Among the sporty set, Eastern medicine techniques are becoming de rigeur.
There’s a push-pull to staying fit that involves working hard enough to make progress, and resting sufficiently to promote recovery and stave off over-exertion. Yin and yang is also central to Traditional Chinese Medicine. So it’s no surprise that the fit incorporate Eastern practices into their lives to fight pain, stress, injury and even aging. Although TCM has thousands of years of empirical evidence in its corner, it's now undergoing the sort of scientific scrutiny that's the norm in Western medicine. “There is so much research going today on about acupuncture’s efficacy,” says Robert MacDonald, director of healing at Exhale Spa. “It’s gaining a foothold in Western medicine’s house because of this.”
Now, some are practicing a very modern-seeming acupuncture, as well as techniques with less needling.