You eat right, you exercise, but just can't seem to shed those extra pounds you are aiming to lose. What's the problem?

Weight management is a complex issue. Diet and exercise are always a good starting point. However, more often than not, diet and exercise alone are insufficient, or they can be challenging for some individuals to initiate and maintain. It's not simply a matter of "willpower"; it's the fact that we are all born with unique physiological differences. 

Obesity results from issues related to energy metabolism and appetite regulation.

Factors such as genetics, hormonal imbalances, sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, and certain medical conditions can influence an individual's susceptibility to obesity.

Additionally, the regulation of appetite and metabolism is controlled by various hormones, neurotransmitters, and signaling pathways in the body. Disruptions in these regulatory systems can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

Ozempic/Wegovy operates by mimicking a naturally occurring gut hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, or GLP-1, which binds to and activates receptors in various parts of the body to enhance metabolism and regulate appetite.

Acupuncture achieves the same effects through physical stimulation rather than chemical infusion. By stimulating specific acupoints correlated with the Central Nervous System and other body systems, acupuncture therapy can trigger a series of neurophysiological responses to combat obesity.

The appropriate manipulation of acupuncture is a critical factor that determines the results, including acupuncture techniques, acupoints, depth, duration, and frequency. 

Absolutely, if done right.

The key difference lies in the treatment approach. One relies on chemical injections to compensate for the body's imbalance, while the other relies on physical stimulation to help the body restore its balance.

Chemical injections offer rapid and effective results, but they are short-lived. When you discontinue the medication, your imbalance re-emerges.

In contrast, physical stimulation supports the body's natural healing processes, which take time but provide long lasting effects. 

With the medication, you can anticipate losing 10% of your body weight within the first 32 weeks (9 months). Generally, it takes a few weeks to begin noticing weight loss effects with Ozempic. 

On the other hand, it typically takes an average of 4 acupuncture treatments to initiate weight loss. If you aim to shed 10 to 15 pounds, a common program involves 3 to 4 treatments per week for 6 to 8 weeks.

While acupuncture is generally free from notable side effects, Ozempic or Wegovy have 5 most common side effects:

Nausea

Diarrhea

Vomiting

Constipation

Abdominal (stomach-area) pain

In addition to these common side effects, headache, fatigue, and hypoglycemia have also been reported. 

Notably, adolescents treated with Wegovy experienced a higher incidence of gallbladder problems, including gallstones, low blood pressure, rash, and itching.

Acupuncture can be used to alleviate these side effects.