Acupuncture Can Help Your Digestion

The health and vitality of your digestion is one of the most important processes in the body. Along with quality breath through the lungs, the strength and quality of the digestion is the source of daily qi in the body. Digestive imbalances not only sap our energy, they also force the body to draw on its deeper reserves. Over time this can weaken the body, as these deeper reserves can be harder to replenish and are not meant to be used as a regular source of energy.

If you have any kind of digestive issue, it’s likely that acupuncture can help.

Acupuncture impacts the digestive tract directly by:

• Supporting the body’s production of saliva and bile, and regulating stomach acid

• Regulating motility (the speed at which food moves through the digestive tract)

• Reducing inflammation of the mucosal lining (the protective barrier of the digestive organs)

• Regulating the GI sensitivity that can lead to abdominal pain and bloating

• Acupuncture also impacts the gut-brain axis

Thus, acupuncture helps with the following symptoms:

• Bloating

• Digestive pain/cramping/discomfort

• Constipation

• Diarrhea

• Irregular bowel movements

• Absorption

So, it can help with these common digestive conditions:

• Crohn's Disease

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Celiac's Disease

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

• Acid Reflux / GERD

Here is some research about acupuncture and digestion:

1. Acupuncture can help with strengthening the mucosal barrier of the GI tract and can help with issues such as “leaky gut syndrome.”

2. In addition to the myriad ways acupuncture improves quality of life, a 2007 systematic review in the World Journal of Gastroenterology showed that in every reviewed study, acupuncture improved quality of life for IBS, Ulcerative Colitis, and Crohn's patients.