Acupuncture Augments Immunity

It's no secret that acupuncture has been effective in treating allergies of many types, from allergic rhinitis to hay fever. The appearance of allergies can be traced to one of two primary mechanisms. Either the body's immune system is hyperactive, attacking particles and substances that pose no substantial risk, or the immunity can be weak, not responding to manageable levels of bacteria and viruses when they attack.

If your body's environment is hospitable,
the seeds of disease will grow.

As an acupuncturist, I must emphasize that both the physical body and the external environment have a significant bearing on your body's immune response. Focusing on the “offending particles,” as we often do in sterilization procedures and pasteurization for example, creates a sterile environment in which the immune system atrophies. Practical sanitation creates a positive atmosphere for the immune system to flourish; hand-washing and cleaning surfaces with soap revitalize this atmosphere. With a healthy immune system, only rarely will you need to use harsh chemical disinfectants to purify your environment.

Before Louis Pasteur died, he may have admitted that his life's work was short-sighted. (I'll paraphrase, but here's a good account of his debates with Claude Bernard.) “I was focusing on the seed,” he said, “when I should have been focusing on the soil.” The “soil” of which he spoke is your body's immune system. Pollens, molds, bacteria, and viruses can try all day to break a healthy immune system, but they will fail every time.

Acupuncture greatly improves the activity of your immune system by increasing your body's production of white blood cells, immunoglobulins, prostaglandins, and antibodies.

• White blood cells identify the foreign particles in your body and eliminate them. Your doctor will test your white blood cells to evaluate your immune response at a given moment. White blood cells are action-oriented, and they are prepared to neutralize infections wherever they flow. Acupuncture increases the effectiveness of your white blood cells for a shorter recovery time.
• Antibodies make a note of these foreign particles so that they can be recognized faster in the future. They remind me of the expression, “Once bitten, twice shy.” Antibodies are the reason you don't get chicken pox twice. Viruses like influenza mutate and change frequently in an attempt to fool our antibodies. With the proper disguise, they might delay the response of the antibodies, and the body's “alarms,” typified in responses such as fever, flooding of white blood cells, and other classics, may occur after the virus had time to cause some damage.
• Important immunoglobulins are available through your mother's placenta before you are born, and afterward you drink it in breast milk. Immunoglobulins are the foundation of your immune system that are passed down from previous generations through maternity. Acupuncture increases your access to immunoglobulins and releases them into your system.
• Prostaglandins mediate the contraction and relaxation of muscle tissues. When you get a cold and your body starts to hurt, your prostaglandin balance has been disrupted. It feels good to get acupuncture because it optimizes this balance, even when you're not feeling ill.

As a result of the immunity augmentation associated with acupuncture, people who complete acupuncture treatment plans do not get sick as often, have reduced allergic reactions, and enjoy fewer complications related to a weak immune system.