The Many Dimensions of the Kidney

Acupuncturists understand the body as a complex system of energy systems, meridians and organs. However, when an acupuncturist talks about an organ, like the spleen, heart or kidneys, they are not referring to the physical organ that sits inside your body, but rather the energetic side of these organs. The energetic system is much bigger than just the physical organ, and governs certain functions in the body on many levels.

The kidney system is one of the most important of these energetic organ systems.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the kidneys represent the deepest, most fundamental levels of energy in the human body. They are said to be the root of yin and yang in the body - two fundamental forces at play in our physiology. The kidneys also store a substance called “essence” that is our genetic code, our life force and our reproductive ability.

The kidneys in Chinese Medicine are related to the water element, which is the elemental energy of winter. Whereas many energy systems are all about movement, the kidneys are about rest, relaxation, rejuvenation - they are the energy of holding, of turning inward, of protecting that which is most important. Think of still reflecting pools, or a quiet winter night. These are kidney energy. The kidneys are often referred to in Chinese Medicine as our “root” - they are tasked with caring for the most precious parts of us that make us who we are.

On a physical level, the kidneys govern the water passageways within the body (appropriate being the water element!) as well as controlling growth and reproduction. In a five element understanding of Chinese Medicine, the kidneys are at the end of the life cycle, before rebirth occurs again (such as winter making way for spring.) This means the kidneys in particular have a vital role to play in end of life transitions.

The spirit aspect of the kidneys is called Zhi, or willpower. Again, the kidneys are our root, our fundamental and core energy. When that system is weakened, a person may not feel drive, motivation or have the ability to push themselves. Their understanding of who they are and what they can do has been diminished.

The emotion associated with the kidneys is fear. When the kidneys are weak, a person may be startled or frightened easily, or may experience fear in disproportionate ways. Likewise, shock, trauma and fearful situations weaken the kidney energy, which is why many of the common symptoms of PTSD have a kidney imbalance at their root. The person’s core has been shaken.

The kidney energy, being the deepest level of energy in the body, takes time to replenish and strengthen, which means patience is key. Also, the kidney energy naturally declines over the life cycle, which is the normal aging process. So as we age, protecting the kidneys becomes all the more important!

Nourish the Kidneys through Food

Being associated with the water element, the kidneys are nourished by foods that come from the water - fish, seaweeds and shellfish are nourishing to this system. The kidneys are associated with the salty taste, so naturally salty foods such as miso or millet also are good choices. Avoid foods that are damaging to your root energy, such as sugar, caffeine, alcohol, greasy foods and highly-processed foods.

Nourish the Kidneys through your habits

The kidneys are damaged by overwork, too much responsibility, lack of sleep and a frenetic schedule. In other words, most of us living in modern society are taxing our kidneys! This means it is all the more important to carve out time and space to take part in kidney-nourishing habits.

As we mentioned, the kidneys are nourished through rest and rejuvenation. Pay attention to your sleep, and be sure you are getting the hours that you need! Take a nap in the day if you need it. Engage in gentle, relaxing forms of exercise, like yoga or tai chi. Try meditation or guided visualizations to calm and center yourself. Find a schedule that works - one that really works - for you.

Bring the water element into your life and your home by getting a small decorative fountain, using essential oils, taking baths or spending time near rivers or oceans or other bodies of water.

The kidneys, being the source of our reproductive strength, are also weakened by excessive sexual activity. So go for quality over quantity.

The kidneys represent what makes you, you. So take the time to give them the support they need!

6 Alternative Treatments to Help with Arthritis

Arthritis is common term to label joint pain in the body.  There are over 100 different types of arthritis that a person can have in their body.  Some common symptoms are swelling, pain, decreased range of motion and stiffness.  Whatever you're type of arthritis, there are ways to minimize your discomfort with acupuncture and massage being among them.  Schedule your appointment today.    

Exercise

For those with arthritis, exercise, no matter how little you do, is one of the best natural treatments. For those with severe arthritis, even the smallest amount of walking can make a difference. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for those with arthritis because it puts the least amount of impact on the joints. Strengthening exercises are also recommended to keep muscles and joints strong.

