For many, losing weight is no longer optional—it’s a matter of health
In recent decades, shifts in diet and lifestyle have driven a sharp rise in overweight and obesity, now linked to life-threatening health conditions. This has turned excess weight into a critical public health issue, especially in the Western world.
Your weight loss journey starts with YOU, and it should be as unique as your health needs.
If you’re looking for a holistic approach to support your weight loss journey, Chinese Medicine may offer the balance your body and mind need. The AcuMedic Weight Loss Programme, designed by fully qualified CMIR-registered physicians with extensive Western medical training, takes a comprehensive approach to weight management, addressing the mental, emotional, and physical challenges.
If you’re curious to learn more, our medical doctors have distilled the most essential Chinese Medicine insights for weight loss into a concise, free guide.
Visit us or request free personalised health advice to learn more about how we can help you achieve lasting results.
How can we help?
Endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), Chinese Medicine has shown great promise in addressing excess weight and obesity. Studies reveal that when combined with a healthy lifestyle, Chinese Medicine can significantly boost long-term weight loss success, prevent yo-yo dieting, and support safe, lasting results.
Unlike quick-fix solutions, Chinese Medicine works gradually but effectively.
Research suggests that Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine help by stimulating the endocrine system, balancing hormones, boosting metabolism, and regulating hunger cues. Treatments also promote the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” hormones—helping to reduce stress and curb overeating.
How quickly will you see results?
For consistent improvements, we typically recommend a treatment course of 4 to 8 weeks.
Chinese Medicine offers a proven path to weight loss, but it’s not a quick-fix or one-size-fits-all solution. The timeline and results depend on your overall health, underlying conditions, how your body responds to the treatment and the effort and commitment you put in.
You’re in control of your journey, and the more dedicated you are, the greater the rewards.
About Excess Weight
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation within the body and tissues that may impair health“.
According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), a healthy rating typically sits around 24, while obesity ranges from 25 to 30, and gross obesity is classified as over 30.
Weight gain is fundamentally the result of an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, usually happening gradually over time.
In recent decades, our diets and lifestyles have shifted dramatically:
- We now consume more energy-dense foods, high in fat, salt, and sugars, but low in essential vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients.
- Physical activity has decreased due to more sedentary work environments, urbanisation, and the rise of convenient transportation.
Excess weight is no longer just about how we look—it’s a growing health crisis with serious consequences. The rapid increase in overweight and obesity rates demands urgent action and effective solutions.
Research shows that carrying excess weight significantly raises the risk of metabolism-related diseases. Overweight individuals are three times more likely to develop diabetes, as the build-up of fat disrupts endocrine function, raising glucose and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Excess fat also strains your heart and lungs, contributing to:
- Cardiovascular and respiratory problems
- Musculoskeletal issues
- Several types of cancer, including colon, kidney, breast, and uterine cancer
Taking control of your weight isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about taking charge of your health.
Western Medicine View
In Western medicine, obesity and excess fat are considered chronic yet reversible conditions.
While the exact causes of weight gain are still being studied, it’s clear that a combination of genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices plays a major role.
Research shows that some individuals are genetically predisposed to store excess weight, impacting metabolism and fat storage. Environmental changes—such as moving to a new country or city—can increase stress, triggering poor eating habits and lifestyle choices that often lead to weight gain. Psychological factors, including emotional and mental health struggles, can also drive mindless eating, with food often becoming a coping mechanism.
The standard approach to treating obesity and excess weight includes:
- Behavioural changes
- Physical exercise
- Weight loss programs
- Medications designed to reduce food intake and absorption
In severe cases, weight loss surgery—such as gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or adjustable gastric banding—may be recommended. These procedures, successfully used for over 15 years, provide lasting weight loss for many. However, recovery can be challenging, and there is always the risk of weight gain returning.
Chinese Medicine View
In Chinese Medicine, excess weight and obesity are seen as a result of ‘an excess or accumulation of Damp and Phlegm,’ stemming from imbalances in the Spleen and Stomach organ systems. These organs are responsible for properly digesting and absorbing food, transforming it into energy for the body.
A variety of factors, such as an unbalanced diet, irregular meal times, lack of exercise, unstable emotions, and even constitutional factors, can cause the Spleen and Stomach systems to fail in their roles.
While the primary cause of obesity is an excess of phlegm and dampness, Chinese Medicine recognises that excess weight doesn’t have one single cause—it manifests in different ways. Symptoms help determine the nature and underlying cause of weight gain, which in turn helps to tailor the treatment.
Here’s a quick overview of the main syndromes associated with excess weight and obesity, along with their most common symptoms:
- Spleen Deficiency: Symptoms include oedema, heaviness in the limbs, fatigue, abdominal distention, poor appetite, loose stools, and a pale, swollen tongue.
- Hyperactive Stomach with Hypoactive Spleen: Symptoms include excessive hunger, thirst, fever, constipation, abdominal pain, and a red tongue with a yellow coating.
- Phlegm-Damp Obstruction in the Middle Burner: Common symptoms are craving for greasy foods, heaviness and numbness in the limbs, dizziness, and a greasy or yellow tongue.
- Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis: Symptoms include stabbing pain in the chest or hypochondria, irregular menstruation or amenorrhea, and a dark or purple tongue.
- Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency: Symptoms include fatigue, cold hands and feet, sore knees and lower back, and a pale tongue with a white coating.
Each type of excess weight requires a different approach to treatment.
In Chinese Medicine, treatment is personalised, focusing on clearing excess dampness and phlegm, tonifying the Spleen and strengthening the Stomach, while nourishing the body and addressing emotional health to help manage compulsive or emotional eating.
Lifestyle Advice
Whether you go for a Western or Eastern approach, lifestyle and diet changes are crucial for lasting weight loss results. Here are quick, actionable tips to complement your weight loss programme, eliminate “excess dampness,” and shed those pounds:
- Reduce Stress
Stress affects weight gain and management. Find your calm—whether through meditation, deep breathing, or other stress-busting techniques. - Incorporate Daily Exercise
Get moving! Walking, yoga, or gentle exercises like Tai Chi and Qi Gong are great for weight loss and management. - Eat Right, Not Necessarily Less
Eat balanced meals at regular times. Start with a savoury breakfast (skip the sugary or carb-heavy ones) and finish with a light dinner to support Spleen function.- Choose digestible foods, loads of veggies, and cooked over raw foods.
- Include rice, quinoa, and legumes, while limiting wheat grains that generate “dampness” and “phlegm.”
- Cut back on sugary foods, dairy, alcohol, and fatty foods.
- Avoid drinking liquids at the start of meals—opt for warm beverages afterwards to support digestion.
- Stop Snacking or Choose Healthier Alternatives
Skip the mindless snacking, or pick healthy, filling snacks to stay energized without overindulging.
By following these simple tips, you won’t just lose those extra pounds—you’ll also boost your overall health and well-being.
+ *CLINICAL TRIALS
Richards D et al. Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss. Australian Family Physician, 1998, 27(S2):S73-77.
Yu CQ et al. [Treatment of simple obesity in children with photo-acupuncture.] Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, 1998, 18(6):348-350 [in Chinese].
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