Can Acupuncture Help You Lose Weight?


By Meret Bainbridge, L.Ac.


eight Loss is the top New Year’s resolution. Two thirds of New Year’s resolutions include fitness goals. While peo- ple seek out acupuncture for a variety of health problems and often come in with a long list of complex issues they want to address, many of them will ask if acupuncture can also help them lose weight. Some secretly hope for a magical fix – that the right combination of acupuncture points will induce weight loss without changes in diet and exercise. I wish it was this easy!


W The Difficulties with Losing Weight


Obesity and diabetes and the associated increased risk for stroke and heart disease are a world-wide epidemic problem. Obe- sity affects over one third of adults in the US now and childhood obesity is on the rise. Metabolic syndrome, according to the NIH, is defined as having three out of five metabolic risk factors, includ- ing a large waistline or “apple shape”, high triglycerides, low HDL “good” cholesterol, high blood pressure and high fasting blood sugar.


Dr. Mark Hyman, in his book “The Blood Sugar Solution” has


nicknamed this epidemic “diabesity” – the spectrum of obesity, insulin-resistance, pre-diabetes and eventually diabetes. Insulin- resistance, which is determined by high levels of insulin circulating in the blood stream caused by excessive consumption of sugar, combined with a reduced ability of the cell’s receptor sites to ab- sorb the insulin and leads to sugars being stored as fat, is at the core of this pathology. Dr. Hyman describes the complex causes that lead to being


overweight and keep people from losing weight despite dieting and exercise. They include poor nutrition & food addiction to sugar, sodas and highly processed industrialized foods, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, poor digestive function, toxins, sluggish metabolism, and stress. The old myths of weight loss – eating a calorie-reduced, low fat diet, using highly processed meal replacement products and exercising yourself to exhaustion – have been tossed out by now, because they only lead to a yo-yo diet effect with greater weight gain following each weight-loss cycle.


16 Essential Living Maine ~ January/February 2015


Weight loss is a complex process that must address the various underlying causes.


According to Dr. Hyman the “Seven Steps to Ultrawellness” include:


1. Boost your nutrition – eat unprocessed, natural, whole, primarily plant-based foods cooked from scratch. 2. Regulate your hormones – improve thyroid function, reduce stress hormones, balance sex hormones. 3. Reduce inflammation – address food sensitivities, hidden infections and toxins.


4. Improve your digestion – heal your gut, regulate elimination. 5. Maximize detoxification – identify and eliminate hidden toxins.


6. Enhance energy metabolism – boost mitochondrial function. 7. Soothe your mind – reduce stress, and adrenal fatigue.


Dr. Hyman’s books give detailed guidance on how to identify


what is at the root of your own weight gain and inability to lose weight, and create your own individualized weight-loss program. I highly recommend delving into his approach. http://www.bloodsug- arsolution.com.


Where Does Acupuncture Fit into a Weight Loss Plan?


If you are looking for a quick fix, a magic needle – acupunc- ture will disappoint you. Acupuncture by itself will do very little to help you lose weight. Successful weight loss takes nothing short of a complete lifestyle change including a nutrient dense diet, nutri- tional supplementation, smart efficient exercise, sufficient sleep and stress reduction.


But acupuncture can address just about every one of these as- pects and greatly improve the results of a multi-faceted weight loss program. Let’s take a closer look at what acupuncture has to offer.


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