Can Acupuncture Really Help You To Lose Weight?

You?ve probably tried many of the diets you?ve read about ? and there are a zillion ones out there ? and at the end of it all, realized that even if you did lose weight, you put it all back on and then some as soon as you got off the diet. So why don?t you look at something that?s worked for over a hundred years? We?re talking about acupuncture. Maybe you?re not so hot on the idea, but all other things failing, why not give it a shot? You?ll be pleasantly surprised if you do. Though the idea of getting needles stuck into you to get rid of all that extra flab might not be very appealing, you might find that it?s definitely much better than all the fad diets that you?ve read about or tried.

Acupuncture is a technique of healing that began way back many centuries ago in China. And it could just be what you are looking for if you are thinking of a weight loss method. It was a few years ago that this method of losing weight became popular in the US and this was mainly due to the fact that CNN carried a report on China?s weight loss clinics and how acupuncture was used there. In China, obesity was said to be due to an imbalanced digestive function so acupuncture brought back the balance, and weight loss was the result. It strengthens the person?s digestion and this controls the appetite. What it probably also does is to increase the metabolic rate so the calories get burned off faster.

How does it work? Needles are put into various points in the body called meridians and then moved around by the acupuncturist. Electrical stimulation can also be used. Sometimes, acupuncture goes hi-tech and lasers are used! Each session is usually around half an hour. During the time that the needles are inside, there might be feelings of tingling, of heat, or a numb sensation. The strange thing is you?ll find that you went in to lose weight and many women also find that their periods get more regular and their mood swings get better. Many have experienced their fatigue disappearing as well.

Let?s look at the way the acupuncturist goes about it. First, he might prescribe some herbal supplements. Then comes a course of treatments, and probably after the fourth one, the stimulation will be increased. There might be a revision in the prescription as well. What happens as far as you are concerned is that you will slowly start feeling full earlier than you did before. Usually after a 10-session course, you will be asked to look at your exercise and diet while you take a break from the acupuncture. The weight loss happens slowly so you must be patient. The great thing is that it?s slow but sure and the pounds stay off. This happens as the craving for food gets less and you find that you?re not eating that much at each meal.

Which are the points in the body that are targeted? Acupuncture specialists have listed some of them. The mouth is here it?s at for the person who might smoke, is an impulsive eater and talks a lot. For the ones who constantly nibble or keep eating even after they are full, it is the stomach. The lungs are for the food addicts and those who love sweets and chocolates. If water retention is the problem, then it?s the endocrine which is the control system for ductless glands. The ovaries and the adrenal are the points if the weight gain is due to PMS or menopause. The spleen is for those who suffer from hormonal or sugar imbalances. The kidney is for those who are nervous, suffer from hormonal imbalances and have a water retention problem. The thyroid is the point for those with a slow metabolic rate.

There are some acupuncturists however, who feel that there should be more than just acupuncture in a weight loss program. It should, they feel, be accompanied by diet, exercise and certain foods. If you are interested in losing weight and you are looking at acupuncture as a means to do it, you should find an acupuncturist who is certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine or the NCCAOM in the US. You will probably have to pay $50 to $125 to the doctor when it is your first visit and around $30 to $50 subsequently. The thing is that this treatment is not covered by your health insurance so you will have to bear these expenses yourself.

It is common to have a few side effects when you are undergoing acupuncture treatment. You might experience headaches, nausea or dizziness. Do discuss these with both your doctor and acupuncturist just to be sure that they are harmless where you are concerned.

For more information on acupuncture for weight loss and other acupuncture benefits visit http://www.acupuncture-benefits.com/