Protocols for heart health, either prevention or the management of heart problems, all mention the importance of stress management and healthy lifestyle. If heart issues exist, the person may have symptoms such as low energy, sleep problems, anxiety, breathing problems, nausea. All of these symptoms can be improved with acupuncture and Qigong thus taking some of the the stress off of the heart and allowing it to function better.
One of the basic understandings about acupuncture is that it allows the body to relax and it quiets the mind. In this environment, the body has amazing self healing capabilities.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart is the King or Queen. All the other organs will work to protect the heart. They will ‘take a bullet’ for the heart. This is why many times when heart issues show up, the person has been dealing with other signs and symptoms for quite some time – that may seem unrelated if this understanding of organ connection is not applied. Acupuncture helps blood and Qi flow through the body. There is an ancient saying “When Qi flows smoothly through the body, disease and illness cannot enter”. The goal is always to promote the smooth flow of Qi, which also means the smooth flow of blood as these two cannot be separated. They are an example of Yin and Yang; Qi is the yin, the invisible; blood is the yang, the visible. In TCM theory, the invisible is always the more important of the two. Another aspect of Qi that is always taken into account is the emotional state of the patient – what are the main emotions the person feels and are they expressed? Fear, Worry, Joy, Anger and Sadness are the main emotions associated with the five element framework. Joy is the emotion of the heart. The emotions give clues as to how to best balance the body. This is the first goal of health. Achieve balance. This means the organs function well, Qi and Blood flow smoothly. There is communication between the organs. The second goal or the second level is harmony. This is where miracles occur. This is where the organs are in harmony with each other and with the outside environment. There is Oneness. This is the ultimate goal.
