Mental Health Matters

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Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health issues worldwide.

Just as anxiety tends to disrupt routines, getting into a routine can lower anxiety. Routines allow us to be more efficient, to spend less time thinking or worrying about what needs to be done and more time just doing it. This then opens up time to relax and better enjoy our lives.

Did you know that your body is so finely tuned into a circadian rhythm that there are particular times of the day when it is better to eat, sleep and be productive? Chinese medicine sets out a guide to healthy living by living in tune with your body’s rhythms and cycles.  There are recognised two-hour periods throughout the day when qi (energy) is at its peak in each organ system and can help us think more clearly, digest better and sleep more deeply.  Creating a routine that follows this system can make life feel more predictable and provide a sense of order and control, this reduces stress and anxiety and can help you become more productive as you go with the flow of your body clock.  To find out more about how your body clock works come along to my Flow Well, Stress Less seminar that I hold regularly throughout the year. 

Chinese medicine works holistically, recognising the mind-body connection and treating the whole person – body, mind, emotions and spirit. The intention in treatment is to correct any physical imbalances that might allow your anxiety to continue.  As research continues, acupuncture is gradually being proven to be a legitimate treatment for anxiety and depression as well as many other illnesses. Research has shown that acupuncture can help ease anxiety by acting on areas of the brain known to reduce sensitivity to pain and stress, as well as promoting relaxation and deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety and worry.

In a comprehensive literature review appearing in CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics, it was proven that acupuncture is comparable to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which psychologists commonly use to treat anxiety.  Results of another experimental study on acupuncture in patients with minor depressive episodes and generalized anxiety indicated that acupuncture leads to a significant clinical improvement as well as to a remarkable reduction in anxiety symptoms.

Acupuncture generally gives immediate results of relaxation. Feelings of anxiety tend to reduce within 24 hours of treatment and with regular treatments your sense of relaxation will last longer and longer.  Often there are other health issues that contribute to your anxiety and Acupuncture can also address these issues to help reduce your anxiety.

Acupuncture provides many benefits that are important to those living with anxiety:

• Re-balancing the body’s parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight and flight) nervous system
• Reducing stress hormones in the body such as cortisol and epinephrine
• Reducing tension and promoting deep relaxation of the body
• Calming the mind and body and so improving emotional wellbeing

Chinese medicine recognises that different people require different treatments, even when suffering from the same condition. As it is a holistic medicine treatments often include acupuncture, herbs, diet and  life-style counselling. Due to the often complex interplay of both mental and physical symptoms it is also recommended that you complement your acupuncture treatments with a psychological therapy of some description.

The experience of having acupuncture is pleasant, relaxing and energizing and each treatment is tailored directly to your personal needs. Once the initial weekly treatment course is completed an ongoing wellness program of perhaps monthly treatments have been found to be of great benefit. So find your local practitioner and take another step along your road to well being today as mental health really does matter.

Spring time detox

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Spring and Autumn, the transitional seasons, are a great time for detoxifying and cleansing your body of the harmful impurities that have collected in your organs and tissues over the past months or years. Seasonal cleansing offers an important chance to decide what you want to let go of in pursuit of greater health and wellbeing.

In Chinese Medicine, spring is related to the Wood element and to the Liver and Gall bladder organs. The primary focus of the spring cleanse then is the Liver as it is the organ which does the most work during a detox. It takes pollutants out of the bloodstream and makes them safe for excretion.

As you detox, however, you also need to make sure that the rest of your body is well supported as toxins are excreted by your sweat, breath, urine, and bowels, as well as with emotional, psychological and spiritual release.

The goal of a spring cleanse is to clear away any stagnation left over from winter, lighten up your system, and make yourself more vibrant and focused in preparation for summer fun. A detox is essentially about refocusing your mind, body and palate on healthy, tasty and nutritious food to:

• lower the amount of chemicals being ingested
• provide nutrients that enhance your body’s natural processes
• support your organs of elimination in clearing toxins out of your body safely

Your body won’t release old toxins until you stop putting in new ones and make room for it’s natural process of cleansing and regeneration to occur. As stored toxins are broken down and released you might feel uncomfortable for a couple of days, this is a sign that your body is purging accumulated toxins which would have otherwise brought pain and disease. If your excretion channels are supported to function efficiently, you can successfully cleanse with few side effects.

When your body is toxic you often feel heavy and sluggish and this is can be due to a disruption in the natural flow of energy around your body. A course of Acupuncture and Herbs is a great way to support your system during a detox by

• Reducing your appetite and cravings so you can make better food choices
• Supporting the health of your liver as it works overtime during a detox
• Improving bowel movements so you can better eliminate toxins
• Encouraging better fluid metabolism so you can eliminate toxins through your kidney and bladder
• Improving blood circulation to help eliminate toxins more quickly

Dry skin brushing can also enhance the detox process, not only by allowing the release of toxins through your skin, but by moving your lymphatic system which drains and transports many waste products.

With the combination of acupuncture and change in diet your body will work more efficiently, your energy levels will be higher and you’ll have a greater sense of mental clarity.

Spring is a time of renewal and rebirth that can greatly benefit your body, mind and spirit. It is a time when energy rises and expands, providing movement and growth. This expansive energy helps to move things to the surface and expel some of the body’s burden of toxins, and this energy of upward growth means emotions and issues that have been stored away also have an opportunity to be released. One of the reasons you get a bit grumpy during a detox is that the Liver and Gall bladder govern the emotions of anger, frustration, and irritability.

Since spring is characterized by the strong energy of growth and change, you can align yourself with this energy by exercising, spending time in nature, and practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation. Since the Liver rules the free flow of qi and your lungs are also powerful movers of toxic matter these are excellent ways to allow the new energy of spring to flow unobstructed.

For more information about the best foods to support your detox as well as simple daily practices to help you look younger and feel fantastic come along to my Detox to Great Health Workshop.