Excess body weight can lead to a host of health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases to name a few. A majority of overweight individuals fail in their attempt to lose weight due to various reasons. Many people are moving away from modern solutions to natural remedies such as acupuncture for weight loss. Here’s how acupuncture can lead to weight loss and associated health benefits.
What’s involved in Acupuncture?
According to traditional Chinese medicine that dates back several centuries, weight gain is due to an imbalance in the body. Ancient Chinese medical teachings tell us that imbalance can be caused due to the malfunctioning of the kidney, liver, neuro-endocrine system, thyroid system and spleen. When we use acupuncture to lose weight, very fine sterile needles are inserted at specific body areas to change your metabolism. Instead of storing the blood sugar after a meal, Acupuncture helps you produce more energy by improving the thyroid function. You are more energized after acupuncture treatment with less food intake. Other areas for weight loss treatment are the ears – it is believed that by stimulating particular points on the ear, food cravings can be controlled.
How is Acupuncture Effective for Weight Loss?
Acupuncture for weight loss is effective for numerous reasons. Acupuncture promotes nerve and hormone rebalance. It helps relieve stress in a natural way which is a boon for individuals struggling with stress eating or individuals trying to self-medicate with foods. Acupuncture stimulates healthy digestion by improving blood flow to the stomach. By targeting areas of the female reproductive system, acupuncture can treat weight gain due to PCOS or menopause. Acupuncture clears blockages in the body’s energy pathways. It can hence lead to improved energy levels, reduce food cravings and better sleep.
Supported By Recent Research
Research into the relationship between acupuncture and weight loss is still in a nascent stage. A study published in Chinese medical journal and carried by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30232854) concluded that acupuncture may help pre-diabetic individuals lose weight by reducing their insulin and leptin resistance - insulin and leptin are hormones that regulate appetite. When insulin level is too high, your body can not burn the fat, instead, you will transfer the extra calories into fat tissue. Acupuncture helps the body stabilize the insulin and leptin levels so that your blood sugar is more stable and you can burn more calories after each meal.
Acupuncture can balance your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, the craving for sweets is under control especially at night. People tend to eat some comforting food at night because of the stress during the day time. Acupuncture can instantly reduce stress, so you are happy without eating processed food.
For best results, acupuncture should be combined with complementary solutions such as ancient Chinese herbs, exercise, eating the right foods and implementing healthier lifestyle choices. To discuss the pros and cons of this treatment, talk to your regular doctor as well as an experienced acupuncturist.
Dr. Li Zheng is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist and graduated from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. She holds a PhD in neuroscience from the US and is a Harvard Medical School-trained researcher and a professor at the New England School of Acupuncture. In this article, she talks about acupuncture for weight loss – this ancient Chinese medical practice offers natural remedies for a host of medical conditions including obesity, insomnia, infertility, erectile dysfunction, depression and glaucoma.