Acupuncture

One of the most common reasons people seek out acupuncture is for arthritis relief. Acupuncture can help relieve pain from arthritis and increase blood flow and circulation, reducing inflammation. Through the specific placement of needles on acupuncture points on the body, acupuncture realigns the body back to balance.

Capsaicin Cream

Made from the chemical that gives chili peppers their heat, Capsaicin cream has been known to relieve arthritis pain. The cream works by decreasing the body’s pain receptors and as a result, lessening the overall pain caused by arthritis. The cream can be bought without a prescription at your local drug store.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is beneficial for numerous reasons, one of them being its anti-inflammatory properties. Because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, trials have found that the oil can reduce morning stiffness and the need for pain medication for those with arthritis. Fish oil is a supplement that is safe and recommended to take every day for the most beneficial effects.

Mind-Body

Mind-body techniques like meditation, relaxation and tai chi have been seen to improve overall quality of life for those with arthritis. Tai Chi is a martial art that involves slow, easy movements along with deep breathing. This exercise can improve the body’s motion and physical fitness without being too demanding on the joints and muscles. Although meditation and relaxation do not necessarily reduce pain, they have been found to improve mood and health in arthritis patients dealing with chronic pain.

Diet

Studies have shown that some patients benefit from changes in their diet by eliminating food that may contribute to their arthritis pain. By removing allergens from the diet, overall inflammation can be reduced. Common diets that have been seen to be beneficial include a mediterranean diet rich in nuts, fish, vegetables, fruit and olive oil. Foods that are not recommended include red meat and dairy as those can cause inflammatory reactions.

Sources:

http://bit.ly/1YtHTib

New location

I just moved my family and my business across the country from Washington State to Delaware.  We are starting to finally settle in our new home.  My office is now set up and I can start treating massage clients only.  My acupuncture license is pending at this time.

Unfortunately, not many insurances cover massage therapy. I would be glad to check your benefits for you to find out if you plan will cover massage.  Thank you.

Long Time

It's been awhile since I posted last.  I moved my office to South Lake Union and absolutely love it.  I am no longer in a cave of a treatment room.  I have a wall of windows and soo much room.  Yes I even danced around with all of the space.  I've been here for 3 months now and love just being here and present in my space.  It doesn't hurt at all that the building overlooks the water.  My room doesn't have a water view, but doesn't matter since the blinds are drawn anyway.  I can keep an eye on your car in the parking lot! :)

Some other changes...I have online scheduling that is absolutely fabulous.  Now you don't have to wait for a call back, just look online to what is available and book it.  It is instantly confirmed and the calender runs in real time so no delays or waiting for a confirmation email.  Saturdays are closed until my regulars book their times.  If spaces are still free, I open the day to whomever wants it.  

I have added a shop link on my website through Amazon.  There are a few product recommendations listed on there.  I also started a small retail area in the waiting room.

I love feedback of what you like and what you don't.  I also love testimonials.  I need to add some to my web site.  I thank you for your time reading and your continued support.  

Hope all is well and enjoy the summer that we are finally having.
Live Well
Love Much
Laugh Often

Japan and Radiation

My heart goes out to everyone affected by everything that Japan has been going through.  This seems to be a nightmare that doesn't want to stop.  Living on the west coast, we are now in danger of radiation from the nuclear power plant explosions.  I have come across two very informative posts about radiation and potassium iodide.  Hope you are ready for some reading and information overload.
To your health.
Amber
*****************

Tamara Cullen ND, the founder of Naturopathic Family Medicine,  has this blog posted on her site that talks about potassium iodide.  I have a professional relationship with Dr Cullen and hold her in very high regards.

http://www.naturopathicfamilymedicine.com/blog.htm

Naturopathic Family Medicine Blog

Radiation Toxicity: What You Need to Know about the use of Potassium Iodide

The following excerpt is from my colleague,  Dr. Suzann Wang, in Monterrey, CA (with a few additions by us).

