Lotus Spring Acupuncture

Most of us can attest to the fact that stress is reaching epidemic proportions in modern society.  Balancing work, family, health, money, church and preparing a speech is a challenge that many of us feel ill equipped to face.  Eighty percent of the doctor visits in our country are stress related.  Our quality of life and health is largely determined by how we adapt and relate to daily stressors.  Excessive stress not only takes its toll on our bodies, strips the joy out of life and suppresses our creative instincts.  Without physical health, joy, and creativity, life is scarcely worth living.  Dissolving stress is certainly possible but takes a commitment to making lifestyle choices that creates balance throughout our lives.  Here are a few ancient techniques for eliminating stress, increasing energy, and creating emotional balance.  These are some of the most powerful tools we have for achieving optimal health and preventing future disease.

 1)       Meditation:  Practiced for thousand of years in many Asian cultures, mediation has been recognized as one of the most powerful tools we have for cultivating peace of mind and balance.  Numerous studies have proven the incredible positive effect that meditation has on stress reduction.  There are literally hundreds of meditation techniques taught around the world.  For beginners, the most helpful approach is the start with basic mindfulness techniques that develop both relaxation and alertness.  Once a basic ground of awareness has been stabilized, practices can be undertaken.  Meditation is a practice that helps us identify with stillness and silence.  It cultivates intuition and surrender.  It can deeply help just about anybody, but is truly a miraculous practice for reducing stress and anxiety. 

 

2)       Therapeutic Massage Therapy:  It is one of the best antidotes for stress.  Massage therapy has been around for thousands of years to promote relaxation, relieve muscle tensions, increase circulation, and boost the body’s immune system which may have been compromised by stress.  There are many different forms of therapeutic massage.  I recommend meditation or deep breathing while receiving therapeutic massage to promote deep relaxation and stillness. 

 

3)      Acupuncture:  One of the pillars of traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture has been practiced for at least 2,500 years.  Perhaps one of the last truly holistic forms of healthcare remaining on the planet, acupuncture works with body’s healing capacity in order to induce a variety of therapeutic effects.  The safety and efficacy of practice are well documented which accounts for its incredible surge in popularity in the Western world.  Acupuncture is considered one of the most powerful treatment options for stress reduction.  Only seek acupuncture treatment from licensed acupuncturists (as opposed to chiropractors or MD’s who practice acupuncture).

 

4)      Herbal medicine:  There are a variety of both Chinese and Western herbal formulas that have been clinically proven to reduce stress and created emotional balance.  Herbs are much less concentrated than pharmaceutical, which is why they have far less side effects (but can still be as effective).  Many acupuncturists can skillfully prescribe herbal formulas.  This is recommended over buying herbs over the counter with little knowledge of the intended usage.  

 

5)      Nutrition:  Eating a diet high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and low glycemic carbon-hydrates can go a long way toward healing stress.  The standard American diet (high in processed foods, saturated fat, sugar, and trans-fats) has been linked to anxiety, depression, and increased stress in numerous studies.  Change your diet to an organic, whole foods approach and both your body and mind will reward you beyond measure.  Poor adaptability to stress is often a sign that our brain are starving for nutrients that we aren’t getting from our standard American diets.

 

Making these lifestyle changes may not be easy in the initial phases.  It is often helpful to seek out the support of a health care practitioner to guide you through these transitions.  Once you start feeling the enormous payoff of making such changes, there is truly no turning back.  Your stress will dissolve, your weight will decrease and your energy will skyrocket, not to mention the preventative measures you are taking for heart health.  Isn’t that enough to warrant making a few changes?   

 

 

 

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