Ear Staples for Weight Loss
I noticed this last week, a stream of newspaper reports from the US on ear stapling for weight loss. Apparently it is a growing business in the States, although I have not seen any information to show that it is popular here in the UK, and having done a quick search on Google I’ve not found any UK web sites offering stapling services. Using the acupuncture points in the ear, a staple is inserted to stimulate the points associated with the digestive function. The staples are left in for up to 12 weeks at a time, and practitioners have been claiming that their clients are losing up to 10lbs a month. According to the weekend press the US authorities are now starting to clamp down on this practice, ear stapling salons have been springing up in many of the major cities, with untrained operators pointing the staple gun in the general direction of the correct points, many of them causing deep and difficult to clear infections.
The principle behind the stapling is really quite simple, and has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years. There are acupuncture points in the ears that, when stimulated, will affect the function of the organs, or area of the body, that they are associated with. The ear staples are placed through the stomach points on the ear, and provide constant stimulation. However, as said before, the staples are not without their risks; damage to the cartilage of the ear, infections, and possible risk of septicaemia (known also as blood poisoning, which can be life threatening).
When used properly, in the hands of an experienced and professional acupuncture practitioner the points in the ear, as well as body points, can be safe and helpful in weight management. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) describes the accumulation of excess weight primarily as a weakness of the digestion, leading to accumulations of “Damp” (in TCM there is no concept of fat, the excess inches that many of us accumulate is described as “Dampness”). When the digestion is weak (symptoms of poor digestion, bloating after eating, loose stools, craving for sweet foods, fatigue, pale, swollen tongue, with a crack in the centre and scalloped or toothmarked edges) Dampness is more easily accumulated.
The Chinese have traditionally categorised foods according to their energetic qualities, rather than by the number of calories, proteins, fats or vitamins. For example, if you were to eat a red chilli pepper what energetic quality would you say that it had? Everybody I’ve ever asked this question has said immediately “Hot”. The Chinese would agree, chilli peppers have a hot energy, cucumbers have a cool energy. The Chinese also categorise some foods as having a Damp energetic quality, these include: wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol. The more of these we eat the more Damp we get, and hence the more excess weight we put on. There are other factors associated with the accumulation of Dampness, the obvious one is lack of movement; the less we move the more our body fluids are inclined to stagnate and accumulate (often around the waist, or the hips and thighs). The less obvious factor described by the Chinese is that of the climate. If, like me, you live in a damp climatic area, Bristol, South West England, we get lots of rain here!) the more likely you are to be affected by damp foods. In my clinic I spend much of my time treating Damp conditions, especially those associated with mucus and phlegm (manifestations of Damp), such as sinus and respiratory conditions.
Plan of action
If you are serious about losing weight you must:
reduce the amount of Damp foods that you are eating (wheat, diary, sugar and alcohol),
get the body fluids moving, by moving your body, ie exercise
move to a desert!
If you cannot manage the last one get some acupuncture, there are many points on both the ears and the arms and legs that are known to clear Damp, increase the metabolism, and reduce appetite and cravings. Our recommendations when looking for an acupuncturist is to make sure that they have studied for at least 3 years, that they have at least 5 years clinical experience outside of college and that they have experience treating the condition that you are going with. Naturally you should check that they are registered with one of the major national registers and hold professional insurance.
For more information about acupuncture go to www.orientalmedicine.co.uk/acupuncture.htm
The principle behind the stapling is really quite simple, and has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years. There are acupuncture points in the ears that, when stimulated, will affect the function of the organs, or area of the body, that they are associated with. The ear staples are placed through the stomach points on the ear, and provide constant stimulation. However, as said before, the staples are not without their risks; damage to the cartilage of the ear, infections, and possible risk of septicaemia (known also as blood poisoning, which can be life threatening).
When used properly, in the hands of an experienced and professional acupuncture practitioner the points in the ear, as well as body points, can be safe and helpful in weight management. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) describes the accumulation of excess weight primarily as a weakness of the digestion, leading to accumulations of “Damp” (in TCM there is no concept of fat, the excess inches that many of us accumulate is described as “Dampness”). When the digestion is weak (symptoms of poor digestion, bloating after eating, loose stools, craving for sweet foods, fatigue, pale, swollen tongue, with a crack in the centre and scalloped or toothmarked edges) Dampness is more easily accumulated.
The Chinese have traditionally categorised foods according to their energetic qualities, rather than by the number of calories, proteins, fats or vitamins. For example, if you were to eat a red chilli pepper what energetic quality would you say that it had? Everybody I’ve ever asked this question has said immediately “Hot”. The Chinese would agree, chilli peppers have a hot energy, cucumbers have a cool energy. The Chinese also categorise some foods as having a Damp energetic quality, these include: wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol. The more of these we eat the more Damp we get, and hence the more excess weight we put on. There are other factors associated with the accumulation of Dampness, the obvious one is lack of movement; the less we move the more our body fluids are inclined to stagnate and accumulate (often around the waist, or the hips and thighs). The less obvious factor described by the Chinese is that of the climate. If, like me, you live in a damp climatic area, Bristol, South West England, we get lots of rain here!) the more likely you are to be affected by damp foods. In my clinic I spend much of my time treating Damp conditions, especially those associated with mucus and phlegm (manifestations of Damp), such as sinus and respiratory conditions.
Plan of action
If you are serious about losing weight you must:
reduce the amount of Damp foods that you are eating (wheat, diary, sugar and alcohol),
get the body fluids moving, by moving your body, ie exercise
move to a desert!
If you cannot manage the last one get some acupuncture, there are many points on both the ears and the arms and legs that are known to clear Damp, increase the metabolism, and reduce appetite and cravings. Our recommendations when looking for an acupuncturist is to make sure that they have studied for at least 3 years, that they have at least 5 years clinical experience outside of college and that they have experience treating the condition that you are going with. Naturally you should check that they are registered with one of the major national registers and hold professional insurance.
For more information about acupuncture go to www.orientalmedicine.co.uk/acupuncture.htm
posted by Unknown at 10:45 AM
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