Acupuncture As A Viable Weight Loss Option

Dieting only to have the weight come back, bringing along a few more pounds to keep it company, can be quite stressful. For many people dieting has become too stressful. This may be why there are so many people who are using acupuncture to handle their long term weight issues. Acupuncture involving standard practices, including hair thin needles being inserted into the body in selected areas, is used to help enhance proper functioning of the body.

A release of endorphins by the body is stimulated by acupuncture. These endorphins are used by the body to relieve pain and for appetite control, thereby giving the patient increased willpower. For those who are obese, the cause of obesity may have to be evaluated through a questionnaire administrated by the acupuncturist. Both behavioral patterns and psychological reasons can be the cause of weight problems.

Whatever the reasons behind the weight problem, this treatment consists of the insertion of needles into specific areas of the body to improve body function and trigger weight loss. Attempting to trigger weight loss is done through the stimulation of the pituitary gland.

This can be an ideal way to lose weight for those people who have struggled with other weight loss methods. While pills can have side effects and dieting without chemical control requires willpower, acupuncture can stimulate the body to create its own stimulants and the will power needed to succeed.

Reduction in cravings for certain foods is another way that acupuncture can assist in weight loss. Having a smaller appetite along with the loss of certain cravings can go a long way in weight control. Another way overweight patients can be helped by this method is by manipulating and lowering the insulin and lipid levels within the blood with the correct placement of needles.

Those this method for weight loss have the pleasure of not dealing with some of the side effects that come with many of the other weight loss methods that are popular (such as weight loss medications). Acupuncture is non-addictive and is a completely natural way of losing weight. Regular treatments can maximize the results and obtain permanent weight loss.

Diet and exercise are still an important part of the new lifestyle that is to be adopted by those who choose to lose weight through acupuncture. These are used to maximize the efforts and to keep the body in a healthy state. Eating a balanced diet and limiting the number of between meal snacks that are ingested along with drinking plenty water helps the body to keep weight under control.

People who have struggled with weight loss and haven’t been able to lose the weight they hoped by using diet and exercise methods are often pleased with the boost that they get by using acupuncture for weight loss help. This is one method that can be used without worrying about side effects.

Is acupuncture for you? Can it help you overcome your dieting issues? If you've been finding that exercise and better eating isnt helping, acupuncture may be a solution for you.

Christopher Smith

A Key To Faster Weight Loss: Acupuncture

In the issue of acupuncture as a key to weight loss, it is still believed that it is not a direct way of losing. Although it can help people lose weight faster, being an adjunctive therapy, the way acupressure can help in weight loss is by lessening stress, which is a root cause for overeating.

Acupuncture is derived from two Latin words “acus” meaning “needle” and “pungere” meaning “prick”. This practice is done by manipulating and inserting very fine filiform needles in specific point areas in the body. With this technique, it alleviates pain as well as other therapeutic purposes.

The acupuncture theory states that the points which the needles have to be inserted are found along the meridians of the body, which is called the qi. Qi is a type of vital energy that is said to be flowing. As for these statements, there is really no accepted anatomical and physiologic basis for such concepts in acupuncture due to the fact that most Acupuncturists view them in their functional term, more than its structural term. It is famously known that acupuncture is safe to use, especially if it is done by a highly experienced and trained practitioner.

The history of acupuncture dates back to ancient China, where it originated. It is a type of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has been developed 5,000 years ago. There are different varieties of acupuncture such as Classical Chinese, Tibetan, and Japanese as well as Korean acupuncture, which are up to now still being used and taught all over the world.

In the issue of acupuncture as a key to weight loss, it is still believed that it is not a direct way of losing, although it can help people lose weight faster. True enough, weight loss is still achieved when commitment to lifestyle change is done by having the proper diet and exercise.

Being an adjunctive therapy, the way acupressure can help in weight loss is by lessening stress which is a root cause for overeating. Acupuncture does this with the use of a needle. With this needle, insert it to a specific point in the body as well as the ear. Through this method, the endorphins are released.

Endorphins are neurotransmitters that have a relaxing and calming effect on our body. This means that Acupuncture can alleviate stress. Moreover, endorphins also affect the hormonal and digestive system. This will result to a rebalancing of our organ systems which has been working too fast or too slow in terms of the metabolism.

To proceed with your acupuncture treatment, you should first seek consultation from your acupuncture practitioner to discuss your habits and eating patterns. This way, he or she will be able to know which point is correct to use. Moreover, your practitioner should asses you thoroughly in order to rule out if the problem is just your lifestyle patterns or a disease entity in itself.

