Chinese Weight Loss

John Porter asked:


“Old is gold.” Will it be the right proverb in case of acupuncture being used to control your weight? To some extent it is definitely yes. Acupuncture is one of the ancient methods used to treat different types of physical ailments especially giving you relief from physical stress and aches. In recent times it has been found out that acupuncture can be a great means to make you slim and trendy yet retaining your overall fitness.

It is not even a decade back when the Chinese doctors researched out that acupuncture has a direct connection with the control of body’s weight. In search of efficient alternatives to diet control and rigorous exercises for weight loss in the society where obesity was taking the shape of a chronic disorder, acupuncture was found to become a source of great relief.

Orderly functioning of endocrine and digestive systems

Acupuncture techniques are mostly used to properly boost your endocrine and digestive systems. Now where lies the connection between these two systems? One is related to the appetizing yell of your food intake and another is directly related to the proportion of food you take in and then digest and give out. A balance between the two systems is mandatory to keep your health in a consistent position.

What are the acupuncture points in the body specifically designated for losing weight? It is mainly the stomach areas, kidney regions and spleen. These three areas are directly related to the process of digestions. Apart from these your mouth, the chest region covering your lungs and glands like thyroid also come under the distinct points of acupuncture.

One thing is very vital in the acupuncture process. While a patient undergoes the application of acupuncture in different parts of the body it has to be as per the patient’s requirement. In short there is no hard and fast rule as convention for conducting acupuncture for weight loss. The directions are set as per the requirements of the person who is going for this particular treatment.

Equipments requires

Acupuncture is conducted with herbal medicines and pastes with the support of needles and electric current but that in a very low amount. This is mainly a physical treatment affecting your psychological position. It gives you a mental stability to feel better and fuller in every respect. Thus your hunger cravings will be cut short and also your eating appetite. Just go for the acupuncture process for a couple of times or thrice a week and check out the results. You ought to get benefited.

Lynn Jaffee asked:


I frequently get calls from people who want to know if acupuncture can help them lose weight.  Unfortunately, most have this picture in their mind that after a few sessions on the table, their excess weight will magically melt off their body.  If this were the case, acupuncture would be a multi-billion dollar business with an endless amount of buzz. 

The reality it that acupuncture can help people who are trying to lose weight, but there is no magic bullet or acupuncture point that will make the pounds melt away. 

However, acupuncture helps with weight loss in a couple of ways.  First, it is really effective if you are trying to break an addiction, whether it’s smoking, alcohol, or food.  There are several acupuncture points (many of which are in your ear) that can help decrease cravings–and that includes those cravings for burgers, fries, and cheesecake.

Acupuncture can also support your weight loss efforts by decreasing stress.  While many people think of acupuncture as an alternative therapy for pain relief, it is also effective in treating stress, anxiety, and depression.  How is this helpful in your efforts to drop some weight?  Well, most people tend to turn to the refrigerator or the fast food drive through when they’re really stressed or down.  And let’s face it, who doesn’t feed those PMS emotional swings with chocolate–and lots of it?  By supporting your emotional health with acupuncture treatments, you will avoid some of the situations when emotional eating kicks in instead of common sense and good food choices.

Finally, acupuncture supports weight loss by improving your digestion.  You may be thinking, “If I’m digesting better, wouldn’t that be adding weight?”  Actually, just the opposite is true.  With good digestion, your body won’t crave those foods that derail your weight loss efforts and you’ll have the energy you need to get through the day without crashing–and maybe even get in a little exercise.

In addition, poor digestion leads to a condition in Chinese medicine called dampness.  The best way to describe dampness is to compare your body to a farmer’s field.  A healthy field has good soil, plenty of sun and adequate water–all to nourish the plants that will be growing in that field.  However, a damp field is one that doesn’t drain well.  When it rains, the water sits around in puddles and creates boggy spots in the field.

On our bodies, fat is considered damp tissue.  It’s the result of overeating, poor digestion, and your inability to metabolize food and moisture very well.  It sits on your body just like soggy puddles in the farmer’s field; it feels heavy, and it kills your motivation to exercise.

So how does acupuncture address dampness?  The first order of business is to work on improving your digestion.  This is done through a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs and food choices that enhance the digestive process.  As your digestion gets better, the tendency towards dampness will also improve.

A few tips for better eating include:

-Choose cooked foods over raw, because cooked foods are more easily digested.  Try to eat lots of soups, stews, and stir fried dishes.

-Avoid drinking ice cold liquids and eating frozen foods. 

-Limit the amount you drink with each meal.

-Choose lighter foods, like vegetables, some fruit, a little protein, and complex carbs.

-Avoid foods that are particularly dampening, like overly greasy foods, concentrated juices, saturated fats, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and alcohol.