Bee Acupuncture
Acupuncture has many reported benefits, from alleviating pain, to weight loss to enhanced focus. The foundational principles of acupuncture believe there exists a life force energy that is channeled through different meridians in the body. These channels can potentially become blocked and therefore can be re-directed or unblocked through activating pressure points by insertion of a fine needle. If done correctly there is no pain, as the ultra-fine needles are barely breaking the skin and in some cases you can even feel instant relief. I’ve done acupuncture off and on for years and while I’m still a stressed out, larger than I’d like to be woman with frequent headaches it does allow me to relax and meditate for a short period of time; which is good for my soul. Are there any beauty benefits to becoming a human voodoo doll? Possibly. After all, chronic pain and stress go hand in hand with frown lines and oftentimes exacerbates aging. So, while not directly providing beauty benefits stress management is similar to getting a massage, it eases your tension and worries so your wellbeing can take a front seat.
Taking this practice to a new level lead me to a bee farm where they were famous for offering unconventional, bee acupuncture to clients. It is exactly what is sounds like…instead of needles live bees are used. They provide not only the effects of stimulating acupuncture points but when their venom is released into the skin it is said to be beneficial for a variety of reasons; from desensitizing pain nerves to relaxing muscles. Now, I remember way back when in elementary school my teacher told me that when a bee stings you they die shortly thereafter; kind of like the ultimate act of “I’ll get you even if it kills me.” Since anywhere from 10-20 bees are used in each treatment that is quite a few bee’s giving their lives to help with your wonky knee. I couldn’t bring myself to experience the treatment even though my fridge and freezer hold literally pounds of animal suffering at any given time. It was just too personal for me to use the bees in that way but still the concept was intriguing. With very little conclusive research behind acupuncture and even less so with bee acupuncture this practice leaves me with a big question mark in my mind. I guess only time will tell, meanwhile I’m already stealing the bee’s honey and royal jelly; I think I’ll just end the insult there.
