Boosting Immunity
The body’s immune system is a complex and powerful protective factor against the “non-self” – allergens, bacteria, viruses. It is on the cellular level that illness and disease develop, affecting the organism as a whole. Symptoms such as fatigue, recurring colds/flu, food allergies, gastrointestinal issues, systemic inflammation and chronic infections may indicate an impaired or underperforming immune system.
Multiple lifestyle factors affect the immune system: sustained levels of stress, poor diet, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol, and too much sugar. Stress is especially harmful; when the body is under stress (physical, mental, emotional), it produces high levels of the hormone cortisol, which slows healing and cell regeneration.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are used as a method of disease prevention by treating system imbalances, reducing the body’s stress response, and encouraging the production of white blood cells, the body’s primary defense mechanism. Certain Chinese herbs have known immunity-enhancing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Incorporating acupuncture into a health maintenance program can provide support to a weakened immune system. It may also encourage deeper relaxation and sleep, which is when the body is able to perform its repair function.
