What’s Happening?

Immunity is important, and it always has been, but surrounding COVID-19, it has become increasingly apparent the relevance that it plays. As unfortunate as this virus has been for so many, it has given others an opportunity to step back, breathe, and examine our own lives and where they have become out of balance. 

The two “biggies”, diet and exercise remain important, of course. Mental well-being has been gaining in popularity recently, which is phenomenal, but there has been this glaring factor that we all have silently have acknowledged to be a barrier in our overall health – BUSY. Our mortgages/rent, car payments, kids extracurricular activities, etc. come at a (quite literal) price that has not allowed us to stop, reflect and modify our lives as necessary. This “busy” takes a toll on our adrenals, which throws off our hormones and ability to fight off bugs and infections. It seems that symptoms of “unknown cause” have also been on the rise…do you think it’s a coincidence? 

*These examples represent only short lists of possible symptoms

Busy and the Beast

In the days of 24 hour gyms and lifestyle coaches galore, we are made to feel like there is no excuse to live a life less than what our 18 year old self dreamed about. But here is the reality – at the end of the day, we’re tired! Being tired makes us reactive and reach out for unhealthy coping strategies, “mommy juice anyone?”. You probably find yourself wondering how you will ever find the time to take proper care of yourself because the time you do have to yourself is when you’re exhausted.

With this extra time at home, I think I’m safe to bet that things have come up for most people. We have been forced to face thoughts and feelings that we could previously distract ourselves from with our “busy”. These feelings have been being pushed down inside us, and have been causing underlying feelings of anxiety, anger, fear, guilt, and depression to name a few. 

 Oriental Medicine takes into consideration emotional factors and the role they play on our health. Each emotion is associated with a specific internal organ, and all the organs work together for your body to function properly. So, when one organ is affected, it in turn affects the others. The sooner that an emotional imbalance is addressed, the less symptoms will show up. (See the chart below for some examples)

Symptoms Associated With Emotions:

• Anger: headaches, vertigo, ringing in ears, stiff neck, high blood pressure
• Sadness: breathing problems, discomfort in chest, depression
• Joy: Helps relax the mind
• Worry:chest discomfort, tense muscles (especially shoulders), tiredness, bloating 
• Overthinking:lack of appetite, heartburn and related disorders, bloating, tiredness
• Fear: urination frequency/incontinence, insomnia, palpitations, night sweats
• Shock: palpitations & insomnia

*These examples represent only short lists of possible symptoms

Modern research has been able to prove that laughing, social connection, and even smiling increase the body’s ability to fight off illness. Mental and emotional stress have been clinically linked to sleep disturbances, an increase in bacterial and yeast infections, and digestive disturbances among other disorders. Sure, there are pills you can take to lessen your symptoms, but here is our chance; right now we have the time to address our underlying issues. We can decide how much to invite back into our lives after COVID-19. You can start saying, “No” to that multi-family garage sale your friend is having and take that time to have your tea in the back yard, think about your week, play with your kids and keep your priorities in balance with what makes YOU feel good. Taking these steps will ultimately change your immunity so that you are less vulnerable in the future.

Yes, acupuncture and herbal therapy can help you with your process, and I would be more than delighted to assist you!