Usually, in acupuncture there is a need to assess your pulse. This is in order to determine the general condition of your body’s energy, specifically your stomach’s energy. This is by checking your pulse. Then, they will also check your tongue for cracks. After this, your stomach area will be checked for puffiness, peeling, and white or yellow coating on the stomach, which may indicate either a cold or annoying heat. This could give clues as to the reason the person has gained weight.

With the gathered information, the acupuncturist can make a treatment plan. In devising the plan, he would indicate which points would be used to aid the condition of the client. Usually, the ear is used, along with two or more other main points depending on the client’s needs:

Stomach – used for people who tend to overeat and love to nibble

Mouth - for impulsive eaters with the habit of smoking and talking much

Hungry – for appetite control

Lung – for people who have food addiction such as those who love sweets
Endocrine – This is if the reason for weight gain is due to water retention

Sherman – to induce calmness for people who tend to be angry, stressed, and insecure

Adrenal and Ovary - if the reason for weight gain is because of Menopause as well as P.M.S.

Thyroid - for people who have slow metabolism

Spleen – for blood sugar imbalances as well as hormonal disturbances
Kidney - for hormonal as well as nervous system imbalances; water retention

In addition, some acupuncturists may also utilize electrical measures in order to increase the release of endorphins as well as the rate of metabolism. The needles inserted in the body would still be put into place for about 30 up to 45 minutes, depending on the needs of the patient.

Then, the needles should be taken out. As for the ear needle, it will be replaced with ear tacs secured by adhesive for continued stimulation in between treatments. The mechanism for this would be the fact that when the client has the urge to eat, he would just apply mild pressure on the ear point by rubbing it for 20 seconds. This pressure on the point will trigger the release of endorphin, which, in turn, will result to the relaxation of the client. This will help in reducing the urge to eat because the client will have the willpower to resist eating. Then after three days, the client should remove the tack and throw them out. However, if discomfort is felt, it can be removed much earlier than three days.

As for the number of treatments, it would really depend on the client’s commitment to his or her goal of losing weight. If symptoms of severe overeating are the case, treatment of five consecutive days is suitable. This can be lessened down to every other day on the succeeding week. Then, on the third week, a period of every three days is a considerable treatment. As for clients who are average weight and wants to loss weight, possibly between 5 up to 10 pounds, two times a week is fitting. Thus, after the booster treatment, the acupuncturist and client can decide whether to continue or stop the treatment. A meeting of four times every year after the said treatment is needed every change of season to stabilize the body systems.

David H. Urmann

Acupuncture and Weight Loss

Obesity is a state of being obese, or overweight due to excessive accumulation of fat. The love for junk food and lethargy has played a great part in spreading this disease. Nowadays, not only adults but also children are suffering from the problem of excessive weight.

Some of the effective remedies for weight loss include exercise, yoga, crash diet and acupuncture.

In the recent years, acupuncture has gained wide acclaim as an effective therapy to control and lose excess weight. Acupuncture is a healing system that was developed in china some 2,500 years ago. Acupuncture was introduced in America in the late 1800s. Since than it has been used as an alternative medicine to treat a wide range of diseases including depression, insomnia, drug abuse and weight loss. However, it did not come into popularity until President Nixon made his historical visit to China in 1972. That is the event that largely opened the door from East to West and vice-versa.

There are about 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body. Each point is associated with different healing attributes. Acupuncture points within the year are tapped for detoxification and weight loss. The organs treatable by ear acupuncture, for example, include the lung, kidneys, liver and nervous system.

But before deciding to go for acupuncture as a remedy for your weight loss, be sure to make sure you are using a reputable weight loss practitioner. If treated by an expert practitioner, acupuncture can be an easy way out to free you from the shackles of excessive fat accumulated in your body.

Kevin Stith

Ancient Chinese Wisdom And Weight Loss: Acupuncture

The Chinese are known for their ancient healing techniques that make use of nothing but nature's best. Once such technique is acupuncture which dates back 2,000 years.

Acupuncture is based on an ancient Chinese belief that the body is made up of mystical energy streams. This could be correlated with our knowledge of nerves today and that the nerves are all entwined with each other. The nerves for the shoulders may be next to the nerves for the toes. This means that by stimulating the nerves on the toes, you as well stimulate the nerves on the shoulders. Stimulating one nerve therefore will stimulate another.

Acupuncture does not promise to be a weight loss miracle. What it promises is to affect symptoms related to or that may contribute to weight gain to help being about weight control. Acupuncture therefore can help make weight loss easy and effective.

