“The practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.â€
With all that is going on in the world right now, it’s easy to go into survival mode, forgetting, of course, that self-care is as important at this time, if not more so than ever before.
The roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine lie firmly in the belief that in order to cure disease, we must treat the body from the inside out. Essentially, we must find the root cause of disease, either physical or emotional, buried deep within, and treat it, in order for the body to heal itself.
Chinese Medicine places huge importance on two aspects of the body. Qi is the energy or life force that flows freely until there is a physical or emotional injury. Blood is entwined with Qi.
Put simply, imagine a long winding river. The river flows freely until some debris falls into it causing blockages. Qi is similar in that it flows around the body until disease, either physical or emotional, blocks and stagnates it. Acupuncture serves to unblock the debris, using needles at specific points, but self-care can go a long way to stopping these blockages in the first place.
One of the biggest enemies of Qi and Blood flow is stress. When stress rears its ugly head the effect on the body is phenomenal. When the stress hormone cortisol is raised, it restricts blood flow to the body. The result is dry, tight skin, and muscles that ache and feel knotty. Lactic acid builds up, causing inflammation and pain. The body starts to feel malnourished, and waste builds up, leading to the stagnation of energy, and in turn, the creation of disease.
Chinese Medicine places huge emphasis on self-care. There are many simple practices you can do to lower stress levels from the inside out. Here are a few ideas.
1. Gua Sha
Gua Sha is an ancient technique to relieve stress, and all you need is a kitchen spoon!
Simply use the edge of the spoon and ‘scrape’ along the skin to relive tension. This is also a great technique if you have a cold coming on. Scrape the spoon along the crease on the inside of your elbow. There’s a wonderful acupuncture point there called Lung 5, which, if released, disperses the cold.
Or you can purchase your own gua sha set from us!
2. Mild Exercise
Mild exercise can be a great stress reliever. Avoid running and cardio work outs, and instead opt for a gentle form, Yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong. This gets the energy (Qi) flowing smoothly round the body, de-stressing from within.
3. Deep Breathing
Deep breathing really can have a positive effect on the body. Try and breathe like a baby does – push the stomach out to breathe in, and draw it in to breathe out. This helps to calm the body.
4. AcuPips Ear Seeds
Finally, apply some AcuPips Ear Seeds. The ear houses many special pressure points, one of which, the most powerful of all, is Shenmen. Applying an ear seed to this point will have an instant de-stressing effect.