Acupuncture May Help You Lose Weight

Acupuncture, the practice of inserting needles along points of energy and nerves in the body, has long been known as a treatment for everything from carpal tunnel syndrome to depression. More recently, there have been a greater amount of studies suggesting that the ancient practice can help to curb your appetite and aid in weight loss.

Auricular acupuncture is the stimulation of the ear to help release neurotransmitters in your body. Once these bits of chemical are released from the end of a nerve fiber, they go on to transfer impulses to other nerves and muscles. There are a multitude of stomach and hunger points in the area of the ear that can be stimulated by an acupuncturist. Stimulating these points can, in a general sense, open communication with your gastrointestinal tract.

It is no mystery that acupuncturists have long been using auricular stimulation to control the hypothalamus, the region of your brain controlling hunger and thirst. However, there is more and more data suggesting that overweight patients, who are already aware and in control of their diet, can successfully, use the stimulation of the ear to decrease appetite.

When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, specifically those connected to the hunger center and stomach, serotonin levels are raised. This raising of serotonin, along with the stimulus felt by nerve endings, sends a message to your body that can tone the smooth muscle in your stomach wall. Toning this muscle most often leads to appetite control, which in turn leads to weight control.

Quick physiology lesson: the smooth muscle in your stomach is muscle tissue that is not voluntarily controlled and is made up of contractile fibrils. Smooth muscles are the muscles of your internal organs. It is found in the walls and structure of the esophagus, intestines, uterus, urethra, bladder and blood vessels. Your heart, for example, beats with the help of cardiac muscles, which are essentially, evolved smooth muscles.

So, learning how to communicate to and motivate muscles that aren’t consciously contracted can be vital for weight loss. Stimulating your auricular nerves, raising serotonin and talking with your smooth muscles are all part of a process with which an acupuncturist is familiar. If they can manually stimulate your nerves that talk to your stomach then they can help you, in a very simple sense, learn how to control your stomach’s functionality.

When you pair auricular acupuncture with a healthy diet and active lifestyle, then you may find a way to control your appetite and burn off those extra calories. Of course, you should research acupuncture and decide if the ancient practice is right for you. Learning more about maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise is also important for the success and maintenance of weight loss.