Acupuncture – Why It Is the Tune Up You Didn’t Know Your System Needed
As I continue my chat with Erlene Chiang on a recent episode of The Adiel Gorel Show, we speak about something that interests all of us on the wrong side or 40 or even 30 – and that is premature aging. We all want to age gracefully. We want to live a life full of health and vitality, without the chronic conditions and the aches and pains we associate with the later years. So how is this possible? Is it actually possible to look, feel and actually be younger than our chronological years?
The natural secrets to help us age gracefully.
In my view some amount of aerobic activity is necessary for good heart and lung health – of course there is still the question of aging knees to keep in mind. I am more partial towards activities like hiking or brisk walking and not so much towards running because that can stress the knees. So I asked Erlene what type of exercise is good for us, especially in the later years. According to her, Qigong, Pilates, and Yoga are excellent exercises. For some this may be surprising since they don’t consider the slower, more deliberate movements of these disciplines to be exercise.
However, Erlene feels that this is very good exercise for cardiovascular health. The slow but precise movements, and holding the pose for 30 to 45 seconds is very demanding and can actually be great for the heart and lungs. This can be the difference between a person in their 80s who can play tennis for a couple of hours, and someone in their 50s who cannot even chase a ball, much less jog.
Erlene explains how the process of aging causes dehydration in so many different ways: lessening of the synovial fluid of the joints, slowing down of the brain, drying of the skin and eyes. And that is why it is so important to engage in these ancient, gentle exercises that people have relied on for so long: they are suitable for people of any age, and they can be done sitting in a chair!
Energy medians in acupuncture.
During the episode, we delve into the technical aspects of acupuncture such as the 12 energy meridians and the 20 energy pathways, each coordinated to a different organ. This is the reason that what happens in one part of the body impacts other parts of the body. For instance, smoking cigarettes doesn’t just impact the lungs; the damage will show up in many other areas or meridians of the body.
Erlene shares instances of acupuncture being able to help people who come with nagging injuries that no amount of medication or therapy seems to resolve. She explains that acupuncture doesn’t just remove disease, but also is a kind of tune-up for the system that prevents disease and degenerative problems. She has a fascinating anecdote she shares about working with some ladies in a shelter. At first they were skeptical, but Erlene and her assistant were actually able to demonstrate how just a few minutes of meditation can actually help reduce blood pressure.
Erlene explains the importance of “checking in with yourself” and about ways to create better relationships with nature, and also healthier ways of using technology. We discuss why we all need to slow down, how to look beyond materialistic satisfaction and to nourish the body in ways that help us remain healthy. Listen to our conversation – it might just tell you more about the mind-body wellness solution you’re looking for.
