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Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and dates back thousands of years. It involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the skin or applying various other techniques to the acupuncture points to bring about healing.

The foundation of Chinese acupuncture is the belief in an energy force called Qi (pronounced 'chee'). This energy, or life force, circulates around the body through invisible channels called meridians. If the flow of Qi in the meridians is disrupted, then disease may follow. By inserting fine needles into particular acupuncture points, the disruption can be corrected and the flow of Qi restored. Whether or not you believe in the philosophy of Qi makes no difference to the effects of acupuncture. Scientific trials around the world have found that acupuncture is a safe and useful treatment for many different disorders.

Yin and Yang
The ancient Chinese proposed that a balance of two opposing yet complementary forces of energy, called Yin and Yang, sustain every living thing. Half the body's organs and meridians are defined as Yin in relation to the other half, which are defined as Yang. When Yin and Yang are out of balance in the body, disease may occur.

Research has found that acupuncture may be effective in treating a range of disorders. Some of these include:

• Digestive - colitis, constipation, diarrhoea, gastritis, ulcer.
• Emotional - anxiety, depression.
• General - chronic fatigue syndrome, giving up smoking, muscle injuries, obesity, stress management, tiredness, travel sickness.
• Gynaecological - heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods, menopausal symptoms, pre-menstrual syndrome.
• Musculo-skeletal - back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tennis elbow and whiplash.
• Neurological - Bell's palsy, carpal tunnel syndrome, headache, Meniere's disease, migraine, pain, paralysis, shingles.
• Respiratory - asthma, bronchitis, common cold, hayfever.
• Vascular - haemorrhoids, high blood pressure, varicose veins.
  

The British National Health Service carried out a systematic review of the evidence for the use of acupuncture to treat or manage a range of disorders. They found that there was evidence that acupuncture is effective to treat dental pain, jaw pain and to control nausea after operations and chemotherapy treatment.

For many conditions where acupuncture can be used, the evidence has not been systematically reviewed, or the current scientific evidence to prove that it is effective is not yet established.

Clinical guidelines published in many different countries have found that acupuncture is moderately helpful in a wide range of conditions, particularly those which involve pain.

Yoga is an ancient Indian philosophy that dates back thousands of years. It was designed as a path to spiritual enlightenment, but in modern times the physical aspects of Hatha yoga have found huge popularity as a gentle form of exercise and stress management. There are many different varieties of Hatha yoga, but each one essentially relies on structured poses (asanas) practised with breath awareness.

Researchers have discovered that the regular practice of yoga may produce many health benefits, including increased fitness and normalisation of blood pressure. Yoga is a renowned antidote to stress. Over time yoga practitioners report lower levels of stress and increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing. This is because concentrating on the postures and the breath acts as a powerful form of meditation.

The asanas

Each posture, or asana, is held for a period of time and synchronised with the breath. Generally, a yoga session begins with gentle asanas and works up to the more vigorous or challenging postures. A full yoga session should exercise every part of the body and should include pranayama (breath control practices), relaxation and meditation. The different postures or asanas include:

Ayurveda is an ancient healing system from India that dates back some 5,000 years or more. It encompasses a wide range of techniques to treat illness and encourage general wellbeing, including:

* Herbs
* Yoga
* Acupuncture, also called marmapuncture
* Diet
* Breathing exercises
* Massage.

Translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means 'the science of life'. The central philosophy is that the mind and body are one and the same, and that physical health can't be achieved without emotional, mental and spiritual health.

Since Ayurveda is only now gaining some popularity in the West, the number of scientific studies has been small. From the evidence so far, it seems that the Ayurvedic approach can be effective in treating a number of disorders, including digestive problems and allergies.