Stress in Today’s World and What Oriental Medicine Has to Say About It
Stress is a big health topic in our modern world. On the Front Range, we have all felt the effects after the historic floods. It impacts all of us in our daily lives, affecting our happiness, sense of well being and our health. And it is a contributing factor, if not a leading factor in many of our modern diseases. Whenever we go through a stressful experience, our stress response (or “fight or flight”) is activated. This natural mechanism goes back to our animal brain causing a complex series of reactions in our brains, bodies and nervous systems to prepare us to deal with potentially dangerous situations.
To further protect us, these stressful situations are stored in our memory banks. Things like smell, sights, sounds and feelings are saved with these memories so that when our senses are similarly triggered, we can recognize the danger and quickly react. But in today’s world, even small stresses can stimulate these responses and our nervous systems can get stuck “on” more than “off”. Furthermore, we often use this response mechanism to deal with many of our tasks and interactions in the world. This can wear us down, affect our health and potentially bring on diseases. Fortunately, there are many things that can help us regulate this response –amongst the most powerful being acupuncture and oriental medicine.
Stress, or “fight or flight”, is a natural way we deal with periods of duress when we need a heightened response. When stress occurs, our limbic system (emotional/motor system) is stimulated. Stress triggers the hypothalamus at the base of our brain to send chemical and nerve impulses to the pituitary gland, which then communicates with the adrenal glands above our kidneys, prompting it to secrete adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones tell our bodies to increase heart rate, breathing rate, release sugar into the bloodstream to increase energy, and increase our brain’s ability to use sugar, which heightens certain brain functions.
In addition, cortisol suppresses non-vital body responses such as digestion, the reproductive system and growth. It also alters our immune response and mood. Normally, we come back down when the perceived threat ends. But in today’s world, we are in this stressed state more often than not. This taxes the body and mind and makes it more and more difficult to come back down. Over time, with our minds at a heightened state and our bodies on overdrive, we begin to see the beginnings of imbalance and chronic disease set in.
A chronically stressed brain can bring about anxiety, irritability, insomnia etc. In our bodies, we can see high blood pressure, heart disease, poor digestion, muscle tension, chronic pain, breathing issues, a suppressed immune responses, autoimmune disease, and many other diseases. We now know that our nervous systems and brains can be habituated to certain responses, hence us staying in fight or flight. But fortunately we can retrain our bodies, minds and nervous systems to react to stress in a less destructive manner. Amongst the things that can help are acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine have been treating the mind, body, and spirit for thousands of years with profound success. Oriental medicine looks at these three pillars as a whole and even their interaction with the outside world as inseparable. Stress and its effects on the body are just one more outcome of man’s connection with the universe. Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine are based on trying to create balance and harmony in the meridians. There are 12 main meridians and 8 extraordinary channels or meridians. They flow from the extremities to the torso and head, and from the head and torso back to the extremities. It’s an intricately woven system. One can think of it like a series of rivers and streams running through the body. One of the main principles is that when there is blockage in this flow, energy pools and stagnation sets in –much like a dam blocking the flow of water. Because the system is interconnected, over time everything is affected up and down stream. Once the flow is blocked, the beginnings of “Dis-ease” can set in. Anything from inside the body or outside the body can cause stagnation: stress, trauma, strong emotions, too much cold, heat, wind, damp weather exposure, poor eating habits, etc.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine use access points (acupuncture points) to open up and reestablish flow and balance in the meridian and the system overall. There are over 400 acupuncture points located all over the body. In a treatment, points are used on the various meridians affected as well as points in the specific area of complaint. One of the most amazing things about an acupuncture treatment is its unique ability to deeply relax the body, mind and nervous system. This relaxed state is what balance and harmony feel like and allows the body to start to recover, repair and rebuild –leading to greater health an vibrancy. But acupuncture is only one part of the much larger system of Oriental Medicine.
In my acupuncture and oriental medicine practice I employ all the tools in the oriental medicine arsenal. For stress, sleep, emotional complaints, etc., acupuncture and its sub system of auricular acupuncture can be used to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. The ear is a complete system of its own with all the parts of the body represented. Specific points on the outer ear are needled or small metal pellets are applied. It has a direct connection to the brain and has a strong relaxing and harmonizing affect. I also use specific essential oils on specific acupuncture points. These high quality plant based oils not only smell amazing, but have an ability to further relax, strengthen, and balance the system especially when applied to acupuncture points. Another tool I use is moxa (or mugwort), a medicinal herb whose dried leaves are applied to the skin and heated. Done in this manner, it not only increases immunity, but warms and strengthens a system that has been worn down by chronic stress.
When applicable, I look at patients’ astrological charts to give some sense of how external and internal factors are affecting you, when pressures will ease and adjust, and how to work with the forces at hand. Finally, there is the vast arsenal of Herbal medicine. The herbs are one of the pillars of the medicine. Herbs are either given as premade pills or I will individually make formulas to fit your unique needs. Given in these forms, the herbs can change our internal chemistry, strengthen weakness, disperse stagnation, clear heat and damp, help to calm us and increase our resistance to stress. I only use the highest quality herbs and all are highly tested for herbicides, pesticides and contaminants. Other techniques I bring into my practice to combat stress and all its affects on the body are meditation and imagery, dietary therapy, lifestyle changes and coaching. With this vast arsenal, we do not need to feel trapped, stuck, and unhealthy due to stress and its affects.
There are some things each of us can do to combat stress on our own. One helpful technique is finding time to breathe throughout the day –especially breathing from our bellies. In this exercise we are trying to get our bellies to expand on the inhale and let go on the exhale much like a ball inflating and deflating. The Abdomen is considered the center of energy in oriental medicine and a relaxed belly improves digestion and helps the liver to relax. In addition, about 80% of our serotonin is produced in the gut, which is a hormone that amongst other things, helps digestion, mood and allows the brain to relax. More efficient digestion allows more serotonin to be produced. Being as the abdomen is the center of Qi or energy, acupuncture is very good at improving digestion and getting the belly to relax. Physical activity and creative hobbies also go a long way in reducing stress and moving the excess liver energy that comes with it. So go exercise and pick up a fun hobby.
Another powerful tool to help us deal with our busy lives is to align our tasks with our value system. Grocery shopping could be perceived as one more stress in a busy day. It could be helpful to align your shopping with your value of devotion to family or love of good food. This then aligns your greater love with the task at hand. In examining your values you might find you are spending too much time on areas that actually are not of high priority to you. Letting these go might align you more and thus reduce your stress levels.
Finally, a well balanced diet with consistent eating habits also greatly reduces stress. When stressed, we often seek foods that provide quick energy such as sugar or heavy, greasy foods and alcohol to self medicate. In excess and in the long run they make us feel worse. In contrast, try sitting down and eating a warm cooked meal of whole grains, vegetables, and protein. You will probably find it is very grounding and relaxing. Some foods which naturally relax us are oats, wheat, celery, sweat potatoes, bananas, soups, rice, chamomile tea, spinach, broccoli, berries, and avocados. Including more of these in our diets can make us feel better.
Though stress affects all of us, there is so much we can do to adjust our response to it and mitigate its affects. Getting stressed out can wear us down and become habit, but the opposite also holds true. We can strengthen, balance, clear, and learn new ways to respond. And when going through periods of stress, whatever we can do to lessen the affects gives us a chance to take a breath and our bodies a chance to repair and recover. These are big steps in keeping us healthy in the short and long term. Our nervous systems are pliable, our minds are powerful, and our bodies have an abundant amount of untapped potential.
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