THE TCM WAY TO SLIM DOWN

Acupuncture, cupping, Chinese herbal medicine and even abdominal massages can help you achieve a more shapely body in a safer, gentler way.

Crash diets, over-exercising (weekend warriors, that’s you) and being hooked up to dubious machines – these are the kind of negative issues that come to mind whenever the word “slimming” is mentioned.

And even when you manage to shed some inches with these methods, it’s usually a loss of excess water and for the short-term, or you injure yourself from strenuous exercises and then never set foot in a gym again.

To get a more svelte body with long-lasting results, start off with a healthy body rst. This is why leading traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic chain Ma Kuang Healthcare Group, which has been in Singapore for 18 years, believes in using TCM to strengthen your body’s natural constitution and improve your health so that those extra kilos stay off for longer.

In fact, Ma Kuang even set up MKB TCM Wellness Centre – there are two in Singapore – to help customers with weight issues and body wellness. MKB offers consultations with a Singapore-registered TCM physician who can advise you on the most ideal customised slimming treatment or a combination of a few types, such as cupping, massotherapy (tui na), acupuncture, scraping (gua sha) and prescription of Chinese medicine. These are said to rebalance your qi (your body’s energy ow), improve circulation, and regulate your body’s natural ability to get rid of excess water, waste and toxins. When these are done, you can lose weight safely and effectively. In particular, when acupuncture is used for slimming purposes, it can also target other health concerns you may have. The bonus: You’re free of the side effects that medicinal drugs could cause, including palpitations and dizziness. Plus, stimulating certain acupoints reportedly suppresses your appetite so you won’t have to resort to crazy, tortuous diets. (Ma Kuang physician can also dish out dietary advice when necessary.) Other highly recommended speciality treatments at Ma Kuang MKB TCM Wellness Centre include Abdominal Detox Massage, which doesn’t cause any discomfort, as well as Therapeutic Lymphatic Bust Massage, which is said to enhance circulation and drainage in breast tissue.