What do acupuncture and organic food have in common?

One of the best things you can do for your body is to feed it real, wholesome, nutritious foods. If you can find locally grown organic products, even better. The benefits of organic food include less pesticide contamination, higher nutrient content, no genetic modifications, no irradiation, more humane treatment of animals and respect for the land, and better taste. Of all these health benefits, the only subjective one is taste.

Let’s say you are looking over some produce and you are deciding whether to go organic or stick with the conventional version. If your primary concern is the health of you and your family, then it’s a no-brainer; go with the organic*. If, however, your decision is based solely on taste, it’s a toss up, as some report a distinct advantage to organic while others claim no taste difference between organic and conventional.

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Here’s the point. If you are making your purchasing decisions based entirely on taste, you risk missing out on all the other healthy benefits of choosing organic.

When it comes to acupuncture and the health of your body, pain relief is like the organic taste test.

While most people are prompted to pursue acupuncture care as the result of pain or other symptoms, those who limit it to simple pain relief are cheating themselves of so much more.

The real impact of acupuncture lies in its ability to help the body heal and regulate itself. We know that energy flows in the meridian system, and that imbalances and blockages of energy in the meridian system lead to various signs and symptoms. 

Whether imbalances are felt or not, the end result is the same: loss of the normal flow of the body’s energy and compromised health. 

Roughly 15-20% of the time these imbalances result in pain. Most of the time, however, they cause no symptoms and go undetected. So if the majority of people who are out of balance with blocked energy flow base their decision to choose acupuncture solely on the way they feel, then they will most likely delay care, and their health will continue to decline. Organic is not just about taste, and acupuncture certainly isn’t only about pain relief.

While feeling great is desirable, the full scope of acupuncture’s benefits can only be realised beyond the initial relief phase of care. Once you are feeling better, be sure to utilise acupuncture for ongoing health and wellness. Pain relief, like great taste, is just the tip of the iceberg!

*Note: If you want to buy organic but your budget is tight, use the Environmental Working Group's guide to help you choose what organic produce to prioritise. They have a list of 'the dirty dozen' and 'the clean fifteen' which you can find here.