Where’s the Research in Acupressure and Alternative Therapies?

I was searching for documented alternative therapy cases for an article.  That turned out to be a lot of work and not much reward.  Over and over I read, “results could not be reliably duplicated,”  “results could not be confirmed.”  

When a new drug comes onto the market it has been tested and reviewed ad nauseam - and a lot of money has been poured into that process.    There is a lot of research and development around drugs for the simple reason that drug companies have a lot of money to invest (and a lot of money to gain) from successful testing.  

There isn't a lot of money to invest in acupressure research.  First of all - where would you start?   There are so many modalities, all independent and often independently developed, that the research and "reproducible" elements required for documentation would have to categorized and put into a clear, concise format used by all practitioners.   That alone would require a major organizational effort, but inroads are being made.   The benefits to the health care system are easily recognized – less cost, fewer negative side effects, and increased general well-being. 

Slowly alternative therapies are being included in doctors’ rehabilitation plans.   Our local hospital, Clarinda Regional Health Center, now offers massage therapy and hypnosis, and we are investigating ways to add acupressure to the list.  This is good news on many levels, not least being that there will be more clinically documented results as hospitals and clinics around the country add more alternative therapy options.

My point is that the lack of research isn’t lack of results -  just complications in documentation.   Be your own judge and try acupressure today!

Comments to share?    Just click on the “Comments” button at the bottom,   or do you have a story to share?   Email me at  bethsteeve@gmail.com    I’d love to hear from you!

Beth Steeve, Licensed Acupressure Practitioner

Acupressure Access and Hands-On Health

www.acupressure-access.abmp.com

Every Breath You Take......

Breathing. We do it unconsciously - unless we don’t.  When we’re thinking about breathing, it’s usually because something is wrong.  But how does it really work?  Just a quick primer.   The inhale floods the lungs with oxygen which is then absorbed by the alveoli (tiny air sacs) and ultimately transported throughout the body via the blood in the circulatory system.   This oxygen exchange is the energetic foundation of life. Our molecular bodies are bundles of frequencies, from the low, denser frequency of bones to the highest frequencies which are comprised of our emotions and thought processes.  John Veltheim explains in The Body Talk System® that with every exhale the brain scans all of the body systems held within the lower frequencies.   As we inhale the higher frequencies are scanned. This scanning process alerts the brain to malfunctions within the frequencies of the body, and the brain sends healing to the malfunctioning area.   If this sounds futuristic, Veltheim has a lot of support in the quantum physics camp.   Since I know nothing about quantum physics, I will plod on.   When in pain,  a person tends to breathe more shallowly, which in turn short circuits the scanning process and the brain does not get the message of malfunctioning so it can send the troups to start the healing cycle.  So why am I going on and on about this?   Take a few moments every day and consciously breathe.    Mary Burmeister of Jin Shin Jyutsu, Inc. advocates 36 conscious breaths a day - all at once or in 4 series of 9 throughout the day. (See my note on Facebook/Acupressure Access.)  Deep breathing is the key to better health and the natural healing process that is our birthright.   For more information, this process is explained in depth in the book The BodyTalk System available on John Veltheim’s website   www.bodytalksystem.com  In my sessions, I've found BodyTalk®, an innovative light-touch therapy, to be an amazingly effective addition to my work.   For more information, call or email me:   bethsteeve@gmail.com or (712) 542-1100!   Come see for yourself!