Meridians / Channels:The channels are regarded as three-dimensional passageways through which the Qi and Blood flow at various levels of the body. The often used term - 'meridians' - is, therefore, inadequate since, unlike the term 'channels', it implies a two-dimensional structure. The channels are an important facet of Chinese medicine, especially acupuncture. With their vivid, symbolic ordering, the channels illustrate many of the linkages among Organs. They also delineate the Organ's sphere of influence in the body. (Acupuncture, A Comprehensive Text; O'Connor/Bensky) |
How Acupuncture Works:
The existence of the meridian system was further established by French researcher Pierre de Vernejoul, who injected radioactive isotopes into the acupoints of humans and tracked their movement with a special gamma imaging camera. The isotopes traveled thirty centimeters along acupuncture meridians within four to six minutes. Vernejoul then challenged his work by injecting isotopes into the blood vessels at random areas of the body rather than into acu-points. The isotopes did not travel in the same manner at all, further indicating that the meridians do indeed comprise a system of separate pathways within the body.
From Alternative Medicine, the definitive guide
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