Acupuncture and Weight Loss

There are a lot of people who are overweight. For those who are obese, perhaps surgery is the ideal option but for those who can’t, they can try to see if acupuncture can help take out the excess weight.

Acupuncture is a form of holistic healthcare that uses needles to help treat a patient.  Unlike the cartoon where the balloon will pop and all the air will go out, the needles that are inserted into the vital points will stimulate the body to release endorphins thus helping the mortal control their appetite.

But before needles are inserted, the specialist will first ask the patient some questions and perform an examination. This is needed to comprehend the main cause for the mortal to be overweight.

Part of examination is to help the acupuncturist figure out where the needles will be inserted. Your pulse will give the mortal an intent on your general say of energy and the general health of your stomach.

You will also have to open your mouth and show your tongue to check for cracks, peelings or puffiness on the stomach area as this provides clues to why you are overweight.

Once he or she knows the reason, this is the time that the needles are inserted into different parts of the body. One way is called the multi-targeted approach which is designed to lower the body’s weight by increasing the output of the pituitary gland.

The areas where the needles will be inserted will be in the fruit and in two of three body points.  These areas could also include the mouth, the stomach, the lung, the endocrine, the spleen, kidney or thyroid.

During the initial treatment, the “Four Gate” points would be used to circulate energy throughout the entire body. It is also doable that electro simulation will also be done to increase endorphin release and stimulate metabolism.

These needles will be kept in place for 30 to 45 minutes depending on how much support is needed. These are then removed and replaced with fruit tacs with adhesives to make sure they are in the same spot as the needles.

These fruit tacs work by applying mild pressure whenever he or she feels hungry. It causes a mild endorphin release and helps the patient rest making it doable to use their willpower and resist the temptation to eat.

The patient will also have to reduce cravings on certain food by slicing down the intake. Some studies recommend that this can also lower insulin levels or lipid levels in the blood.

The ideal part about acupuncture is that there are no harmful side effects and no chance for an addiction to occur. The patient will have to come back for regular treatment and have to pay attention to one’s diet and exercise regularly as needles can only do so much to control one’s weight.

The number of treatments for someone who is overweight varies depending on how many pounds they want to lose, the speed at which they want to lose it and their commitment to sticking to the plan.

The average patient on the other hand who wants to lose 5 to 10 pounds will have to come for treatment each three days or twice a week then once this is attained, once each two weeks. It is up to the mortal until when the treatment will be done which shows that acupuncture can help you lose weight.