Even after 3,000 years of testimonials, acupuncture and
Chinese herbal medicine may still sound a bit weird. Even its harshest critics
confess however, that If acupuncture were dangerous somebody would have noticed
by now.
You may have heard that acupuncture is beneficial for
pain relief or to quit smoking. But is it really effective in treating
infertility, hormone imbalance, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, morning
sickness, and weakened immune systems – symptoms that many times we’re told to
live with, or surgically remove? “Yes, it’s effective,” says Liu, who has
successfully treated over 100 cases of infertility in patients in the last
three years alone.
A graceful symmetry between the opposing forces of yin
and yang provides the foundation for many medical treatments developed in
China. Maintaining the symmetry – balance – is the key to health.
“There must be a balance between the mind and body,”
explains Liu. “The body follows the orders of mind. We ask our body to do
hundred of things at once, and the body tries. But if the body is overwhelmed
it can’t comply. That’s when the problems come – hot flashes, night sweats,
insomnia, disturbed sleep, weight gain, dysmenorrhea, infertility,
endometriosis, depression, stress, hypertension. We live in a high-stress
society and that doesn’t help.”
Medical practitioners in China have been honing
techniques to achieve that balance by harnessing and manipulating internal and
external energy forces for centuries. Acupuncture, Liu’s specialty, is one such
technique. The premise is that imbalances in energy flow cause disease, and
acupuncture is a way to create and maintain the proper symmetry.
When you seek acupuncture and herbal treatment for your
condition or disorder, you may receive one of numerous diagnoses. Depending
upon your history or physical symptoms, as well as your physical examination,
specific acupuncture points and herbs will be selected that are appropriate for
your condition.
During treatment, needles are inserted in various
patterns into the series of energy pathways throughout the body. Adjusting the
needles causes energy flow to increase, decrease, or be redirected, as needed.
Chinese herbs are used to regulate the female endocrine
system. For example, Liu treats PMS with a range of herbs. Patients
consistently report a marked decrease in hot flashes, pain with intercourse,
digestive symptoms, along with an improvement in mental outlook and decrease of
lassitude.
As we know, the immune system is the body’s natural
stronghold against viruses, bacteria, and yeast. A strong immune system is our
best defense against illness and disease. The problem is, it weakens from the
cumulative effect of time. And for decades, conventional medicine insisted that
there was no way to block this inevitable decline. More and more Americans are
now discovering that Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture therapy is a great
prevention tool – it is truly effective in boosting your immune system and
preventing disease.