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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years and it includes different modalities of healing including, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Cupping, Chinese Medicinal Massage (Tui Na), Exercises (including Tai Chi and Qi Gong), and Chinese Nutrition. The basis of TCM is the concept of qi, the body’s vital energy.
TCM treatments promote the movement of qi throughout the body to help bring balance back to the body. The goal of acupuncture is to correct this imbalance which can cause a variety of ailments and conditions that you may currently have.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles (which have been compared to being as small as cat whiskers) that stimulate pressure points and other areas of your body. It stimulates qi by placing needles in specific spots, often along meridians. Meridians are the channels that Qi travels in the body.
Acupuncture can help with many health conditions, including:
Below are the top five ways that acupuncture can help:
Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is practiced in many different forms which include herbal remedies, cupping, and massage, which have all been used for thousands of years. The basis of TCM is the idea of qi, the body’s vital energy.
TCM treatments promote the movement of qi throughout the body in order to help bring balance back to the body. The goal of acupuncture is to correct this imbalance which can cause a variety of ailments and conditions that you may currently have.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles (which have been compared to being as small as cat whiskers) that stimulate pressure points and other areas of your body. It stimulates qi by placing needles in specific spots, often along meridians. Meridians are the channels that Qi travels in the body.
Acupuncture can help with many health conditions, including:
Below are the top five ways that acupuncture can help
1. Relieves Pain
Acupuncture can help alleviate many types of pain that may range from headaches and migraines to neck and back pain. These studies have shown its effectiveness in treating lower back pain, migraines, tension headaches, and knee pain. Acupuncture works differently for everybody. For some, a single treatment can alleviate symptoms for several months while others need a more routine treatment schedule.
2. Improved Sleep
Another thing that Acupuncture can help improve is sleep and insomnia. Scientists believe that acupuncture increases the production of brain chemicals that promote relaxation, thus allowing for better sleep.
3. Uplift Mood
Acupuncture can help with improving mood, including helping with depression, stress, and anxiety. The needles from acupuncture treatment release endorphins in the body. Endorphins are hormones that provide a boost in mood, encouraging happiness and relaxation.
4. Help the Heart
Acupuncture is also good for your heart due to the relaxation and stress reduction that one achieves from the treatments, which are also known to reduce blood pressure. Stress and high blood pressure are commonly related to heart attacks and heart disease.
5. Support the Immune System
Research has shown that acupuncture can boost immune system function. The placement of acupuncture needles can release immune-boosting cytokines. Cytokines are messenger cells that regulate the body’s immune response. By triggering the immune system, acupuncture can help fight infections or illnesses like colds and the flu.
While this is not an exhaustive list of how acupuncture can help, if you deal with any of the above symptoms or think that acupuncture may be right for you- schedule an appointment with us! We’d be happy to support you in achieving your health care goals!
It seems like every few months there is a new diet that is the solve all to the weight loss conundrum. While the diet will work for some, it will not work for everyone. Think about the number of fad diets that have come and gone in the past decade, unfortunately, the results are the same you lose the weight and then it returns, sometimes the weight gain is more then you lost. Why? Simple, a diet is not the answer you need. When a person becomes serious about losing weight it’s a lifestyle change, not just another diet. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is where that lifestyle change can begin. With TCM the weight can come off and stay off.
In TCM, excess weight is due to an imbalance with the liver and spleen organ systems. According to TCM theory, the spleen is responsible for the proper function of the digestive system. When the spleen is working right, the food we eat is transformed into Qi (Chee).
According to Chinese Medicine Theory, Qi is a vital substance for life and when there is an imbalance in the spleen symptoms such as fatigue, slow metabolism, water retention, feeling of heaviness and loose stool. The Liver system helps keep the body blood and Qi running and flowing smoothly. Unfortunately with our fast paced life and stress levels at new levels. Chronic stress levels have a negative impact on the liver’s ability to function properly. The liver and spleen work together and when one is working properly the other won’t work properly either. This leads to a poor functioning digestive system that decreases metabolism and can trigger cravings.
Along with acupuncture, foods and herbal supplements used in Chinese medicine are chosen to assist with weight loss and influence the Qi of the liver and spleen system to start fixing the imbalance with the digestive system. Physically, TCM has been shown to have an effect on the function of the nervous system, The endocrine system, the digestive system, food cravings and metabolism. All of these things help to maximize the absorption of nutrients, energize the body, control overeating, suppress the appetite and reduce anxiety.
Acupuncture, unlike fad diets is catered and customized to the needs of the individual. Acupuncture points can be used affect the overall well-being of the patient with the goal of increasing circulation and calming the nervous system. Specific points, as well can be used to help with different symptoms as they arise. Auricular or ear acupuncture points have been found to be particular effective for helping with weight loss.
If your goal is a complete lifestyle change for the weight loss, Acupuncture, food, and Chinese herbs are a great start, one thing that would help also is Tai Chi. Tai Chi when practiced is a slow moving moves that help get the Qi flowing to the needed areas. According to The British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that a one-hour program of Tai Chi practiced three times a week for three months significantly reduced waist measurement and body mass index.
If you or someone you know is serious about weight loss contact us at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City and let’s help you get the weight gone! We have great programs utilizing acupuncture, Chinese herbs, whole food nutrition, and exercise to help you lose weight.
An article published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, substantiates the usage of acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal formulations can help in the treatment of obesity and weight loss. The article reviewed four clinical studies and 16 animal studies on the effects of traditional Chinese medicine for treating obesity. There were different methods, but the results were ultimately the same. Obesity can be a result of total body inflammation or hormonal imbalances, and because of this, all the studies that were reviewed, had different approaches for treating the disease. All of the studies confirmed obesity can be managed utilizing Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques.
http://www.jams-kpi.com/article/S2005-2901(15)00178-8/fulltext
Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States. As many as one quarter of all Americans are considered overweight. And because of this, nearly $33 billion will be spent annually on weight loss programs. However, almost 85 percent of those trying to lose weight, will fail. There are many reasons why Americans are getting larger waistlines, but ultimately, the burden falls upon the individual. There are methods that can help people lose pounds and maintain a healthy weight though.
TCM is a non-invasive, safe and effective method for helping with weight loss. Unfortunately, a vast majority of people tend to look for the “quick fix” and this is definitely not what TCM provides. But, if a person is willing to take control and be held accountable for their actions and decisions, then TCM can be quite helpful with regards to shedding pounds.
Multiple studies have shown when TCM modalities, such as acupuncture and herbal formulas, are combined with traditional methods of weight loss, the patients actually lose more weight. TCM views the body and how it functions differently than Western medicine. Everything in TCM is based upon the fact that every cell in the human body is a form of energy. When there is an imbalance of energies throughout the body, then disease or illness may arise. Obesity is a disease that requires balancing. When it comes to weight loss, there are two or three main areas that TCM practitioners focus on, the spleen, liver and kidney meridians.
The three areas that focus on weight loss in TCM, the spleen, liver and kidney meridians, are the powerhouses of the body. The kidney meridian equates to the endocrine system and this is treated to reduce water retention and to rebalance hormone levels. The spleen meridian is targeted to regulate sugar metabolism. The liver meridian is treated to reduce stress, which can lead to binge eating and other unhealthy eating habits. Increased levels of stress can also deplete the hormones that are responsible for metabolism in the body.
Acupuncture for weight loss is not a silver bullet and traditional methods should be used in conjunction with acupuncture. Obviously monitoring the diet and getting proper exercise and rest are all crucial when trying to lose weight. But if all these things are done together, losing weight should not be extremely difficult. It will still take time, but it can be achieved.
If you need help with weight loss please contact Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City anytime.
