OBESITY AND CHINESE MEDICINE

Being overweight is a common symptom of chronic diseases. It is a consequence of having more body fat than is optimally healthy.

Overweight and obesity may increase the risk of many health problems, including diabetes type 2, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, certain cancers, fatty liver, kidney disease and pregnancy problems.

Obesity causes arthritis and joint issues. This pain will cause the release of stress hormones which make a person to crave for sugars and eat more. In this way a vicious loop is created. In order to break this loop, losing 5-10% of body weight will lessen the pain.

Prolonged stress and bad diet are the main causes of overweight. Sedentary life style or lack of exercise will also contribute to gain weight. Other causes can be thyroid and adrenal glands problems.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) overweight can be caused for Spleen Qi deficiency (slow metabolism) or Dampness (Fat) obstructing the channels and accumulating in middle Jiao (Stomach). Both are extremely related. The first one will usually create the second one.

Spleen Qi deficiency is mostly a consequence of a bad diet. Too much intake of raw food as fruit and vegetables will damage the spleen, impairing its function of transformation and transportation leading to the creation of dampness. TCM recommends that a healthy person, of his daily food consumption, does not eat more than 10% of food raw. In a person with dampness the intake of raw food must be decreased.

TCM is very effective to treat overweight and obesity. Acupuncture will tonify the spleen thus make the digestive system strong eliminating the excessive fat in your tissues. Also it will resolve the dampness, eliminating it through the urine. Chinese herbs can also be used for those action (tonify spleen and resolve dampness).

A combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, diet change and exercise (or only walking) can help you lose weight, feel better and diminish the risk of other health conditions.

A good doctor heals but an excellent doctor prevents

It is time to be healthy

Dr Mario Marini

1+786-8732573

drmariomarini@yahoo.com

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