 In the wake of the Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and resulting nuclear reactor explosions many of us on the West Coast are wondering how to protect ourselves from any future radiation exposure. Our exposure can come by way of Japan’s nuclear problem and its fallout brought to us via the jetstream and winds.  The biggest concern that you need to be aware of is the possible risk of cancers, especially thyroid cancer from nuclear fall-out. So far, the risk to Americans and Canadians is very little since the nuclear reactors have mostly been contained by the heroic nuclear experts in Japan.  However, in the interest of emergency preparedness I thought I would address the use of Potassium Iodide tablets and why it would help protect your thyroid from cancer.

Many of us know that iodine is the main mineral that is used by the thyoid to integrate into the formation of thyroid hormone. The lower your iodine levels are in your body, the more likely that your body will absorb and utilize radioactive iodine from nuclear fall-out.  The use of iodized salt has helped minimize the formation of goiters or enlarged thyroid as a result of low iodine levels historically but this alone is not sufficient to protect your body from absorbing radioactive iodine.

Enter potassium iodide or its scientific abbreviation KI.  Potassium iodide has long since been given as a preventative measure for protecting people from thyroid cancer after nuclear accidents. It’s usefulness has been especially noted after the Chernobyl nuclear accident where the risk of thyroid cancer has become an epidemic since the 1986 disaster.  In adjacent Poland where KI emergency therapy was instituted there seems to have been no increase in thyroid cancer incidence.  Potassium Iodide has an immediate protective effect for people who are at risk for inhaling radioactive iodine. Too, it is helpful in the longer term during exposure from foods that have had radioactive iodine and strontium contamination. Dr. David Brenner of the Center for Radiological research at Columbia University believes that had people exposed to Chernobyl’s fall-out been told to stop consuming dairy products, this would have significantly reduced the incidence of thyroid cancers and leukemia caused by radiation exposure they are now experiencing.  Dr. Brenner explains that KI prevents the thyroid from absorbing the toxic radioactive iodine but that in the long run 98% of radiation exposure is from the settling of radioactive particles onto the food our food sources consume. Our exposure to radioactive iodine is mostly indirect primarily due to consumption of dairy products which are derived from radioactively contaminated grass and is concentrated in the milk of cows and other milk producing animals. Also fruits and vegetables sourced near a nuclear accident location is also important to avoid due to radioactive contamination.

The American Thyroid Association recommends taking KI 12-24 hours prior to radioactive exposure at a full dose of 130 mg per adult and 65 mg for children between ages 3 and 18 and 32 mg for children between ages 1 and 3.  This dose should then be repeated every 24 hours as long as radiation is in the environment.  In truth, the FDA has published a statement saying that children as young as 1 month can be given the full adult dose of 130 mg.  Absolute precision in dosing of KI is not necessary except for the very young (under 1 month of age).  Please note that the CDC states that pregnant and breastfeeding women of infants and newborns should not repeat dosing and should instead be evacuated from the area.

Check your news channels for potential radiation exposure for your area and take your iodine tablets if your area is at risk for high radiation levels. Start taking your doses of iodine/iodide about 24-48 hours before fallout arrives to your area, and repeat dosing every 24 hours. Remember, that kids are much more susceptible than adults over 40, when the development of thyroid cancer diminishes.

************************************

If you are still with me, I have another blog post.   This one is from a recommendation from an old classmate of mine.   I do not know this author, but she had some very good  information. 

http://www.facebook.com/notes/brie-wieselman/nucear-fallout-from-japan-radiation-and-the-west-coast/10150117668613106

Nucear Fallout from Japan, Radiation, and the West Coast

by Brie Wieselman on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 6:13pm

          In the past week I have been bombarded by questions from clients and loved ones about how to deal with potential radiation fallout from nuclear disaster in Japan. As of Wednesday, new, worsening problems are being reported in 2 more out of 6 reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant, and it is being considered a very serious problem in Japan, due to leaking of radioactive material into the environment.  Attempts to cool the reactors with seawater to prevent them from melting seem to be failing.  Radioactive Iodine and Ceasium have been detected in the region surrounding the plant; iodine accumulates in receptor sites in the thyroid gland, and ceasium affects soft tissues.  Radioactive iodine decays pretty quickly—most of it will be gone within a month.  Radioactive ceasium clears from the body within about a week, but can stay in the environment for 30 years and continue to cause problems. Levels of radiation as high as 400 millisieverts per hour have been recorded at the plant itself, but most reports are showing that on average the level at the plant since the earthquake have been around 10 millisieverts or less.—15 millisieverts is equal to one abdominal CT scan.   Exposure to levels around 400 millisieverts for several hours could cause radiation sickness.  

