How to Treat Obesity Holistically
At Eacuwell, we offer a wide variety of effective holistic obesity treatments for Florida residents
Key takeaways:
Holistic obesity treatment requires lifelong lifestyle changes.
Self-monitoring is the single biggest predictor of success when it comes to weight loss.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can improve outcomes when used alongside diet and exercise.
Having a positive, healthy relationship with food is important in order to make sustainable changes to your lifestyle. Reframe food as fuel instead of as “good” or “bad.”
Wearing ear seeds (auricular acupuncture) may help with weight loss.
Manual therapy may aid in reducing belly fat and cellulite and is an excellent adjunct therapy to a weight loss program.
Over the years, obesity has become a national health epidemic. Worldwide, in 2016, over 1.9 billion adults were overweight, with 650 million qualifying as obese. Rates of obesity have tripled between 1975 to 2016.
In the United States, some 45 million Americans start dieting each year. This costs us big bucks and not just in healthcare costs. Americans invest heavily in weight loss solutions, spending more than $60 billion a year. Nearly two-thirds of us make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight every year.
The Health At Every Size Movement (HAES) has come a long way in introducing the concept of size diversity, body acceptance, and reinforcing the idea that you are more than a number on the scale. However, being overweight does increase the risk of several health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis, and gallbladder disease.
The best way to treat obesity is holistically with a multi-pronged approach that addresses the mind, body, and spirit. We speak about holistic obesity treatment at Eacuwell with five ways to address weight loss using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and other holistic approaches.
The benefits of losing weight
Losing just 5 to 10% of your excess body weight can make a big difference in your life. Here’s how:
Reduce your risk of arthritis
Lower the risk of breast cancer
Prevent Type 2 diabetes
Lower your triglycerides
Reduce your blood pressure
Reverse insulin resistance
Treat sleep apnea
Lower inflammation
Improve your sleep
Boost your mood
Have a better sex life
Drinking lots of water, eating lean proteins and a whole food plant-based diet, and getting enough exercise are all important aspects of your weight loss program. But, many other adjunct therapies can help you lose weight as well. Keep reading to learn about some TCM and holistic weight loss therapies to try in addition to a healthy diet and exercise.
Self-monitoring
The American Psychological Association (APA) calls self-monitoring one of the most effective tactics for weight loss. Self-monitoring refers to tracking how much food you eat and how much you exercise. You can keep a food journal or use an app like My Fitness Pal to do this. There are many popular fitness trackers available that can track your calories burned, heart rate, steps, and other metrics.
Other studies have shown that self-monitoring is the “single best predictor of success,” and that it takes as little as 15 minutes or less a day. The frequency of monitoring (not the time spent doing it) is the key success factor for weight loss.
Therapy
Many people who are overweight may experience depression and anxiety as well as the added stigma from society about being overweight. The health conditions that may result due to being overweight, such as type 2 diabetes or heart disease, may have further mental health implications.
Various forms of talk therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), have been shown to be helpful for weight loss, particularly when used as a part of a comprehensive plan to address health. CBT is useful in helping patients develop a healthy body image, which can help motivate them to increase their self-monitoring and activity – two of the biggest drivers behind healthy weight loss.
Reframing ideas about food
Having a healthy approach to eating and food is important. Reframing your thoughts around food to think of it as fuel and not “good” or “bad” can help you have a positive and healthy relationship with it.
Meal plans that are too restrictive usually result in feelings of deprivation that can lead to binges or a failure to maintain the meal plan because of it being too restrictive. Remember that food is fuel.
Wearing ear seeds
Auricular acupuncture or acupuncture on the ears may be helpful for a variety of conditions including stress-related conditions, addictions, and weight loss. Research has shown that auricular acupuncture may act on the vagus nerve, impacting the parasympathetic nervous system and in turn the functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems.
One popular way to experience auricular acupuncture is through the use of ear seeds which are literal seeds from the Vaccaria plant or tiny metal beads that your acupuncturist places on the ear for you. These can be worn discreetly for three to five days at a time. They will fall out on their own. When you’re experiencing a craving, you can press on it to apply acupressure to the area. Although they aren’t permanent, you can wear them continuously by having them replaced as they fall out.
There are no side effects to wearing ear seeds. Preliminary studies have shown that auricular acupuncture can also help with chronic lower back pain while other studies have shown it helps treat acute pain. Ear acupuncture may be beneficial for weight loss in helping reduce cravings, soothing the vagus nerve, reducing stress and stress-related eating, and treating both acute and chronic pain to make it easier and more enjoyable to exercise.
Manual therapy
Manual therapy can help weight loss by addressing aches and pains that make exercise harder. Manual therapy is able to address both acute and chronic pain. There are a variety of techniques that can be used depending on the ailment. Some forms of manual therapy, such as neuromuscular therapy, engage deactivated muscles. If muscles aren’t activated and engaged, it will be difficult for them to burn fat. Massage can aid in weight loss by increasing blood flow and circulation to the tissues and increasing lymphatic drainage, enabling the body to drain old toxins and lymph fluid.
A study found that lymphatic drainage massage could help reduce thigh and belly fat. Massage can also help reduce cellulite and tighten skin as weight is lost.
In addition, stress relief is one of massage therapy’s biggest benefits. Managing stress can help curb emotional and stress eating.
Contact us for more info on holistic obesity treatment in South Florida
Treating obesity requires a permanent change to the way you think about food and exercise. There are a plethora of diets and weight loss plans available but it’s important to make sure that you are creating sustainable change for yourself, not just restricting calories. Whatever treatment options you choose, you should ensure that it’s a holistic option that cares for and incorporates your mind, body, and spirit. Always remember that your weight doesn’t define who you are as a person. The number on the scale does not define your self-worth. Nor is weight the sole indicator of your health.
Although losing weight can be a lonely and frustrating process, it doesn’t have to be. Having the right medical, holistic professional alongside you on your journey can be a total gamechanger. If you’re interested in trying holistic obesity treatments in South Florida, call us today for your complimentary consultation.