Aging is an inevitable change in life, and the connection between aging and acupuncture has been a hot topic for some time.
Acupuncture is a medical system based on applying small thin needles and pressure to specific points on the body to treat pain. It is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.
Dr. Raman Kapur, Director of the Acupuncture Department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, discusses the anti-aging effects of acupuncture and how it addresses stress, a major cause of premature aging. talked about.
“In today’s era, our irregular lifestyles, lack of sleep, stressful situations, and poor dietary choices affect the aging process. We have shown evidence to address factors such as,” Dr. Raman Kapur told IndiaToday.In.
“Stress is currently the number one killer of humans. Acupuncture can slow aging by reducing stress, which contributes to major diseases such as silent heart attacks, diabetes, and high blood pressure. “In the past 15 years of my practice, I have seen an alarming number of people come to the hospital. It was stressful for me and for primary school children,” Dr. Kapur added.
Stress, which causes premature aging, affects the body internally and externally. Various stress-related organs can cause inflammation and interfere with the body’s healing process.
This stress can cause premature wrinkles, fine lines, gray hair, and thinning hair.
According to the expert, acupuncture activates the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of the body that conserves energy for later use), which “helps you combat stress and relax.” “It gives a youthful look,” he said. It also manages the stress hormone cortisol.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine suggests that serum cortisol levels increase significantly after needles are inserted at traditional acupuncture sites. “Thus, the beneficial effects of acupuncture in treating functional disorders may be mediated by cortisol and other hormones and neurohormones,” the study authors wrote.
According to Dr. Kapur, another factor that speeds up aging is insomnia. Sleep disorders and insomnia have a high incidence in India and are highly prevalent among the elderly.
Acupuncture offers a non-drug treatment that ensures the hormone melatonin promotes sleep, experts added.
“With our 24-hour body clock, if we don’t get quality sleep, our sleep-wake cycles are affected. Thanks to advances in technology, super-pulsed lasers are now available that help regulate hormones such as melatonin. “This can help with sleep. Just a painless needle in the head helps regulate the hormone melatonin,” Dr. Kapur said.
In acupuncture, collagen is the main element that gives the skin its elasticity. “We only use kasha and laser on facial pressure points and facial collagen. We infiltrate the collagen into the acupuncture points through a probe. It gives a natural transformation and glow,” he said.
Experts said irregular lifestyles, combined with lack of sleep, lack of exercise and stress, are accelerating the aging of young people, especially those in their teens and 20s.
Acupuncture can help address stress, hormonal imbalances, and blood circulation, but serious illnesses require proper medical attention.
