Ear Acupuncture’ for Weight-Loss
By Jason Bazilian, Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Whole body acupuncture dates back more than 2500 years, and ear acupuncture is a subclass that was first studied and mapped intensively by a French doctor, Dr. Paul Nogier, in the 1950s.
While there are variations on treatments for weight-loss, the specific 5 points used in this study represent a fairly common protocol that has been used for many years and can be replicated in different clinical settings.
If you are interested in trying acupuncture to help aid weight loss, here are a few tips:
1. Find a licensed acupuncturist.
Most states require licensure most commonly designated, L.Ac. You can check www.nccaom.org or www.acufinder.com. (Note: some qualified and excellent licensed practitioners may not be listed here. Check state laws and licensure and be sure to ask). You may also consider asking trusted friends or health care practitioners for a referral.
2. Let the acupuncturist know your goals and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
This style of treatment may be foreign to you, and your acupuncturist is already aware of that. As with any health care professional who will be treating you and making individual recommendations, you should feel comfortable asking questions. Here are some common questions you might want to ask (and my responses to some of the more general questions.) Also be specific to your own needs and if you don’t understand the response, say so and ask him or her to repeat and rephrase it.
3. Commit to at least 3 or more treatments.
Acupuncture is not typically a one-time fix. Its effects are cumulative over time. Think sipping and savoring, not gulping. And remember the story of the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady win the race. If you think about it, most great outcomes in life do take a little bit of time and those are the ones that tend to have longer lasting effects, too.
4. Eat well and exercise.
While this clinical trial did not directly use other weight loss coaching strategies aside from general guidelines, resizing the body is always a multidimensional journey. You can’t expect to be a couch potato, eat fried potatoes (fries), and just let the acupuncture (or anything else) take care of the rest. Success will come from applying a few strategies along the way, and acupuncture might help you get there quicker.
5. Enjoy the experience.
While your first introduction to acupuncture and Chinese Medicine might be to help with a specific goal like weight loss, take a few moments to listen to your body and tune into how you feel after a treatment. You may just find you experience additional benefits, as well!
Jason Bazilian (www.oneinabazilian.com) is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine the first to earn a doctoral degree in this field in the United States. Dr. Bazilian works with athletes, women, men, and children treating a broad spectrum of conditions at their private practice, Bazilian’s Health Clinic in San Diego and New York City, alongside his partner and wife, Dr. Wendy Bazilian. Find him on facebook at www.facebook.com/bazilians.
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