Have you ever had the experience of trying to lose weight and you just can’t. “Doctor, I have tried everything and I can’t lose weight!” is a common thing I hear from many women. Paleodiets, Atkins, Weight Watchers, you have suffered and tried them all only to lose 1 -2 pounds. It can be a frustrating situation and when you tell your doctor, they usually think you may be cheating and dipping into that chocolate cake too much.
There are a lot of myths about diet of which the most common myth is that if you could just exercise a little more, the weight would come off and while it is true the that the body needs to constantly move, exercise is only about 20% of the weight loss equation. In fact, over exercising can lead to more serious imbalances and worse weight loss problems.
After decades of working with thousands of patients, I have found that the principles of chinese medicine, especially Gynecology, is as relevant today as it was 4000 years ago when it evolved. Combined with modern and traditional exams and testing, my system of health restoration can find the root cause of resistant weight loss and I will share it with you here.
What is Chinese Medicine?
The art and science of Chinese Medicine itself dates back to the Huangdi Neijing also known as Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon. It is an ancient Chinese medical text that is almost 3000 years old. It is one of the fundamental sources of Chinese medicine still revered in its brilliance by doctors and used as a primary education for doctors studying the oldest medical system in the world. The text covers the theoretical foundation of Chinese Medicine and its diagnostic methods as well as a discussion of acupuncture therapy in great detail. It goes on to discuss the normal seven year cycles of hormonal changes that happen to women throughout life. It discusses the details of dealing with most every gynecological condition encountered by modern women. Of course, as the complexity of Chinese medicine evolved, naturally, specialties began to emerge including the development of gynecologists. According to contemporary writers on Chinese medicine, around 400BC, doctors who specialized in women’s health were called “dai xia yi” or doctors who treated conditions “below the skirt belt.” Later, around 200BC, they were called “Ru Yi” or breast doctors. This was the beginning of Chinese medicine gynecology.
However, in relation to our modern understanding and goals of medicine, the doctor of Chinese medicine had a much different purpose. The true art of the medicine was in detecting patterns of disharmony in the body or what we would call today, dysfunction, and correcting the body. So when it comes to Chinese Medicine, the ancient doctors had an understanding of most all conditions of human illness, disease and malfunction. In modern terms the evaluation of hormone function would be critical if you are resistant to weight loss.
Chinese Medicine for Weight Loss
We do not treat “obesity” per se; rather we deal with the source of the malfunction that may have led to the excess weight. Once function is restored, the metabolism will process food properly and the body will find its optimal weight provided one follows proper diet and lifestyle habits. No medicine can overcome a diet of cookies and soda.
Specifically, Chinese Medicine principles state that fat tissue is mostly due to phlegm and damp accumulation. The spleen is said to be at the root of all phlegm production and is involved in the transportation, transformation and absorption of foods. If the spleen becomes damaged by overeating too many sweet foods, getting too little exercise and even excessive worry it will fail in its functions. Instead these metabolic wastes will gather, collect and transform into damp accumulation in body tissue. If this is not repaired then over time, they will concentrate into phlegm, and become fat tissue. The spleen, in Chinese medicine, is also responsible for hormone function. One of the signs of Spleen malfunction is by a pale tongue, swollen in the center often coated white with scallops or teeth marks around the edge
The organs of the Kidney and Liver are also involved in body metabolism and movement of fluids. The kidneys can become exhausted due to stress, poor lifestyle habits and exhaustion. This will stagnate blood circulation through the liver, a vital organ and lead to the accumulation of toxins. We identify kidney deficiencies by feeling the pulse which will be weak and deep. If the liver is stagnated, the tongue could have a red rim around the outer edges.
There are varieties of ways to determine the pattern you may be exhibiting and an examination by an experienced practitioner can find out for you. After rendering a proper pattern diagnosis, certain herbal formulas and nutrients can be prescribed to regain balance, then the excess weight will melt off. In my practice this is combined with functional hormone testing and treated with a combination of the 5 disciplines of our medicine: Acupuncture, Tui na(a manual therapy), Dietary Therapy, Qi Gong and Herbal/Nutritional medicine.
Beyond the basics of consuming quality whole foods, here are some tips for you to restore proper hormone balance and lose weight:
- Restore Spleen Qi by reducing food intake. There is the saying of “eat to ¾’s full and walk away.” Also damp foods like sugar, dairy and damaged fats should avoided.
- Always eat warm or lightly cooked foods. This may be counter to the “raw food” concept but the energy of the spleen can transform food easier if it is closer to body temperature. You will absorb more nutrients and therefor need less food to satisfy you.
- Rest and sleep will help repair damaged kidney qi. Actually studies show that those who sleep more are less obese and maintain weight easier. The kidney qi is closely related to adrenal function and has the ability to control cortisol, a blood sugar regulating hormone.
- Exercise should be gentle but consistent. It’s not about intensity as much as it is about keeping the qi and blood circulating. A nice brisk walk 4-5 times per week could be more beneficial than 3 intense weight sessions.
- Meditate regularly to control stress. When your body is under stress, besides damaging cortisol, as mentioned, you will also throw the other hormones such as estrogen out of balance. Imbalances in the sex hormones will definitely lead to weight gain and will be more well-balanced when you relax and the adrenals stop “stealing” the other hormones.
Submitted by Kenneth Hoffman D.Ac (RI), L.Ac. (CT) CCH, Doctor of Acupuncture and a specialist in Natural Medical Care. He completed a 4 year Chinese medical school program with an internship at St John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, NY. He has performed more than 18,000 acupuncture treatments on over 7,000 patients since starting his practice which has now grown into the busiest clinic of its kind in the state of Connecticut. The system of Medicine he has founded, Integrative Natural Medicine, is a unique blend of his years of experience and combines the best of eastern medicine and modern functional medical sciences. He is the host of the local radio show, “The Natural Medicine Connection” on 800 AM WLAD. It is the only show of its kind in Fairfield County focused on an integrative holistic approach to health. He is also co-author of the book “Essential Remedies for Women’s Health” a compendium of healthy advice and information specifically for women’s issues. inm.center