Anxiety & stress management - a Chinese medicine approach

Tracey-Ann Brown, Contributor

These days, many people find themselves feeling excessively stressed and struggle to find the balance between work, family, various commitments and a feeling of relaxed endeavour. This stress may manifest with feelings of anxiety, insomnia/sleeplessness, headaches, moodiness, and in some cases low energy. Chinese medicine offers a number of approaches to manage stress.

Herbal Remedies

In Chinese medicine, several herbs are usually combined to calm and settle the shen/spirit, in order to restore healthy sleep patterns, clear thoughts and reduce anxiety, irritability and restlessness. A wide variety of herbs are available. Primary herbs include:

Suan Zao Ren (Sour Jujube Seed)

Mu Li (Oyster Shell)

Zhen Zhu Mu (Mother of Pearl)

In preparing herbal prescriptions, herbs may also be added to address other accompanying or underlying health issues in order to achieve optimal healing. For example, if feelings of stress and anxiety are accompanied by digestive problems or even hot flashes, then a formula would be prepared to address all of these issues simultaneously.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture also offers an additional course of treatment for relief, whether alongside herbal remedies or on its own. Acupuncture points are selected from more than 1,000 points on the body and gently stimulated. This in turn stimulates the central nervous system which assists the body in restoring its self-regulating systems.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art that is primarily practised for its health benefits. Tai Chi emphasises complete relaxation and is essentially a form of 'meditation in motion'. It is characterised by soft, slow, flowing movements.

Dietary recommendations

As with any health-care programme to resolve ill health, diet plays an important role. A number of foods can assist in the management of stress and anxiety.

These include:

Grains: whole wheat, brown rice, oats

Vegetables and their juices: mushroom, cucumber, celery, lettuce

Spices: dill, basil

Teas: chamomile, valerian, rose hips

Milk (cow and goat)

Wheat germ

Foods to avoid include: alcohol, coffee and cigarettes.

Lifestyle recommendations

Daily practices that calm and nurture the spirit such as prayer, meditation, silent contemplation, mantras, chanting and various relaxed and mindful processes that promote self-reflection and quiet.

Your physical, as well as emotional environment, is another key factor. Try to avoid excessive pollution or noise, harmful speech and relationships that are more a burden than a joy.

Dr Tracey-Ann Brown is an oriental medicine practitioner; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.