Wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and a smooth finish to the fall season. As the holiday season begins to settle into our hearts and minds, we are reminded of the importance of caring for our health and wellbeing so that we can enjoy the times ahead to be spent with our families and friends. We all know, the holidays can be a time of both great joy and great stress. We have provided you with some notes and tips on stress and self-care during the holiday season.

Stress has a widespread affect on our body that can be mapped throughout our various bodily systems. Indeed, in reaction to stresses our body activates the sympathetic nervous system and moves us into a fight or flight response as it perceives the stress as a potential dangerous threat. It causes the heart to beat faster, the muscles to tense, and the vessels to contract. If the stress is constant and too much, it may result in a heightened state of awareness and put strain on our body’s other functions like the digestive system, cardiovascular system, immune system, etc.

Acupuncture is a natural way to balance energy and correct our body’s response to stress. This ancient form of medicine is used to release tension by focusing on the specific meridians of the heart and liver, internal organs that are targeted for stress. Research has found that acupuncture release more endogenous opioid in brain against serotonin which is produced by stress may be a mechanism for acupuncture effect on anxiety and depression. As a result, this chemical rebalance occurs in our body the natural way, without medication!

There are several studies which have shown the efficacy of acupuncture as a treatment for stress. Researcher Shu-Ming Wang, MD, at the Yale University School of Medicine performed a study in which 43 mothers were randomly chosen to get auricular acupuncture 30 minutes before their child went into surgery. The study concluded that the stress level of the acupuncture group decreased by 66% while the stress level of the non-acupuncture group actually increased by 10%. Interestingly, there was also significantly less anxiety in children who’s mothers received auricular acupuncture to reduce anxiety when they were tested entering the operating room. After the surgery was over, 51% of the auricular acupuncture-group mothers asked to keep the needles in place.

While acupuncture is one great way to calm our body’s reaction to stress, other treatments such as yoga, meditation, a healthy diet, and the use of herbal supplements can also be effective. Chinese herbal formulas, such as “xiao yao wan” and “shu gan wan” are good at treating stress.

With an eye for self-care and an understanding of ways to effectively help ourselves, we can transition into the holiday season well prepared for the stresses that may arise. We would be happy to answer any questions for you and wish you all a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Guangli Xu, Ac. Lic