Preventive medicine is defined as the part of medicine engaged with preventing disease rather than curing it. An integral part of preventive medicine, nutrition is considered the first line of defense in acupuncture and Oriental medicine as it provides the energy needed for the body to function. Good nutrition not only provides energy, it also provides the basic building blocks, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants that keep the body healthy and vibrant.
A nutritional imbalance in foods consumed contributes to an imbalance in overall health. Eating an unnatural and restrictive diet can lead to yo-yo dieting and drastic ups and downs in body weight. Improper diet practices can cause malnutrition, organ damage, slow metabolic rate and other imbalances within the body. Biochemical and energetic imbalances may present themselves as pain, sleep disturbances, mood changes, abnormal digestion, headaches and menstrual irregularities.
Through the process of evaluating subtle physical signs as well as the emotional condition of a person, practitioners of acupuncture and Oriental medicine can detect health problems in their earliest stages, before a grave illness develops. Once the imbalance has been determined, a customized program can be created with a variety of treatment modalities including acupuncture, herbal therapy, tui na, qi gong in addition to food, exercise and lifestyle suggestions.
Seasonal acupuncture treatments just four times a year serve to tonify the inner organ systems and correct minor annoyances before they become serious problems.