Stress and anxiety in Chinese medicine and how meditation, diet and exercise can address disharmony and its symptoms
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While stress is a natural response to a dangerous situation and in this way can be useful to increase alertness, energy and productivity through the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol; prolonged and uninterrupted it will damage the body and can cause mental health issues, metabolic disorders or even adrenal fatigue. With an estimated two thirds of the working age population experiencing moderate to high levels of stress, this presents a serious health issue.
One of the major effects of stress on mental health is in form of anxiety; a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease; ongoing and without any particular reason. This can present with physical symptoms such as a racing heart, restlessness, or a general feeling of edginess; psychological symptoms such as excessive fear and obsessive overthinking or even behavioural ones such as the total avoidance of certain situations - limiting a person’s work and social life.
While modern Western medicine may not always see the connection, in Chinese medicine this is a very obvious one. Let’s take a look at the five elements; let’s call it Chinese medicine basics 101: Wood, the element of the liver is supposed to support Fire, the element of the heart; which in turn supports Earth, the element of the spleen; supporting Metal, the lung; supporting Water, the kidney; which then again supports Wood, the liver; completing the cycle. If any of the organs fall out of balance, the entire harmony of the body is under attack.
Stress affects the Wood element, liver. As the natural element wood would suggest, the liver likes to spread and grow and needs to make sure it functions freely in its main purpose to spread Qi, or energy, around the body smoothly. With stress this energy starts to stagnate; often resulting in pain, headaches, or a tendency to be easily frustrated or angered. If this is not addressed over long periods of time; the Fire element, the heart, will lose strength due to lack of support from Wood. The heart houses the mind, relates to joy and manifests in our complexion.
As the Qi of the liver stagnates, heat develops and this heat can travel upwards towards the heart; causing emotional upset, heart palpitations and anxiety. As a long-term exhaustion from overwork depletes the Wood element it cannot nourish the heart any longer. Symptoms of insomnia, excessive dreaming or anxiety emerge; also often presenting with a pale and dull complexion.
To get back to balance the underlying issue of too much stress caused by a lifestyle of overwork and not enough rest needs to be addressed. It is recommended that people with very active, yang type lifestyles, include some scheduled rest into their daily activities. One way of doing that is meditation. Through single pointed focus on just one object, let us say our breath, it can calm the mind substantially. Research has shown that the parasympathetic activity can be increased through regular meditation practice, resulting in better mental health scores. This can be started with just five minutes in the morning by focusing on the breath in a quiet space. I have written about how to meditate here.
Other lifestyle changes include diet. This is not just what we eat, but also how. Many of us multi-task, even while eating; leading to indigestion due to obstruction of the digestive Qi. Make time for your meals. Do not eat when upset or angry. Also, eat a good amount of food to be full without overeating, which also stagnates the Qi. Chew your food properly and do not skip breakfast. Your body makes its energy from the food you put in, so make sure you give it the best you can. Green leafy vegetables are not just nutritious, but also nourishing for your Wood element; helping balancing your stress. So put on that extra helping of kale.
One more to add is finding the right exercise. When the Qi is stagnated, it means there is energy, but it is not available for the body. It is pent-up energy. Therefore doing that spinning class that you love so much is exactly the right thing to do. But be careful to balance it with some more nourishing workouts such as yoga when you are already rundown and there is no more energy left.
I hope you find this little intro to stress and anxiety from a Chinese medicine perspective useful. There is loads more you can do and I will aim to provide more information and details in blog post to come. Please also check out my upcoming free event on the subject. If you have a space where you would like me to hold this talk, please be in touch.
By Dr Jacqueline Barnett (BTCM)
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine practitioner
References
Health CMI. (2019). Acupuncture Regulates the Nervous System Research. Retrieved from https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/770-nervousst36p5p6
Maciocia, G. (2005). The foundations of Chinese medicine. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone.
Pitchford, P. (2009). Healing with whole foods. Berkeley, Calif: North Atlantic Books.
Victoria State Government. (2019). Stress. Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/stress
Wiegner, L., Hange, D., Björkelund, C., & Ahlborg, G. (2015). Prevalence of perceived stress and associations to symptoms of exhaustion, depression and anxiety in a working age population seeking primary care - an observational study. BMC Family Practice, 16(1). doi: 10.1186/s12875-015-0252-7