Lately, many celebs from Bollywood and the cricket world have been posting selfies along with gratitude messages for Dr. Jewel Gamadia, a Mumbai-baded acupuncturist. The adorable-looking doctor is already everyone’s favourite and has got a huge fan following on Instagram.

He recently spoke to Vogue India about the ancient medical practice and it’s immense benefits.

[Acupuncture is one of the oldest practices of traditional Chinese medicine. This includes inserting needles into the body based on the theory of pseudoscience and is said to be a great relief from any kind of pain.]

A majority of us lead a sedentary lifestyle which involves sitting for longer duration at a time. As a result, back, neck and shoulder pain are the new lifestyle diseases. The excessive use of computers, phones and tablets also contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome. How does acupuncture work on these problems and resolve these issues?

Follow a simple rule: eat less if you move less. Our sedentary lifestyle makes our systems sluggish and on top of that we put the wrong kind of food into our body. That’s where the problems begin. Eating healthy is very necessary. Another aspect of this lifestyle is stress. When we are stressed, our body generates a lot of acid which contributes to pain in the joints. Try to keep your body as alkaline as possible, eat light, keep yourself hydrated and avoid stress eating. This will help in keeping the muscles stronger which leads to better joint health and helps avoid health issues like carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic back and neck pain.

Do your best to move a little every day. If you don’t use your muscles enough, you risk losing muscle strength as a result your joints have to bear the weight which weakens them. Acupuncture will help you reverse the damages, improve blood supply to joints and also alleviate the pain effectively. But you must commit to making a lifestyle change simultaneously with the healing sessions.

your discipline is what makes it all happen bro.stay well @s1dofficial @repost Thank you to my Bro @dr.jewelgamadia for healing my body and getting it ready for my hectic lifestyle ! 👍

3,959 Likes, 29 Comments – dr.jewel gamadia (@dr.jewelgamadia) on Instagram: “your discipline is what makes it all happen bro.stay well @s1dofficial @repost Thank you to my Bro…”

How does the western system of acupuncture work? What are the principles and the philosophy?

Western acupuncture works on current diagnostic terms—it works on recent concepts of biology, it involves stimulation of nervous systems which has a biological effect on affected tissues or disease. The principles are based on meridian pathways laid by acupuncture but on western diagnostics.

What is your opinion on facial acupuncture? How does that work? What are the benefits?

Facial acupuncture is complex, its done to stimulate collagen and elastin production. As we age, we are more and more prone to skin damage in the form of fine lines, wrinkles, scars and sagging. Facial acupuncture increases nutrient rich blood flow to these damaged tissues thereby speeding up the skin’s repair process. It’s a slow process but its organic and changes happen from within—not to mention it’s drug-free.

Main tujhe kuch hone nahin dunga 🌈💖 @dr.jewelgamadia I’ve lived with bad skin allergies and stomach ailments my entire life, been hospitalised twice this year due to chronic pain but thanks to you they are a thing of the past now!! Forever indebted 🌸🌸 (guys he’s new to insta so let’s give him a big welcome!!)

800.7k Likes, 2,177 Comments – Jacqueline Fernandez (@jacquelinef143) on Instagram: “Main tujhe kuch hone nahin dunga 🌈💖 @dr.jewelgamadia I’ve lived with bad skin allergies and stomach…”

How do you maintain the results of an acupuncture session?

First of all, know that acupuncture isn’t magic, you will need to be patient for it to work and have a bit of a pain threshold. Once your acupuncturist fixes your problems, you have to make sure you don’t end up repeating the same mistakes that got you in a bad shape. A good diet, moderate exercise, quality sleep and managing stress are necessary for recovery.

Do health the right way! This is what my friend Dr Jewel has made me realise. Grateful for your amazing knowledge in your field Jewel 🙏 Health is everything guys! #SayNoToPillPopping

705k Likes, 1,445 Comments – AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) on Instagram: “Do health the right way! This is what my friend Dr Jewel has made me realise. Grateful for your…”

In this age of new superfoods coming up around every corner, what are some of the age-old, tried-and-tested ingredients and rules that are beneficial for overall health?

Today, our food is laden with pesticides and adulterated and even genetically-modified. The best thing in my opinion is to stick to cooked food, have multi vitamins and look very carefully into raw food. One of the most important thing is to chew your food properly. When we chew, we produce digestive juices, electrolytes, anti-bacterial compounds and enzymes. Chewing is also essential for our metabolism to work efficiently.

Check if you’re sensitive to gluten—it’s the culprit behind many skin issues like eczema, psoriasis, urticarial and also causes intestinal bloating and weight gain. Cut down your sugar consumption, it causes everything from acne, skin inflammation, wrinkles to early ageing. Even two weeks of a no-sugar diet will do wonders for your body and skin.

This was first published here.