Losing weight is very difficult to do. In the United States, only about 5% of those attempting to lose weight succeed. The good news is that there is acupuncture, a very effective, safe, natural and relatively easy way to lose weight.
Equilibrium
Acupuncture calms and soothes sensory points and promotes equilibrium between your brain and organs. It is quite effective in preventing bingeing – excessive eating caused by anxiety, frustration, and stress. If stress has helped you gain weight, acupuncture can then be an ideal option for you to lose weight. It is a very good weight loss option because it boosts your overall willpower to lose weight, reduces stress, and facilitates energy flow throughout your body.
Changing Habits
A healthy change in your lifestyle can easily be done with acupuncture. Bad emotional and mental habits developed over time are suspected factors that cause certain negative physical changes in a person. Because they have been ingrained over time, these habits become hard to break and any attempt to change them may entail a daunting task. This is the reason why most weight loss programs fail. People are tied up in a strong balance between their physical appearance and their mental acceptance of it.
These mental barriers can be demolished with acupuncture. The human body possesses electrical forces that maintain the balance in the body. But as time progresses, this bio-electrical energy tend to degrade and misalign due to factors like a sedentary lifestyle, drugs, diet, and stress, among many others. Acupuncture can restore balance in the organs and help realign the electrical forces in your body.
The Five Element Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine
If your gaining weight was not precipitated by stress, then traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners may use the five-element theory that shows the underlying cause of your excess weight to be brought about by some kind of liver and spleen system disruptions.
The liver is responsible for the smooth flow of vital energy or Qi, the basic essence of life, throughout your body. The liver helps maintain the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body. Any disharmony in this organ will lead to cravings and compulsive eating. External factors can disrupt both liver and spleen functions. Some of these factors include nervousness, fear, worry, anxiety, lack of exercise, junk foods, and chronic stress. They weaken the liver’s functionality resulting in a slower metabolism and a weaker liver and spleen function.
It is the spleen that regulates your digestive system and transforms food into Qi. A badly functioning spleen will result in a slower metabolism, edema or water retention, and fatigue.
Going to an Acupuncturist
Before the process of needle insertion can begin, the acupuncturist will need to first ask you certain questions about your desire to lose weight, your cravings, stress, and eating habits. He/she may also ask you about any history of obesity your family might have. All these are needed by the acupuncturist to help him/her formulate a plan of treatment that is most effective for you.
Treatments
During an acupuncture procedure, extremely slender and long needles are used and inserted at various parts of your body. These needles may be electrically stimulated or manipulated in certain ways to augment their effects. A treatment for losing weight may last as long as 40 minutes. Initial treatment may entail daily treatments. After a while, the treatments may be in done in alternate days and eventually may be as few as once to twice a week until the desired weight is achieved and no more treatment is required.
Maintaining Your Ideal Weight
When it comes to maintaining your right weight, acupuncture is just the same as other weight loss programs; you can maintain it by habitually exercising and eating healthily. In this regard, acupuncture treatments can help as it makes you easily motivated to exercise everyday because it provides you with renewed energy which you can use to be physically active. It can also give you better control of your emotions and cravings so you don’t need to eat when you don’t have to. A lot of acupuncturists include massages, supplements, and herbs along with acupuncture to help you lose weight. These supplements and herbs target the same systems as acupuncture treatment does.
Acupuncture Acupoints Targeted for Weight Loss Treatment in Bellmore
The most commonly targeted acupoints for weight loss are the points associated with the thyroid gland and the spleen. One of the prime functions of acupuncture is to reduce your sugar carvings and balance your hormones. If you are suffering from edema, acupoints corresponding to the kidneys are targeted. To attain hormonal balance you need to activate the points related to your endocrine system. If menopause or PMS are the reasons for your unwanted weight, then the points related to your adrenal glands and ovaries need to be targeted.
The shenmen point is one the most important acupoints in the body. This acupoint, which is found in the ear, can help alleviate stress and calm your mind. It is the most commonly used acupoint for losing weight.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of acupuncture in helping one lose weight has been verified in several clinical studies. Some of these studies have found acupuncture to be four times more potent than conventional weight loss programs in helping people lose weight. Acupuncture has the power to suppress your anxiety and your appetite. It helps you feel better and eat less. Moreover, the treatment fully revitalizes your body and maximizes the absorption of food as well as improves the processes of elimination in a much more efficient way.