            At this point, while there is risk for leaked radiation to cross the pacific and reach us here on the California coast, in order for the levels that reach us to be high enough to warrant alarm, there would have to be catastrophic release of radiation in Japan. Even then, it would take 5-15 days to migrate here, and would still dissipate largely in it’s migration across the water.   That said, Dr. James Thrall, radiologist-in-chief at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and president of the American College of Radiology, said recently that  “anything more than about 50 millisieverts may be cause for alarm, including the use of potassium iodide pills to mitigate exposure.” The radiologist claims that studies conducted after the atomic bombing of Japan during World War II showed those exposed to 50 millisieverts or more of radiation were at increased risk for leukemia and cancer. 

          As of 3 days ago, health food stores throughout the west coast have completely sold out of Potassium Iodide due to the rush of people wanting to protect themselves.  As a healthcare practitioner, this is concerning to me, because while it is a “natural” substance, available over the counter, it should also not be administered in the doses needed for this kind of radiation protection without the observation of a medical professional.  Here are some of the reasons why:

The doses needed (taken daily for up to 2 weeks) to protect your thyroid from taking up radioactive iodine are as follows:

                          Birth to 1 year 65mg daily (1/2 IOSAT tablet)

                          Age 1 to Adult 130mg daily (One IOSAT tablet)

              The reason this works is basically that if all the receptor sites in your thyroid gland are saturated with iodine, they can’t take up the radioactive iodine that would compete for the same sites. 

(Here is an explanation of why Iodine Tablets are distributed by the government when radiation toxicity is a danger:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/03/14/134533079/why-iodine-tablets-come-out-when-radiation-threatens)

              However, it is not natural for our thyroid to have every site filled with iodine molecules, and this can rapidly promote overstimulation of the gland and too much thyroid hormone activity in our bodies. "Taking high doses of iodine can itself have adverse effects, including causing abnormalities of thyroid function,” said Dr. Alan Gaby, the author of the textbook, “Nutritional Medicine.” “Personally, I would not take a large dose of iodine without any clear evidence of radiation exposure. 

                  For people with hyperthyroidism, this is a big, big problem.   For most people with low thyroid, which happens from a variety of causes, this can actually be a really destructive thing as well.  For people with thyroid disease in their family, who don’t yet exhibit signs of thyroid disorder, or who haven’t yet been diagnosed, this can trigger the onset of symptoms related to thyroid problems.  In short, there are a huge number of undiagnosed people that these types of problems affect, walking around in the general public, who may chose to preemptively dose themselves with Potassium Iodide without understanding the proper time to use it or proper dosage guidelines, and may inadvertently cause themselves some problems! 

               The second issue is that the doses mentioned above are about 10-100 times the doses recommended on products available thru your natural food store.  1 Milligram equals 1000 micrograms.   So, in the event that radiation levels rise here on the west coast to the point that we do need to take Potassium iodide as radiation protection, it is important to understand how much to take and for how long.  Food sources, such as iodized salt or sea vegetables, simply don’t contain enough actual iodine molecules to thoroughly and continuously saturate the receptors in your thyroid gland.

