In traditional Chinese acupressure, constant pressure is exerted on certain points of the body to alleviate various ailments. This technique is also used to promote weight loss, thanks to the stimulation of those points capable of relieving tension in the digestive system. Learning to use acupressure to promote weight loss, along with a healthy diet and some exercise, can help you reach your fitness goals.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Practice Acupressure on Points Associated with Weight Loss
Step 1. Begin by practicing acupressure on the points located on the ear
Place your thumb right in front of the triangular-shaped flap of tissue that is at the front of the ear. The thumb is used as, due to its size, it is able to cover almost the entire area and to operate on all three points present.
- Another way to locate this point is to place your finger on the jaw while opening and closing the mouth. The point to press is the one where you feel the movement of the jaw most.
- Apply constant pressure to this point of medium intensity for 3 minutes: it serves to control appetite and improve the digestive process.
- If you want to limit yourself to using only one acupressure point, choose the ear. It is the only part of the body where there are at least three acupressure points that can control appetite, next to each other.
- The SI19, TW21 and GB2 acupressure points are located around the ear. These points have been studied because they appear to influence weight loss.
Step 2. Practice acupressure on other points to help you lose weight
There are several other points that can help you reach your weight loss goals.
- The GV26 point is located at the depression between the nose and the upper lip (philtrum). Apply medium-strength pressure to this point for 5 minutes, twice a day. It is a point that can quench hunger and control appetite.
- The Ren6 point is located 3 cm below the navel. Using your index and middle fingers, massage this point for 2 minutes, twice a day, in an up and down motion. It is a point that can improve the digestive process.
- The ST36 point is located on the knee, 5 cm below the patella and slightly to the side, towards the outside of the leg. Practice acupressure on this point for one minute, using your index finger. You can check that you have located the point by flexing your foot: you should feel the muscle move with your finger. Apply pressure to this point for 2 minutes a day. Promotes good stomach function.
- The LI11 point is located in the crease of the elbow, towards the outside of the arm. It is a point that stimulates intestinal function, eliminating excess heat and moisture from the body. Using your thumb, practice acupressure on this point for one minute a day.
- The SP6 point is located 5 cm above the ankle, on the inside of the leg, just behind the bone. Using your thumb, apply pressure to this point for one minute a day. Release the pressure gradually. It is a point that helps balance body fluids.
- The points for abdominal pain are located after the last ribs, exactly below the earlobes. Press these points under each rib 5 minutes a day. This action can also help treat indigestion.
Step 3. If one point makes you feel uncomfortable or doesn't give you the results you want, try using another (or more than one)
Pay attention to how you feel and how you react to pressure. Everyone reacts in their own way, based on their conditions. Do not overdo it!
- You can use these acupressure points until you reach your ideal weight, then continue to use them to maintain your weight.
- There are no known contraindications to this type of acupressure.
Method 2 of 3: Combine Acupressure with a Healthy Diet and Exercise
Step 1. Follow an anti-inflammatory diet
Certain foods can help you lose weight. In general they are known as "anti-inflammatory" foods, to be used in this case because being overweight is considered an inflammatory state of the body. To best follow this diet, try to consume mostly organic foods, which contain neither pesticides nor chemicals such as hormones and antibiotics, which can lead to a greater risk of inflammation.
- Also reduce your consumption of processed and packaged foods. In this way you will adopt a diet low in additives and preservatives, which can cause inflammation in people who are allergic or particularly sensitive to these substances.
- You may need some time to get used to planning your diet more carefully, but the sooner you learn how to cook fresh and NON-industrial foods (which therefore retain most of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients), the greater the benefits for your health.
- As a general rule, the following principle applies: if a food such as bread, rice or pasta is too white, it means that it has undergone industrial processing. Instead, consume whole-grain bread, rice, and pasta.
Step 2. Increase your consumption of vegetables and fruit
Your diet should consist of 2/3 fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which can reduce inflammation.
- Choose brightly colored fruits and vegetables, which denotes a high level of antioxidants. These include: berries (blueberries, raspberries), apples, plums, oranges and citrus fruits in general (vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant), green leafy vegetables, squash (both the summer and winter varieties) and peppers.
- The ideal is that the fruit and vegetables are fresh, but frozen are also fine.
- Avoid vegetable-based sauces, as they are high in fat.
- Avoid fruit in syrup or with added sugar.
Step 3. Increase the amount of fiber in your diet, as it reduces inflammation
As a goal you should consume a minimum of 20-35 grams of fiber per day. Foods high in fiber are:
- Whole grains such as brown rice, bulgur, buckwheat, oats, millet and quinoa.
- Fruit, in particular that which is eaten with the peel, such as apples, pears, figs, dates, grapes and all berries.
- Vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables (spinach, mustard leaves, cabbage, beets, kohlrabi), carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, beets.
