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Acupuncture is like Yogurt (sort of)
Acupuncture is back in the news these days thanks to the recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine that showed acupuncture out–performed not only sham treatments but standard care as well for patients with chronic pain.
This includes patients suffering from arthritis, migraines and chronic back, neck and shoulder pain. But you knew that already, right?
This got me to thinking about what makes acupuncture different from allopathic ie: western medical care?
And then it hit me: "Acupuncture is like yogurt." Ok, let me dial that back…Acupuncture is not a dairy product. But yogurt is famous for it's health–giving properties.
What makes yogurt good for you are the micro organisms that promote good digestion. There are many different strains of these healthy bacteria but together they are commonly referred to as "pro–biotics." Pro–biotics in turn are healthy bacteria or other factors that promote and support good health.
Other "pro–biotic" foods include other foods that have undergone fermentation. Fermented foods are as old as civilization and are as common as pickles, bread, beer, wine and cheese.
In Japan, nato, (a fermented soy bean product) is revered for it's health giving properties. Kim–chi, the national dish of Korea and "Thousand Year Old Eggs" are other examples of fermented delicacies.
Fermenting is a natural process that has a number of benefits. One is that it helps to preserve foods that would otherwise spoil, allowing people to eat vegetables in Winter when green food would otherwise be unavailable.
Fermenting also often transforms foods that would otherwise be inedible into wholesome staples and due to the enzymatic reactions involved in the fermentation process, make foods easier to digest and making the nutritional content more available.
This marks a significant difference between Western medicine and other "traditional" medical systems. Western medicine excels in many areas including antibiotics, anti–inflamatories and anti–depressants. While I applaud the appropriate use of these medications there is a difference between fighting illness and promoting health. I'm not saying one is more important but merely making a distinction between the two sides of the same health–care coin.
In Chinese medicine it is said that a good doctor heals disease but the superior doctor prevents disease. Or as the old adage goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".
Interventions that are "pro–biotic" support the healthy functioning of the body. In this sense acupuncture is a probiotic intervention as it supports the bodies natural self healing and self–regulating processes.
Please pass the yogurt!
I wish you all a healthy, happy and harmonious Autumnal Equinox!
© 2012 Larry Forsberg. All rights reserved.
Articles posted on this Web site are for personal use only and remain the property of Larry Forsberg, L.Ac.
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