You’ve just tried acupuncture for the first time. And you can’t help but notice that your body feels very different. Maybe you’re feeling abnormally alert or maybe you’re on cloud nine. The first thing you have to understand is that both reactions are perfectly normal. However, there are certain things you should make an effort to avoid after you’ve tried acupuncture for the first time.

The biggest no-no is coffee and alcohol. Acupuncture helps to bring the toxins out of your body. Don’t immediately put them back in. Although we’ve normalized them into our daily routine, there are stimulants, intoxicants, and depressants that alter your brain chemistry and shift it out of balance. In a time when you are now clearer than you’ve been in ages, this is the last thing you’ll need. Also, stay away from processed foods or sugars. Instead, welcome foods with proven healing properties like curcumin. After all, you just had needles put into your skin. You don’t need coffee to get you through your day. Coffee needs YOU to get IT through the day.

For the daily runner, it might be good to spend a day or two just walking. Although gradual movements like stretching can be a nice adjunct to an acupuncture treatment, heavy exercise routines can irritate the points of entry or worse. Remember, your body has already gone through one of the biggest workouts it’s ever attempted. But as every exercise enthusiast knows, heat is your best friend if you’re feeling any aches and pains.