Oriental Medicine for Weight Management

I receive a lot of calls from people wanting to lose weight with acupuncture. Somehow they expect to magically lose the weight that's been accumulating for months or even years with just acupuncture. Most western patients have been misinformed about how medicine works. They've been told that all they have to do is take a few pills each day or have a particular surgery and all will be well and good for them. Quite honestly, medicine doesn't work that way. It requires a partnership of the doctor and the patient to successfully overcome health challenges. Those patients that embrace this concept tend to have the most success. Those that depend on the doctor to do all the work will receive little or no benefit from their treatments.

Oriental medicine is amazing and profound in its ability to correct imbalances in the body that are responsible for both acute and chronic disorders and diseases. However, for most patients this involves a process that takes various commitments in order to see quantifiable results. At Meridian Harmonics we make a commitment to each patient to do everything in our power to help them overcome their particular health crisis. All we ask in return is that they do the same by adhering to our treatment plans and lifestyle recommendations.

In Oriental medicine the root of excess weight is an imbalance within the body caused by malfunctioning of the spleen and liver organ systems. Acupuncture points, as well as foods and herbs selected to assist with weight loss can directly influence the Qi of the spleen and liver systems and treat the imbalances that have caused weight gain.

The spleen is responsible for the proper functioning of the digestive system, ensuring that the food we eat is transformed into Qi, the vital substance of life. Disharmony of the spleen will result in symptoms such as fatigue, slow metabolism, water retention, loose stool and a feeling of heaviness.

The liver’s job is to keep the flow of your body’s Qi, blood and emotions running smoothly. Our modern, fast-paced lifestyle and chronic stress can negatively impact the liver’s ability to function properly and smoothly, which, in turn, can cause the spleen and the entire digestive system to function poorly. One result can be a decrease in your metabolism. Liver disharmony can also cause some of the “triggers” that lead to cravings and compulsive eating.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been shown to have positive effects on the functioning of the nervous, endocrine and digestive systems. Treatment can help with food cravings and metabolism. These functions all help energize the body, maximize the absorption of nutrients, regulate elimination, control overeating, suppress the appetite and reduce anxiety.

A Total Health Program

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine address the issues of over-eating and low metabolism with effective tools to control appetite and increase energy. Energy imbalances are corrected and the digestive and elimination processes are improved so that there is a physical shift in the body to naturally have more energy and desire less food.

By addressing both the physiological and psychological aspects of weight management concerns, acupuncture and Oriental medicine provide a comprehensive therapy for weight issues that promote better digestion, balance emotions, reduce appetite, improve metabolism and eliminate food cravings.

Each treatment is customized to the needs of the individual patient. At Meridian Harmonics we use the Pulse Matrix diagnostic system for 1) correctly determining the underlying imbalances for each patient and 2) designing robust acupuncture and herbal treatment strategies.  Acupuncture points on the body are chosen for overall well being with the objective of increasing circulation of the blood and Qi (to stimulate the metabolism) and calming the nervous system. Treatments can include a combination of auricular (ear) and body acupuncture, ear tacks or pellets to leave on between treatments, herbs and supplements, breathing exercises, and food and lifestyle recommendations.

In addition to treating the root of the imbalance within the body, different acupuncture points may be used for each treatment as different symptoms arise. For instance, if you are experiencing a desire to overeat related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) one week, then that can be addressed at that week’s appointment.

The herbs and foods that are chosen during a weight management treatment are for promoting healthy digestion, energizing the body, augmenting Qi, and improving elimination of water, toxins and waste products. Acupuncture can help improve digestion. It can also help with food absorption and the movement of food through the intestines.

Deep breathing with visualization can also strengthen will power and be used as a tool to curb hunger and cravings. Most patients report a marked decline in appetite and cravings with acupuncture treatment alone, but special herbs, healing foods and exercises can definitely enhance the efficacy of the treatments.

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are powerful tools for achieving a healthy weight, by itself or as a supportive treatment in conjunction with other weight management programs. Schedule a consultation to see how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can assist you with your weight management goals and help you to live a long, healthy life!

Meridian Harmonics

Chinese Medicine: Can This Help Treat Mental And Emotional Health Issues?

My name is Mark Tryling. I am with Meridian Harmonics Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Bedford, Texas.

I provide traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture services to various age segments of population in our local area.

Personally, my focus is in the area of women’s health, fertility treatments, pain management and treating internal medical conditions using pharmacy grade Chinese herbal medicine to replace or supplement the traditional prescription medicines of my patients. So these are some of my conditions that I address and manage on a daily basis.

Chinese medicine is very useful as a tool and a medicine that can be helpful for a whole array of emotional issues ranging from depressions, anxieties to irritability and just even common menstrual-related or post-menstrual and post-menopausal related emotional issues.

In Chinese medicine we believe that emotions are very integrated into your physical body. It is actually a two-way street. Emotional imbalances can manifest physical problems, disorders and diseases and likewise, physical ailments can manifest emotional problems. It is all based on the concept that the energies that provide all the organs and tissues with health and nourishment become irregular in their movement, stagnant or deficient. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are designed to correct and harmonize these energetic imbalances allowing the body's emotional and physical levels to naturally balance themselves without the need for long-term use of prescription drugs that simply mask the symptoms.

So a lot of time when we look at and address emotional health issues we tend to also look at how our physical body plays a role in the emotional being.

So every time when we prescribe acupuncture treatment or prescribe some herbs for patients, we always look and examine that integration issue.

So we call this an integral medicine. We believe that the emotions are very much part of our physical body, so when we treat it we look at both sides of it.

So when we look at anxiety, for example, there are certain herbs that we would use. There are certain acupuncture techniques we would use.

Chinese medicine, being and integral medicine, encompasses a variety of techniques to re-establish health and wellness. In my practice I use a multifaceted approach for each patient in order to get the results we both want. The tools I use to help each patient are acupuncture, my Chinese herbal compounding pharmacy, Chinese dietary therapy, food energetics and a unique approach to exercise. In this way I tackle each patients health issues from various angles and perspectives to get them on the road to health and wellness and stay there. I love to work with patients who like having a partner in their long-term health care.


I also help guide my patients to look at how they can have a better lifestyle in dealing with anxiety. I give them tools, give them techniques, give them things that they can do at home, in their work, that can be helpful to really manage their nervousness and their anxiety.

For example depression, which can range from mild to moderate depression situations. Not every single depression situation needs medications. I have seen many of my patients respond very nicely to Chinese medicine without having to begin or continue prescription drug therapy.

So we are trying to teach a very important aspect of emotional health to our patients. We are trying to teach our patients to have a grasp, have a grip on what they can do to manage emotional issues especially relating to depressions, how they can work with their community, their support communities such as their spouse, such as their friends who can help them go through the depressions better.

So there are things that we do to help them, so that it's not just taking a medication or doing one technique to help them, but rather looking at all the ways that could help in their lifestyle to really help their condition.

About Mark Tryling:
Mark Tryling is a Licensed Acupuncturist in the State of Texas by the Texas Medical Board and is a Diplomat of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology NCCAOM. He has been active in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) profession as well as professional organizations. He has studied and practiced a unique and powerful style of acupuncture known as Balance Method and is the only Balance Method preferred provider in North Texas. Mark Tryling is well known for his groundbreaking work in Chinese pulse diagnosis, called the Pulse Matrix, which he uses to diagnose and treat complex medical conditions. He teaches Balance Method and the Pulse Matrix to other acupuncturists. Mark Tryling is a member of the Texas Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, International Balance Method Practitioners.

Visit Mark Tryling at Meridian Harmonics