Acupuncture Aids Anorexics and Bulimics

Eating disorders can be savage, secret conditions, ranging from anorexia and bulimia to obsessive-compulsive overeating. These disorders affect close to one million Americans of both genders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Conventional treatments for eating disorders commonly include years of intensive, cognitive therapy. But good news is on the forefront of treating eating disorders with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Depression and anxiety are mental illnesses that commonly accompany anorexia and bulimia. Numerous studies have linked the beneficial effects of acupuncture with relief from mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

This week, more supportive research comes from Guo Ke Ren who administered acupuncture on 30 anorexics for 30 minutes. The promising results indicated that 25 of the 30 patients reported a significant improvements in their case. The authors of the study do note that other factors may have contributed to the improvement in addition to the acupuncture treatments.

Stay tuned for more follow up reports on this exciting research that may provide an alternative cure for eating disorders.