You've been on diet after diet without success, you've done exercise after exercise, you've tried diet pills... you name it! You've tried everything to lose those extra pounds. Have you considered acupuncture?
When it comes to weight loss, acupuncture can be very effective. It will not have a direct effect on weight, but on appetite regulation.
Acupuncture is said to have an appetite-suppressant effect! We explain...
First of all, acupuncture has an impact on the external factors that disrupt inner balance, such as stress, anxiety and hormonal imbalances.
According to the precepts of Chinese medicine, it is these factors that can be the cause of appetite disorders, as they unbalance internal energy and flow. It is these indirect factors that will be treated by acupuncture sessions, helping you to regulate your hunger. It will be easier to resist snacking cravings and follow nutritional recommendations to the letter.
When you use acupuncture to lose weight, it's not a diet or a program that will make you lose weight as such, but it will help you control your appetite and adjust your hunger, and therefore in fine, control your weight.
Acupuncture could help lower levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone produced mainly by the stomach. A 2013 study published in the journal Obesity found that acupuncture reduced ghrelin levels in obese women, which was associated with reduced appetite.
Acupuncture will also help you reduce your stress levels and relax on a daily basis. This general calming can also help you to avoid overeating and overindulgence in fatty and/or sugary foods, which can be comforting in times of low morale.
It is generally advisable to follow a program of between 2 and 4 months of weekly acupuncture sessions in order to observe significant effects on appetite and therefore weight.
But beware: acupuncture isn't everything! It will only have an effect if it is integrated into an overall weight management program: a balanced diet combined with exercise and dietary monitoring.
But what does an acupuncturist actually do during a "weight loss acupuncture" session?
Acupuncture is based on the use of fine needles that the practitioner implants into the skin at strategic points. These points are specific to each person treated, and depend largely on the cause of the weight gain.
For some people, it is linked to excess stress, for others to hormonal problems, particular illnesses or even hereditary factors...
Others find it difficult to regulate their appetite, or eat in an unhealthy way.
Depending on the case, the practitioner targets specific points. The success of the method, and therefore weight loss, depends to a large extent on the practitioner locating these points correctly!
Small needles implanted in the skin at these strategic points help to promote the proper circulation of energy in the body.
As a result, every organ is once again functioning optimally, which is important for weight regulation.
Note: auriculotherapy, a method similar to acupuncture, is often used for weight loss. In fact, certain points on the ear are thought to be important for putting an end to cravings: the needles exert pressure on the nerves in the ears that are linked to appetite.
In this case, a precise point on the ear cartilage is stimulated with a staple. It's absolutely painless.
