By Kristi Pahr for Paste Magazine.
Would you let someone stick needles in your face? Better yet, would you pay someone to stick needles in your face? What if they told you it would make your headaches go away or help with your allergies? Or that it wouldn’t hurt? No? What if they told you it was a legitimate form of medicine that had been around for thousands of years? Skeptical? You shouldn’t be.
Acupuncture is legit medicine and has been around for over 5000 years. It’s a foundational part of Oriental or Eastern medicine and has been shown to help with everything from headaches to depression. According to the Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences, “Acupuncture is a very ancient form of healing that predates recorded history. The philosophy behind acupuncture is rooted in the Daoist tradition which goes back over 8000 years. The people of this time would meditate and observe the flow of energy in the universe.” That flow of energy, or qi, is the basis of acupuncture.
The philosophy is based on the principle of two opposing forces, yin and yang, that provide balance to both the universe and the body. When yin and yang are out of balance, however, the body is out of balance. Your life force energy, or qi, flows through channels in your body, called meridians, and keeps yin and yang in balance. If those meridians are clogged or your qi is blocked, you get sick.
Click here to read the full article with Tiffany’s perspective on qi and the application of acupuncture.