1. Acupuncture reduces food cravings and regulates appetite


Ear acupuncture is one of the most successful methods for ad- diction treatment, including food addiction and emotional eating where bingeing or constant nibbling serves to stuff down difficult emotions like sadness, anger, boredom and loneliness; or where sensations like pain, fatigue and thirst are mistaken for hunger. Ear acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve, the longest cranial


nerve which is part of the involuntary nervous system and controls such automatic functions as regular heart rate and digestion. In a randomized study by Sabina Lim and others (Graduate College of Basic Korean Medical Science at Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea), 91 obese persons were randomly assigned to a group receiving stimulation of a five-needle protocol on the outer ear, a group receiving a single ear acupuncture point, or sham (fake) acu- puncture. The five-needle group achieved the largest drop in waist circumference, as well as drop in body fat, followed by the one- needle group, and no change in the control group. The study was published in Acupuncture in Medicine on Dec 16, 2013. http:// aim.bmj.com/content/32/2/132.abstract


2. Acupuncture regulates hormones


Acupuncture’s balancing effect on overall body chemistry, including hormones, is well-established. Acupuncture lowers stress hormones, regulates sexual and reproductive hormones and is widely used in addressing menstrual, fertility and menopausal concerns.


An area of particular interest is the effect of acupuncture on obesity hormones. Hunger and satisfaction are regulated by two hormones: grehlin stimulates hunger and initiates eating, while leptin suppresses food intake. Surprisingly, in obese people leptin in the bloodstream is increased, while grehlin is decreased. Obese people are considered not only insulin-resistant but also grehlin- resistant. (Obesity Review, Jan 2007, cited at http://www.ncbi.nlm. nih.gov/pubmed/17212793) In a Turkish study, reported in Acupuncture in Medicine, Sep- tember 2012, 40 obese women were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture on five common points twice weekly for five weeks for a total of ten sessions. The results showed that acupuncture lowered insulin and leptin levels and increased plasma grehlin in the treatment group, compared with a control group receiving sham acupuncture. Acupuncture also reduced the BMI (basic metabolic index). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22729015. The con- clusion is that acupuncture can help normalize obesity hormones and the hunger response, and contribute to improving metabolism.


3. Acupuncture reduces inflammation


Acupuncture is mostly known for – and researched for – its ability to relieve pain, reduce inflammation and heal injuries. Acupuncture promotes blood flow, which brings oxygen, nutrients, immune substances, hormones, pain killers and anti-inflammatories to the compromised area. Acupuncture needles create “micro trau- mas” that stimulate the body’s natural healing response. Acupunc- ture releases natural painkillers such as endorphins and enkepha- lins. Acupuncture relaxes tense muscles that put pressure on joints and impinge nerves.


Chris Kresser, in his blog series “Chinese Medicine Demys-


tified: How Acupuncture Works”, explains the mechanisms of acupuncture in medical terms: http://chriskresser.com/chinese-med- icine-demystified-part-iv-how-acupuncture-works. For a listing of the vast research in this field, see Freek Zijlstra et.al. “Anti-inflam- matory Actions of Acupuncture” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC1781596/).


4. Acupuncture improves digestion and metabolism Acupuncture addresses many digestive problems, including


GERD, reflux, stomach ulcers, IBS, diverticulitis and colitis. Acu- puncture can help regulate digestion and elimination of toxins. Chinese medicine describes the digestive process as a func- tion of the stomach, which breaks food down, and the “spleen”, which transforms the nutrients from food into usable energy. What is termed the “spleen” here includes functions of the pancreas, the small intestine, and the metabolic process on a cellular level. The Western medical equivalent of this spleen function are the mito- chondria, the “powerhouses” of the cell that break down glucose and fatty acid for ATP, an energy-carrying molecule (remember High School biology and the Krebs cycle?). People with insulin- resistance have compromised mitochondrial function. Acupuncture can help restore the body’s homeostasis and bring


back its optimal functioning. In acupuncture lingo, we call it “Re- storing the Qi” (the body’s vital energy).


5. Acupuncture reduces stress and increases relaxation


Stress reduction and increased relaxation are probably the big- gest all-encompassing effects of acupuncture. The effects of stress, especially chronic, long-term stress, on lowered immunity, in- creased depression and anxiety, lack of sleep, and overall compro- mised health have been well-established. Increased stress and lack of sleep leads to increased release of the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands. Cortisol makes us feel hungry even when we are full. Loss of sleep also decreases levels of growth hormone, which regulates the proportion of fat to muscle and lack of sleep interferes with carbohydrate metabolism. Plus, tired people tend to eat more for the short-term energy boost they gain, especially from carbohydrate-rich foods. As we’ve seen, there are many factors that interfere with suc-


cessful weight loss. The causes leading to obesity and the difficulties with losing weight are complex. A successful weight maintenance plan must address all these aspects.


So…Can Acupuncture Help You Lose Weight? The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no”. But acupuncture can


address many of the deeper-rooted issues with weight problems. There is definitely a place for acupuncture in a multi-faceted weight loss program. In fact, it can be a determining factor of its success.


Meret Bainbridge, L.Ac. practices at Acupuncture by Meret, 222 St. John St., Suite 137, Portland, ME 04102, www.AcupunctureByMer- et.com, phone 207.878.3300, e-mail: meret@acupuncturebymeret. com. See ad on page 20.


www.EssentialLivingMaine.com


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