Acupuncture is not the first thing that comes to mind when considering options to help weight loss. Why? Because many don’t know how effective it is for weight loss. They think of acupuncture for pain, headaches, fatigue, etc., but because it’s not commonly advertised for weight loss, many don’t know it’s an option.
Getting to the cause of WHY you gain weight is a critical issue. Most people have more than one causative factor (over-eating is just one of many potential causes), and determining “WHY” effectively is the first step in assisting in weight loss. Your body doesn’t want to carry the excess weight any more than you do! Let’s evaluate some of those causative factors that acupuncture is so effective in helping.
Blood sugar tends to be one of the biggest factors. Due to the detrimental effects of sugar on their health, many individuals rightly choose to omit sugary foods from their diets. However, carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, cereals, pastas, breads, etc.) also convert to sugar in the body, creating both insulin and cortisol surging. When these surge, the body stores fat (amongst many other health-diminishing actions on the body). Unfortunately, artificial sweeteners are not the answer either. Imbalanced blood sugar results in weight gain. Acupuncture, along with nutritional guidance is effective in balancing blood sugar.
A big culprit in weight fluctuations is found in the Endocrine System. The Endocrine System consists of the organs and glands that produce hormones. Thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, pancreas, liver, sex and many other hormones are big players that effect weight. Any or all of these glands or organs that are out of balance, even a little, will make it challenging to lose weight – even before it shows up in your lab work as being a problem. There is a large grey area between a perfectly functioning gland or organ and one in crisis (the point at which it shows up in labs). You don’t go one day from perfect function to disease the next time your labs are drawn. It takes months or years of progressive weak function before a system goes into crisis. That’s why many overweight individuals, for instance, show the classic signs of hypo-thyroid, but their lab tests say they’re normal. Acupuncture is supreme in restoring balance and function to the endocrine system.
An often over-looked menace to losing weight is the digestive system. It’s important to understand that, if you don’t correct your digestion, you will never get well! This applies to losing weight. If you are not getting the vital nutrients – the raw materials the body needs to build and operate a healthy machine – you will struggle with losing weight. Taking acid-stopping medications not only does not remedy the problem, but prevents you from effectively digesting the nutrients you desperately need to heal the body! Because of this, weight loss becomes extremely difficult. Acupuncture is one of the most effective ways of restoring healthy digestion.
If you’ve never considered acupuncture for weight loss, this is the time to start!
© 2009 Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
