Weight Loss Using Acupuncture
Acupuncture weight loss is one of the popular natural methods of losing weight. Considering that binging – .i.e. excessive eating is many times a result of increased stress levels, frustrations and anxiety, acupuncture for weight loss may be effective for losing weight to some people.
The exact workings of this old natural art are still not well understood. It is supposed that the inserted needles are used in such a way as to stimulate release of the hormone endorphin. Endorphin, your body’s natural feel good factors, then result to a calming and relaxing effect. Acupuncture weight loss based programs then use such a calming to introduce control of binging that result from stress.
This strategy of using such techniques to encourage a lifestyle that encourages and maintains weight loss is aiding weight loss.
Stress generally tenses up the body such that your body systems are in a degree of fight or flee. The full extent of fight or flee status would for example be, the state of your body systems when you see a car speeding towards you to run you over. At such a state some of your body systems nearly shut down to facilitate others. Blood moves away from abdominal area to skeletal muscles, there is increased heart beat, all to put you in a position to fight or flee.
This usually is meant to last for a short time until the danger has passed. However in stress this status is constant in the body to some significant extent resulting to system imbalance. Release of endorphin in a natural weight loss process like acupuncture would assist in rebalancing your body systems.
Acupuncture for Weight Loss – How it works
A practitioner would choose points of treatment depending on the patient’s diagnosed problem. The needles are then inserted in these points. Once inserted the needles stay in place for about 30-45 minutes per session, then they are removed.
Points in the ear are replaced with ear tacks or ear staples and an adhesive is placed over them. Normally the ear staples are exactly where the needle was. These are meant to continue treatment in between sessions.
When the patient feels an urge to eat in between meals or when it is unnecessary to eat, they apply a mild pressure on the ear staples; alternatively rub them back and forth for about 20 seconds. This results to a direct stimulation causing a mild endorphin release, relaxing the patient to regain control.
The endorphin hormone is believed to create a conducive physiological and psychological environment to make lasting choice to overcome eating temptations. The tacks are removed after three days or sooner if they are uncomfortable. The treatment frequency depends on the patients goals. For a faster loss of weight, acupuncture weight loss would be done more often. But whatever you choose the treatment tapers off in frequency.
For example you can start with a treatment session a day, then to every other day and then to twice a week and finally after you gain your ideal-weight a booster treatment. This booster treatment may be once every two weeks and finally terminate treatment.
Short course acupuncture weight loss treatments mainly aim to suppress appetite and assist in acquiring the lifestyle change necessary to maintain healthy weight.
Acupuncture for weight loss program goes hand in hand with a healthy weight loss diet and an exercise regime. Though clinically acupuncture for weight loss has yet to prove significant effect in loss of weight, there exist prove that it can be effective for some people. Especially for those whose weight problem is mainly linked to stress.
Acupuncture weight loss points target the following:
Points that help in calming anxiety, anger, frustration and insecurity
Endocrine System and Kidneys – to treat water retention a source of some weight regain as well as stimulate nerve and hormonal rebalance,
Spleen and Thyroid Gland – for sugar and hormonal rebalancing
And finally Adrenal and Ovary Glands – to treat weight gain due to menopause or P.M.S.
Acupuncture for weight loss may be recommended for inclusion on a weight loss regime especially for highly stressed individuals. In fact acupuncture is a weight loss support structure. It may be included in a wholesome weight loss plan for specific purposes.
Source: Health-eMark.com