OBESITY

Perhaps the most aggravating condition that people must suffer from in day to day living is the inability to maintain desirable body weight. Most of the time overweight is a problem and dieting and taking diet pills is the way of life for millions. Using acupuncture sites is a recent entry into this area and is presently the subject of research. With needles there has been an initial success with some extremely difficult patients. Using the technique of pressure acupuncture also has proved promising in my practice. Abdomen point 1 fig. 48 on the left side overlies the stomach. It must be pressed deeply. Massage is not necessary.

Leg point 1 fig. 49 also can be used on both legs or on one leg. If using two is too cumbersome one works well enough. In general, the way obesity points should be utilized is at the time one feels hungry. The must effective points should be pressed for several minutes. The ones that work best must be discovered for each individual by himself by trial and it.

Fig. 48
Abdomen Point 1
Stomach 21
Located placing the finger of the left hand together and straight, then placing the tip of the index finger by the umbilicus—just below the web between the ring finger and little finger lies the point.

Fig. 49
Leg point 1
Stomach 36
Located four fingerbreadths below the lower level of the knee cap and about one fingerbreadth to the outside of the shin bone in the soft tissue there.



Knee point 6 fig. 50 is another point that can be used unilaterally or bilaterally. It may not be as successful for most people as the previous point. The same may be true for wrist hand point 11 fig. 51 but both of these points should be given a good try. I have mentioned that the points

Fig. 50
Knee point 6
Spleen 10
Located at a level three fingerbreadth above the upper border of the knee cap where an imaginary line traveling vertically up the middle of the inner thigh crosses that level. See also fig. 32 & 57

Should be pressed for a few minutes. Actually up to ten minutes for a meal ar a hunger period may be more advantageous.

Unfortunately obese person frequently lack the will power to do anything that control appetite, and if they don’t spend a reasonable period pressing the point, the points, of course, will not help.

Fig. 51
Wrist-hand point 11
Pericardium 6
Located on the palm side of the forearm three fingerbreadth above the middle of the wrist crease. See also fig. 26