Can Acupuncture Help You Lose Weight?

Obesity affects numerous people, both men, and women. In recent years, due to the blooming of fast food industry and highly processed foods, even children have to deal with this issue. Even though the most visible change linked to this matter is related to the way a person looks like, obesity can also trigger serious health problems, some of them being life-threatening.

People who go for super diets that promise them they’ll lose weight in a short time are often disappointed, or they end up with other health issues. Lately, almost everyone seemed to admit that losing weight requires significant changes in lifestyle, such as regular exercise and healthy eating habits.

But is it possible that you can help your body in other ways? Yes, through acupuncture. This is an ancient Chinese practice, which consists of inserting thin needles into some particular points of the body so that the nerves and systems are stimulated.

What is the link between acupuncture and weight loss?

At first glance, inserting needles in your body may seem to have nothing to do with losing weight, right? Still, this technique is performed in order to stimulate some systems of your body, as well as to regulate particular imbalances.

Generally, there is a multitude of causes behind obesity, such as thyroid problems, and endocrine glands issues. Acupuncture can heal these problems and also boost the metabolism. If you are trying to lose weight or this is the primary reason why you go to an acupuncture specialist, you should let him/her know about this. This way, the practitioner can insist on those specific points in the body that are directly connected with weight loss, such as endocrine glands, spleen, thyroid, stomach, and mouth, in order to regulate the production of hormones that affect metabolism, nutrition absorption, and appetite.

So this is how acupuncture helps you lose weight:

• Stimulates the secretions of the pituitary gland, which boosts the thyroid and speeds up the metabolism.
• Diminishes the appetite by regulating Ghrelin hormones and the production of leptin.
• Releases endorphins, which help you relieve stress and anxiety, which are some of the leading causes of obesity, because you are tempted to eat more when feeling down.

How many times should you see your acupuncturist in order to lose weight?

Each purpose may have a different time frame when it comes to acupuncture, as some issues are easier to solve than others. Losing weight usually necessitates about 2 or 3 sessions per week if you want to get rid of 5-10 pounds. The results are usually noticeable after about two months.

However, the good news is that you will only need 3-4 maintaining sessions per year after achieving your purpose.

What are the costs of acupuncture?

The prices range widely from one practitioner to another so that an acupuncture session may cost between $60 and $120. Usually, the first sessions may cost more as they are more comprehensive. In other words, the practitioner has to deal with much more problems first and then they decrease in complexity.