Weight Loss With Acupressure Balls

As the battle against excess weight among a substantial percentage of the U.S. population rages on, it comes as no surprise that even acupressure, a centuries-old touch therapy that combines acupuncture and Chinese medicine, offers weight-loss combat remedies. As opposed to seeking weight loss through acupuncture, which entails the use of thin needles, acupressure simply calls for pressure to be applied along ear points, aided if desired by tiny metal acupressure balls.

History

• After finding that the traditional ear acupuncture treatments for weight loss had drawbacks, the Press Point Ear Acupressure System was developed in 1991 by Dr. Junzo Kokubo, a professional acupuncturist licensed by the Ministry of Health of Japan. Dr. Kokubo aimed to come up with a form of applying pressure to the ears that would do away with acupuncture needles and the pain and discomfort associated with them. In so doing, he discovered that when placed along the ear acupoints, steel alloy balls about 1mm in diameter resulted in the same weight-loss effect as the traditional needle technique. Other drawbacks of the traditional acupuncture method of weight loss include fear of needles, pain and discomfort while sleeping, and expensive and time-consuming regular visits to an acupuncturist.

Technique

• In the acupressure ball technique, steel alloy balls about 1mm in diameter are attached to an adhesive and then placed on the various acupoints found along the ear. These balls control the overeating impulse, so that when the desire for food arises, an individual can press the ball on the ear for about 10 seconds. This stimulates the brain's satiety signal so that the feeling of hunger goes away almost immediately.

Effects

• Dr. Kokubo asserts that after conducting weight-loss tests using acupressure balls on 31 participants, 24 reported the following within a week. Reactions included a substantial decrease in appetite along with a decrease in nibbling, decreased desire to have coffee in the morning, improved bowel movements, decreased alcohol consumption and even increased energy despite hardly consuming food for the first few days. A few participants with sensitive skin did complain of soreness and itching, which was later attributed to allergic reactions to the glue on the ball adhesive. Additionally, there were participants who reported vomiting after consuming excessive amounts of food. After the second week, weight loss was reported to be steady at about one to two pounds per week. Among the 24 subjects, weight loss after two months averaged about 9 pounds or 4.5 kilograms.

Warning & Tip

• While there are many who endorse and can attest to weight loss by acupressure balls, there is still a lot of inconclusive scientific evidence associated with this method. Most physicians and dieticians still cite eating healthy balanced meals and exercising frequently as the best ways to control and maintain healthy weight.