The other issue is that while Potassium iodide will protect you from radioactive iodine, in the event of a nuclear disaster, there are many other types of radioactive isotopes that are released into the atmosphere:

Element

Isotope(s)

Half Life

Properties

Accumulates (bHL)

Associated with

Iodine

131

8 days

dissolves in water

thyroid (~100 days)

thyroid cancer

Cesium

137

30 years

dissolves in water

everywhere

cancer of liver, kidneys, pancreas

Strontium

90

29 years

mimics calcium in body

bones, teeth (30 years)

leukemia

Plutonium

Various

Up to 83 million years

inhaled; P-241 decays to Am-241

liver (20 yrs) bones (50 yrs)

various cancers

Americium

241

430 years

inhaled or ingested in food, water

liver (20 yrs) bones (50 yrs)

various cancers

Sources: Environmental Protection Agency; Argonne National Laboratory

Note: bHL stand for biological half-life.

The final issue is side effects! 

Here are some of the possible side effects from taking iodine at these doses:  

acne, loss of appetite, or upset stomach (especially during the first several days, as the body adjusts to the medication), fever, weakness, unusual tiredness, swelling in the neck or throat, mouth sores, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, irregular heartbeat, numbness or tingling of the hands or feet, or a metallic taste in the mouth.

                 Everyone is exposed to some amount of radiation, daily.  If you fly on airplanes, use a cell phone,  or lay in the sunshine, you are absorbing radiation.  Short of an emergency with actual reported high levels of measured radiation, I do not advise starting KI at this time.  In the meantime, there are things we can do that in my opinion are more reasonable, to protect ourselves from radiation in general.  Believe it or not, hot, soapy water, rinses radioactivity acquired from the air, off of your skin. One of the first things they do with people near the plants who they measure and find high levels of exposure, is wash them off with soap and hot water, (in a shower, not a bath) so the water rinses off of their body.    Eleuthero, or Siberian Ginseng, lessens the effects of radiation on the body. This is used often with people who are undergoing radiation or chemo to protect their bodies from the toxic side effects, and in fact, was handed out to citizens during the catastrophic nuclear spill at Chernobyl to help protect them.  Reishi mushroom prevents cellular damage. Besides having profound anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, tumor & cancer preventive actions, it also has radio protective properties.  In studies in Japan, mice treated with a compound found in shiitake mushrooms prior to radiation exposure were found to have complete protection from lowered blood cell counts normally caused by radiation exposure.  And Cordyceps has been proven to protect bone marrow and intestinal lining specifically from the effects of radiation exposure.  Supplementing with these botanicals and increasing the amount of seaweeds you eat in the next several weeks will offer you a good deal of protection from low level drift, and in the unlikely event that the west coast ends up in a crisis where Potassium iodide dosing is necessary, these herbs will offer you multifaceted extra defense.   Please call my office if you need assistance getting a hold of any of these medicinals.

Love and Light,

Brie



Mommy, my head hurts...

Headaches are something that everyone can relate with.  We all have had one at some point in our lives.  For many people, headaches are an everyday occurrence and people chose to just live with it.  The majority of headaches are benign and vascular (blood and lymph) constriction and/or muscular contractions and will ease with time.  The other percent are more severe and require medical attention. Usually headaches are your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong somewhere else, other than the head.  Well minus head injury and trauma.  Headaches can feel tight, tense, empty, heavy, achy, sharp or travel throughout your head.   ­Headaches are frequently a symptom of numerous ailments such as tension, depression, allergies, hypertension, anxiety, and colds. 

My daughter, who is 7, was just complaining of a headache the other day.   She was so confused as to why her head was hurting.  She told me where the pain was then I was able to explain to her what was going on.  My baby girl was dehydrated from being sick and agreed to drink a bunch of water.  Knowing the location of your headaches can tell you what’s going on with your body.  I’m writing about a few common occurrences and locations for headaches.  Headaches can make your head ache anywhere and this is just a intro on the subject.  Migraines are a whole other story. 

Let’s start with the headaches from head colds.  Usually the pain in located in the back of the head and neck region and can be sharp, achy, travel up and even heavy feeling.  Colds usually cause body aches, so a headache during this is not uncommon.  Usually heat will help ease the pain and give temporary relief, but not always depending on your cold symptoms.    If you have an acute cold, then you don’t want to get a massage.  Massage increases circulation therefore it can push your illness further into your body.  Acupuncture is very good for boosting the immune system to fight a cold as well as the aches with it. 

