Use Acupressure to Avoid Overeating
Overeating can be a serious problem. For some people, it is a true addiction that must be overcome. For others, overeating fulfills a need that is not met, due to stress or other emotional issues. Believers in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use acupressure to avoid overeating in a variety of ways. Pressure points on the ear are effective in curbing appetite and addictive cravings. Acupressure on other areas of the body can relieve depression and stress, which in turn can help people avoid overeating.
Instructions
1. Keep a journal of your eating habits in order to help you determine the cause for your overeating. Write about how you are feeling when you overeat and the foods you eat during this time. Bring your journal with you to your initial acupressure consultation so that the practitioner can use it as an assessment tool.
2. Use a locater service to find an acupressure provider who can help you avoid overeating. Acupuncturists who are trained in the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) method of ear acupuncture may be effective in treating the additive aspect of overeating. Acufinder.com is an online acupuncture directory that also lists practitioners who specialize in acupressure and the NADA protocol (see Resources below).
3. Prepare for your acupressure appointment by wearing loose, comfortable pants that can be rolled or pushed up. Some of the pressure points connected with overeating and digestion are located on the lower legs. The acupressure practitioner needs to apply pressure to these points directly on the skin.
4. Ask your acupressure provider to show you the appetite control pressure point on your ear so you can apply pressure as needed between appointments. This is the fleshy area that juts out from the front of your ear, near your jawbone. Acupressure sessions for overeating usually begin and end with the manipulation of the appetite control pressure point.
5. Use palm stimulation just before a meal to avoid overeating. The area just below your thumb on your palm is a pressure point for digestion and also curbs the desire to overindulge. Pinch your palm with strong pressure or use a toothpick to press on the pressure point.
6. Submit to acupressure treatments to relieve stress in your life if you feel this factor contributes to your overeating issues. As with acupuncture, acupressure can realign your body's energy, called "qi." People often feel more relaxed and calmer after an appointment and less likely to eat for emotional reasons.
7. Have your acupressurist affix seeds to the NADA points in your ear if you continue to struggle with your impulses to overeat. These very small metal fixtures make it easier for you to find the pressure points in your ear that can help curb cravings.
Tags: pressure point, Acupressure Avoid, Acupressure Avoid Overeating, acupressure provider, appetite control