You might be surprised to learn that acupuncture decreases cravings.
One of the fundamental keys to weight loss is the ability to manage cravings. For many of us, those moments of temptation come too frequently. After a while our resolve wears down and that voice in our head that encourages us to stay on track starts to sound more and more distant.
So, it makes sense to go right to the source of our appetite and start to stop cravings before they begin.
What causes cravings?
Before we can talk about how acupuncture decreases cravings, we need to figure out where those cravings come from.
Habit
A habit is any regular tendency or practice in our behavior, especially one that’s hard to quit. But why are habits so hard to give up?
One reason is that habits get us through the day. You’ve often heard that “we’re creatures of habit.” It’s true! Ian Newby-Clark of Psychology Today has written extensively on how we rely on habit for lots of reasons. Says Newby-Clark:
“Habits help us through our day…consider making breakfast in your own kitchen on any given weekday. You grab the milk out of the fridge, turn toward the counter and give the door that little nudge you with your foot that you know it needs. If something is on your mind, you might not notice that you’re sitting at the table and munching on your second piece of toast until you’re halfway through it.”
Secondly, habits create comfort. The predictability of how something will turn out, knowing exactly what to expect, lets us relax.
When we take these two types of habit to the extreme, they start to affect us mentally. Control becomes an issue. That leads to a different kind of behavior.
Addiction
Addiction is a serious issue no matter what the substance or behavior. Addiction is destructive.
Cravings can be a strong sign of an addiction. The difference between a person with cravings and an addict are how we react to the cravings. And these days addictions are so easy to come by. Alcohol and drug use are the ones we talk about, but there are many kinds. By the way, since we mentioned alcohol, what makes it so addictive? If you answered “sugar”, you’re right! Sugar is probably the most common culprit responsible for problem eating. Sweets give us a boost (kind of like nicotine and other drugs), and if we consume enough of it we can become addicted very easily.
Humans have evolved to want sugar, and it’s not a bad thing! Sugar is a source of quick-release energy that can help us in the short term. But, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. You can read much more about how sugar cravings affect us
Salty foods work just the same way. We want salt because we need salt, but too much salt creates problems with blood pressure, cholesterol, heart health and, yes, weight loss.
Acupuncture decreases cravings so that you can beat addiction before it ever becomes an issue.
Trauma
Trauma is often a reason for problem eating. It comes in so many forms. Physical trauma and emotional trauma are both responsible. A person may break their leg which causes their activity level to drop. The boredom or the distraction of pain may cause a person to eat through it.
Likewise, an emotional trauma causes negative feelings, and we want something to cheer us up. Comfort food can be okay once in a while, but too much of it can lead to problem eating. Soon our bodies learn that to fix our physical or emotional feelings we need to eat. Now we’re feeding an addiction.
The Way Acupuncture Decreases Cravings
We don’t want to give you the impression that controlling cravings is easy. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn’t being honest with you.
That said, acupuncture is an important part of the process.
What to do…
Make the decision.
Decide to do something about your cravings. If you’re routinely eating outside of regular mealtimes, or eating to excess, you have to choose to want to control cravings.
Get acupuncture.
When you decide to resist cravings, you need to support yourself as you get past withdrawals. Acupuncture stimulates points in the body to release endorphins that help offset negative effects of cutting back. You’ve heard of the DT’s when it comes to alcohol or other substances. It’s exactly the same with food.
There’s more. Acupuncture decreases cravings by recalibrating organs in the body through the release of chemicals. Endorphins that were previously blocked by dependence on food can now flow freely. The Spleen is one organ that needs to hit the reset button. It wants sweet flavor to balance itself, but too much creates weakness.
The Kidney is also a sensitive organ for balancing cravings. When the body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs, the Kidney starts to cause problems that throw the Spleen out of balance. Our bodies beg us for food it doesn’t need because it’s trying to use what it knows to fix itself. But we know better. We know that acupuncture decreases cravings by unblocking the endorphins we need to feel good and keep our bodies working efficiently.
Work with a nutritionist.
In addition these steps, we advise that you research a reliable nutritionist. A certified nutritionist can help you balance our diet in a way that fits your needs while making sure you continue to manage cravings. If you need help finding out, just ask Dr. Ashley Hoyt.
Need help decreasing cravings? Call 305-296-535 and book an appointment with Dr. Ashley Hoyt. Your free consultation can set you on the path to weight loss.
