Acupuncture helps weight loss
The International Journal of Obesity recently reported that there were now over 31 studies that have researched the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of weight loss. The results demonstrated and proved that acupuncture significantly reduced body fat and the results were actually better than conventional medicine. In fact, there have been over 31 pharmaceutical weight loss drugs recalled by the FDA because of adverse dangerous side effects.
This may be why people like Jennifer Lopez now use acupuncture for weight loss because it is safe, simple and effective.
The number of studies on acupuncture for weight loss far out weigh the number of studies on Chinese herbs for weight loss. Regulating body weight with Chinese herbs is however also very effective.
In fact, the Hollywood actor, Robert Downy Jr. credits all his good health including his abundance of vitality and slim physique to his regular taking of Chinese herbs.
Robert Downy Jr. also does daily qi gong and said “when things work, they are really worth putting your time and energy behind them”
Mr Mark Crain, a specialist acupuncturist working in Brisbane, recently commented that with the seemingly regular recall of weight loss pharmaceutical drugs and the proven safe benefits of acupuncture for weight loss, there had been an escalation of inquiries at his clinic. He says that for optimum results, a combination of Chinese herbs and acupuncture works best after a patient has been individually diagnosed and treatment planned accordingly. Many patients still come in and ask him to use the best acupuncture point for weight loss and he needs to explain to them, that everyone is different and therefore may require different acupuncture points.
One specific acupuncture point may work well for someone but not for someone else and for that person a different point or number of points works better. Researchers have looked into the science behind acupuncture for weight loss to try understand why it works but have limited their study to only a few points. “This type of research though useful, is limited” says Mr Mark Crain.
Mr Mark Crain explained that there are a number of common imbalances that lead to obesity and how acupuncture can help.
First foremost is the spleen. The spleen according to traditional Chinese medicine is responsible for the processing of nutrients taken in by the stomach. So it doesn’t matter how much good wholesome food you eat, if the spleen is weak and imbalanced, your body can’t absorb the nutrition. The spleen is easily weakened by excessive thinking, study, concentration and too much sitting, so you can see why it’s so important to strengthen the spleen.
Second is phlegm. Ancient Chinese classical texts state that overweight people have too much phlegm. Ask anyone who has not done vigorous exercise for a long time and when they suddenly do a work out how much phlegm they bring up to cough out from their lungs.
Third of importance in Mr Mark Crain’s experience is the necessity of having a healthy liver to promote health and well-being. It is not so much that the liver has to be able to detoxify impurities from the blood, but it is because the liver has such a major role in dealing with stress. In particular, anger, frustration, impatience and irritability keep the liver overactive which then affects the process of the spleen function. It’s hard to know sometimes in patients, what came first. The bad liver that made them impatient or the constant irritable scenario in their work environment that then damaged their liver.
Many patients coming for acupuncture for weight loss also at the same time have cosmetic acupuncture for facial rejuvenation. Mr Mark Crain said “This is the difference between western medicine and Chinese medicine. Western medicine has one drug for one problem and leads to a 100 side effects. One acupuncture point can address 100 symptoms at the same time and the side effects of acupuncture are only good ones“.
