Weight Loss

Acupuncture can be used as an additional resource to help you lose weight, along with weight loss programs that involve diet, exercise, and stress management techniques. An acupuncture treatment program for weight loss or weight control takes into consideration other factors that may have lead to the weight gain, such as lifestyle, eating habits, and metal and emotional well-being. Taking a holistic approach to weight loss with acupuncture helps to get to the root of your health concerns, instead of just treating the symptoms. Treatments will focus on the correction of imbalances in your body and will help you to reach your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that acupuncture is not a "quick fix", but you will be able to reach your long-term goals as well as experience overall better health if you keep to the customized treatment plan that your acupuncture physician designs for you. Treatment plans incorporate acupuncture along with exercise, lifestyle changes, as well as nutritional plans to help you meet your realistic personal goals.

There are several ways acupuncture (both body and ear) can benefit you while you are trying to lose weight:

Regulating Metabolism: Acupuncture helps to regulate your metabolism. A history of irregular eating, overeating and even thyroid dysfunction all contribute to a slow metabolism. Acupuncture can help to increase metabolism by stimulating the thyroid and endocrine glands as your body adjusts to the changes in your diet and exercise. Affecting the endocrine system also helps to stabilize blood sugar levels.

Stop Food Cravings: Regular acupuncture treatments can help curb food cravings, just as it has been proven to help cravings for other addictive substances like tobacco and alcohol. Support from acupuncture helps to eliminate cravings and increases the will power to overcome them.

Benefit Digestion: Over time, things like crash diets, irregular eating habits and excessive greasy or fattening foods all take their toll on the digestion. Chronic symptoms such as bloating, gas, heartburn, constipation or diarrhea are all signs that the digestive system is out of balance. Acupuncture can help to harmonize the digestive organs so that you are symptom-free. Proper digestion ensures that you are getting the nutrients you need from your food so you feel less hungry.

Calming and Relaxing: When acupuncture needles are inserted into specific points on the body and in the ear it stimulates the release of endorphins. Endorphins have a calming and relaxing effect on the body. Naturally releasing endorphins makes it easier to deal with stress, frustration and anxiety which can be triggers for emotional eating, overeating and bingeing on fattening foods.

Cleansing the Body: Acupuncture treatments during weight loss help to cleanse your system. Toxins that have been built up over time from excess weight and adipose tissue can cause symptoms such as fatigue, acne and depression. These can be relieved or eliminated with acupuncture, whether or not you are trying to lose weight.