Sunday, 28th of December 2008 It’s that time of the year again to make New Year’s resolutions and on the top of most people’s list is to lose a few pounds. Acupuncture and Yoga when combined together is a powerful healthy treatment program for weight loss.
How does Moksha hot yoga help with Weight Loss?
Moksha hot yoga is a combination of therapeutic yoga and traditional hatha yoga done in a room heated to about 39c. This series promotes a cardiovascular workout which strengthens, tones, loosens tight muscles, increases flexibility as well as calms the mind and decreases stress. The heated room allows for deeper stretching and promotes detoxification of the skin, blood and muscles through sweating.
Hot yoga classes are normally 60 to 90 minutes of postures in combination with specific breathing exercises. While going through the postures, the body generates its own natural heat to build the core body temperature added with the heated and humid room. Fresh oxygenated blood is pumped into the body and the heat allows the muscles/organs to become more flexible and less susceptible to damage the warmer they get. Being in a heated room holding poses to increase body temperature, building muscles and sweating profusely all help to burn calories and increase the process of weight loss.
How does Acupuncture help with Weight Loss?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), weight gain is caused by an imbalance of the spleen and liver organ systems. In TCM, the spleen is in charge of the digestive system to transform the food we eat into Qi. The liver is responsible for ensuring the smooth flow of Qi and blood. When there is an imbalance in these systems we experience symptoms such as tiredness, slow metabolism, bloating, cravings etc. From a Western point of view, acupuncture has been shown to have effects on the nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system, metabolism and food cravings. When needles are inserted into the body, endorphins are released which have a calming and relaxing effect. This makes it easier to deal with the emotions which trigger overeating and binging.
Research has shown that acupuncture is effective in weight loss in a 2003 study published in The Journal of Medical Acupuncture. They found that participants who received acupuncture treatments lost more than three times more weight than the control group. Also, in a 1998 study done by the University of Adelaide in Australia, 95 percent of the participants who received electro-stimulation on acupuncture points experienced reduced appetite. It showed the acupuncture group was more likely to experience suppressed appetite and lose more weight compared to the control group.
What are Ear Points?
Auricular (ear) acupuncture has shown to be quite effective for weight loss. The human ear is a micro-system of the body in an inverted fetal position which contains points related to all the major organs and body parts, similar to foot reflexology. Ear points for weight loss are stimulated with small pellets taped to the ear. These pellets normally stay on the ear for several days which are massaged gently several times a day and when cravings hit. This results in a direct stimulation which causes a mild endorphin release to help you gain control over temptations to eat.
Treatment plan for acupuncture weight loss
After the initial health and lifestyle consultation is done and the root cause of the weight gain is determined, a series of acupuncture and ear points are chosen to help rebalance the body. Points are chosen to increase blood/ qi circulation to stimulate the metabolism as well as treat various symptoms including cravings and anxiety. Most people experience a decreased appetite and reduced cravings with just acupuncture treatments however by combining nutrition and lifestyle changes plus an exercise program, the results will be enhanced.
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