Tips for Healing When You Feel Stressed

Tips for Healing When You Feel Stressed

Regular selfcare is a practiced resource for when life gets overwhelming and stressful.

Stress can impact the body in many ways if it goes unaddressed. First and foremost, it is important to recognize stress, confront it, and then take steps to manage stress to stop it in its tracks. It’s time to discover techniques for healing and feeling better when experiencing periods of high stress.

Be Mindful

When it comes to stress reduction and healing your mindset matters. Negative thoughts are the fuel for stress. Being caught in a pattern of negative thinking can cloud your mind and prevent you from finding solutions and a path forward. Mindfulness can ground you and help you to find the clarity you need. If you tend to be a pessimistic thinker, getting into mindfulness can seem daunting at first. However, there are some simple things you can start doing to help you get started with being more mindful. One way is to set aside time to relax with a mindful session. Take ten minutes out of each day to be grateful for the opportunities in front of you without allowing negative thoughts to creep in and bring you down. Another way would be to write down what you are thankful for in a journal. Doing so can help you stay positive. Additionally, you can even learn about different types of therapy that can help you to be more mindful and reduce stress. Having effective strategies to rely on can help keep stress in check.

Unwind With Massage Therapy 

Why not pair mindful therapy with massage therapy? Bodywork can be very relaxing and help you to feel better. Put stress behind you and unwind with a massage. Trying something like cupping can be worthwhile and not only helps you to relax but has benefits for the body as well such as improving circulation. Massage can help you be more in tune with your body overall, and help your muscles relax. For instance, a massage is an excellent form of self-care. It allows you to dedicate time solely to your wellness and helps you to slow down and rest. It is important to have relaxing activities built into your schedule which can help you to value your health and mental wellness. 

Make a Change

Often stress is caused by lifestyle factors. For instance, a lack of work-life balance, toxic relationships, and even negative self-talk just to name a few. Certain lifestyle factors can keep stress high and never-ending. Don’t be afraid to make a lifestyle change that can help lower your stress levels. For instance, address relationships that may not be healthy, set boundaries within your personal and professional life, try something new, and take steps to replace unhealthy habits with positive ones. Making a change may be difficult at first, but start by taking little steps and it will be easier to make the transition into your new routine. For example, some changes could be 

• Getting to bed earlier

• Embracing positive self-talk

• Striving to be more organized

• Trying mindful eating 

Get Relief With Movement

Strive to move your body each day to form a healthy habit that will help you feel better. 

• Take a walking in the morning even if it’s around the block a couple of times

• Incorporate tai chi movements (balance, movement and breathing)

• Use music that makes you happy and dance like no one is watching!

According to a study, “regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults.” Therefore, do your best to work and move your muscles to stay physically and emotionally healthy. You may wonder where to begin or how to get started with exercise, but there are some great activities you can try that don’t involve a dedicated trip to the gym. For instance, you can go for a power walk to get your heart pumping, or even try doing calisthenics workouts in your backyard or a nearby park. Whatever you choose to do, make exercising fun, and pick something that resonates with you. 

Start your journey to healing today. Don’t flounder and suffer from built-up stress and pressure. Get started with managing your stress by trying one of these tips. Once you master one, you can build upon your skills to help your mind and body feel better.

Home Remedies for Colds , Cough & Sore Throats

Everyday is an opportunity to support your health.

Knowing which herbs, spices and plants that are antiviral and medicinal can help keep you and your family healthier and protect yourself from flus and viruses such as Covid-19. Including them in recipes is a way to maintain good health and also create your own natural medicine cabinet.

Immune and prevention

• Raw Honey: Its antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-fungal it helps soothe sore throats and can be used for wound disinfectant and healing. Manuka honey comes from the Manuka tree that is in the Tea Tree family. 

Add to tea, hot water and lemon.

Cough and bronchitis: 

Poached pear recipe: This adaptation of a classic Chinese remedy for dry cough, bronchitis and sore throat also boosts the immune system. The original is poached pears with rock candy, but instead substitute with honey.

Poached pears are great to have in the morning as well.

• Ingredients: 2 pears (asian pears preferable) ginger, lemon, and honey.

