Eastern Medicine and Weight Loss

By Aifei Wang, LAc, MAc

NABACU Eastern Medicine Centers

. http://www.nabacu.com/

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Eastern Medicine and Weight Loss

Managing weight is a major concern for many people. Being overweight can contribute to several significant health risks including heart disease (the #1 killer in the U.S.), diabetes and high blood pressure.

Eastern medicine takes a holistic and individual view towards weight management. There are many factors that can contribute to weight problems poor nutrition, a hormonal imbalance, digestion problems, emotional overeating, slow metabolism, a sedentary lifestyle or cravings for sugars and fats.

You may have any combination of these underlying problems, so a diet or exercise regimen that worked wonders for one person may not work at all for you. Our approach is to create a customized treatment plan that addresses the totality of your specific condition. No two treatment plans will be alike.

Eastern medicine does not offer any quick fixes; instead, we aim for long-term, fundamental improvements in your health and lifestyle that will lead to natural weight loss.

Medical Research

A 2003 study published in The Journal of Medical Acupuncture found that participants receiving acupuncture lost more than three times more weight than the control group.

In a separate study conducted by the University of Adelaide in Australia in 1998, 95% of the participants receiving electro-stimulation on acupuncture points reported appetite suppression. The results showed that the acupuncture group was more likely to experience a reduced appetite and to lose weight than the control group.

Case Study

Mary was a 43-year-old woman who struggled with obesity, intermittent depression and insomnia for 10 years. She judged herself to be about 40 pounds overweight and often ate even when she wasn't hungry. She had depression treated with medication, but she wanted to have more energy, lose weight, and be able to sleep well.

Applying Chinese medicine philosophy, her condition was diagnosed as a disorder of the digestive system. The cause of her symptoms was believe to be stress, which in Chinese medicine, can cause liver Qi stagnation, which in turn affected spleen Qi function. It is also believed that accumulated dampness in the body also contributed to her weight gain. Using acupuncture and herbal supplements, we helped to reduce her stress and smooth the liver Qi first, then strengthen the spleen Qi in order to rebalance her digestive function. She felt happy, lost weight, felt an increase in her energy level and was again able to get a good night's sleep.