Weightloss? or Whole Body
Health?
Acupunture and Weight Loss
Acupuncture for Weight Loss By:Joey
Komada, L.Ac.
How to Lose the Weight and Keep It Off with
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.
Weight loss comes under the topic of "Weight
Control", because we are concerned with the loss and MAINTENANCE of
loss of weight. This is a multi-faceted problem, and a good program
involves diet, exercise and stress reduction techniques. Chinese
acupressure and digestive aid exercises are also useful tools in the
battle with weight loss.
Acupuncture is an ADJUNCT therapy. It is not a
panacea or a wonder cure in the treatment of weight control. But,
acupuncture is effective in making it easier to lose and maintain
that loss if the patient is willing to change their lifestyle. The
exact mechanism by which acupuncture works is unknown but we know
that acupuncture needles inserted into specific points on the body
and in the ear release endorphins which have a calming and relaxing
effect that makes it easier to deal with stress, frustration and
anxiety that can trigger overeating and bingeing on fattening foods.
Also endorphins affect the digestive and hormonal systems so
acupuncture can help rebalance the organ systems that are running
too fast- or in this case too slow—i.e., the metabolism and the will
power.
The
Acupuncture Treatment
In order for the
acupuncturist to choose the correct points for you, you must first
come in for a consultation to discuss your particular pattern of
overeating, and let the practitioner know in your intake form if
there are any real digestive difficulties. Then the acupuncturist
would check your pulse to discern the general state of your energy
and measure the health of your stomach energy in particular, and
then they would look at your tongue to check for cracks, peeling or
puffiness on the stomach area, or a suspicious yellow or thick white
coating that might indicate troublesome heat or coldness in the
stomach and would provide some clues as to why the person was
gaining weight.
The Acupuncture Points
Then, armed with this information, the
acupuncturist would devise a treatment protocol using a combination
of ear and body points. Although the Chinese developed the system of
auricular (ear) acupuncture a long time ago, as one of the various
Microsystems of the body containing all the points relating to the
major organs and body parts, a Frenchman by the name of Nogier,
discovered many more acupuncture points on the ear that pertain to
Western medicine such as points called "Adrenal", "Pituitary",
"FSH", "Ovary", "Thyroid", etc. Many of the points from both ear
acupuncture systems that are important for weight loss treatments
are:
Mouth - for the impulsive eater who
may also smoke a lot and talk a lot
Stomach
- for the person who eats even after they're full or who's
constantly nibbling
Hungry - for general
appetite control
Lung - for food addicts,
and people who love chocolate, sweets
Shenmen - a calming point, for the psychology
overlay for anxiety, anger, frustration, insecurity
Endocrine - for water retention that's
responsible for some of the weight gain
Adrenal and Ovary - if weight gain is due to
menopause or P.M.S.
Spleen - for sugar
imbalances and hormonal disturbances
Kidney
- for water retention, and nervous system and hormonal imbalances
Thyroid - for slow metabolism
The practitioner
chooses two or more of these points for each treatment depending
upon the patient's problem and personality profile regarding
overeating.
Next, body points would be
selected.
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During
the first few treatments, most likely the "Four Gate" points (LI 4,
Liver3) would be used to circulate the energy throughout the body
and calm the nervous system. Ren 12, the front collecting point of
the stomach energy would be chosen for many treatments, as would
Stomach 36, three inches distal to the eye of the knee that tonifies
the energy and helps circulate oxygen and blood of the whole body
and of the stomach in particular. Then, based on the diagnosis, the
practitioner may add Stomach, 40, the master point for mucous, or
Kidney 7 or 10 for edema or water retention.
The acupuncturist may
use electro stimulation on some of these acupuncture points to
increase the endorphin release and stimulate the metabolism. The
needles would be kept in place for around thirty to forty-five
minutes depending on how much support was needed for the patient,
and after the needles are removed, ear tacs with adhesive on them
are often placed in the same spots on the ear to continue the
stimulation between treatments. The way it works is this: when the
patient feels an urge to eat, s/he applies mild pressure to the
point or rubs it back and forth for about 20 seconds. This type of
acupressure stimulates the point, causes a mild endorphin release,
relaxes the patient and helps them to regain their willpower or
resolve about resisting the temptation to eat. The patient removes
the tacs at home after three days and throws them away or takes them
out sooner if there is any irritation or discomfort. It is a good
idea to also remove oneself from the location, person or food that
triggers the resistance to the diet or contributes to the breakdown
of willpower. For example, one might want to stay away from the
kitchen and refrigerator between meals.
