Acupuncture has gained much popularity in the past years. With a prestigious growing body of positive scientific studies stating acupuncture’s effectiveness in giving pain relief, researchers, as well as health practitioners, have been engaged in trying to understand its full potential when it comes to weight loss.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture tends to be a traditional Chinese medical practice that stimulates certain points on the body, mainly by inserting very thin needles through one’s skin.

Most research on acupuncture states that it can be helpful to treat chronic pain. However, the research on acupuncture’s effects on weight loss tends not to be very robust and conclusive. Nevertheless, there is a reason to think that it may aid in shedding pounds if used with a good diet, exercise as well as other lifestyle modifications.

Acupuncture for weight loss

Acupuncture for weight loss advocates claims that acupuncture may stimulate one’s body’s energy flow or chi so as to impact factors which can reverse obesity. Below are some ways that acupuncture may aid in losing weight:

• It can affect the hormones
• It promotes healthy digestion
• It can relieve stress
• It may limit cravings
• It can result in better sleep
• It can boost one’s energy

Acupuncture’s effect on hormones

Some researchers claim that acupuncture may aid those people with prediabetes in losing weight by limiting their insulin as well as leptin resistance. Insulin, along with leptin, is regarded as appetite-regulating hormones which may have a role to play in weight-loss occurring in the long-term.

Acupuncture may promote healthy digestion

Acupuncture seems to address some health complaints by quitting one’s sympathetic nervous system, i.e., the fight-or-flight response that occurs when someone is stressed. It also aims to activate the parasympathetic system, the body’s “rest and digest” type of state. Through this mechanism, it may improve blood flow to the stomach. This helps with digestion.

Acupuncture is good for every type of digestive complaint. This includes reducing bloating, gas, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, etc. It can even help in boosting metabolism.

Acupuncture’s impact on relieving stress

Acupuncture is able to help with stress relief. This may be due to the reason that it seems to block one’s stress-induced spikes within stress hormones such as cortisol, along with the action of your sympathetic nervous system.

Acupuncture aims to release endorphins, which is a happy hormone. When endorphins are released, they have a calming impact. This is why acupuncture may help individuals handle depression plus anxiety. Managing stress is necessary for weight loss, along with maintenance. Lower stress may result in reduced stress eating and aiming to self-medicate with the help of foods.

Acupuncture reduces cravings

There is some research that claims that acupuncture may help curb or kick addictions. This research shows support for ear-based acupuncture behaving like a weight-loss aid, maybe because it aids some people in handling an addiction to food.

Food addictions have the ability to result in weight gain. Acupuncture may change brain chemicals connected with these addictions, therefore help reduce weight.

Acupuncture helping with sleep

Due to its impact in helping to switch off the fight-or-flight response, acupuncture may also improve sleep. Enough, high-quality sleep can help in weight loss as well as maintenance.

At the time that you are sleep deprived, this can impact your brain function along with the ability to make good decisions. Those who are sleep deprived may be more likely to eat much, be less focused, and turn to comfort foods — these help in gaining weight.

Acupuncture’s impact on boosting energy

Energy is needed to exercise and reduce weight. You need energy so that you can remain active. With good sleep, daytime energy can also be improved. Acupuncture can even give an energy boost by itself. An acupuncture connected energy boost may support diet as well as exercise behaviors which may result in weight loss. Acupuncture is an effective calorie-free boost.

Facts about acupuncture

Even though acupuncture uses needles, it should not hurt. The needles are around the size of one strand of human hair. It is important to look for a licensed practitioner and get advice from your doctor whether acupuncture will be good for you. If you have some ongoing health issues, like those impacting the central nervous system, then you may want to stay away from it.

The therapy is regarded as being generally safe along with less costly in comparison to many drugs plus diet pills. However, this industry is not strictly regulated. Usually, sessions are not even covered by insurance. You, therefore, need to be sure before starting this treatment.