Are you struggling to keep up with all the demands in your life, feeling burned out, frustrated, stressed, and/or angry? Are you looking for a way to help your body stop feeling so maxed out so that you can better manage the demands of your work, family, and other life activities? Acupuncture and herbal medicine can help! Even small instances of stress, when not relieved, can cause the body to stay in an exaggerated stress response. Known as “fight or flight” mode, this stress response includes a rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, decreased blood flow to the digestive system, increased muscle tension, rapid breathing, decreased immune response, and increased blood sugar. These physiologic responses are very helpful in enabling your body to escape a threatening situation; however, a longstanding stress response can wreak havoc on your body. Research indicates that chronic stress can result in high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, headaches, sleep problems, memory impairment, and additional mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, and addictions. So, how can you get in control of your stress before it causes significant health impacts? Acupuncture and herbal medicine can be part of the healing picture, along with lifestyle changes, meditation or breathing practices, moderate exercise, and a clean diet. Acupuncture can address stress by lowering your heart rate, decreasing blood pressure, and releasing neurotransmitters that result in your feeling calm. If you are having trouble sleeping, acupuncture can help to adjust your body’s balance to enable improved sleeping. Similarly, if you are struggling with digestive problems, acupuncture can help to improve peristalsis (movement through the digestive system) and decrease bloating and discomfort. Chinese herbal medicine is a very helpful part of the healing process during stressful times. Chinese herbal formulas for stress will typically include calming and settling herbs and can be modified to include sleep aids, digestive herbs, and/or anti-hypertensive herbs, depending on your needs. Overall, using periodic acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help you get in control of your stress and enable you to make additional changes such as better sleeping habits, improved diet, and necessary changes to your stressful lifestyle if possible. Curious about whether acupuncture and herbal therapy are right for you? Send me an email or call me for a free consultation!