By Sara Friedl-Putnam • Orginally published in the Winter 2014-15 Inspire(d)

Have you ever tried pilates? Gotten a chiropractic adjustment? How about acupuncture? There are so many new, interesting, and – yes – alternative ways to treat yo’ self, and we can’t imagine a better time than RIGHT NOW to make it a priority. It’s dark at 5 pm. May as well meditate! Nothing to do this weekend? Volunteer! Feeling stir crazy? Give spinning a chance! Who needs a New Year’s resolution? Start a New You resolution to make the most out of these cold winter days.

National Treat Yo’ Self Day (Parks and Recreation, anyone?) has passed (October 13), but the idea inspired us: We should be doing this all winter! Or even all year! We put Inspire(d)’s Sara Friedl-Putnam on the task. She chatted with local experts to learn more about new ways to be healthy, find happiness, and take care of YOU this winter season.

Don’t put much stock in this stuff? Consider it a challenge: Try something new! Don’t think you have time to treat yourself? Think again – nothing could be more important!

Acupuncture

Brenda Harris, owner, Acupuncture Center
309 West Broadway Street, Decorah, Iowa
www.acupuncturecenterdecorah.com; (563) 382-9309

“The needles don’t hurt,” says Brenda Harris, licensed acupuncturist, displaying one of the wisp-thin (think hair-width) needles she uses during a typical session at the Acupuncture Center in Decorah. “That’s the question everyone asks, but while you may feel a little sensation or ‘zing,’ there’s typically no pain involved.”

A little “zing” seems a small price to pay for the potential benefits of acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical practice that involves inserting needles through the skin at strategic points to treat (and prevent) pain and maintain good health.

“Acupuncture, like all Eastern medicine, works on the entire person, not just the symptoms,” says Harris, who also offers Qigong classes as well as herbal medicine remedies. “There’s less importance placed on the diagnosis you’re coming in with than on what’s happening in your whole body – almost anything can be treated with acupuncture, from a mild common cold to something more severe like autoimmune disease. It’s also becoming more known for addressing mental-health issues like anxiety and depression.”
(Creative Commons image at right)

So how, exactly, does it work?

Traditional Chinese medicine embraces the belief that, along with blood vessels and nerves, people have channels of energy – called qi (pronounced “chee”) – that flow right alongside their other body systems. “As long there is flow and that energy is running the way it is supposed to, you are well,” explains Harris. “But when that energy gets stagnant or deficient, then you get illness or pain.” The needles open up blocked channels or, when used preventively, help ensure those channels remain open.

“Acupuncture works very well in concert with Western medicine; it’s not like someone has to do one or the other,” says Harris. “It really can help almost anybody – from the very young to the very old – there is no target audience.”