• Cut the core from the pear, place in water with sliced ginger, bring to a boil, then let simmer for 15-20mins, then add lemon and last honey. 

• The pears will be infused with the ginger and lemon and can be stored in the refrigerator, the juice you can drink. 

• Pears contain high levels of antioxidants (cancer fighting), including vitamin C, vitamin K, and dietary fiber. The natural properties from the pear (pectin) soothes the throat and moistens dryness of the cough and reduces the phlegm. Poached pear helps to keep your respiratory tract hydrated, soothe throat irritations, alleviate dry coughs

• Great for kids and you can add cinnamon to make it a dessert

Upset stomach and lung

• Ginger: The healing properties of ginger are many and can be added to soups and tea.  For upset stomach rice that is cooked with ginger and broth until a gruel consistency is easy on the digestion especially post during illness where the body needs simple foods. Ginger has many antimicrobial and anti viral properties and aids with digestion and upset stomach.Research shows fresh ginger is effective against respiratory viruses.  Ginger is a root that is added to almost all Chinese herbal formulas because it helps with absorption of nutrients.

Cough, asthma and bronchitis:

• Thyme: Thyme for bronchitis. Studies showed Thyme along with primrose helped with cough and bronchitis and was far superior for treating bronchitis compared to a placebo.You can make thyme flavored water, by taking fresh sprigs and bruising to release the oils in the herb and infusing water. You can keep cooled in the refrigerator.

If you don’t have fresh thyme, you can make tea with dried thyme, add 2 tsps to a cup of hot water and let it steep.  

• Tulsi tea: ( holy basil) Research shows it is a “super herb” that has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, the list is long for it’s healing properties. It is ideal for immune support and easy to keep with you in tea form or as an essential oil.

Tulsi is excellent for asthma and coughs, it can be inhaled by using essential oil in a diffuser or a couple drops in the palms and taking a couple of deep breaths, the healing. You can purchase tulsi tea in the supermarket or online.

Autoimmune Conditions Seem To Be On The Rise...How Can Acupuncture Help?

Having an autoimmune condition really sucks. It usually takes years to figure out what is wrong and often no one believes that you actually have pain or suffer.

Many people with autoimmune conditions find Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine gives them relief. #acupuncture #painrelief #rheumatoidarthritis

What are autoimmune diseases?

Autoimmune diseases are an abnormal inflammatory response related to chronic illnesses. and they are on the rise in the us. According to AARDA (American Autoimmune Disease Related Association), close to 24% of the US population has an autoimmune condition. 

Environmental factors such as pesticides, and our food are a source of toxicity and inflammation. 

Conditions like MS, Crohn’s disease, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, and Rheumatoid arthritis can have good days where everything is normal and days or weeks where you feel like your life is hijacked.

How Can Acupuncture Help?

Studies have shown it to be beneficial in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis, because of the anti-inflammatory effect, anti-oxidative effect and regulation of immune system function.

What causes autoimmune conditions to get worse?

Our lives are extremely stressful and stress hormones disrupt our immune system to then over respond and attack the body. 

Stress and stress hormones of fight or flight increase inflammation in the body and make it hard for the nervous system to rebalance. This is one of the underlying reasons why autoimmune conditions are so hard to treat. Once triggered the body becomes hypersensitive and can develop more sensitivities and triggers. Emotionally this also makes the worse.

Poor sleep will also interfere with the immune system and will inflammation, digestion and mood. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Are autoimmune diseases on the rise or is there more awareness than there used to be? 

There is more awareness about autoimmune diseases, but it is not always clear that the illnesses are autoimmune or a passing event. So many doctors don’t test patients for the autoimmune antibodies or 

Are there any theories about why?

There are lots of chemicals in our environment and pesticides, plastics, beauty products as well as processed foods and these are linked to increases in inflammation. Studies show that processed foods cause more inflammation in the body. 

Why are autoimmune commons, and so common in women?

Women have more nerve receptors as well as hormonal fluctuations compared to men.  Hormonal cycles along with stress can lead to more inflammation and contribute to chronic conditions autoimmune related illnesses such as fibromyalgia.  Research has shown estrogen plays a critical role in affecting pain receptors,  and inflammation. 