- Legumes, including peas, lentils and all types of beans (borlotti, black, cannellini, white from Spain).
- Seeds (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower) and dried fruit (almonds, pecans, walnuts and pistachios).
Step 4. Reduce your consumption of red meat
On the contrary, try to reduce your consumption of meat in general. If you consume beef, check that it is lean and that it comes from grazing cattle, as this meat contains the same percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fats found in nature. If you consume poultry, check that it comes from farms that do not use hormones or antibiotics (this also applies to red meat) and discard the skin.
Step 5. Reduce your intake of saturated and hydrogenated fats
The American Heart Association recommends avoiding hydrogenated fats entirely and limiting saturated fats to an amount that does not exceed 7% of your daily calorie intake. Saturated fats are mainly contained in butter, margarine, lard and other cooking fats.
- Instead, use olive oil.
- Degrease the meat.
- Avoid all foods labeled with "partially hydrogenated fats". They may contain hydrogenated fats, even if the label says “0 hydrogenated fats”.
Step 6. Increase your fish consumption
Fish contains good quality protein and significant amounts of beneficial omega-3 fats. A higher consumption of omega-3 fats is associated with a reduction in the level of inflammation in the body. Among the fish with the highest levels of omega-3s are salmon, tuna, trout, sardines and mackerel.
Step 7. Consume only complex carbohydrates
If you avoid processed foods, you are already sure that you are only getting complex carbohydrates. The industrial processing of food, in fact, breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple carbohydrates. Large amounts of simple carbohydrates can increase the level of inflammation in the body.
Step 8. Start exercising regularly
Eating less and well, practicing regular physical activity, is the only real way to lose weight without risking weight gain. Physical activity, however, does not have to be a burdensome task, in fact it is better not to be. Start gradually, moving more often on foot. Park your car far away, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the dog or just go for a walk! If you prefer, join the gym and find an instructor.
- Do weight lifting, cardiovascular training, use the elliptical - whatever, as long as it's an activity you enjoy and practice regularly.
- Check with your doctor to find out which activities you can do and which you can't. Don't overdo the intensity of your workout! Committed, but moderately.
- Find an activity that you enjoy and that fits your lifestyle. Don't overdo it - too strenuous training can lead to discouragement and letting go.
- Try using a pedometer to track the amount of steps you take each day, and try to increase the number on a regular basis.
Step 9. 75 to 300 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity is sufficient
Aerobic activity is any exercise that increases oxygen supply and heart rate. Some examples: running, swimming, hiking, walking, jogging, dancing, martial arts and cycling.
These are activities that you can do indoors, with equipment such as the stationary bike and the elliptical, or outdoors, in a park or on the streets of your neighborhood
Method 3 of 3: Learn More About Acupressure
Step 1. Understand the concepts behind traditional Chinese medicine
Acupressure, like acupuncture, uses particular points located along 12 meridians that cross the body. These meridians are real energy passages, along which it is believed that the "qi", or "chi" (Chinese term for "vital energy") flows. The concept behind this tradition is that diseases are caused by a blockage of qi. The needles in acupuncture and the pressure in acupressure are able to unblock these energy passages, restoring the natural and unhindered flow of qi.
Step 2. Understand how acupressure works to stimulate weight loss
In traditional Chinese medicine, weight loss can be promoted by supporting the expulsion of excess "heat" and "moisture" from the body and strengthening the digestive organs.
- The terms "heat" and "humidity" do not necessarily have a literal meaning. In other words, exerting pressure on these points does not imply a significant variation in the temperature of the epidermis, nor in its degree of humidity. The two terms represent a particular energy imbalance referred to as heat and humidity respectively.
- According to some studies, acupressure practiced in particular on the points of the ear can be an important aid in weight loss.
- Another similar technique, the TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique), has had positive results in maintaining the weight achieved, but no significant results in weight loss.
Step 3. Learn what kind of pressure to put on the acupressure points
Unless the point is located in the center of the body, be sure to apply the same pressure on both sides, with the same duration. Intensity is generally mild to medium - identify the degree of intensity with which you feel most comfortable. Never press too hard.
- Think of three levels of intensity. The gentle pressure allows you to curve the skin slightly and move the skin surrounding the spot just as gently. You do not feel the pulse, nor do you get to feel the bone, but you feel the muscle moving under the skin. Medium pressure is more energetic: in areas where the skin is thin (for example around the ear) you can feel both the bone and the muscles and joints moving. You can also get to feel the heartbeat, for example at the knee, elbow or ankle. There is a third level of (high) pressure intensity, which however does not concern us in this context.
- You can practice acupressure wherever you want: at work, at school, at home, or after (or during) a shower. It would be better to practice it in a quiet and peaceful environment, but it is absolutely not a necessary condition.
