New Year's Resolve Fading? How Acupuncture can help you reach your goals (part 1 of 5)

With each new year, we once again reflect on what changes can improve our lives. By the end of January, many of us have already "slipped" or even given up our resolutions as "too difficult" or postponed them to "next year."

If your intention is to improve your health, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you "stick" to those resolutions.

Over the next five Thursdays, I will give you an example of how acupuncture can help you keep your New Year's resolutions and achieve your goals.

Resolution 1: Reach Target Weight and Stay There

Losing weight is the #1 most common New Year's resolution. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can help you reach your goal level of fitness and maintain it by promoting better digestion, smoothing emotions, reducing appetite, improving metabolism, and eliminating food cravings.

From an Oriental medicine perspective, the acupuncture points, foods, and herbs that assist with weight loss directly influence the Qi of the Spleen and Liver systems to treat the root imbalances that are causing the weight gain.

From a Western perspective, acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been shown to have an effect on the function of the nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, food cravings, and metabolism. All of which can help to energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite, and reduce anxiety.

Each treatment is catered to the needs of the individual patient. Acupuncture points on the body are chosen for overall wellness to increase circulation of the blood and Qi (stimulating the metabolism) and calming the nervous system.

Acupuncture and TCM are powerful tools for healthy weight loss, by themselves or as a supportive treatment in conjunction with other weight management programs.

At Point-A Place Of Wellness, we offer herbal consultations as well as acupuncture treatment and have had great success with weight loss patients.

Quick Start for the Slow Season

Winter is time to rest, to meditate deeply, and refine the spiritual essence. This is the season to sit with a cup of hot tea and write down our inner thoughts, desires, and life goals. Winter is also when we store physical energy in the form of a little added weight. This is not an excuse to overindulge, just a natural change with the season.

Even though the slow processes predominate, animals hibernate and the land is mostly dormant, we must stay active enough to keep the spine and joints flexible. Wellness is an active commitment to live a balanced and fulfilled life. Here is a way to reinvigorate your body and jumpstart your immune system in 30 seconds.

• When you get up in the morning, touch your toes and roll up vertebrae by vertebrae to open your spine.
• Rotate your ankles and hands to loosen them up.
• To open your hips, rotate your legs and hips. (Think “Elvis” and you’re moving in the right direction!)
• Remember to BREATHE!

Now you’re energized and ready to start the day.