When do autoimmune illnesses typically surface and why they are they so difficult to diagnose?

Typically autoimmune conditions will surface after an event, such as the flu virus that can disrupt the intestinal flora and in turn cause an autoimmune response. Autoimmune conditions can also show up years later after suffering from mono or strep where the body never fully recovers and then over time develops more inflammations. This is what makes them so difficult to diagnose because the symptoms may come and go, and seem to be harmless, like a little allergy or digestive upset.

Something like food poisoning, can later cause chronic digestive problems such as IBS or colitis. 

Gut bacteria is crucial for our immune system and when it is out of balance our entire body suffers from a lowered immunity and a dysfunctional immune response. 

What are the Most Important Health Issues for Men to Address in their Lives that Pertain to Personal Wellness?

The key to excellent health for both men and women is to adopt a whole health perspective that addresses diet, exercise, stress management, environment, relationships and spirituality. There are areas that affect men's and need attention.

Men tend to ignore aches and pains and rarely get regular check ups. Ideas around masculinity and health contributes to the increased number of men in their 40’s having heart attacks, that could have been prevented.

Friendship and Community to Combat Loneliness: In an ever expanding world, of working from home, isolation is on the rise and with it loneliness. Loneliness is a big problem in the US, in fact it is considered an epidemic.  This can be especially serious for men's mental health. When under stress, men tend to withdraw socially and that can lead to depression and more isolation; a vicious circle. Statistics show than men are four times more likely to take their own lives than females and represent 78% of all suicides. The cultural paradigm of boys not crying or that being a “man” is putting on a brave face can lead to not acknowledging  which leads to not seeking help. Having a support system of friends, family or partners that men can feel safe and not judged is important. Activities that are geared towards collaboration and giving back to the community can create a sense of accomplishment and connect to something greater. E.g habitat for humanity, church or religious community activities, learning a new skill such as bread making.

Sleep: Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep or deep sleep have lowered immune functioning. This is because during sleep our body produces cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation. There are many other health risks associated with lack of sleep such as heart disease, diabetes and depression.

Poor sleep can impair cognitive function and just one night of missed sleep causes a toxic build up of beta amyloid, this protein is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. 

Not taking stress seriously: Many say, “I’m not stressed if I don’t ‘feel it’.” Men in particular may not think they are experiencing stress unless it is something big, like a life event or something they can’t “handle”. So when they experience back pain, digestive problems, fatigue, weight gain, infertility or insomnia they cannot see how stress plays a significant role. Low levels of stress on a daily basis lead to more susceptibility headaches, sore throats, colds and flus as well as chronic illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. Stress and anxiety wreak havoc on the immune system.

Mind body: Research shows that having a mind body connection improves overall health by increasing awareness of our mental, emotional and physical state. This is something culturally men are not encouraged to do. Practices such as yoga, tai chi and qi gong are known as moving meditation and help to calm the nervous system and have better focus. It is also a way to manage stress and support healing instead of ignoring physical problems. 

Alternative and Chinese medicine: Chinese medicine includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, body work and energy healing that looks at the whole person. Acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to go into the natural healing state and to seek homeostasis. Seeing and alternative and Chinese medicine practitioner can teach you had to be your best health advocate and offer natural solutions to improve health and longevity.

Heart health: Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the US. Men are 50% more likely to have a heart attack compared to women. Men can develop heart disease in their 40’s long before cardiovascular symptoms show up. Early signs of heart disease that may not seem related such as erectile dysfunction is one of them.

Excess weight: over 100 million Americans are considered obese and 1 in 5 deaths is related to excess weight. The myth of being overweight and fit is a myth. What is important is to look at body mass index and also at the waist measurement. Men with a waist circumference greater than 40inches are considered to have more visceral fat that contribute to heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Excess weight also affects hormone levels and is linked to higher incidence of prostate cancer.

Drinking alcohol: Studies show alcohol is shown to suppress the immune system even in moderate amounts altering the actions of the cells.  A fever is the immune system’s response by elevating the temperature to fight off a bacterial infection or viral attack. Alcohol impairs the anti-inflammatory proteins that regulate the immune responses.

