Sticks & Needles: The Benefits of Acupuncture

I’m at a stage in life where I have become so fascinated with wellness. I never really understood when scriptures would say “the body is the temple” until I saw my mother suffer from cancer.

From then I realised that feeling at ease is extremely important. Having to watch her suffer and be so uncomfortable made me vow to myself to ensure I take care of myself and really listen to my body. I wanted to develop a relationship with my body where I could understand its needs and be still.

No one knows your body more than you.

Knowing your Body

I knew it was imperative to understand where the pressure points were or to know when I was stressed. I found this extremely important when it came to my mother's doctors appointments, having to really articulate to another human being that you're not mad and there is something wrong can sometimes be difficult, as often, as black women, our pain isn’t taken so seriously and we tend to push forward, ignore and we endure a lot.

I witnessed this with my mother and when speaking to my friend Perry who is a black doctor, I remember her sharing a brief story of how often some black women don’t even realise when they’re overworked or stressed. She used an example of a pregnant black lady who fainted the night before, she acted as if it was a normal occurrence and didn’t quite understand the gravity of how harmful this could have been for her and her baby.

Work & Stress

We often put a lot of strain on ourselves and begin to make changes when we’re forced to or when we do not have many options left. I personally, don't want to wait until it's too late all the time or wait until I hit rock bottom.

I now know that balance is essential and as much as you put out it's important to also pour in.

My line of work can be extremely stressful and because it is so fast-paced I never get a moment to think or even realise perhaps I need some time out, It’s only when you’re burnt out or the quality of your work begins to slip you realise there is a problem.

Don't get me started on my posture…I am in a constant state of fear of becoming a hunchback, I'm tall too, so this just wouldn’t look great. I constantly have to remind myself to sit straight and I occasionally shout in my head POSTURE! POSTURE!

Stress

Stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behaviour. Knowing common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's not dealt with can lead to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes*. Medical research estimates as much as 90% of illness and disease is stress-related. When you experience stress (physical or emotional) your nervous system has to work harder to maintain equilibrium.

And then there was Acupuncture…

When my mother got cancer, I became really intrigued by different forms of medicine. My journey brought me to Chinese medicine and its remedies after I stumbled across a shop called Herbal Inn. At first, it started with regular massages, I would go in there because as I said, wellness is life now and I also wanted to save my posture.

It then occurred to me that the shop also offered acupuncture treatment which piqued my interest. I asked an array of questions to the lady who worked at the shop and conducted my own research. I only knew about the basic things such as “feeling calmer”, “getting a good night's sleep” or “feeling lighter” when in fact, after hours of research, this treatment offers a range of health benefits that have been known to improve overall wellness. Sign me up!

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles which are then activated through gentle and specific movements of a practitioner's hands or with electrical stimulation. It is part of the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe the human body has over 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways or meridians. These pathways create an energy flow through the body which is responsible for overall health. Disruptions of energy flow have the potential to cause disease. By applying acupuncture to particular points, it is thought to improve the flow of energy thereby improving overall health**.

The benefits

Studies have shown that acupuncture is effective for a variety of conditions. However it is not for everyone, so if you do opt for this treatment ensure you find a practitioner who is licensed and has proper training and credentials.

Known benefits include the following:

• Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy

• Dental pain after surgery

• Addiction

• Headaches

• Menstrual cramps

• Tennis elbow

• Fibromyalgia

• Myofascial pain

• Osteoarthritis

• Low back pain

• Carpal tunnel syndrome

• Asthma

• May also help with stroke rehabilitation

My benefits

I began to feel the benefits of acupuncture after a few sessions, I knew I had to be consistent with the treatment in the long term.

The first thing I noticed was that my period came a little earlier than expected. I was really mad at this but low and beyond this was in fact a treat because, for the first time, I experienced no menstrual cramps or pain! I was totally in shock. I had never known to be at such ease during my period. I have never known peace during my period. There was 0 pain. I immediately booked my next session. It felt as if I unlocked a new superpower. I became a different woman. I'm exaggerating a little... But genuinely I'm at a point now where I feel sorry for anyone still experiencing menstrual cramps. I am free!

The better night's sleep was indeed true, I could feel myself falling asleep much quicker and feeling calmer. My mind would not race as much and I would be conscious to relax my muscles and eventually, I did not feel so tense.

Acupuncture is known to stimulate the nervous system and bring you to a state of equilibrium. In the early days of my acupuncture journey, this was important as I was in need of healing and had to truly work on my emotional well-being - having gone through trauma. I can confidently say that this treatment has been imperative in restoring my emotional well-being and making me feel less anxious. I noticed that when I would go months without the treatment or go on long breaks I would be way more anxious. A couple of months of consistency and I would feel less anxious.

The levels of anxiety I felt before starting acupuncture were not normal, living in a state of fear and worry became the norm for me until I realised that this was not healthy. I wanted healthy coping mechanisms as I would also worry in case I was unloading too much on my friends and family. I knew something had to be done. I knew something had to change.

Sticks and Needles

Overall, my wellness has become such a priority and I always strive to prioritise it the best way I can. Peace of mind is the ultimate goal for me and I thoroughly enjoy finding new ways to help me feel zen. To more sticks and needles!

*Disclaimer: Because scientific studies have not fully explained how acupuncture works within the framework of Western medicine, acupuncture remains a source of controversy. It is important to take precautions when deciding about acupuncture. (source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/)

* (source: www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle).

** (source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/)

C O N S I D E R . . .

Mind - Our minds can affect how healthy our bodies are

Body - Your body is your temple

Soul - Take the time to take care of you

P.S. Life is too short, strive towards enjoying every. single. breath.