Muscle tension headaches often present the same way where they occur in the back of the neck.  For these types, heat usually helps relieve the tension as well as your typical over the counter pain relievers.  The muscle tension headaches also tend to have shoulder tightness and stress due to whatever happens to be going on.  In this case, both massage and acupuncture are very much recommended.

Stress headaches can of course cause back and neck tension which is what is causing the head pain.  Stress or anger can bring on and make headaches worse.  Stress headaches are typically located in your temples, between your hairline and eyes and/or behind only one eye.  These can be achy or sharp or travel to other parts of your head.   My previous blog post is all about stress if you want to learn more about that.   Sometimes you can get nausea and/or vomiting with the stress headaches. 

Allergies can also promote headaches causing heaviness, dizziness and traveling pain throughout the head.  Usually if it’s allergies, your sinuses around your nose are sore and achy causing the headache to travel to the forehead and up and around. 

Many women experience headaches around their menstrual cycle.  Typically before the cycle, the headaches are dull and achy while on your cycle, they can be sharp and fixed in location.  After your cycle is over, you can also experience headaches.  Your body just shed blood, so it is energetically deficient which can cause dull empty feeling aches and fatigue.     

The last headache that I will write about is frontal headaches.   When it is across your forehead, it is usually due to dehydration or lack or food from low blood sugar.  Drink some water and/or eat something and see if your headache improves. 

While most of this is remedial, I hope you found something useful.  I have always found it helpful to think about the location and then why I am having the headache.  Then I can proceed to get rid of the headache without dealing with medications.  Some medications actually have headaches listed as a side effect.  I keep trying to listen what my body is telling me rather than masking it with a pill.  There are so many types of headaches and the location really can be anywhere in the head.  I just wrote about a few common general types of headaches.  Headaches can also change in intensity and be debilitating.  Work on controlling the environment around you, low light, soothing music and don’t have a lot of noise going on around you.  If something feels wrong or your headache doesn’t go away, please see your medical provider to look into further.  It could be your body’s way of saying something more severe in going on.  In all the above instances, acupuncture can help to lessen the pain in the head and sometimes take it away completely.  Massage is also good for all the headaches except if you have an acute cold.  You can also try some self massage by rubbing circles on your temples.  Stretching your neck and shoulders can help alleviate tension. 

In health.

A little thing called stress...

We all know what stress is, but do we know what it does to the body?  When stress suddenly hits, your brain goes into fight or flight mode.  When this happens, your adrenal glands release epinephrine and cortisol into your body.  Epinephrine is also known as adrenaline and it increases your heart rate, constricts blood vessels and dilates air passages.  The downside of it is that it can also cause headaches, palpitations and anxiety.  Cortisol increases blood sugar and suppresses the immune system.  It also converts protein to energy and releases stored sugars to give our bodies fuel to face the task ahead.  Both hormones return to normal after the short term stressor is over.  Stress also slows down digestion to conserve your energy and your muscles tense up so ensure you are on your toes and ready to fight or run.  It would be optimal if we all had temporary stress.  The effects are minimal and our bodies are able to handle stress short term.  Like life, everything is a balance, some good and some bad.

Now what happens if the stress is chronic and doesn’t go away?  This is where we start to have complications in our body.  Our little adrenal glands get exhausted by constantly releasing epinephrine and cortisol in response to the stress.  When this occurs, the adrenal function is impaired.  The adrenals are busy making high levels of cortisol, so it interrupts the regulation of the hormones estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.  For women this can change and disrupt your menstrual cycle making shorter, longer periods or no period at all.  Since your adrenal glands are busy constantly releasing hormones from chronic stress, adrenal fatigue sets in.  This can lead to weight gain, digestive issues, fatigue, insomnia, depression, anxiety, mood swings, neck and back pain, tension headaches, migraines and fuzzy thinking.  If this continues the adrenal fatigue will turn into adrenal exhaustion and that is where the serious health concerns show up.  An adrenal imbalance can also cause osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, depression, infertility, anxiety, arthritis, and many more. 