• Dehydrating: Alcohol is dehydrating. It is important to be hydrated so that your body can eliminate the toxins via sweat or urination. Sweat is the way the body cools itself down and flush the system.

• Sugar: the sugars in alcohol are linked with bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines, when someone is fighting an infection, you don’t want to create a crisis by feeding the bacteria.

• Cancer: increase risk of mouth, throat, liver and colon. 

Men have consistently higher rates of alcohol consumption and one of the most commonly abused substances. Men are more likely to binge drink compared to women, and have higher alcohol related deaths. Alcohol interferes with testicular function of male hormones that can result in impotence and infertility (a growing issue for couples trying to conceive).

5 Strategies to Take Care of that Cold!

When the temperatures start to shift and change from one extreme to another as we go into cooler weather; the dreaded first cold of the season can show up.

Having a smart health strategy for when you start feeling a little off will make a difference as to whether you succumb to getting sick, recover quickly or deflect it all together.

The symptoms are mild; a little scratchy throat, a runny nose maybe a little fatigue. This is a crucial time to get healthy before the environment (weather) becomes more intense and your body will have to work harder to regulate itself and stay healthy.

Cultivating health based habits that include acupuncture, herbs, mediation , clean diet and exercise is a great foundation for longevity.

Whether you are able to fend off getting sick or recover quickly from a cold will reveal how strong your mind, body and spirit are, basically how much vim and vigor you have!

Here are 5 things you can do to promote you health and will help you recover faster from the first cold of the season!

1. Probiotics - keep your gut flora balanced, your immune system actually resides in the gut. Maintaining a healthy digestive system will help you stay strong when the weather changes or when we encounter new environments. I recommend probiotics to all my patients as health maintenance.

Taking a daily probiotic helps maintain healthy intestinal flora.

2. Sleep - this is when your body does it’s repairing; digestion, emotional processing and filtering toxins and metabolic waste. It is a reset. If you don’t have quality sleep, brain function is affected and we end up with less than optimal functioning. (sleep deprivation is linked to diabetes and long term sleep problems is linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia). Have going to sleep a priority as much as you have waking up!

cultivate good sleep habits that will support your immune system and keep you healthy all year around.

3. Manuka honey - gives support for the immune system because of its antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties coming from flowers of the Manuka tree. Manuka is similar to Tea Tree (Malaleuca), both belong to the Myrtaceae family, along with Eucalyptus, Clove and Myrtle. Add the honey with ginger and lemon to teas or use it over your morning cereal!

Natural anti-microbial properties in Manuka honey will boost your immune system.

4. Tulsi Tea - also known as Holy Basil, helps prevent certain respiratory illnesses ranging from colds and coughs to bronchitis and asthma. This herbal tea is loaded with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties that can help in fighting infections and allergies, it is especially good for inflammations of the respiratory tract and can keep the seasonal colds at bay.

Teas have natural anti-microbial properties and are anti-oxidant, meaning they support you immune system and help with recovering from a cold and preventing it from going deeper into your body.

5. Neti pot - Nasal irrigation with a saline solution helps to thin mucus and flush out the nasal passages. Allergen irritants and debris cause the mucous membranes to swell and create congestion, the saline reduces the swelling of the mucous membranes and draws out mucous from the congested sinuses. Salt or saline solutions can draw water out of bacteria through their cell membranes and this dehydration can kill the bacteria. The same effect happens when you jump into the sea and salt water goes up your nose, all mucous comes out!

Salt solution creates an environment that bacteria and fungus don’t thrive in.

Making sure that you get regular acupuncture treatments through out the year as a smart health strategy will help your body and it’s immune system to function optimally.

The strongest medicine is preventative medicine!

#smarthealth #alternativehealth #commoncold #naturalremedies #acupuncturenyc #immuneboost #sleepwell #IHANYC #acupuncturenyc #herbalremedy #sinus #holistichealth #DrOz #drmom #chinesemedicine #smartmedicine #healthtoday #prevention