Acupuncture: An Alternative Way to Lose Weight

July 07, 2011

Weight loss has become a national obsession for so many years now especially in the western countries. In the United States, 72 million people are now categorised as obese. According to the latest article published in BBC health News Website ‘Snacking clue to obesity epidemic’, excessive snacking and intake of high calorie foods contributes to this growing obsession. Obesity has been linked to the increasing rate of cancer and diabetes and is said to cause about 3 million deaths per year worldwide. In United Kingdom, about 46% of men 32% of women are considered overweight.

Obesity is a complex health condition that has psychological, behavioural, and genetic components so it is indeed terribly hard for most people to shake off their excess pounds. Many people assume that obese individuals eat too much but studies have shown that they eat no more than thin people do. However, they seem to eat differently. What happen is that thin people get their calories from protein and carbohydrates while obese people get their calories from fat.

A group of researchers from the University of North Carolina have conducted study on why obesity in America is tremendously increasing in rate. The study pointed out several factors that affect weight gain. These are: number of calories in a particular kind of food and the portion size of the food and how many times they’re eaten in a day. The same situation is also happening in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

An Alternative Way to Lose Weight

While many rely on dieting products such as sliming tea and juices, dieting pills and the like; successful dieters were able to prove that acupuncture is indeed an effective way to trim down the fats. In a research review conducted way back 2009 found out that acupuncture can contribute a significant reduction on a weight of an individual. Undergoing acupuncture treatment may repress appetite, reduce stress, and speed up metabolism. A study published in the Journal of Medical Acupuncture in 2003 found out that the respondents who have taken acupuncture treatment lost weight three times than those who do not.

Acupuncture Suppresses Hunger

A study headed by a group of researchers from University of Adelaide, Australia showed that acupuncture is indeed a good way to lessen one’s appetite. Auricular is the kind of acupuncture therapy that is used for people who want to lose weight. The acupoint is near the ear going to the vagus nerve that is connected to the brain and to the nerves of the digestive tract. Stimulating these nerves through the use of needles affects appetite signals from the digestive system. Studies on rats suggested that acupuncture suppresses sense of appetite that is produced by the brain.

Acupuncture Relieves Fat-Maker Stress

Fat-making is basically increased by hormones that are released during stressful situations such as cortisol and epinephrine. According to many studies, these hormones are responsible for excessive fat storage. Acupuncture helps reduce stress and improves the mood by placing the needles in points that will trigger the release of endorphins that are responsible for the feeling of happiness.

With the thousands of fast food chains opening up every day all throughout the globe; and with the kind of lifestyle that has very minimal physical activity, there’s no wonder why more and more people are getting fat. Fortunately, there are many was to fight obesity. One of which is acupuncture.