acupuncture points researchers speculate that the points may act as amplifiers, and that inserting a needle interrupts the electrical flow that stimulates pain. Also, the trauma of the insertion may activate the natural healing response, inducing the release of chemical nutrients and pain-killing endorphins.

In acupuncture, the process of examination begins immediately. Practitioners look at body language, voice, emotions, speech, self-presentation, breathing and touch sensitivity in an effort to determine lifestyle patterns that reflect a person's health. 'In Oriental medicine, we believe the body and the mind are interconnected,' says Los Angeles licensed acupuncturist Carl Rothenberg. "stress, depression, anger, inability to focus and act on decisions - all of these things are treatable with acupuncture.'

This is a remarkable alternative medicine for the West as stress and mental illness abound and is growing at a very fast rate and it is happening at a younger age.

Mannatech provides glyconutritionals which can give vitality and may also normalise the hormones.