Acupuncture – A Natural Alternative to Weight Loss
The market is flooded with the latest diets. There are carb diets and protein supplement diets, and the Adkins and South Beach diets. Then there are the weight loss exercise videos: Tai Bo, Buns of Steel and dance videos. The home shopping network is littered with modern exercise equipment that get you to push, pull, pedal, run, jump, and that fold you every which way in order to get your body to shed pounds and reveal that six pack.
While some of these techniques are credible and effective for some people, they are just not feasible or successful for others. There are alternative avenues that tackle weight issues in a very natural way, one of which is acupuncture for weight loss.
The History of Acupuncture
Acupuncture dates back more than 5,000
years. It can be found in the medical history
of China, and in papyrus treatises in Egypt.
Certain forms of acupuncture were developed
by Arabs, South Africans, Eskimos and Brazilians.
In modern North America, all styles of acupuncture, from all countries, are being integrated. The medical properties of acupuncture have been recognized, and officially accepted as a natural tool to well-being.
What
is Acupuncture?
Typically, acupuncture is the insertion
of needles into specific key points of the body.
Chinese acupuncture is based on Chi, or energy
that flows through the body. Sicknesses, whether
mental or physical, are attributed to the amount
of, or lack of energy flowing around the internal
organs. A healthy body is due to a continuous
flow of energy, which results in a well-balanced
body.
Acupuncture for Weight Loss
The first step to acupuncture for weight
loss is to consult a reputable acupuncturist
in order to assess the nature of the problem.
The acupuncture specialist will ask the patient
pertinent questions such as:
- Is there a history of obesity in your family?
- What are your eating habits?
- What are your cravings?
- What reasons motivate you to lose weight?
Your answers will help him determine which parts of the body to focus on. Specific sites are associated with specific needs.
Body Specifics
The acupuncture specialist focuses
on the patient’s eating habits by targeting
specific sites that diminish the appetite, curb
the dependency on certain foods, and lessen
the frequency of food intake; however, greater
significance is placed on reducing the patient’s
stress level, which is often the cause of weight
gain.
Strategic placement of needles to certain areas can lower insulin levels or lipid levels in the blood. Treatment to the spleen and thyroid gland decreases cravings for sugar, while treatment to the kidneys helps patients who suffer from fluid retention. The ovaries are targeted when weight gain is associated with P.M.S. and menopause. Stimulating the shemmer point produces calmness, and reduces feelings of anxiety, anger, frustration, and insecurity.
How does Acupuncture for Weight Loss
Work?
Depending on the patient’s particular
needs, needles are inserted at the selected
sites usually for 30 to 45 seconds per session.
In between sessions, when patients feel the
need to eat, they apply pressure for 30 seconds
on that body point, rubbing it to stimulate
the endorphins. The sudden release of endorphins
causes the patient to relax and regain control
over the situation.
Frequency of Treatment
Each individual requires a personal
schedule; treatments vary depending on the goals
of each patient. Typically, a person with a
long-term goal for weight loss would start with
a daily session, which would soon be reduced
to every second day. Eventually, the treatments
would be twice a week until the desired weight
loss is reached, at which time a booster treatment
every two weeks would suffice.
A Natural Alternative
Because acupuncture for weight loss
does not depend on pills, drastic diets or arduous
exercise programs, there are no negative side
effects to the treatment. Nevertheless, healthy
eating and exercising is always recommended
to maintain physical well-being. It is not a
miracle technique, but part of an overall plan
for weight loss.
The acupuncturist should be used in conjunction with a nutritionist and a doctor. A healthy diet and exercise plan should be worked out for you so that your weight loss is maintained, and your lifestyle change is permanent. Acupuncture helps you implement new skills for dealing with food issues, gives you reprieve from stress and anxiety, and supports you in your new lifestyle.
About the Author:
Holly Cates is a nutrition and physical
expert. She also provides content for the Weight
Loss Products Comparison website.