by Bob Romero
I write this article not as an expert on acupuncture, but as a patient of acupuncture, and how my body responds to it. Several years ago, my wife attended a lecture by a professor of acupuncture, and then signed up for a session with her. Soon she was able to quit her high blood pressure and its side effects through acupuncture and meditation. There are no bad side effects with acupuncture. That also applies to Reiki which I wrote about in my last article, and the same is true with other holistic healing techniques. I can just imagine if they ever have commercials on them, we would hear an announcer say “Side effects include joy, inspiration, and connection with Spirit. Don’t use it if you want to continue with your pain, and wallow in your self-pity”. The other amazing thing about them is that they may work whether you believe in them or not, and they serve as complimentary aids to western medicine.
Acupuncture is not an immediate miraculous cure, but one that may take several months, and is based on scientific principles that have been around for thousands of years. It works with the acupressure points and meridians in the body to heal all types of ailments and diseases. There was one occasion where my elbow was hurting, and when I told my acupuncturist about it, she pressed on another part of my body and asked if that relieved the pain. I said “Yes! How did you that”? She just smiled and said “Magic”. She treated me for Atrial Fibrillation when I was initially diagnosed as having it. She showed me that if I ever had an episode of Afib, I should press two inches below the crease on my wrist with the opposite thumb for three to five minutes, so that it could regulate my heartbeat. My cardiologist has prescribed a medication to keep my heart in rhythm, but he is amazed that I haven’t had a single episode in five years, because it actually isn’t supposed to work that well. At the last check up, he asked me what else I was doing to be able to keep Afib in check. I responded that I really watch my nutrition as far as trying to eat as many fruits and vegetables I as can, combined with eating lots of protein, and staying away from sugar and processed food with high sodium content. I also avoid alcohol and caffeine as they trigger Afib. For exercise, I walk five miles several times a week, do weight training with light weights, go to yoga classes, and receive acupuncture treatments every two weeks. He looked at me and said, “I believe in acupuncture”! “Finally,” I thought, “Western Medicine is starting to come around”! As a result of positive outcomes, more studies and clinical trials are being done on holistic healing, and especially on acupuncture.
My acupuncturist is a professor at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine and uses Chinese herbs as part of her treatment. She attends and presents papers at conferences all over the world. She is a third-generation acupuncturist and recently, she came across a renowned scholar who promotes Classical Chinese Medicine which is even older than Traditional Chinese Medicine. My wife and I were her invited guests at a presentation by this distinguished lecturer. While the details of how to use it, were way over our heads, he said that it is all about qi, which is the life force energy that flows in our bodies. The pulse is the window to qi, and from it, practitioners are able to determine where it is blocked or deficient. Our practitioner now uses this technique in all of her treatments. After she takes my pulse, she can tell me if I have digestive problems, if my lower back hurts, or if my knees hurt. Then she only uses a few needles to direct the energy where it is needed to help my qi flow in the problem area. The effects are amazing to me and I always feel so much better. I highly recommend acupuncture to treat any illnesses or disorders. It has been a major factor to help me stay well and centered.
Bob Romero has been a diligent student of esoteric spiritual subjects and metaphysics for many years, with a life-long quest for answers. He has submitted new and original articles that focus on life lessons and experiences he wishes to share with our readers and the world.
