Health - Wellness
How Acupuncture Can Help You Reset Your Internal Clock
By BRYNNA STANDEN
In the Western world, a person’s body clock follows the circadian rhythm, a 24-hour cycle that coincides with the rise and fall of the sun. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one of the oldest medical systems in the world, there is more to it than following a cycle.
The Chinese body clock is based on a 24-hour cycle, with each organ corresponding to a two-hour period during which Qi (a vital life force) moves through it, giving it strength and vitality. The first 12 hours jump-start the organs that give us energy through processes like respiration, elimination, digestion, and blood flow.
During the second 12 hours, Qi moves through the organs that have main functions including storing, repairing, and balancing. Each organ is responsible for different bodily functions and is associated with different emotions, and it's believed that when the balance has been compromised in a specific area, an imbalance will make itself known with both physical and emotional symptoms.
Acupuncture — a technique where practitioners stimulate meridians by inserting tiny needles into specific points on the body — is one of many methods that TCM uses to maintain and heal the health of the mind, body, and spirit. Acupuncture Canada notes that when illness arises due to deficient or obstructed Qi, acupuncture can treat both the causes and the symptoms by clearing blockages and stimulating the balance and flow of energy.