NEWS RELEASE

Chinese Medicine Helps Shed Those Holiday Pounds

Now that the holidays are over and the long nights of eating and merry-making are behind us, Lose Weight and Feel Great Month this January reminds us that now we need to shed those extra pounds we probably gained.

A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that Americans gain about 1 pound during the winter holiday season, during the six-week interval between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Furthermore, this extra weight gain was not shed, but rather tends to accumulate year to year, potentially becoming a major contributor to obesity and disease later in life.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 97.1 million adults are overweight, and 65 million of those people also meet the criteria for obesity. Approximately 280,000 deaths and 39.3 million missed workdays are attributable to obesity each year.

While Americans spend $33 billion annually on weight-loss products and services, the prevalence of obesity increased by almost 30 percent between 1991 and 2000. Those seeking an alternative to diet fads and short-term solutions are turning to lifestyle changes that often include the use of acupuncture, and tai chi.

When attempting to diet, many people experience withdrawal, or cravings, because of a lack of endorphins. The need to eat is often so strong that dieters binge on food. This is one reason why diets often cause people to gain more weight rather than lose it. Acupuncture and tai chi counterbalance these cravings by releasing endorphins in the brain, which actually alleviate the withdrawal symptoms many dieters experience and eventually succumb to.

Weight gain can also be caused by stress, which increases cortizol levels in the body. This increase in cortizol can alter metabolism, thus causing stressed people to gain weight. As with cravings, the endorphins released by acupuncture and the gentle motions of tai chi also help reduce stress, which can reduce the need to overeat.

Both tai chi and acupuncture can also stimulate the hyopthalamus. This induces weight loss because the hypothalamus regulates the body’s thyroid and hormone levels, which in turn regulate metabolism.

In addition to regulating the body internally, tai chi also provides the benefits of exercise by building strength, restoring balance and increasing flexibility. Tai Chi’s gentle movements and low physical impact make it a great activity for aging bodies, those recovering from injury, or people looking to change up their exercise routine.

For more information how the techniques of Chinese medicine can help with weight loss and weight management, please call (415) 282-9603.

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) has provided affordable, quality health care to the public and trained professionals in acupuncture, massage and Chinese medicine since 1980. In addition to its graduate curriculum, ACTCM offers continuing education, public education, community outreach and clinical services in acupuncture and herbal medicine. ACTCM has been the recipient of many awards for its curriculum, faculty and clinic, and has been voted “Best of the Bay” by both the San Francisco Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. ACTCM is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and is a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.