An article intended for practitioners of Chinese medicine: I want to write today about a very strange study that proved to me something important that is not only related to gastro problems but in general to our work as therapists.

A few months ago, I came across a study that examined whether eating blessed chocolate (details below) would improve the mood of those who eat it more than eating unblessed chocolate.

Yes... definitely the strangest study I've read, and yet it's interesting to know what happened there and what the results were (the connection to our work as therapists later on).

So, 62 women and men were divided into four groups and asked to track their mood every day for a week.

On days 3, 4, and 5, they received 68% dark chocolate at regular times.

Three groups received chocolate blessed with these words: "The person who consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning physically, emotionally, and mentally, and will enjoy a feeling of increased energy, vigor, and well-being."

The subjects knew that some of them received blessed chocolate, but they did not know whether they received it or whether they received "just" chocolate.

And the surprising results: On the third day of eating the chocolate, mood improved significantly in the groups that received blessed chocolate compared to the group that received regular chocolate. In the attached graph, you can see the difference in mood between the groups.

Since reading this study, I have made sure that while I am getting the chi, I am fully focused on the acupuncture and the patient's health. I think the study reinforced what I already knew from the clinic - when we talk to the patient or think about other things while doing the acupuncture or getting the chi, the treatment works less well for us (at least that's what happens to me).

I am attaching a link to the research summary for those interested in reading more about it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17905358/ To join a WhatsApp group for Chinese medicine practitioners with information on treating digestive problems, click here