One example is stress. Stress has been identified as a key factor in certain people's weight gain. Some people feel the need or urge to eat a lot when they are stressed and they find comfort in doing so. Acupuncture can help promote stress relief and relaxation.

Acupuncture for weight loss involves inserting needles in specific areas or points of the body through which endorphins are known to pass through, to promote calming and relaxing effects.

Endorphins are also known to affect the digestive system, especially metabolism. Therefore, by targeting these points in acupuncture, it is hoped that weight loss can be promoted.

A visit to an acupuncturist for weight loss begins with an assessment of one's general health. Pulse points are checked, along with the stomach and tongue.

When used to support weight loss goals, acupuncture counts the mouth as an important point, especially for impulsive eaters and heavy smokers.

It also focuses on the stomach for people who continue eating even if they are already full, and the endocrine system for water retention that can cause bloating and weight gain.

Other points act on the spleen for sugar imbalances, the kidneys for hormonal and nervous imbalances as well as water retention and the thyroid for metabolism. Two or more points will be chosen from these depending upon the health and needs of the patient.

Modern technology has also helped the art and science of acupuncture. The acupuncturist may use electro-stimulation to promote the release of endorphins and increase the relaxing and calming effects.

The needles usually stay on for around 30-45 minutes and the number of repeat sessions will depend upon the need of the patient, especially his weight loss goal.

The patient is also taught how to apply the pressure again afterwards for example, when he feels the strong urge to eat heavily or smoke again.

Acupuncture sessions may also be supplemented by herbal medicines as well as counseling on nutrition and lifestyle changes. The acupuncturist may even suggest combining acupuncture with other stress reduction methods. These methods may include yoga and meditation as well as breathing exercises.

Acupuncture is an ancient technique that up to this day promotes several health benefits. Like any other health options however, consistency and determination on the part of the patient is also required.

It does not promise a miraculous loss of weight but it promises to address the problems that lead to weight gain. In the process, the vicious cycle of eating heavily due to stress is put to halt so the weight loss process can proceed.

Acupuncture aims to promote harmonious flow of energy through the body for better health and life.

Elizabeth Radisson

Acupuncture Weight Loss, Is It Possible?

Most everyone has heard of acupuncture, but have you ever heard of acupuncture weight loss?

Acupuncture is a five thousand year old healing method that was discovered and developed in China. But few people know that acupuncture weight loss is one of the many possible benefits that acupuncture brings.

So how can acupuncture weight loss be a possibility?

Well, for those of us in the west, acupuncture itself; to say nothing of acupuncture weight loss, was unheard of until the nineteenth century. It took some time for us to warm to the idea of someone sticking several impossibly thin needles into our skin.

It would be even more time before we would accept the concept that acupuncture weight loss was another possibility for this strange eastern practice.

But the fact is that acupuncture weight loss is not only a possibility, acupuncture weight loss has become a workable option for many people who have struggled with the battle of the bulge.

Acupuncture weight loss approaches weight loss from a control point of view. It works by activating your body's endorphins, those feel good chemicals that our bodies all have.

By activating your endorphins, the acupuncture weight loss specialist is attempting to give you control over your cravings.

Your cravings are Acupuncture weight loss's main target in this fight. A wise person once said that you can resist anything except temptation.

Many people who battle their weight are tempted by cravings. Acupuncture weight loss tries to help fight those irresistible urges.

Acupuncture weight loss starts from the same basic concept as the rest of acupuncture, that is pressure points. To the educated acupuncture weight loss practitioner, the most important part of your body is behind your ear.

The human body has over one thousand pressure points, and yes the main acupuncture weight loss points lie behind your ear.

The acupuncture weight loss specialist will usually insert five needles at very specific points behind your ear. These five points each have a very important role to play in acupuncture weight loss. Four of these five points have a direct correlation to specific body organs, namely the lungs, liver, kidneys and nervous system.

The fifth acupuncture weight loss point is simply one of relaxation because after all, even acupuncture weight loss can't work if you're not relaxed.

As referred to earlier, the key to acupuncture weight loss is the release of endorphins. By stimulating the specific organs in the body endorphins are released and the acupuncture weight loss cycle is begun.

The endorphins, acupuncture weight losses best friend, and tied as they are to these specific organs of the body, then go to work on your cravings.

Acupuncture weight loss is successful when the endorphins help to diminish or eliminate your cravings for carbohydrates and decrease your appetite.

If these cravings and your over-active appetite can be controlled and decreased then acupuncture weight loss is successful.

So if nothing else has worked for you, perhaps its time to give acupuncture weight loss a chance.

Annie Beal