WELLNESS AUTHOR
Dr. Yongxin Fan
This special series of articles are written by faculty members from AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHINESE MEDICINE FOR STRESS RELIEF n How acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can be combined with diet and exercise for successful stress relief treatment.
How Stress Affects the Body
released, causing increases in both blood pressure and inflammation while suppressing the immune system. If our bodies continue to experience high amounts of cortisol, symptoms can evolve into anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive issues and tension headaches. Stress is defined as an organism’s total response to environmental demands or pressures. In a medical or biological context, stress is a physical, mental or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be either external (from the environment itself or psychological and social situations) or internal (from illness or a medical procedure).
The human body is hardwired to handle stress. However, over time, too much stress takes a toll on the body. When we feel threatened, the sympathetic nervous system is activated, causing the heart rate to increase, the pupils to dilate, and the direction of blood to flow toward the extremities. In addition, digestion can temporarily shut down. This is also known as the "fight or flight" response and is the reason why we may feel agitated or want to run away from our problems when stressed. Cortisol, sometimes called “the stress hormone,” is also
SEPTEMBER 2020
56
