Read also Brain rewards, endorphins

The best of the few known conventional theories on acupuncture belongs to a team of theoretical biologists working under Dr. Dmitri Chernavski, an academician of Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, in Moscow.  The group approached the problem from the point of view of concept of neurocomputing.

Since mid-century, using a model based on human neural structures, a whole new class of computers, possessing so called ” artificial intelligence”, has been developed  – the ones that can learn, recognize objects, and correct their own mistakes.  In somewhat of a paradox, the reverse logic has been used now, in order to explain the mechanisms of a live brain using the known electronic models.  Thus the theory of self-diagnostic function of an organism was developed.  Most of these self-diagnostic (recognizing the “image of a disease”) processes take place in the spinal cord.  In the gray matter of the spinal cord, the neurons are organized into what are called “Rexed laminae” and their functions are well-known.

The signals from the inner organs, as well as from the skin and muscles first go through the first lamina, separate from each other.  Then the signals move through the second lamina, third one, and so on, while increasingly interacting with each other and, after ten laminae, finally reach the brain in the form of one integrated set of information about the body’s state of being.  The computers that recognize objects have basically the same laminar structure and function of signal integration.  In both cases, an omitted signal from an internal organ, or one that is not strong enough, will be compensated for by the other one (e.g. from the skin), thus correcting the mistake.

According to Dr. Chernavski, skin stimulation at the point of acupuncture accomplishes the same goal.  The process of integration in the Rexed laminae increases the flow of “signals of illness” from an organ, or points out a body’s mistake in recognizing the disorder.  It is as if you wanted to send a letter to someone down the stream with little or no water using a miniature ship to carry it.  Add some water, and the ship will get there. Neither the way of adding the water nor the water itself has any effect on the content of letter sent.

Once the body has the stronger, clearer information about the injury or disease, the natural healing powers of the body take over.  What happens when the disease is recognized, the above theory does not explain, stating that the body has enough resources to battle the disease on its own.  Conventional medicine neglects that statement, while holistic medicine is based on it.

Nevertheless, conventional medicine may be missing an opportunity in dismissing this explanation too quickly.  Within the limits of the West’s strict paradigm, there has been collected a large number of facts on natural ways of fighting diseases.  We offer to discuss one of the most universal mechanisms to restore body’s balance.

It is known that a number of physical actions in excess of average intensity, including pain, stress, bleeding, acupuncture, sex, laughing, drugs and even highly palatable foods can trigger the release of endorphins (Fig. 5).  Pain reduction , in it’s turn, is the most common result associated with the release of endorphins.  It has been concluded recently, that any intense skin stimulation will cause a significant release of endorphins.

Another effect is the curious state the body falls into after the endorphin concentration has gone up: a number of other physiological regulators are released into the bloodstream such as growth hormone and insulin.  Each one of those regulators changes a number of different  body functions.  As a result, it is not surprising that many serious diseases are linked to the abnormalities in the endorphin system including may kinds of addiction, schizophrenia, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease as well as PMS and weight problems. We believe that there may be some linkage between abnormalities in the endorphin system and various conditions such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and may kinds of addiction.

Thus, skin stimulation, even not necessarily as accurate as in acupuncture, but intensive enough, does two things:

1. Provides additional information on the nature of the disorder to the body’s self-diagnostic system

2. Helps to create a new physiological state which is more adequate and favorable to the healing process

From the book Reflexo-therapy From Kuznetsov’s Applicator to Shakti Mat