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ACUPUNCTURE
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Weight Loss vs . Weight Maintenance
How can acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help ?
In using the term “ weight management ,” we acknowledge weight loss is not the ultimate goal , as it does not include how to MAINTAIN a healthy weight . Weight maintenance is a complex issue that includes balancing ample sleep , exercise , good diet and stress management . Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help with losing and maintaining weight as an adjunct therapy if lifestyle changes have already been implemented .
We do not know exactly how acupuncture works , but we do know there are acupuncture points on the body and in the ears that stimulate the production of endorphins . Endorphins produce a relaxing sensation in the body and help us maintain a calm state and become less reactive to stress . We also know endorphins help regulate the body ’ s hormonal and digestive systems and are thus helpful to one ’ s metabolic rate .
Because lifestyle issues are so important in losing and maintaining weight , your practitioner will probably spend some time discussing your
By Kathleen Fluhart , RN , M . Ac ., L . Ac ., Artemesia
stress levels as well as your eating , sleeping and exercise habits . Your practitioner will also check your pulses ( there are 12 pulses , one for each of the meridians ) for imbalances – especially the stomach meridian – to see if they are excessive or deficient .
To form a diagnosis , the practitioner will also examine your tongue and its coating . The tongue provides a lot of information about the state of your digestive system . For example , is the area related to the stomach dark red and / or does it have cracks , indicating too much heat ? Is there a thick white or yellow coating , indicating dampness ? Is it swollen or puffy or does it have peeled areas ? All this information gives us clues as to why a person may have gained weight .
Besides an evaluation , a session for weight loss might include both body and ear points and possibly Chinese herbs or supplements . The points and herbs / supplements chosen will be correlated to the imbalances found in the pulses and on the tongue , which reveal the “ root cause ” of an individual ’ s problems . Thus , treatments are individualized for each patient .
In my practice , it is common to send patients home with little , nonpiercing “ ear seeds ” attached to a very small Band Aid-like plaster . The seeds stimulate points related to relaxation and metabolism . In Chinese medicine , one can treat the whole body just using ear points . Dr . Paul Nogier , who studied acupuncture for many years , popularized ear acupuncture . In doing so , he found points that relate to areas of the body ’ s anatomical and physiological functions , as recognized in Western medicine . Many of these points are related to the hormonal system and metabolic functions that are helpful in weight control , such as the thyroid , pituitary and adrenal glands . For example , if someone is eating compulsively , we would put a seed on the mouth point . If the patient nibbles continually or eats past being full , the stomach point is chosen . If the person has both smoking and food addictions , the lung points are used . For strong sugar cravings along with a propensity for cold , sinus , vaginal or urinary infections , the spleen point is selected . For poor adrenal or ovarian function in menopause , PCOS or post oophorectomy , adrenal and ovary points give support . For nervous tension and water retention , the kidney points are considered . The thyroid point is chosen for people with any sort of thyroid-related condition .
Patients can keep the ear seeds in for up to a week . The ear seed kit they purchase includes a diagram indicating where the points are found , a card with several hundred seeds and a forceps for applying them . The patient can use mild external pressure to stimulate the seeds whenever they experience anxiety or cravings . I can replace the ear seeds each time they return for another session or I can show a family member or friend how to apply them .
The use of Chinese herbs to stimulate weight loss and weight control are also individualized , based on presenting symptoms and the pulse and tongue diagnosis . In some cases , stomach heat needs to be quelled ; in other cases dampness needs to be dispelled or the kidneys might need to be tonified to help with water retention .
Other patients may need their gall bladder and liver cleansed . If a patient is interested , I may suggest either a 10- or 21-day purification diet that focuses on cleaning the liver , kidneys and colon as a way to begin a weightloss and maintenance program . The people who have done this say they feel better than they have in years so they are encouraged to stay with healthy eating and other lifestyle habits . Early spring through summer is the very best time to do a cleansing .
When thinking lifestyle , consider Marcella Friel ’ s Stop Cleaning Your Plate : 5 Steps to More Mindful Eating :
1 . Pause before you eat . Stop . Close your eyes . Take three deep , conscious breaths . If it ’ s comfortable to do so , place your hands on your heart . Affirm your intention to eat consciously . Ask your body to help you recognize when you become full .
2 . Put down your utensil between bites . It takes about 20 minutes for the brain and belly to determine satiety . Putting down your spoon or fork causes you to slow down and chew , which activates the digestion process