You may be familiar with acupuncture, which involves placing needles along channels or meridians of the body. Acupressure is similar, except fingers and thumbs are used in place of needles, pressing and massaging along the meridians to increase the energy flow or unblock it. Acupressure has been practiced in China for more than 2,000 years and is used to relieve pain, increase healing time and for variety of other healing purposes, including weight loss.
Weight Loss Studies
An acupressure study is currently underway at Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research in the Portland, OR, which received a $2.1 million grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. About 500 participants are using Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), designed by acupuncturist Tapas Fleming in 1994. TAT involves touching certain acupressure points on the face and back of the head while repeating particular phrases. One 55-year-old woman in Oregon lost 40 lbs. using TAT in 2004.
In a 2007 eight-week controlled study at Yuan-Pei University in Hsinchu, Taiwan, Japanese magnetic pearls were used for acupressure on the ear and significantly decreased the body mass index (BMI) in young, obese adults.
Weight Loss Techniques
One acupressure point for weight loss is located in the ear. To locate it, place your fingers in front of your ear on your jawbone. (You will feel your jawbone moving under your fingers when you open and close your mouth.) Take hold of the fleshy part of the earlobe with your thumb and forefinger and press for three minutes. This is said to control appetite, preventing overeating.
Another way to control your appetite before you eat is to hold your upper lip with your thumb inside and your index finger on the outside, halfway between between your upper lip and nose. Press and massage this spot for 10 seconds.
Between your naval and breastbone is another local point that controls hunger. Massage this area for 10 seconds in a circular direction with your thumb to ease hunger pangs.
Using these types of acupressure techniques is believed to lead to a weight loss of 1 to 7 lbs. per week.
Japanese magnetic pearls (just one of many names) are tiny silver balls that come with tape to stick on your ear's pressure points. The weight of these balls affect the pressure points in the ear like acupressure and control your appetite. A variety of types of balls can be purchased online.
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