Stress Response

• What is stress and why is it important? Stress is a response to demands on the body and life, a response to crisis and fears.
•  If stress gets overwhelming it can cause other mental health problems. Emotional exhaustion and physical illness and can impact on work, relationships, families, and every aspect of life.
• When someone is suffering from negative or overwhelming stress, they may not act or react appropriately in some situations, for example driving, in an argument or rushing causing acciedents, with disastrous consequences.

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms 

• In today’s fast-paced society, the pressure and stress placed on the population is overwhelming. It’s difficult not to be stressed.
• When you’re stressed, you’re also more likely to lean toward unhealthy coping mechanisms. Such as overindulging in comfort foods that are high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, smoking, and drinking in excess. These behaviours increase the chances of getting unwell.
• This is where Traditional Five Element Acupuncture can help, to balance your emotions and coping systems to manage the stress around you.

Your Nervous System

• Medically speaking, our autonomic (involuntary) nervous system has two subdivisions: our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
• When we are constantly in a state of anxiety and stress, our sympathetic nervous systems takes predominance: it releases hormones called glucocorticoids and adrenaline.
•  When we are in this flight and fright state, all other systems shut down that are not absolutely necessary in order to ensure survival.
• Some common examples of how one’s body reacts to stress include: the immune and digestive system shut down, blood vessels constrict raising blood pressure and one’s reproductive ability dramatically decreases.
• The sympathetic nervous systems is designed to function in sort bursts for emergencies. Unfortunately many people today live in this constant stress state. This causes damage within the whole Body Mind and Spirit. This is where Five Element Acupuncture comes in to help balance your system.

Relax

• When our bodies are able to relax, the parasympathetic system is at work. It is only in this stage that our bodies can truly begin the healing process.
• Five Element Acupuncture activates our parasympathetic nervous system so our Body, Mind and Spirit be helped heal.
• Five Element Acupuncture aims to assess which underlying emotion or stressor is attached or rooted within an individual condition in order to solve the problem on all levels.
• Meditation and Yoga Nidra  (sleep Meditation)  can also calm your nervous system, for more information check :- https://insighttimer.com/ and https://www.irest.org/yoga-nidra-and-irest
• For local meditation classes – https://www.pause108.com/

Five Element Emotions

Traditional Five Element Acupuncture aims to treat the underlying emotion or stressor which is attached or rooted within an individuals constitution in order to solve the problem on all levels.

Within the Five Element Acupuncture system each element corresponds to an emotion, and much more (see below).  Which is an important factor of the diagnosis and treatment with in the Five element Acupuncture system.

• Fire Element symbolizes the power of maturity and is an energy that is expressed through sharing, Joy, exuberance, passion and love. On the other side of these emotions are anxiety, impulsive action, lovelessness and cruelty to yourself and others. Also can a big factor in many types of depression.  
• Earth Element is related to the mother as it is the earth that sustains, nourishes us, giving and receiving Sympathy. This nourishment refers not just to physical nourishment, but mental and spiritual nourishment as well. If Earth is out of balance you may over worry, over nurture not letting other mature and be independent, may be selfish and not care for yourself and others
• Metal Element one of the main qualities is the beauty of letting go, having the strength in body mind and spirit to let go of Greif and move forward. In order for growth and new experiences to move forward we must sometimes let go, whether it be of a relationship, job, living situation or from death. At times a person can be stuck in this emotion not able to move forward in life.
• Water Element gathering and replenishing of reserves. Associated with the notion of power, cleansing and flexibility. For it is Water that ultimately allows everything to move in the body, mind and spirit. There can a Fear of losing control and reserves. This Fear may cause much anxiety, depression and conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
• Wood Element The main qualities associated with this element are hope, vision, direction, growth, activity and exuberance. To plan with aspiration and hope.  When there is imbalance Anger can be outwardly fierce or go inward causing many problems, of inflexibility physically and mentally.
• For more information about the Five Elements and you check web page on my site ;- https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/acupuncture-five-elements/

Ancient Acupuncture

• The foundation of Acupuncture from ancient (over 2500years) Chinese and Japanese wisdom is that the human body has channels or pathways (meridians) that carry Qi (life-force energy).
• Placing fine needles along these pathways to unblock your Qi so that it can adequately reach/supply our organ systems, tissues and muscles so that balance can be restored. The placement of the actual needle stimulates a response from your whole system though treating on the meridian system.
• These needles affecting the nervous, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, hormonal,  immune systems, all your Body, Mind and Spirit: to restore Balance. 

Treatment

For information and Traditional Five Element Acupuncture contact Hannah on:-https://www.southwellacupuncture.co.uk/contact/

British Acupuncture Council 

Hannah is a member of the British Acupuncture Council

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) – the UK’s largest, member-led, professional body for Traditional Acupuncturists.

Our members belong to an accredited register, regulated and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care (PSA). The PSA protects the public by overseeing the regulation and registration of healthcare professionals – including statutorily regulated professions, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and Accredited Registers like the BAcC. This offers a quality mark for high standards of training, safe practice and professional conduct.

For more information :-https://acupuncture.org.uk/