This is just a general introduction to stress and the effects it has with the adrenal glands.  There are still many more symptoms that can arise from high stress that affect other parts of your body.  Years ago, I had a shingles outbreak when my stress was too high that my body pretty much freaked out.  I now have a constant reminder of stabbing back pain when my stress levels rise over what my body can handle.  Whatever the symptom is, chronic stress does nothing good for your body and needs to be controlled. 

Chinese medicine has their own take on stress and how it affects your body.  It focuses on the emotions created along with the physical symptoms that are feeling.  When you get stressed you may feel anger, frustration, fear and/or worry.  In moderation all emotions are a normal process of the body.  When in excess, like chronic stress, your body becomes imbalanced and illness arises.  Each of these emotions are attached to an organ and have their own set of symptoms.  For example, when anger sets in, it interrupts the liver and its ability to maintain the free flow of qi throughout the body.  This causes the qi to be blocked and stagnation occurs leading to neck and back pain.  When this happens, the symptoms of chest pain, stifling sensation in the chest, muscle spasms, eye strain and headaches can occur.

Acupuncture can’t take your stress away, but it can help alleviate your symptoms.   These energy blockages can be addressed to dissipate the stagnation to relieve pain and allow your energy to flow smoothly again.  In terms of Western medicine, acupuncture alleviates stress by releasing endorphins, natural pain killers to relax muscles.  Acupuncture also decreases your heart rate, lowers blood pressure and increases blood circulation which can help to flush out cortisol and other toxins. 

Now that we know what stress does to your body, how do we lower our stress and prevent adrenal fatigue?  If you feel like you are experiencing longer episodes of fatigue, moody, emotionally off, or having difficulty losing weight with proper diet and exercise, then you can get your adrenal glands tested.  Some other ways to help your adrenals is to get plenty of rest.  Your body needs to relax and heal.  Mild to moderate exercise like taking a walk and eating a healthy diet full of leafy green vegetables will also help your body.  Take more time for you and appreciate yourself.  Reduce stimulants like caffeine and processed sugars and carbohydrates.  We all know that exercise, yoga and meditation can help lower stress, but you have to actually do it.  Work on deep breathing techniques.  Breathe from your belly and diaphragm instead of the shallow breathing that involuntarily occurs with stress.  This can help to relax your brain and your muscles.  Take time to appreciate the good in your life and environment.  Start focusing on the good instead of the negative. Slow down and enjoy the little things.  Stress makes life pass us by because people let the obsession over take our bodies and minds.  The power of intention and visualization has done wonders for many people.  Visualize that you are succeeding.  Visualize where you want to be. Start small and work up.  Now what do you need to do to get there?  Talk to someone, anyone.  Sometimes just talking about it and getting it off your chest can make a huge impact.  Try to just go with the flow.  Let a book or a movie take you away.  Get in touch with hobbies and things that you enjoy to do to take your mind off the stress. We know that doing nothing is not making the stress go away.  Change what is not working and learn to see what does work for you.   Last but not least, don’t ever forget to smile and laugh.  That little change will make a huge difference.  

Getting your mind and body in a better frame of reference will make a huge difference in your reaction to stress.  You can also supplement with adrenal support herbs and vitamins like B complex.  Rescue remedy is also an excellent anti stress/anxiety homeopathic resource.  I keep my bottle in my purse at all times and I even fly with it.   Calm magnesium powder is also very good for relaxing your muscles to help lower stress. 

A good thing to know is what your stressors are.  Find the triggers.   If you know something is going to happen that will stress you out, try preparing your body.  Schedule that massage, acupuncture or spa day that you have been putting off.  

Here’s a link to take a test to see what stress relievers work best for you.

http://stress.about.com/library/reliever_personality_test/bl_stress_reliever_personality_test.htm

Just remember that stress affects everyone and we all react differently.  Stress is a normal occurrence in life, but it all depends on how you manage it.  Try your best to control your stress and don’t let it overcome you.  If you feel like you cannot manage your stress, then seek help.  There are many resources out there.  You just need to ask.  Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out what works for you.  Just remember that you deserve that me time and you should definitely take advantage of those mental health days.

 

Be well and keep smiling.