Weight Loss and Acupuncture

Acupuncture is getting the attention of dieters by tapping into the body’s energy meridians. This ancient practice helps to heal a host of ailments.  Practitioners of Western medicine now embrace acupuncture to assist with acute and chronic pain, post-operative pain, nausea, vomiting and acid reflux, high blood pressure, addiction, and weight loss.  Just to name a few.  When fine needles are inserted into the skin at strategic points on the body, it can balance to the flow of energy along the meridians of Qi, or life force.

The most common reasons people become overweight are: over eating, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, slow metabolism, and hormone imbalance.

Use of acupuncture to tackle weight loss is becoming a popular choice.

Benefits of Acupuncture for Weight Loss

Using acupuncture for weight control is based in the idea that weight gain could be related to disturbed energy flow to and from the hypothalamus, the regulating center of the brain. The hypothalamus maintains the functional balance that allows the body to run like a finely tuned machine. It regulates hormones and neurochemicals, and helps to control hunger, thirst, body temperature, and circadian rhythm.

Acupuncture has the ability to influence obesity hormones.  Effectiveness of acupuncture for weight loss has been found in treatments to increased ghrelin, a hormone that controls meal initiation and decreased leptin, the hormone that regulates fat storage and metabolism.

Acupuncture has been shown in our Pearland office to curb appetite, quelling cravings, and improve digestion. It also strengthens the liver, which produces many chemicals critical for digestion, processing nutrients, breaking down of fats and detoxification.

Ear Acupuncture

For effective weight control, Dr. Reece Hayden stimulates five acupuncture points on the ear – Shen Men, Stomach point, Appetite Point, Anxiety Point, and Endocrine point.  Tiny sterilized needles are inserted into these points to stimulate centers that trigger the release of neurochemicals and hormones.

During a session, the treatment can be either with ear tacks (adhesive with a tiny needle) which is in place for a few days, or done with a traditional needle that is removed after the treatment session.

Guidance For Using Acupuncture For Weight Loss

  • Complete a full course of treatment – Acupuncture for weight loss is best achieved with 10 treatments delivered over a few weeks.
  • Follow a plan – Acupuncture should be used alongside a comprehensive weight-loss plan or detoxification plan.

Want to lose that weight? Do something about it, and start making changes today. If we can be of assistance, do not hesitated to contact our Friendswood office. We provide complementary and alternative medicine services from chiropractic, acupuncture, nutrition, weight loss, herbal medicine, neurological rehabilitation, and more.