I remember my senior year of high school – my best friend from 5th grade was living in France. He wrote that he did not like Americans much. “They think we’re all fat,” he said. With her slender body, of course, she confused their faith.
But, he added a funny, or perhaps ironic, capstone to the issue. “I went into a store, and they were selling figurines of these fat guys, and on the bottom of each one it said, ‘American.'”
Obesity is not just an American problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a global problem. They call it Globecity. Paradoxically, his understanding of the problem stems from his original mission to end hunger and malnutrition. We live in a world where many have nothing to eat, and many eat too much. From 1995 to 2000, the number of obese adults worldwide increased from 200 million to 300 million. That’s a 50% increase in only 5 years!
What is obesity, and what is overweight?
Overweight means being in excess of body weight. This extra weight can be muscle, bone, fat and/or body water. Obesity specifically refers to an abnormally high proportion of body fat. You can be overweight without being obese – for example, a bodybuilder or other highly muscular athlete. But many people who are overweight are also obese. The main way to determine whether you are overweight or obese is with the body mass index (BMI). It doesn’t directly measure body fat, and it isn’t gender specific, but it does give you a fairly reliable estimate.
To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height in metres. Yes, for those challenged with the math, it’s complicated, so I’ll give you a website that will figure it out for you, the National Institutes of Health BMI Calculator (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/, It will very quickly tell you if you are normal, overweight or obese, and it does all the calculations and metric conversions for you!
Overweight is defined as a BMI above 25 (including those above 30), and obesity is a BMI above 30. Therefore, all obese people are overweight, but not all overweight people are obese.
obesity epidemic
Obesity isn’t just about not feeling well or having trouble getting dates…
* It causes more than 300,000 premature deaths in the United States each year. There are 90,000 preventable cancer deaths. (CDC)
* Severely obese men die 13 years earlier than men of normal weight (JAMA).
* As a killer in America, obesity is second only to tobacco. (CDC)
weight loss industry
* Expenses: Americans spend between $40-50 billion a year to lose weight.
*Results: I haven’t seen any recent news that Americans are getting thinner – have you?
* Conclusion: What people are doing is not working. If we want a different result, we have to try a different solution.
Acupuncture Weight Loss: Myth, or Fact?
* Fiction or Fact? As a well-trained and fairly conservative Chinese practitioner, I had assumed that acupuncture for weight loss was a marketing fad and patient fantasy.
*The Evidence: But while researching my upcoming book Chinese Medicine: A Practical Guide to Optimal Healing, I came across some surprisingly positive information that changed my mind.
Collective clinical data of Chinese medicine on acupuncture weight loss
Chinese medicine has thousands of years of clinical experience. This collective data is not as convincing as randomized controlled trials, but there is truth in it – it is imperfect but still valid and important.
A US government study in the 80s concluded that 85% of Western medicine is based on clinical experience, not research. (Office of Technology Assessment of the Congress of the United States, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, background paper OTA-BP-H-22. See also Michael Millenson’s book, Demanding Medical Excellence)
There is good Chinese medicine research in Taiwan, Australia and Europe that is ignored by American scientists and the media. Many researches in Chinese have not even been translated into English.
Seven studies of acupuncture for weight loss
How it works: By enhancing the function of two neuroendocrine pathways that control many bodily processes, including metabolism.
What it does:
* Lowers body weight, body fat, insulin levels and blood lipid levels
* Reduces excessive hunger and makes it easier to satisfy your hunger with less food.
* Reduces weight gain during menopause
* In one study, acupuncture led to a 10-pound weight loss in 2 months—that translates to 60 pounds in a year!
* With diet control, and aerobic counseling it not only reduces pounds and body fat but also keeps them off, especially if you are diligent with their exercises.
(See references at end of article for research)
Ephedra abuse and misogyny
Ephedra is a Chinese herb for cold and cough. It has been misused to increase metabolism, and this misuse has resulted in many deaths. As a result, the FDA is considering a total ban on ephedra products. We can blame two major things:
1. Supplement companies that care more about your money than your health (no, not all of them are that way, but some of them are, especially those that market weight loss formulations).
2. The idea that you can safely medicate yourself with herbs – Self-medication of any kind is risky. Self-medication with herbs is off the radar, and people generally think they can do it safely. The ephedra debacle is an example of just how dangerous this can be.
