Weight Loss

Losing Weight and Acupuncture
Oriental Medicine, acupuncture and herbs, concentrates on the restoration and preservation of the bodies multiple functions. Digestion, the transformation of food and liquid into the body’s usable energies, is a function of Foot Tai Yin. Foot Tai Yin is commonly translated to Spleen. Now this is a different Spleen than we in the West are familiar with. Western physiology and anatomy of the spleen is one that includes a small organ, filled with reticuloendothelial cells, located in the left upper quadrant of the abdominal cavity, functioning in part with our immune system and circulatory system. Contrary to this idea, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), ascribes different functions and structures to Spleen. TCM Spleen has the primary function of transforming food and fluids into energy for the rest of the bodies function. So it is at this level that acupuncture and herbs best effect weight management. Improperly functioning Spleen can manifest with a number of issues, poor appetite, excessive appetite, and cravings; also motility problems can be expressed, i.e. GERD, diarrhea, constipation, and flatulence/gas. Because Spleen is integral to energy production, fatigue, listlessness, and weakness can be part of the dysfunctional picture. Spleen function is not the only system involved in digestion and hence effecting diet and weight lose, but it is a good place to start.
John Aderholdt
Licensed Acupuncturist and past Instructor in Oriental Medicine