Acupuncture and Weight Loss

Weight problems are becoming very common in developed countries. In fact, 61.3% of Canadians were overweight or obese as of 2015. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce your weight. One of them is to have acupuncture. Here are some of the ways this Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment can help you slim down more easily.

Eases Cravings and Reduces Appetite

If you just didn’t feel like eating all the time, it would be a lot easier to lose weight. Acupuncture can help with this problem in two ways. First, a registered acupuncturist can use the very fine needles to manipulate your ears. Studies have shown that this is effective for treating the addictive aspects of overeating.

It can also reduce your appetite if you have prediabetes. In one study, people with prediabetes made lifestyle changes and either took the diabetes drug metformin or had acupuncture. Both groups lost significant body weight, but a third group that only made lifestyle changes did not lose weight.

Boosts Metabolism

Acupuncture can boost your metabolism so that when you’re eating the same amount, you’re burning more fat. You’re using more and storing less, so you tend to lose weight. At the same time, you get the energy you need without added calories. You may even feel up to working out regularly!

Decreases Stress

Your fight or flight system prepares you to respond to danger and life’s challenges. However, if it doesn’t shut down after the crisis is over, it can cause stress reactions. Acupuncture acts on the nervous system to tone down that response. This improves your ability to rest and relax.

After acupuncture treatment, you feel less stressed and more at ease. When you’re stressed, your brain releases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is known to increase fat. But acupuncture diminishes stress, so those stress hormones are never released. Besides the physiological changes that help with stress, you may also avoid eating for stress relief. If you usually reach for a tub of ice cream when you feel stressed, then not being stressed can save you all those calories.

See a Registered Acupuncturist

Acupuncture can help with these and other aspects of weight loss. However, it’s important to see a Registered Acupuncturist to get a treatment that actually helps. In many of the scientific studies, the control group receives “fake acupuncture,” meaning that needles are used but not put on the points designated in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These groups don’t experience the same benefits as those who have real acupuncture. So, it’s important to work with someone who knows the treatment well and does it in the safest possible way.

You can see a Registered Acupuncturist at Davie Village RMT for help with weight loss and a variety of other issues. If weight problems are troubling you, now is the perfect time to do something about them. By combining exercise, healthy eating, and acupuncture treatment, you can do lose weight and achieve a healthier life.