I didn’t really believe in acupuncture until a few years ago when I experienced tinnitus. For those of you who don’t know, tinnitus can cause unilateral hearing loss and loud ringing in the ears, in addition to blurred vision and headaches. Trust me when I say it’s no fun! After multiple doctor appointments, second opinions and lots of frustration in the search for answers, I found out that my symptoms were stemming from vestibular issues caused by fluid in my ear canal. Believe it or not, the only thing that helped was acupuncture. I went to see Dr. Natazia Stolberg, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist based in Los Angeles, and ever since I’ve been going back for not only my tinnitus symptoms, but she’s helped me with my hormones, PMS and so much more. That being said, I’m a huge believer in the benefits of acupuncture.

If you’re new to holistic healing and acupuncture as a type of treatment, it can definitely seem terrifying. Acupuncture is an ancient traditional Chinese medicine-based approach to treating various conditions by triggering specific points with needles. The practice is based on the idea that the human body is filled with and animated by an invisible life force called Qi – and we experience optimal mental, physical and emotional health when the Qi is flowing well and going to all the right places. When it’s flowing incorrectly, or “blocked,” that’s when we experience illnesses.

Acupuncture is a minimally invasive method to stimulate nerve-rich areas on the skin’s surface in order to influence tissues, glands, organs and other bodily functions. Chinese medicine practitioners believe the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways or meridians and these pathways are what create Qi. By applying acupuncture to certain points, it’s thought to improve the flow of Qi and, as a result, overall health. It aims to help people achieve mental, physical and emotional balance, which can provide relief for many different illnesses and symptoms such as chronic pain, migraines, digestive issues, menstrual cramps, hypertension, stress and anxiety, insomnia and nausea.

Acupuncture isn’t a miracle cure-all, but I definitely think it’s a worthwhile treatment for digestive issues, painful and irregular periods, stress and sleep problems; it always leaves me feeling balanced and harmonious!

For a full breakdown of the benefits of acupuncture, check out my latest episode with Dr. Natazia where we chat about using Chinese medicine for whole body health, and so much more!