According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), Americans spend over $40 billion dollars annually on dieting and diet-related products. These programs simply don't keep the pounds off, which is why 60 percent of Americans are overweight and are turning to medical acupuncture for weight loss help.
Acupuncture to Stop Overeating
Acupuncture uses very fine, sterile needles to insert into specific "energy pathways" in the human body. The needles prompt the body to release endorphins. These natural "feel good" hormones create a calming, relaxing effect that reduces the stress, frustration, or anxiety that causes people to overeat. With acupuncture, there's no need for drugs.
Lose More with Acupuncture
A number of studies, including one published in the International Journal of Obesity, reveal that when acupuncture is combined with traditional weight loss methods, patients lose more weight.* Typically, one or two acupuncture weight loss treatments are a safe and effective way of keeping off those excess pounds.
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, excess body weight is primarily due to an imbalance in the body caused by a poorly functioning spleen and liver. Acupuncture seeks to restore the body's balance by focusing on areas that affect weight loss: the endocrine system and kidneys, which control water retention; and the spleen and thyroid gland, which rebalance sugar and hormones. In women, the adrenal and ovary glands are stimulated to counteract weight gains caused by menopause or PMS.
Auriculotherapy (Ear Stapling)
An equally effective weight loss technique known as auricular acupuncture, or ear stapling, also shows promise. Unlike traditional acupuncture, where needles are removed after a short time, small surgical staples are left in the ear for days or weeks. Administered by a qualified acupuncturist, ear stapling can reduce food cravings to help shed those unwanted pounds. One study revealed that "bilateral auricular acupuncture stimulation can help reduce body weight in both mildly obese patients and in healthy non-obese subjects."**
One final thought: acupuncture is not a weight loss panacea. It should be combined with a reduced calorie diet and some form of physical exercise—like brisk walks, dancing, aerobics, or swimming. Always seek the advice of your doctor before beginning any acupuncture treatments for weight loss.
Sources:
*Lacey, JM. et al. "Acupuncture for the treatment of obesity: a review of the evidence"
**Shiraishi, T. et al. "Effects of bilateral auricular acupuncture stimulation on body weight in healthy volunteers and mildly obese patients"
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