|
|
|
Oriental medicine and Daoism have been emphasizing various
aspects of health, wellness and longevity for thousands of years.
The four most important issues of health and wellness we
recognize are mind, diet (or foods), exercise and environment.
Mind
Mind is one of the most important aspects of our health and wellness. In
Oriental Medicine, body and mind are believed to be physiologically
interconnected. A classic oriental medical text, Huang Di Nei Jing,
documented 2000 years ago how mind affect body specifically. The text
describes, for example, how anger injures liver, sadness affects lung.
over-thinking deteriorates digestive system etc, etc...
The heart is regarded as the ‘governor’ of the other organs in Oriental
medicine. It is not just an organ responsible for the blood circulation. It is
also considered as the house of mind and spirit. The spirit only leaves
from the heart when the person dies.
Besides spirit, something else may reside in the heart. That is Yi 意 in
Chinese, which may be translated into an accumulative aspect of
emotions, thoughts, and the negative mind. If this Yi grows bigger as a
result of stress and negative emotions, then the heart will have less
space available for spirit and mind. This leads the heart to redirect the
damaging impact to the other organs in order to avoid a fatal occurrence
within the heart itself.
In ancient days, sages strove to maintain emptiness in their heart. In
other words, they endeavored to keep their mind free from emotions. As
a result, they lived free of diseases. Understanding how the mind affects
the body gives one the ability to make a conscious effort to set aside
enough space for the free spirit in their mind.
Western viewpoint of stress and health
For many hundred years, the western medical community has dealt with
the mind and body separately, addressing them as two distinct entities.
But this has been changed. Modern studies have confirmed that the
stress weakens the immune system and cause various health problems.
Furthermore, some of researchers argue that prolonged emotional
stress may be the primary cause of cancer.
Body reacts to stressful situations by releasing chemicals into body
system. This results in temporary elevated body function, such as more
alert mind, acute eyesight and greater strength and energy. A certain
amount of stress enables person to meet the day’s challenges. However,
large amount of stress or prolonged periods of unrelieved stress can be
very unhealthy. They disturb hormonal system and thereby overall
function in the body. Long term disturbed body function may cause the
development of structural changes.
Signs of stress
Despite your best efforts to relax from daily stress, you may be
experiencing bodily symptoms of stress. These symptoms may include;
- Trouble sleeping
- Headache
- Tightness of neck and shoulder
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired
- Upset stomach
- Fast heart rate
- Irritability
- Poor concentration
- Cold sweat
- Clenched jaw
If you have been exposed to prolonged stress and experiencing the
combination of above symptoms, it is recommended to discuss with your
acupuncturist. Because of Oriental medicine’s theory relating to the mind
and body interaction, acupuncture has been found effective in helping
patients both relieve and cope with stress.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
