This Weight Loss Programme is designed to optimise the digestive system and help you to control appetite, thus enabling you to achieve your weight loss goals.
AcuMedic’s Weight Loss programme combines authentic syndrome acupuncture and powerful Chinese herbal medicine to help you achieve long lasting and significant weight loss. This Weight Loss programme aims to combat all contributing factors to excess weight gain through the use of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. All treatment is from a fully qualified CMIR-registered doctor with extensive Western medical training.
Our Programme includes:
- A full Chinese medical diagnosis with personalised lifestyle advice
- A session of authentic syndrome acupuncture
- An individualised herbal prescription for weight loss
How we can help you
The AcuMedic Weight Loss programme includes sessions of syndrome acupuncture treatment which can help patients not only control their daily food intakes by adjusting the feeding centre of the hypothalamus which can then block the transmission of hunger messages, but also activate the metabolism to increase energy consumption. This method is also free from the negative side effects resulting from simple hunger therapy, medication, and an overdose of exercise.
Acupuncture is a powerful and natural way to unblock the flow of energy through the body and as a result can improve digestive function; expel excessive dampness and water retention; ease emotional issues that can lead to excessive eating and help to nourish the body and alleviate any internal conditions that may be contributing to excess weight gain.
Various Chinese herbs can be used to help lose weight and should be used to complement the acupuncture therapy. The functions of the Chinese herbs for weight loss vary but generally they aid digestion, flush toxins, increase metabolism, reduce water retention and bloating. They usually have a mild laxative effect.
Successful weight loss is also dependent on a healthy and balanced diet as well as regular exercise. The AcuMedic Weight Loss programme will provide you with personalised Chinese medical lifestyle and diet advice to help you make the most of the treatment prescribed.
For more advice, see our free guide to Chinese Medicine for weight loss.
+ About the Acupuncture at AcuMedic
Acupuncture treatment is available all over the world but not all acupuncturists are the same. Many acupuncturists in the West are only trained in a small modality of acupuncture such as trigger point acupuncture or perhaps 5 Element acupuncture. AcuMedicin London treats with syndrome acupuncture which is based on the complete system of theories in Chinese Medicine (including trigger point and 5 Element). This is authentic acupuncture treatment as practised in China and is based on Syndrome Differentiation diagnosis.
+ How it works
Have you ever felt frustrated that even if you eat less it doesn’t seem to affect your weight?
This is because weight is not solely dependent on the simple concept of calorie and fat intake vs. exercise. Chinese Medicine is really effective for weight loss, because it combats the more subtle causes of excessive weight and can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of the individual.
According to Chinese medicine, disharmony between Spleen and Stomach, and the deficiency of Spleen, can result in retention of dampness and body fluids. Excessive fat deposits can also be caused by spleen deficiency.
A range of factors, such as unbalanced diet, irregular meal times, lack of exercise and unstable emotions will lead to the Spleen and Stomach failing to process food properly and transport the energy to various parts of the body, which leads to excess weight and obesity.
A combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be used to strengthen the organs involved in the digestion while enabling you to avoid overeating.
There are generally four main causes for weight-gain and each person may be suffering from a combination of these factors.
– Weak Digestive System: Acupuncture can be used to speed up the digestive system. This will allow nutrients to be absorbed more quickly, preventing excessive fat and dampness absorption.
– Spleen Qi Deficiency: The Spleen is an important organ for weight control. If it is not functioning properly you will retain dampness and fat, and feel bloated, regardless of the amount you consume. Weight gain will be further compounded, as you will lack the energy to exercise. Acupuncture aims to tone the Spleen to reverse this process.
– Excessive Eating: A Chinese belief is that most excessive eating is comfort eating. Stress, depression, anxiety and other emotional factors can lead to what is regarded as Comfort Eating. In these cases food is used to momentarily suppress any negative feelings. Acupuncture is renowned for its ability to treat these emotional disorders and consequently helps recipients regain control of excessive eating. Acupuncture is also very effective at managing food addiction and naturally stimulating hunger suppression.
– Bad Lifestyle: Too much junk food, alcohol or an unhealthy lifestyle will cause a build up of heat, toxins and dampness in the body. This can often lead to weight gain. Acupuncture helps to reduce these toxins by strengthening the detox organs, removing damp and cooling the heat. This will help regulate the body and help control weight.
+ What to Expect
A fully qualified CMIR-registered Chinese Medical doctor will provide you with a full diagnosis and consultation to understand the root cause of excess weight in your individual case as well as any health issues you might be having that could be affecting your weight and hindering your efforts to slim down. The doctor will explain how they are going to individualise the treatment so that the acupuncture and Chinese herbs will be working in support of your body during and after you lose weight.
