Natural Remedies to Reduce Stress


By Donna Bunte, LAc P


hysical and emotional stress is a fact of modern life. We all experience it one way or another and sometimes it can help when motivating us to perform well.


What exactly happens is the hormone epinephrine or adrenaline is released by the sympathetic nervous system stimulating the fight or flight response which comes in really handy in a dangerous situation.


After the initial response, cortisol is released from the adrenal glands to keep the body on high alert. When the threat passes, the parasympathetic nervous system puts on the brakes and cortisol declines. In chronic stress experienced over long periods of time this system is kept active and the body continues to pump these hormones which cause inflammation and can lead to serious health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, diges- tive disorders, insomnia, lack of concentra- tion, lowering of the immune system which sets us up for more sickness, and the list goes on. Cancer has even been linked to the chronic release of stress hormones in the body.


Some people thrive on that constant energy rush that keeps them going on over- drive. They feel like they have accomplished more in a day. The other problem with per- sistent elevated cortisol levels is that it adds to the buildup of fat tissue and to weight gain, increases appetite and increases the storage of unused nutrients as fat.


It seems stress is not going to go


away any time soon, so we need to learn techniques to manage it. There are many choices out there that we can luckily use and some we can do ourselves.


1. Relaxation Response


One way is to invoke the relaxation re- sponse through a technique first developed in the 1970s at Harvard Medical School by cardiologist Dr. Herbert Benson. The relax- ation response is a state of profound rest that can be elicited in many ways, including breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, and progressive muscle relaxation.


Breathing into the abdomen physically calms the heart and the nervous system, sends more oxygen to the cells and removes the carbon dioxide. Deep breaths use all of the lungs and encourages full oxygen exchange. This expansion of the abdomen stimulates the vagus nerve, which elicits a relaxation response from the para-sympa- thetic nervous system. It physically calms the body down. Chest breathing can cause more nervousness and anxiety. The more nervous we are though, the more we tend to breath into only the chest. Therefore, it’s important to have a practice of abdominal breathing so that when we need it we have that routine.


2. Meditation and Prayer


Meditation and prayer have been used for thousands of years to help people deal with stress and finding peace of mind. Meditation doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment but can be done for just a few minutes at a time throughout the day. It is good to make it a routine and also use it in times of high stress.


There are many ways to meditate including using a mantra, visualization, mindfulness, and total body relaxation which have been proven to lower the stress response, help with anxiety, depression, sleep, eating problems, and lowering blood pressure.


3. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Chinese medicine


have been used for at least 3000 years, and are now proven to be highly effec- tive in managing stress. A 2001 UCLA study showed that acupuncture can block sympathetic nerve activity. Acupuncture can alleviate stress symptoms by releasing


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