Acupuncture and Weight Loss
Excess weight is not just a cosmetic issue; excess weight impacts your health with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. While Americans spend billions on weight loss products and programs not many of them see real results.
Acupuncture is an effective means of controlling weight and appetite. Acupuncture releases endorphins which may help to balance out cravings. When endorphins are released the stress hormone cortisol can be neutralized. Cortisol is the hormone that can adversely affect metabolism.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine takes a whole body approach to health. The body produces and uses energy that flows in river-like meridians around the body. When that vital energy, called Qi (pronounced chee) is not balanced or if there are persistent blockages that stop the flow of Qi the body responds by developing symptoms of disease. Weight gain can be one of them. There are many root causes for weight gain: the metabolism might be impaired, glucose resistance might be a factor, early signs of disease might also be a factor. An acupuncturist or Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor will consider all factors that might have led to weight gain including lifestyle, emotional and mental well-being as well as diet.
The whole self contains the solution so having a doctor to treat the whole self is the answer. Acupuncture is a partnership in health. Some ways to support yourself in your weight loss journey are making sure you’re getting both aerobic exercise to burn fat and weight training to build muscle that will burn fat. Look at the foods you eat. Not only calories make the difference. Is the food unprocessed and organic? Do you eat whole grains and vegetables?
Measuring the stress in your life might give you and your acupuncturist a clue to your weight gain too. Breathing, meditation, yoga and stress relieving exercises might help you lose weight more easily and stop the habit of overeating or responding to food cravings.
At Whole Health we take a whole body approach. We have acupuncturists, massage therapists, meditation classes, exercise and cooking classes.