10 Essentials About Acupuncture for Weight Loss

Although acupuncture is considered as an alternative medicinal technique, it’s worth mentioning that the World Health Organization (WHO) has been recognizing the results of the procedure for years.

The procedure has shown to have already benefited thousands of individuals. In contrast, it is important to note that whenever a person pursue any weight loss method, natural or not, he must first manage the main factors that contribute to an unhealthy weight, which are sedentary lifestyle and poor diet.

With acupuncture for weight loss, there will be no torturous diets required. All that will be necessary is to learn to eat according to the requirements of healthy weight management plan specific to your case.

Here are 10 essential aspects of acupuncture for weight loss that can be useful for your consideration being an option for weight management:

1. Does acupuncture work for weight loss?

Acupuncture works on solving other factors of weight gain, it is useful to reduce appetite and increase metabolism, which means better use of nutrients in the food we eat.

Additionally, acupuncture reduces stress and anxiety, which are both a major cause of food intake.

2. Increases the level of endorphins

Acupuncture therapy increases endorphins levels (opiate neurotransmitters).

The role of endorphins is associated with the limbic system of the brain (a system where the hypothalamus belong), which contains specific receptors for which they interact with.

Acupuncture cannot replace the desire and willpower of the patient to lose weight, but it can certainly help improve the capacity of individuals who are motivated to resolve their weight problem.

3. Definitive Goals for Acupuncture and Weight Loss

In acupuncture for weight loss, various objectives are being identified:

1. Speed up the metabolism to burn fat effectively.
2. Reduce stress in order to prevent the person from eating compulsively.
3. Promote proper digestive function.
4. Correct any unusual retention.
5. Eliminate unnecessary hunger.

4. The Life force in Acupuncture Techniques

Life force or ‘Qi’ is believed to be circulating in energy pathways throughout the body. Its excess or insufficiency brings about imbalance which is usually seen in the presence an illness.

The stimulation of acupuncture points is thought to correct the imbalance. The deficiency of Qi has been associated with obstructive processes generally related to metabolism, digestion, blood stasis, obesity related hormones, etc.

5. Obese individuals tend to have insufficient Qi

Obesity can be classified into three types:

1. Heat in the stomach and intestine.
2. Qi deficiency in the spleen and stomach.
3. Deficient primary Qi.

6. Weight Loss Acupuncture Treatment Concepts.

1. Cleaning and reducing heat in the stomach and intestine.
2. Regulation of Qi in the fu organs.
3. To promote water metabolism.
4. Balance and regulation of Qi and blood, Yin and Yang.
5. The removal of defensive Qi stagnation.

7. Sensitive points

Usually, the following points are the locations where needles are being inserted in acupuncture for weight loss:

1. The stomach: The relationship of this point is mainly with an obese person, who always seek to eat even when full.
2. Endocrine point: The needles are placed at this point, when obesity is caused by fluid retention in the body.
3. The spleen: This is a point that associated with hormonal imbalances such as sugar levels.
4. The thyroid: This point relates to a fairly slow metabolism.
5. The kidney: Point that relates directly to the nervous system and water retention.
6. Shenmen, acupuncture to control anxiety levels: Point that is directly related to psychological drives like anxiety, loneliness and frustration.
7. The lungs: Associated to people with addiction on meals.
8. The mouth: This point in acupuncture for weight loss has to do with people who are smokers and compulsive eaters without remedy.

8. Ear therapy

It is an approach of stimulating specific points on the ear with tiny needles where because of their size, it can be worn or used at home or at work. It suppresses the desire to eat compulsively.

Current research shows that using needles at specific points on the ear can help regulate insulin levels.

9. We are what we eat

Acupuncture is an excellent alternative that should go hand in hand with a balanced diet. This makes it necessary to adopt changes on eating habits and physical activities when undergoing acupuncture treatment for weight loss.

The diet plan will be as follows:

• Eliminate foods that are rich in sugars and foods that easily buildup fat deposits.
• Take 2 liters of water per day.
• Include foods high in fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6. These includes tuna, salmon, sardines and other kinds of fish and seafood.
• Consume vegetables. They possess antioxidants. It is wise to avoid bananas, pasta, bread, potatoes, rice, corn, for these are rich in carbohydrates that the body can use for energy instead of fat deposits. It will just slow the process of weight loss.
• Avoid coffee and replace it with herbal mixtures or teas, which shouldn’t be irritating.

10. Healthy Lifestyle

Acupuncture for weight loss reviews may certainly show positive feedback but the procedure works best when complemented with a healthy regular diet to help balance the body when eliminating the extra kilos.

More than that, if we add at least 20 minutes of daily routine exercise, it can help the body improve at many levels.

When the procedure does not deliver the desired results or if you are not fully convinced, it can only be functional by itself with healthy lifestyle for the course mainly assist speed up the process of losing weight.

We can choose any alternatives to help us lose weight, but we must always be self-critical and accept necessary changes in habits, more particularly against factors that cause our metabolism to slow down or buildup fat, resulting in weight gain, into something that benefits towards having a better physical and spiritual sense.

the article is originally from http://www.thrombocyte.com/acupuncture-for-weight-loss/