Magnets have been used for hundreds of years for a wide variety of health purposes, reports the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM. Magnetic rings are purported to promote weight loss when used in combination with acupressure. Acupressure is based on the same principles as acupuncture.
History
Magnets have been used historically to stop bleeding, clean wounds relieve arthritis pain and even treat baldness, reports the NCCAM. Magnets were used in the Middle Ages to retrieve iron-containing objects like arrowheads from the body. Nowadays magnets are used primarily to diminish pain caused by conditions like arthritis and fibromyalgia. Magnetic therapy has also been used on sick animals.
Considerations
Magnets are made from iron or other metals that are typically used in shoe insoles, mattresses, belts, headbands and jewelry such as bracelets and rings. Magnetic energy can be applied to the entire body or to specific areas to relieve pain. Magnetic rings are suggested to help diminish fat when placed on fat-prone areas of the body.
Claims
Magnetic rings can promote weight loss by enhancing the body's ability to manage fat while speeding up metabolic rates, asserts the website BestHomeRemedies.com. Magnetic rings are also purported to promote weight loss by helping diminish fluid retention.
Function
You wear a magnetic ring on various fingers to place physical pressure on an acupressure point or specific areas of the body where you want to lose weight, notes the website BetterHomeRemedies.com.
For example, wearing a magnetic ring on the thumb can supposedly help reduce excess fat in the face and neck. A magnetic ring worn on the ring finger can help decrease abdominal fat and one on the little finger can help reduce leg fat.
Precautions
The means by which magnets might affect the human body remain unclear. The benefits of magnetic therapy for weight loss and other uses have not been sufficiently studied, points out the website Intelihealth.com
Magnets are generally thought to be safe when applied to the skin, notes the NCCAM. In rare cases side effects may include headache, fatigue, dizziness or itching.
Outlook
Successful weight loss requires regular exercise and healthy eating habits that include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, points out the Mayo Clinic. Talk to your health care provider about the potential benefits of magnetic rings to help you lose weight.
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