Are you Being Chased By Tigers?

Blog Layout

Are you Being Chased By Tigers?

Stress occurs in every living thing, from plants to humans. In fact, stress is actually necessary for life and growth. The issue is that an overabundance of stress produces difficulties rather than growth. Reaction to stress, rather than stress itself, creates health issues.

The body has mechanisms to deal with various stressors. For example, if a tiger is chasing you the fight or flight reaction takes over our brain and body. Other stressors include such things as germs, injuries, interpersonal relationships, jobs, families, and many others. How the body reacts to any given stress is unique to each individual. Even with the fight or flight reaction, one person may run while another may become almost frozen in place.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs work with the individual person. The reasons behind the stress reaction and the person’s response to that stressor are all factors in how the treatment is crafted. One person may find themselves extremely fatigued in response to a particular stressor while another person may find they have flares of anger. Both of these are due to stress and the way they would be treated are very different. Chinese medicine has had several thousand years of working with stress. After all, being chased by a tiger or having your rice crop destroyed by a hurricane are stressors that could happen today as well as 2000 years ago.

Stress reactions take a toll on the body over time and can manifest as physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, or other mental and emotional states. During a visit to your Chinese medical practitioner, an acupuncturist may talk to the person to find out what is happening from their point of view including the stressors involved. Then the practitioner will conduct a physical exam that includes taking the pulse and looking at the tongue. Using these diagnostic tools the acupuncturist designs a treatment for that person on that day. Even though the stressors may be the same over time, the way the person shows up on any given day is factored into the treatment. Therefore, the person would not necessarily receive the exact same treatment at two different appointments.

Some people find immediate reduction in their stress reaction symptoms during an acupuncture treatment. Others take more time. In either case, your acupuncturist can support physical, mental and emotional changes needed to deal with the stressors of life and their accompanying reactions.

Chinese herbalists generally use individual herbs in various combinations to make up formulas for the patient. A skilled herbalist can combine several herbs to offer a highly specific treatment personalized to the unique needs of the patient.

Herbs are quite versatile. As an example, a formula can have ingredients for treating depression and all of its byproducts such as pain, insomnia, or menstrual problems. When the underlying pattern of disharmony is addressed, all of the symptoms associated with that pattern will likely improve.

CHRONIC PAIN
DIARRHEA
CONSTIPATION
PMS
MENSTRUAL CRAMPS
WEAK IMMUNITY

ASTHMA
HEADACHES
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
HIGH CHOLESTEROL
TYPE 2 DIABETES
INFERTILITY

< Older Post Newer Post >

Foundations of Wellness Blog

Changes

By Hunter Thompson • 18 Oct, 2023

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” —Lao Tzu It is often said that the only constant in life is change. In my nearly seven decades on this earth, I can attest that changes come whether we’re prepared or not. One of the most frustrating aspects of change is that most of the time we aren’t in charge of where, when, or how it happens. Of course, there are changes that we initiate. Even those don’t always go off without a hitch. Taking the time to look at the changes that are occurring with fresh eyes can make a huge difference in how we relate to that change. The lens through which we are looking at any given point in time determines what we see. Everything we see is interpreted through our past experiences, expectations, and desires. If we remember the story of the Taoist farmer it can assist in handling the events of our lives, welcome or not. It is only in hindsight that we can be aware of the real impact of any change that had occurred. Think about the fish surrounded by water, it is to some extent oblivious to the water because it is immersed in it. Likewise, when we are in the midst of change, we often can’t see beyond the immediate situation. When we take a step back and allow ourselves to look at the big picture, it often looks much different. One of my teachers in acupuncture school, John Sullivan, told us that there are two ways of looking at a situation, small mind or large mind. Small mind looks at the world through a narrow lens and is unwilling or unable to see beyond that lens. Large mind allows for more of a vista view, thereby providing a sense of the greater possibilities and how the situation impacts us and others. As Dr. Sullivan would repeat to us, “Choose Large Mind.” Is there a situation in your life now that large mind would benefit? If so, how will you apply this philosophy to it? What would be different if you did?