Ask Hayden Health

Dear Dr. Wendy,

My New Year’s resolution this year is to lose weight and get healthy. I am 41 years old and about 30 pounds overweight. At my last doctor’s appointment, I was told that I am pre-diabetic. I have followed different diet plans over the years with some temporary success, but I always gain the weight back. Can acupuncture help me with weight loss?

— Karen R.

Dear Karen,

Congratulations on making a resolution to improve your health! Achieving your goal weight will greatly reduce your risk of becoming diabetic. Acupuncture might be just the thing to help you stick to your resolutions and achieve your goals this year.

Let me start by saying there is no magic acupuncture point that can make excess weight fall off your body with no work on your part. The way that acupuncture helps you lose weight is by promoting better digestion, reducing appetite, improving metabolism and controlling food cravings. Acupuncture also helps address the emotional causes that often lead to weight gain such as stress, depressed feelings and grief.

The Eastern medicine approach to weight loss includes acupuncture points along with a specific nutrition plan and oftentime specific herbs. By directly influencing the Qi (energy) of the spleen and liver systems, the root imbalances that are causing the weight gain are addressed.

From a Western perspective, research shows that acupuncture affects the function of the nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, food cravings and metabolism. This helps to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite and reduce anxiety.

Acupuncture treatment is tailored to the individual, so no two patients will be treated exactly the same. Acupuncture points on the body will be chosen for overall well-being with the objective of increasing circulation of the blood and Qi (stimulating the metabolism) and calming the nervous system.

Acupuncture is a powerful tool for healthy weight loss. It can also be helpful as a supportive treatment in conjunction with other weight management programs.

Do you have a question to ask us? Please email them to Askcoach@haydenhealth.com.

**This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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Dr. Wendy Cunningham is a doctor of chiropractic, certified acupuncturist and has her master’s degree in nutrition.