Insight Into Acupuncture's Mechanism

By Aifei Wang, LAc, MAc

NABACU Eastern Medicine Centers

. http://www.nabacu.com/

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Insight Into Acupuncture's Mechanism

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center discovered that a neurotransmitter called adenosine is responsible for the pain relief from acupuncture.

Adenosine is a natural substance known for helping to regulate sleep and for its anti-inflammatory properties. It also acts as a natural painkiller, developing in the body after an injury to stop nerve signals that are screaming “pain!” In the experiment, researchers performed acupuncture on mice that had discomfort in one paw. The mice received a 30-minute acupuncture treatment at a point near the knee. The study showed that in mice with normal functioning levels of adenosine, acupuncture reduced pain by about two-thirds. During and after the treatment, the level of adenosine in the tissues near the needles was 24 times greater than before the treatment. But the treatment had no effect on mice that lacked the adenosine receptor.

Previously, many studies had proven acupuncture's effectiveness, but none had satisfactorily explained how it worked. This study is a huge step forward in understanding the science behind acupuncture.

Summertime Nutrition

Eastern nutritional philosophy stresses the importance of eating in tune with nature. Eating local and eating foods in season are becoming very popular now, but they are actually time-tested principles dating back thousands of years.

We divide foods based on their cooling and heating properties. Summer is the season of activity, growth, and expansion, and it's the time for cooling foods. Juicy fruits and brightly colored, leafy vegetables grown during the summer are excellent choices for salads.

During the summer it's best to cook your food as little as possible, so eat vegetables raw or saut them at high heat for a short period of time. Stay away from greasy, fried foods, or too much dairy. Here are some suggestions

Watermelon an excellent source of hydration and cooling, it can also be juiced or blended to make watermelon juice. Can naturally reduce blood pressure.

Cucumber great for salads, or slice and add to a pitcher of water.

Mint Hot or iced mint tea is very cooling. Paradoxically, hot tea can cool you down in the summer!

Spinach, broccoli, bok choy, watercress, seaweed, asparagus or any other green vegetable.