Diet
We live in a highly stressed increasingly larger society that is obsessed with dietary fashions. The correct dietary information is simple and available however living in an information-overloaded society, the dietary or more importantly lifestyle-changing message has become blurred.
With around 60% of adults in England either overweight or obese it is clear that things need to change. In fact, if present trends continue, 60% of all men, 50% of all women and 25% of all children will be obese by 2050.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises that lifestyle changes should form the mainstay of management in obesity and that drug treatment should be considered only after lifestyle changes, including behavioural approaches, have been started.
Your treatment plan
Traditional Chinese food energetics plays a large part in traditional Chinese Medicine and is a great support alongside acupuncture and specific forms of massage or body work such as tuina.
Acupuncture - Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system causing the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional wellbeing. Certain acupuncture points have been shown to affect areas of the brain that are known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety.
Massage - A combination of bodywork such as tui na, acupressure, massage, reflexology, relaxation, breathing and mindful awareness exercises are also a core strategy that has proven helpful for many people.
Other Lifestyle factors - Creating restful sleep patterns, making sure you have the right diet, nutrients and nourishing eating habits are also key, as well as addressing any emotional issues that may be involved.
British Acupuncture Research Fact Sheets - For further information please take a look at the related issues section on the right hand-side of the screen.
- Department of Health 2011. Healthy lives, healthy people (online). Available www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_130401
- National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2006. Obesity: guidance on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children [online]. Available: http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG43NICEGuideline.pdf