I am a 45-year-old female who needs to lose about 35-40 pounds. I have tried every diet under the sun but none have worked for me. I lose some weight, but I gain it all back. I want to try acupuncture as my last resort. How does it work and what other things do I have to do to keep the weight off? I also am borderline diabetic and have blood pressure problems that I want to try to manage without taking medication.
It is a staggering fact that 65-70 percent of Americans are overweight. Studies have shown that 50 percent of our children are overweight and many of them classified as obese. As a nation, for more than 15 years, our government monitored obesity index has risen consistently at an alarming rate.
Everyone is looking for the secret to weight loss, without falling victim to the latest gimmicks. Fortunately, there is a technique for weight loss that has been tested for centuries: acupuncture.
First of all, acupuncture helps balance your hormones and increase the body's ability to increase endorphins, which is a "feel good" hormone that reduces cravings and generally just makes you feel better with more energy. The more energy you burn the more calories you burn. It is really quiet simple.
Studies have shown that acupuncture helps reduce leptin and blood sugar levels. Leptin regulates fat storage and metabolism and stimulates and tricks your body into feeling full, a term called satiety. Insulin regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism and the absorption of glucose from the blood. This finding suggests that acupuncture may actually reduce the hormones that lead to overeating.
If leptin stimulates the feeling of being full, why is it important to have reduced levels? Like insulin-resistance, cells can become immune to the effects of leptin when the levels are too high. Many obese people have high levels of leptin. When your leptin levels are high you do not know when to stop eating. Restoring balance to leptin levels helps reduce overeating.
The third way acupuncture helps the body lose weight is by reducing cortisol production, the stress hormone. Cortisol can affect weight in several ways. It disrupts digestion and contributes to depression and escalates your "fight or flight response," which can make you feel overwhelmed, which can make you overeat.
My suggestion to you is to get you a weight loss coach. Start an aggressive cardiovascular exercise program. Simple brisk walking for 30 minutes a day is a start. Start a one week detoxification program like Nu-lean and do a fasting three day lemon-aid only diet for three days. Then start eating a lot of fruits and vegetables staying away from sweets and simple carbohydrates like breads and tortillas.
Acupuncture treatments are performed two times a week for four to six weeks. Most treatments run around $50 and some insurances will pay for treatments. If you have any questions you can contact me through my website atDrTowery.com or just call my office to schedule a free phone consultation. I will be starting some free weight loss seminars in the near future so watch for details in the Victoria Advocate.
Source: World Health Organization -American obesity statistics/children/Director General
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