Acupuncture can increase your energy level, suppress your appetite, reduce cravings and irritability, and effectively reduce weight.
In combination with traditional methods of weight loss, subjects in several medical studies lost more weight when acupuncture was added to their weight-loss plan, as compared to control subjects. (These studies followed subjects for 4 weeks; longer term evidence is not available.)
However, no conclusions can be made on the effectiveness of acupuncture as a single weight loss method. Most medical studies have used acupuncture in combination with traditional methods of weight loss, such as dieting and exercise. The studies that did rely on acupuncture alone enrolled only were small and the results inconsistent, making it difficult to draw a conclusion.
Acupuncture is said to improve digestion, moderate metabolic rate, and regulate the body to correct any imbalances that are leading to weight control problems. There are two theories about why acupuncture may help in weight loss:
Acupuncture works best when you combine acupuncture therapy with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. You may need to have weekly acupuncture treatments to feel the effects, or you may be able to get by with treatments every other week. How often you need help will depend on your individual constitution and emotional factors affecting your weight condition.
Follow these guidelines for healthy weight loss:
Acupuncture is a 5000-year-old healing art that is considered by modern medicine to be a safe and natural practice with no side effects.
In acupuncture the body is seen as a grid of twelve dissecting energy channels which are called medians. These medians are believed to be active channels of energy along which flow the life force of Chi. It is believed that un-wellness is caused by interruptions in the flow of this vital energy.
The medicine of acupuncture uses very small needles (about the thickness of a human hair) which are injected into the skin in one or more specific sites throughout the body. The acupuncture practitioner will then gently stimulate the needles to open and harmonize the corresponding blocked energy median.
Acupuncture is safe and pain-free. We use only thinnest, single-use needles, and the insertion is very shallow—just under the skin. The acupuncturist will then leave the needles in place for several minutes, while you relax comfortably. The needles are then removed and discarded. Many patients report a sensation of feeling refreshed after an acupuncture session, which may be a result of improvement in the flow of Chi.
Acupuncture is not a one-time treatment—most conditions require several treatments for effective results. In addition, depending on the specific condition, a schedule of maintenance treatments may be recommended to cement the results.