Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy, which has been around and been used for 5,000 years. It is used as a treatment for pain relief, balance certain systems within the body, and treat paralysis among other abilities and properties top health. In China, most medical centres and hospitals offer acupuncture and is part of everyday health. In many cases, they would rather use acupuncture than ‘conventional medicines’ as these can have harsher side affects on the body. The Chinese believe that we all have a system called the Meridians, which are ‘Energy Channels’ that hold energy. ‘Qi’, pronounced ‘Chi’ runs through these Meridians, this runs closely to the circulation and nervous system. The Qi is the life force of the body, which creates and powers our energy levels, stamina and constitution. It is when these Meridians are blocked that we become unhealthy, and ill. Acupuncture releases these Meridians free from the blockage, by inserting very thin needles into certain pressure points through out the body. There are 12 main meridians, these run in pairs and associated with certain organs, systems and functions of the body.
Another concept along the basis of Chinese medicine is Yin and Yang; this is made up of Qi within the Meridians. The Chinese believe that Yin represents nurture and substance whereas Yang represents activity and energy. But despite being opposites, Yin cant exists without Yang as they form a unity and a complementary together. When we choice unhealthy lifestyles we put these Yin and Yang out of balance, leading to ill health or ‘disease’ in the body.
The five elements of Eastern Philosophy are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These 5 elements are found within everything in existence, but one may be more dominant. These elements can be associated with certain organs throughout the body, and each side has its properties. Wood is the element of