Hello my friends,

I hope that you are all well and enjoying the buzz and excitement of the holiday season.

As a part of my ongoing recovery journal, I wanted to share with you different methods of beating addiction. One of the most successful ones that I have found is acupuncture. You may have just thought of it as a way to treat back or neck pain, but the truth is that acupuncture is a procedure that has been around for over 2500 years, and it is used to treat and cure, just about everything.

How it works- According to ancient Chinese Medical Theory, the life force (chi- pronounced "chee") flows through the body through fourteen invisible channels called meridians. They regulate all physical and mental processes for the body. These meridians run deep within the body's tissues and organs surfacing at 360 points, which are called acupoints. When one or many of the meridians is out of alignment, hair thin needles are used to stimulate specific acupoints that will treat illness or pain.

How it works for addiction recovery- According to Chinese tradition, certain acupoints are associated with specific organs and tissues. For detoxification treatment five points in the ears that correspond to the healing of the lungs liver, kidney and nervous system are used. In addition to alleviating withdrawal symptoms, including body aches, headaches, nausea, sweating and cramping, it also relaxes the body. This allows it to release natural body chemicals, which help in reducing the cravings for drugs. Best of all, acupuncture doesn't use drugs to get you off drugs.

Acupuncture isn't a fleeting trend that only offers a quick solution; it is used in clinics throughout the United States. I have found great comfort and relaxation from it, and I hope that you can too.

Hugs to you all,

Melanie