Weight Loss Options – Acupuncture
The first book on acupuncture was written around 200 BC. Ninety-five percent of everyone attempting to lose weight fails – that’s the national average in the United States. Acupuncture has been shown to be at least 60% effective in achieving weight loss.
Changing Habits
Acupuncture opens the door to a lifestyle change. It is believed that physical change (weight gain or weight loss) happens because of mental and emotional habits developed over time. These habits become so strong that they block any attempt to change. That is why so many diet programs fail. You are anchored in a firm balance between your physical appearance and your mental acceptance of it.
Acupuncture helps to break down these mental barriers. Your body has electrical forces that keep your body in balance. Over time this bio-electrical energy can become misaligned due to stress, diet, medications, sedentary lifestyle, etc. Acupuncture realigns the electrical forces and promotes balance in all the organs in your body.
Equilibrium
Acupuncture sedates and calms sensory points and establishes equilibrium between your organs and your brain. Acupuncture is very effective for binging – excessive eating brought on by stress, frustration and anxiety. If your weight gain has been exacerbated by stress, then acupuncture might be the right option to lose weight. However, acupuncture can be used with other weight loss options because it facilitates energy flow throughout your body, reduces stress and improves your overall willpower to lose weight.
Traditional Chinese Medicine – Five Element Theory
What if your weight gain was not stress induced? Traditional Chinese medicine has a five-element theory which identifies the root cause of excess weight as a disruption in the spleen and liver systems. The spleen controls your digestive system and converts the food you eat into Qi, the fundamental essence of life. When your spleen is not functioning properly, you will have fatigue, water retention and a slower metabolism.
Your liver is responsible to keep the flow of Qi running smoothly throughout your body. Liver disharmony can trigger cravings and compulsive eating. Outside influences can disrupt both your spleen and liver functions. Chronic stress, fast foods, lack of exercise, anxiety, worry, fear, nervousness, etc. can reduce the liver’s ability to function efficiently. This, in turn, causes your spleen and whole digestive system to operate at a slower rate and leads to a decreased metabolism.
Initial Consultation
Prior to inserting needles your acupuncturist will probably ask you questions regarding your eating habits, stress, cravings and your motivation to lose weight. Additionally, your family history of obesity might also be important to discuss. This helps the acupuncturist to focus on those areas which will bring the best results.
Treatments
Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into various points in your body. The needles may be manually or electrically stimulated. A typical session lasts around 40 minutes. Initially, acupuncture treatments might be done daily. After a short while the treatments could be moved to every other day and eventually once or twice a week until no treatments are necessary.
Maintain Your Change
As with any weight loss program, you cannot keep the same eating and exercise habits and expect to lose weight. Your acupuncture treatments work to help you change your mindset and your lifestyle. You have to maintain your new mindset to maintain your new body weight. Some acupuncturists may also recommend that you incorporate various herbs, supplements and massages into your weight loss regimen. These herbs and supplements target the same systems as the acupuncture needles.
Acupuncture Targets
Some of the weight loss points targeted by acupuncture are the spleen and thyroid gland. The functional objective of acupuncture is to balance your hormones and reduce your craving for sugar. Treating your kidneys reduces water retention. Your endocrine system can be balanced by stimulating your nerves to achieve hormonal balance. Your ovaries and adrenal gland can be targeted if weight gain is associated with P.M.S. or menopause.
One of the most commonly used acupuncture points is the shenmen point on your ear. It is not associated with a specific organ, but it is akin to a microcosm of your entire body. Treatment of your shenmen point calms your mind and reduces your stress. Your ears have links to all your body systems.
Effectiveness
Studies have shown that acupuncture is effective – three to four times more effective than traditional weight loss programs. Acupuncture readjusts your cravings so that your appetite and anxiety are suppressed. You eat less and feel better. Additionally, your body is fully energized. It can maximize the absorption of food and regulate the elimination processes more effectively.
Choices
Acupuncture is a powerful tool in weight loss when used exclusively, or in conjunction with other weight loss programs. Acupuncture can help you to reduce stress, eat less, expend more energy, reduce your cravings, increase your metabolism and, most importantly, strengthen your willpower to succeed in losing weight.
