Detox

Our Detox Programme is a treatment package designed to give you the most natural, rejuvenating and long lasting full flushing of toxic build up in the body.

A course of expert acupuncture, Chinese herbal prescription and personalised diet advice are provided by a fully qualified CMIR-registered doctor with extensive Western medical training.

Our Detox Programme includes:

• A full Chinese medical diagnosis with personalised lifestyle advice
• A session of authentic syndrome acupuncture
• An individualised Chinese detox herbal prescription from our doctors

How we can help you

This Detox Programme includes acupuncture and Chinese herbs which can be successfully used to tonify detox organs and encourage the body to flush out the toxins. Using this programme you can spring clean your body any time of the year.

Detoxing is known to be notoriously difficult, but when it is done naturally using acupuncture and Chinese herbs that boost your body’s elimination organs, detoxing is a relaxing yet rejuvenating and even a revelatory experience.

Modern life is toxic. Foods with preservatives and additives; insufficient sleep; coffee and artificial stimulants; alcohol; tobacco; drugs and even the very air we are breathing in our cities fill our bodies with harmful chemicals which can cause long term damage to our organs, joints and immune system. These chemicals enter your lungs, kidneys, liver, as well as the intestines and lymph tissue.

The typical symptoms of a body in need of a detox include aches and pains, general fatigue, poor quality skin, digestive discomforts, irritability and low mood. If left untreated, accumulated toxins can cause chronic conditions.

The AcuMedic Detox Programme in London uses syndrome acupuncture, prescription Chinese herbs and personalised lifestyle advice to gently guide your body into a self detoxifying state and provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to achieve and maintain a cleansed, rejuvenated and energised well-being.

See our free guide on Chinese Medicine for detox.

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+ About the Acupuncture at AcuMedic

Acupuncture treatment is available all over the world but not all acupuncturists are the same. Many acupuncturists in the West are only trained in a small modality of acupuncture such as trigger point acupuncture or perhaps 5 Element acupuncture. AcuMedicin London treats with syndrome acupuncture which is based on the complete system of theories in Chinese Medicine (including trigger point and 5 Element). This is authentic acupuncture treatment as practised in China and is based on Syndrome Differentiation diagnosis.

+ How it works

Acupuncture is now accepted in the West as an effective part of drug detoxification treatment programmes. The principle behind detox acupuncture is the stimulation of the points relating to Lungs, Large Intestine (Colon), Liver, Gall Bladder, Kidneys and Bladder.

Acupuncture can be used according to Chinese Medical theory to detox the body by stimulating and rebalancing the circulation of blood and essential energy (Qi) which in turn nourishes the elimination organs (Liver, Kidneys, Colon) and boosts their detoxification work. The role of Chinese herbs in this is to enhance the effect of acupuncture and supply additional energy to the key organs, thus powering their detox work.

Since the blood and Qi circulate across the entire body, an improved circulation will benefit not only the detox organs but also the head. This can rejuvenate the mind, improve mood and help the body maintain the motivation to carry through the detox to a successful conclusion.

One of the detoxifying influences of acupuncture on the body is its diuretic effect. Acupuncture can help the body detoxify itself through the urinary tract by stimulating the production of urine. Certain Chinese herbs can also provide a diuretic effect while also boosting the body’s essential energy and together with acupuncture, strengthen the Bladder functions.

While acupuncture can stimulate the body’s elimination organs, its other detoxifying effect works on the person’s cravings and food appetite, thus helping you not only to discharge toxins for good but also to better resist ingesting new ones. As you undergo detox acupuncture your body will be retuned to reject unhealthy foods and to develop lesser appetite for them. This is an important part of detox as your body is likely to have grown desensitised to unhealthily processed foods and artificial stimulants. Acupuncture can help you to detox successfully by strengthening your resistance against cravings for toxic foods. As the treatment progresses you should find your body rejecting unhealthy foods and thus avoiding more toxins.

Acupuncture is also very relaxing and having sessions regularly during your detox will help you to remain calm, centred and in a better shape to not only finish off detoxing successfully but also to lead a healthier lifestyle afterwards.

To find out more read our brief Introduction to Chinese Medicine.

