Natural Methods for Stress Management

What Are the Effects of Stress?

• Every metabolic and physiological system is affected by stress.
• Oriental medicine suggests that greater than 50% of all illness is due to stress.
• Changes in hormones and neurotransmitters altering body functions.
• [see handout for 50 common signs and symptoms].

Oriental View on Emotions

Spleen

• Emotions - worry, dwelling or focusing too much on a particular topic, excessive mental work.
• Spleen Function - Food digestion and nutrient absorption. Helps in the formation of blood and energy. Keeps blood in the blood vessels. Connected with muscles, mouth, and lips. Involved in thinking, studying, and memory.
• Symptoms of Spleen imbalance - Tired, loss of appetite, mucus discharge, poor digestion, abdominal distension, loose stools or diarrhea. Weak muscles, pale lips, bruising, excess menstrual blood flow, and other bleeding disorders.

Lung

• Emotions - grief, sadness, detached.
• Lung Function – Respiration, forms energy from air and helps to distribute it throughout the body, works with the kidney to regulate water metabolism. Important in the immune system and resistance to viruses and bacteria. Regulates sweat glands and body hair, and provides moisture to the skin.
• Symptoms of Lung Imbalance - Shortness of breath and shallow breathing, sweating, fatigue, cough, frequent cold and flu, allergies, asthma, and other lung conditions, dry skin, depression and crying.

Liver

• Emotions - anger, resentment, frustration, irritability, bitterness.
• Liver Function - Involved in the smooth flow of energy and blood throughout the body, regulates bile secretion, stores blood, and is connected with the tendons, nails, and eyes.
• Symptoms of Liver imbalance - breast distension, menstrual pain and proper timing, headache, irritability, inappropriate anger, dizziness, dry, red eyes and other eye conditions, tendonitis, rib pain, bitter taste in mouth.

Heart

• Emotions - lack of enthusiasm and vitality, mental restlessness, manic/depression, insomnia, despair
• Heart Function - Regulates the heart and blood vessels, responsible for even and regular pulse. Influences vitality and spirit. Connected with the tongue, complexion, and arteries.
• Symptoms of Heart imbalance - Insomnia, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat, excessive dreaming, poor long-term memory, and psychological disorders (mental illness).

Kidney

• Emotions - fearful, fright, weak willpower, insecure, aloof, isolated.
• Kidney Function - Key organ for sustaining life. Responsible for reproduction, growth and development, and maturation. Involved with lungs in water metabolism and respiration. Connected with bones, teeth, ears, and head hair.
• Symptoms of Kidney imbalance - Frequent urination, urinary incontinence, night sweats, dry mouth, poor short-term memory, low back pain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, and other ear conditions, premature grey hair, hair loss, and osteoporosis, infertility.

Healing Stress Condtions

• Analyze what is causing the stress (assessment).
• Change perception of stress – spend minimal time on the negative and more time on the positive solutions. Work out plan of action.
• Exercise with intensity.
• Deep breathing and meditation techniques.
• Maintain good diet – alkalize your body with vegetables and less sugars and meats.
• Use acupuncture and herbal medicine to heal from the effects of stress.
• Drugs should be last resort. They don’t solve the problem but they temporarily reduce emotional intensity.

Benefits of Overcoming Stress

• Adjust the endocrine (glands releasing hormones) system for better metabolism.
• Allow for better sleep to accelerate healing.
• Have less emotional reaction to events.
• Create happiness and positive outlook.
• Reduce illness and have better quality of life.