Traditionally, Chinese herbs are given in formulas (not alone), which are safer and more individualized. They are prescribed by a Chinese medicine practitioner who first diagnoses your specific imbalance. Ephedra would never be given for weight loss, but only for certain types of cold and cough, and only to those whose bodies could handle it.
No traditional Chinese herbs should be outlawed without permission for Chinese practitioners to continue using them traditionally.
food cravings
*Problem #1 (Enzyme Deficiency): The foods you crave depend on your individual imbalance. Modern digestive science suggests that when your body can’t digest a food, you crave it more – you’re not getting what you need. This gives rise to a cycle of craving and the exact same food that you cannot digest.
*Problem #2 (Low Blood Sugar): Another vicious cycle occurs when you can’t digest complex carbs, so your blood sugar is low, so you eat simple carbs which raise your blood sugar which raise insulin. which lower your blood sugar again. , and you’re stuck eating donuts and feeling terrible.
* The Solution: Enzymes (I recommend various enzyme formulations from a company called Transformation) and Chinese herbal formulas can help you digest your food and break both of these cycles.
Losing weight can be done safely if done slowly and naturally.
You can lose up to 2 lbs per week without gaining it back. This means you can lose 104lbs this year and keep it up!
Positive change is like stretching a rubber band—if you pull too far too fast, it breaks or snaps back at you.
So avoid the temptation to take easy solutions like ephedra or citrus aurantium (both Chinese herbs of abuse), because you’ll gain the weight back, and you’re running the risk of heart problems and stroke.
5 things to do now
how to lose 10 pounds in 2 months
And keep them away:
1. Avoid over-the-counter supplements – instead, see a professionally trained herbalist (acupuncturist) – this is safer and more effective – my preference would be a Chinese medicine practitioner, but some very well educated western herbalists are good too .
2. Acupuncture Weight Loss: See an Acupuncturist/Chinese Herbalist – Get acupuncture (one to three times per week) to safely regulate your metabolism and appetite-satisfaction. Your acupuncturist can also give you herbs that will balance your digestion and cravings — and depending on your sugar pattern diagnosis, they can also give you personalized dietary advice. Herbs and enzymes (specific formulation from The Enzyme Company, variation) may eliminate your food cravings.
3. Develop a plan and goal with your acupuncturist and aerobics instructor- make it realistic and stick to it. If you mess up, don’t beat yourself up, just get back on track as quickly as possible. Any progress is better than none.
4. Eat Less, Exercise More – Eat a low fat diet, and don’t skip breakfast! Weigh yourself regularly, and exercise for an hour a day. Start by walking for a few minutes each day, or taking the stairs at work. Don’t overdo it! Remember rubber bands. In fact, you may want to wear a rubber band on your wrist to remind yourself to make gradual changes. Get some aerobic exercise help—a public class, or private aerobic counseling.
5. Join a support group like Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous. There’s nothing like positive friends to encourage you and keep you on track. OA members say that this spiritual program of action has changed the way they relate to food.
References and Resources
1. Office of Technology Assessment of Congress of the United States, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, Background Paper OTA-BP-H-22.
2. Michael Millenson’s book, Demanding Medical Excellence
3. Effect of acupuncture on weight loss assessed by adrenal function. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1993 Sep, 13(3):169-73.
4. Wozniak, P., Oszukowski, P., Stakowiak, G., & Szelow, K. (2006). [The effectiveness of low-calorie diet or diet with acupuncture treatment in obese peri- and postmenopausal women] (in Polish). Gynecol.Pol. Vol.74 Issue 2 pp. 102-1 2003
5. Acupuncture on the spleen, stomach, and Ren Mai channel with heat patterns for the treatment of stomach and intestines points for the treatment of simple obesity. Abstracted and translated by Bob Floss, Dipl. ac. and CH, Lic. AC., FNAAOM, FRCHM
6. Richards D, Marley J. Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss. Aust Fam Physician. 1998 Jul;27 Suppl 2:S73-7.
7. Zhao, M., Liu, Z., & Su, J. (2010). Time-effect relationship of central action in acupuncture treatment for weight loss. J Tradit Chin Med Vol.20 Issue 1 pp. 26-29. 2000
8. Liu, Z. Mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture moxibustion on simple obesity complicated by hypertension. Int J Clin Acup 371-378, 1995.
9. Studying the Weight Loss Industry
10. Obesity Prevalence and Impact
11. Overeaters Anonymous