+ What to expect

A fully qualified CMIR-registered Chinese Medical doctor will provide you with a full diagnosis and consultation to understand the state of your elimination organs and which aspects of your health need to be optimised. The doctor will explain how they are going to individualise the treatment so that the acupuncture and Chinese herbs will help you to achieve a complete detox.

+ Diagnosis and Consultation

There are four main diagnostic methods in Chinese Medicine which are observing, pulse diagnosis, questioning and listening. Each method has a unique function in the process of collecting different clinical information about your internal health and how your detox system can be improved. Therefore all four diagnostic methods must be used to make an accurate diagnosis of your health and to determine how weight loss and full detox can be achieved in your individual case.

Observing involves looking at all the outward manifestations of your internal health, including the state of the detox organs. This is done by observing your general vitality, complexion, figure and skin. One of the most well known parts of observing is tongue diagnosis. The tongue is like a mirror showing the state of your internal organs. The AcuMedic doctor will be able to judge the condition of your essential energy (Qi), identify the location of the affected parts inside your body, determine what is exactly is wrong and identify how any internal health imbalances might progress just from looking at your tongue.

There are over 50 different pulse types and the AcuMedic doctor will take your pulse on both wrists to determine which pulse type you have. Your pulse is identified in terms of depth, speed, strength, shape and rhythm. Your pulse is an indicator of how Qi and blood are moving around your body, therefore how well your internal organs are functioning. For example, in addition to observing your heart rate, your AcuMedic Chinese Medical doctor will also check the pulse of your detox organs Kidney and Liver to observe the level of their vitality. From your pulse the doctor can determine a great deal about your overall health and how this can be improved to help you fully detox.

The AcuMedic doctor will ask you a huge variety of questions to learn about your general lifestyle in order to identify the sources of toxins in your life, be their diet, alcohol, other medicines or something else. It may seem like some of these questions are odd, but it all goes towards building a complete picture of you and your health. No matter how trivial something might seem to you, tell your doctor. No symptom that you have is unrelated or unimportant to the success of your detox.

It is also very useful for your doctor to see the results of any medical tests you have had so make sure you bring them along to your first consultation and whenever you get new results through.

Once the doctor has finished diagnosing you, they will tell you about your particular Chinese Medical syndrome and how it should be treated for a successful detox. These syndromes often have funny sounding names, like Liver Qi Stagnation or Kidney Yin Deficiency, but do not let that put you off. They will accurately explain why you have the health issues you have and therefore what aspects of your body the acupuncture treatment should be focused on.

+ Treatment

For acupuncture you will be asked to lie on the bed and remove some clothing to receive acupuncture. The doctor will provide you with a blanket to cover yourself. Micro-fine needles will be inserted and you will be left alone to relax for about 20-40 minutes.

Please be aware that this is crucial treatment time for the acupuncture to have a therapeutic effect and you have not been forgotten. Just relax and enjoy the sensation of the acupuncture treatment (many patients will fall asleep). If you need to call the Clinic reception then there is a bell to alert us to come and talk with you.

After the required period of time the doctor will return to remove the acupuncture needles and leave you to get dressed.

Usually, the acupuncture needles do not hurt when they are inserted, although if a lot of blocked energy and toxins have built up you may feel a pricking and pulling sensation as the acupuncture mobilise the Qi, uproots the toxins and moves them out. Most people find acupuncture incredibly relaxing.

AcuMedic doctors only use sterile disposable acupuncture needles. AcuMedic actually invented the disposable acupuncture needle.

For people who are afraid of acupuncture needles, please speak to your doctor who may recommend a different treatment based on electro-acupuncture instead of needles. Electro-acupuncture works in the same way as conventional acupuncture, but instead of using needles, an electronic pointer is used to stimulate the acupuncture points on the body.

+ After the Treatment

When the acupuncture treatment is completed you will be taken to the AcuMedic Herbal Dispensary to collect your Chinese herbal medicine prescription for detox and rebook the next appointment.

After the treatment you should notice an improvement in overall health and any symptoms you might have been experiencing prior to detox acupuncture and taking the prescribed Chinese herbal medicine.

To find out more about being a patient at AcuMedic please take a look at the AcuMedic Patient Handbook.