Whether you are young or old, man or woman trying to solve a weight problem, not knowing the underlying cause of weight retention is not going to solve your weight dilemma.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), healing the body, mind, emotion and spirit is as important as losing excess weight. It is about understanding the complexity of the human body, how the organ systems balance and work with each other in harmony with the body’s energy.
The human body is like a car. A car needs gas to run but there are other parts inside the car that work together as one so that the car can function when you need it.
Have you ever wondered why 95% of people who are on a diet and does exercise regularly still regain some or all of the weight that they lost? It is because the underlying problem remained unresolved.
In TCM, there are several factors that can cause excess weight. One is mucus production. Mucus can occur in any part of the body. Dairy products are mucus producing foods. In TCM, the Spleen produces mucus and the Lungs store it. So if these organs are not in harmony with each other, problems can occur including excess weight. Excess mucus can also be produced by excess stress physically and mentally. Stress can compromise the Liver’s function of facilitating the energy flow outward, inward, up and down. Thus in turn would upset the Spleen and make the whole digestive system dysfunctional.
Another cause of excess weight is water retention. The three organs involved are the Lungs, Spleen and Kidneys. The Lungs control the water metabolism in the upper body, the Spleen controls the water metabolism in the middle and the Kidneys monitor the water metabolism in the lower body. These three organs need to function harmoniously together for you to lose weight. Yes, you can take a diuretic to get rid of the excess water but are you really addressing the root cause?
In TCM, the concept of the digestive system is a whold body function i.e. your body should be able to process, facilitate and “let go” of anything that enters it not only food but emotions as well. Emotions like anger, happiness, worry, sadness and fear; if they get “stuck” in your system will have a domino effect to the rest of the organs making losing weight almost impossible. Why do you think you overeat or crave for something sweet, or salty or sour when you are depressed or angry or anxious? Food cravings are your body’s signal of letting you know that a specific organ is out of balance. Food is not the real enemy here. Listen to your body and losing the excess weight won’t be that difficult.
For more information about losing weight the natural way, or for a free consult, please call Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine of New England 413-493-1475