After several failed attempts to lose weight successfully with diets, more and more people are desperately looking for alternatives that don't take up too much of their time and, if possible, don't cost much. This search leads her to acupuncture. This form of traditional Chinese medicine is thousands of years old and is based on the concept that you can activate specific points in the body using special needle techniques. This can help alleviate a number of health problems such as back pain, sports injuries and even anxiety. Modern acupuncture is mostly used to stimulate nerves, muscles and blood flow. And in recent years there has been more and more talk about losing weight with acupuncture. In a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2014, Korean researchers found that acupuncture reduced study participants' body mass index (BMI) by about six percent after eight weeks.
Can you lose weight with acupuncture?
But can acupuncture really help us?to lose weight? Scientists disagree about this. According to one theory, needle pricks in the ear were supposed to stimulate specific points that play a role in appetite and metabolism. “However, the connection between acupuncture and weight loss cannot be explained so succinctly,” says Tim Rhudy, an acupuncturist at Delmar Wellness Center in New York.
When you're stressed, your autonomic nervous system gives you a rush of adrenaline and floods your body with the hormone cortisol. This increases your appetite and potentially leads to overeating. With acupuncture, the needles help relieve tension in your muscles by releasing feel-good endorphins that put you in a calmer state. As soon as this stress, which theoretically underlies appetite, is relieved, weight loss is also promoted.
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“Acupuncture is like a reset button for the nervous system,” says Rhudy. However, he points out that this stress-reducing effect is not directly attributable to weight loss. “If you don’t change your diet, acupuncture will have no effect.” Acupuncture does not directly lead to weight loss.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't try acupuncture. If the procedure is performed by a professional with knowledge, you are unlikely to experience any side effects. However, you should let your acupuncturist know if you have a pacemaker, as the needles can affect it. Or if you are taking medications such as blood thinners, as your chances of bleeding or bruising may increase. A typical session lasts approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
What effect does the procedure have on the body?
However, if you would like to give acupuncture a chance, we have put together some important information about the goals and effects of the treatment.
Acupuncture promotes blood circulation
Acupuncture is claimed to improve blood circulation in the body. This is particularly important for the flow of energy and helps the body burn calories. Acupuncture reduces appetite and stimulates metabolism. Acupuncture also reduces stress and anxiety, both of which have a negative impact on our bodies.
Acupuncture increases the levels of endorphins
The role of endorphins is associated with the limbic system of the brain, which serves to process emotions (fear, motivation). Endorphins, also known as feel-good hormones, block pain and provide a feeling of well-being.
Goals of acupuncture that promote weight loss
Acupuncture should
... speed up your metabolism so you can burn fat effectively.
...reduce people's stress to stop emotional eating.
... promote digestion.
... tame the feeling of hunger.
Acupuncture activates the life energy “Chi”.
Life force or “Qi” is believed to circulate in energy pathways throughout the body. Its excess or deficiency creates an imbalance that will usually lead to disease. By stimulating acupuncture points, this energy can be brought into natural balance. The deficiency of Qi is generally associated with diseases related to metabolism, digestion, blood congestion, and a number of hormones. Overweight people tend to have problems with Qi flow.
Losing weight with acupuncture – which points?
Typically, the following points are treated with acupuncture to lose weight.
1. The stomach: This point influences the feeling of hunger and helps overweight people who want to eat more even when they are already full.
2. Endocrine acupressure point: The needles are placed at this point when obesity is caused by fluid retention in the body.
3. The Spleen: This is a point associated with hormonal imbalances such as blood sugar fluctuations.
4. The thyroid: This point refers to a fairly slow metabolism.
5. The Kidneys: A point that relates directly to the nervous system and water retention in the body.
6. Shenmen, acupuncture point for controlling anxiety: It is directly linked to psychological drives such as fear, loneliness and frustration.
7. The Lungs: This point is associated with the addiction to food.
8. The Mouth: This acupressure point particularly helps smokers and emotional eaters.
Lose weight with acupuncture in the ear
Many alternative practitioners claim that the key to losing weight with acupuncture lies in the ear. The reason: All body organs can be projected onto the ear. The method reduces the feeling of hunger and can regulate insulin levels. Insulin promotes the storage of fat and at the same time blocks fat burning.
Healthy lifestyle
However, acupuncture should go hand in hand with a healthy, balanced diet combined with exercise. Just 20 minutes of exercise every day can have a positive effect on the body. Even if acupuncture doesn't produce the results you want, or if you're not completely convinced by it, you'll find that a healthy lifestyle can benefit you tremendously in the long term.
Although we can try many different techniques and diets, we must always be self-critical and accept the necessary changes in our habits, especially if it has an impact on our health. It is known that a healthy lifestyle helps minimize the risk of many diseases. Get started today!
