I have a few articles in this Healers Journal about acupuncture because I have had some serious results from it (when conventional medicine hasn't worked) and it always leaves me, immediately feeling better. It's the first treatment I use when I need help finding balance within. And it was Ross that got me into it, about 10 years ago. He used to come to my group Pilates classes and one time he offered to treat my foot which was painful from plantar-fascitis. I went into his Golborne road clinic, had some needles and oh-my-god the feeling I had after the session was incredible. I did the remainder day with a profound feeling of love and joy. I felt all bubbly inside an was grinning from ear to ear on the tube the whole way home! And my foot felt a better! But for me the energetic shift was undeniable. Ross and I started sending clients to each other and I subsequently set up shop 1 day a week from Golborne road (there is a Pilates studio in there too). The benefits of acupuncture on my energy was/is undeniable which is why I'm shocked when I come across people who just don't believe in it and therefore won't try it.
I know, I know, people experience things differently and what works for me won't work for everyone but if anyone is on the verge of trying it and reads this article, and subsequently books a session, then that's my job done! So, in the spirit of the Healers Journal, the journal that aims to bring holistic treatments to the surface, I asked Ross to do a q&a for me to get some simple information and history about acupuncture and how it works for people with busy lifestyles. Here it is:
Ross & Alex:
A: When and where did acupuncture begin?
R: Well it was thought that it was Chinese in Origin and there was a mummy dug up some years ago that seemingly had Acupuncture points tattooed on her which dated back 5000 years.
A: What is the philosophy behind acupuncture and why do you think we draw upon it western countries?
R: Acupuncture is basically the manipulation of Qi. A word that we don't often use in the west. It is basically a type of electrical current that runs though the body, and the needles tap into that. It works in western countries because it works on humans full stop. Its not a type of medicine that works on some people and not others or if you 'believe it in it or not'. It works on such a deep physiological level, providing we as practitioners get our diagnosis right and hit the correct points.
A: What are the main 3 ailments you treat?
R: I would say exhaustion especially from adrenaline fatigue, and all the associated syndromes that come with it. Anxiety, insomnia etc. And infertility issues.
A: Why do you think that anxiety, insomnia and fertility are most prevalent?
R: It's very much a syndrome modern day life. People arrive in a city like London and hit the ground running. They often work long hours for little reward, have the pressures of socialising and keeping fit and healthy, as they see it. And usually after a year or so I tend to see them coming into clinic after they have been running on too much adrenaline for too much time. Adrenaline was designed for us to run away from lions or run up mountains, we weren’t supposed to run on it for long periods. And although lockdown has caused more rest for some, it has caused peaks in anxiety especially because of future fantasised scenarios and threats to our normal lives.
A: I asked myself, what would I do if I was skeptical about getting acupuncture? I'd google it. So I did, and I found articles that suggest there is no direct scientific evidence that acupuncture works. What would you say about this, given you have seen it work so clearly in your daily practice?
R: I don’t really get involved in such discussions to be honest. Nothing lasts long if it doesn’t work. And so I’d say that the fact acupuncture has been around for over 3000 years (maybe even 5000) is as good an argument as you’d get for its efficacy. As much as I love Western Medicine it has probably only really been around for 190 years at best. Also, that 3000 years of acupuncture also consists of trial and error, scholarship and study in the East and that alone is hugely scientific.
A: What are your 3 best pieces of advice for people who live in a city that are trying to find balance?
1. Don’t view 'doing nothing' as a defeat. It is often the best use of your energy if you want to feel balanced.
2. Focus on feeling peace more often and make it a major part of your health, rather than how many fitness classes you do in a week
3. I love the taste of coffee but when you do my job you get to see how much paraffin it throws on people’s anxiety levels. In a city that is already causing adrenalin fatigue try and lay off coffee. Drink it when you’re not working.
A: And 3 tips for finding a good acupuncturist?
1. Word of mouth.
2. The British Acupuncture Council have a great website for finding qualified practitioners
3. Try a couple. They say the right practitioner for you is out there!
A short q&a with Ross that I hope resonates with any of you who were on the edge of believing or booking an acupuncture appointment.
Also, during lockdown Ross started his own supplement range to further help treat the common ailments he sees in sessions, as we mentioned above; adrenaline fatigue, fertility and overall tension in the body. This is where Ross and I cross over. We are both about harmonising the body and mind. As a celebration of this article and the launch of his supplement range (which he has been talking to me about for years now!) we have decided to put a bundle of his herbal patches in my Movement Kits. The next 10 Kits sold will include complimentary Calm & Healing Patces. You're welcome! You can find the Kits in my shop in on the next page over.
Here is Ross's site - have a look www.rossbarr.com
With love,
Alex & Ross