The Treatment Plan
The
number of acupuncture treatments necessary depends on the patient's
goals for losing weight, the speed at which they want to lose, and
their commitment to keeping the weight off. If the overeating is
severe, a treatment every day for the first five days is appropriate
and can then taper off the second week to every other day and the
third week to every three days. For the average patient who wants to
lose between five to ten pounds, one treatment every three days or
twice a week until they reach their goal is appropriate, and then a
booster treatment once every two weeks is optimal. After a few
booster treatments, the patient and practitioner will mutually
decide when to terminate frequent treatments and then can aim to
meet approximately four times a year at the change of seasons when
energy levels are unstable and tonification and harmonizing of one's
system is appropriate for everyone.
Nutritional Counseling and Lifestyle Changes
As was mentioned earlier, a good weight loss
program includes nutritional counseling and exercise as well as a
commitment to make permanent lifestyle changes. The acupuncturist
can help with nutritional counseling and can discuss a diet regimen
that the patient can live with and maintain for the long term. A
diet that is high in fiber and low in fat, with moderate amounts of
low-density carbohydrates and low-fat protein is usually the best
choice to adopt. With this type of a diet program, the patient can
avoid the pit-falls of yo-yo dieting or the tendency to lose weight
and then regain it.
Call us today to learn how
we can support your health with Acupuncture, Bodywork,
and Chinese Herbs
512 . 909 .
1925
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Other important tools that can aid in weight
loss are stress reduction techniques and a moderate exercise
regimen. The acupuncturist can suggest various stress reduction
methods that may include breathing exercises, Tai Chi, yoga,
meditation or biofeedback. And since the goal of a weight program is
not only weight loss but the maintenance of that loss, an exercise
program that the patient likes is the best one to choose. The
patient could try starting a program that includes brisk walking
three times a week for forty minutes. After a few weeks when stamina
is increased, they could try walking five times a week. After that
more aerobic exercise can be added such as the treadmill, stair
climber or aerobics classes, cycling or whatever from of rigorous
exercise the person enjoys and can maintain for the long term. It is
a good idea to use free weights beginning with three pound weights
and practicing just two to three sets of arm curls three times a
week. Moderate weight training builds lean body mass and helps to
reduce body fat as well as strengthen and build bone mass and reduce
the risk of osteoporosis.
Chinese Herbal Medicine and Supplements
Next a good individualized nutritional
supplement program is important because everyone has a different
metabolism and different needs for nutrients. It will include
vitamins, minerals, herbs antioxidants, phytochemicals and
nutraceuticals. These will support the diet program and balance the
blood sugar to help give the body the strength, energy and defense
it needs to maintain the healthy life style that s/he has begun.
Many diet and appetite suppression products are
available on the market and surprisingly there is a very effective
and safe ancient Chinese herbaL formula for digestion that comes in
a pleasant tasting chewable wafer form called BAO HE WAN. The
ingredients are:
Shan Zha (Fructus
Crataegi) --promotes digestion of meat and fats; dissolves food
accumulation
Shen Qu (Medicated Leaven) --
digests alcohol, rice and vinegar and dissolves food accumulation
Lai Fu Zi (Semen Raphani) -- digests starch
(wheat
and breads)
Ban Xia (Pinellia), Chen
Pi (Tangerine Peel), and Fu Ling (Poria Cocos), -- resolve dampness
and food accumulations
Lian Qiao (Fructus
Forsythiae) -- clears stomach heat that may result from accumulated
food that dries up the digestive liquids
When this famous herbal formula is drunk as a
tea, other herbs may be added if there is gas or abdominal
distension such as cardamon or magnolia bark. Or if constipation is
a problem a gentle laxative like Semen Pruni or Huo Ma Ren may be
used. However an important concept of Chinese medicine is to
diagnose properly and treat the patient with the correct herbs so as
not to consume body fluids or disturb electrolyte balance. Food
accumulation may be due to stomach deficiency so the practitioner
may add other herbs such as Codonopsis to tonify the stomach energy
so the food could descend properly through the digestive tract.
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