+ Diagnosis and Consultation
There are four main diagnostic methods in Chinese Medicine which are observing, pulse diagnosis, questioning and listening. Each method has a unique function in the process of collecting different clinical information and understanding the root cause of the excess weight and how it can be treated. Therefore all four diagnostic methods must be used to make an accurate diagnosis of your health and to determine how weight loss can be achieved and maintained in your individual case.
Observing involves looking at all the outward manifestations of your internal health as well as the digestive organs and how their affect your weight and overall health. This is done by observing your general vitality, complexion, figure and skin. One of the most well known parts of observing is tongue diagnosis. The tongue is like a mirror showing the state of your internal organs. The AcuMedic doctor will be able to judge the condition of your essential energy (Qi), identify the location of the affected parts inside your body, determine what is exactly is wrong and identify how any internal health imbalances might progress just from looking at your tongue.
There are over 50 different pulse types and the AcuMedic doctor will take your pulse on both wrists to determine which pulse type you have. Your pulse is identified in terms of depth, speed, strength, shape and rhythm. Your pulse is an indicator of how Qi and blood are moving around your body, therefore how well your internal organs are functioning. From your pulse the doctor can determine a great deal about your physical and emotional condition and how this can be improved to help you lose weight.
The AcuMedic doctor will ask you a huge variety of questions to learn about your general lifestyle in order to understand the sources of weight gain in your daily life. It may seem like some of these questions are odd, but it all goes towards building a complete picture of you and your health. No matter how trivial something might seem to you, tell your doctor. No symptom that you have is unrelated or unimportant to your weight loss progress.
It is also very useful for your doctor to see the results of any medical tests you have had so make sure you bring them along to your first consultation and whenever you get new results through.
Once the doctor has finished diagnosing you, they will tell you about your particular Chinese Medical syndrome at the root of your weight gain. These syndromes often have funny sounding names, like Liver Qi Stagnation or Kidney Yin Deficiency, but do not let that put you off. They will accurately explain why you have the health issues you have, where the excess weight is coming from and therefore what aspects of your body the acupuncture treatment should be focused on and which Chinese herbs you need.
+ Treatment
For acupuncture you will be asked to lie on the bed and remove some clothing to receive acupuncture. The doctor will provide you with a blanket to cover yourself. Micro-fine needles will be inserted and you will be left alone to relax for about 20-40 minutes.
Please be aware that this is crucial treatment time for the acupuncture to have a therapeutic effect and you have not been forgotten. Just relax and enjoy the sensation of the acupuncture treatment (many patients will fall asleep). If you need to call the Clinic reception then there is a bell to alert us to come and talk with you.
After the required period of time the doctor will return to remove the acupuncture needles and leave you to get dressed.
Usually, the acupuncture needles do not hurt when they are inserted, although if a lot of blocked energy has built up at one are of your body, you may feel a pricking and pulling sensation as the Qi begins to flow again in there. Most people find acupuncture incredibly relaxing.
AcuMedic doctors only use sterile disposable acupuncture needles. AcuMedic actually invented the disposable acupuncture needle.
For people who are afraid of acupuncture needles, please speak to your doctor who may recommend a different treatment based on electro-acupuncture instead of needles. Electro-acupuncture works in the same way as conventional acupuncture, but instead of using needles, an electronic pointer is used to stimulate the acupuncture points on the body.
+ After the Treatment
When the acupuncture treatment is completed you will be taken to the AcuMedic Herbal Dispensary to collect your Chinese herbal medicine prescription for weight loss and rebook the next appointment.
Naturally stimulating the body to shed excess weight depends on the individual and can take time. Most patients, however, should notice an improvement after a couple of weeks.
The amount of weight that the patient can lose with the help of the AcuMedic Weight Loss programme will depend on a number of factors, such as their individual conditions, the level of excess weight, lifestyle and diet. During the appointment the doctor will give some level of predicted weight loss.
We also encourage a good balanced diet (a good portion of fruits and vegetables etc.), a healthy lifestyle (regular exercise) and eating regularly at the right time i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner.
AcuMedic discourages behaviours such as extreme diets, which can lead to long term eating disorders.
To learn more about our approach to slimming please read our Guide to Weight Loss.
To find out more about being a patient at AcuMedic please take a look at the AcuMedic Patient Handbook.
+ Other Questions?
For any other questions please review our FAQ and if you cannot find an answer then please email us.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends acupuncture
Acupuncture has been shown to have a therapeutic effect on obesity according to the World Health Organisation*.
+ *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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