A common question I am often asked is whether acupuncture can help with weight loss. The answer is a qualified “maybe”. The qualifier is the source of the weight. If an individual is overweight due to over-eating, acupuncture can help to relieve the cravings for specific foods, but there are no magic needles to shrink fat cells. We can stimulate the metabolism and maximize the body’s use of the food it receives, but self-control will remain necessary in order to lose weight. The approach I take in treating weight loss is a holistic one. First, a history and examination must be completed to ensure that no disease processes exist, such as hypothyroidism. Then, energetic imbalances are addressed and treated with acupuncture. Finally, dietary and activity levels are addressed through patient education and physical therapy, if necessary. Many of us do not have the training to know what our body requires and when in order to maintain our ideal weight. Nutritional supplements or dietary changes are recommended to patients when necessary in order to balance the body’s metabolic processes and an appropriate personalized exercise/activity regime is developed to assist in achieving the patient’s goals.