SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP YOURSELF BALANCED
We do our best to prevent problems in our relationships, jobs, finances, communities and health. In Chinese medicine prevention is considered the first tier of treatment - even before acupuncture, herbs and cupping. This is known as Yang Sheng.
Yang Sheng translates to nourishing life and is the first defence against illness. From a Chinese medical perspective there are a few simple things you can do to keep disease at bay. These are known as the ‘first four’ and are simple ways to keep yourself balanced and healthy.
1. Regulate your mind and emotions
Chinese medicine has its roots in the philosophy and practices of Buddhism, confucianism and Daoism. In constraint to high arousal states like enthusiasm, excitement and elation, these philosophies favour low arousal states- maintaining calmness, peacefulness and relaxation. In TCM, emotions out of balance are considered as pathogenic as germs. Mediation, alone time, yoga, and Qi Gong can all assist in this. The ability to calm our minds, manage our emotions and cultivate positive mental states will support our health.
2. Regulate eating
Our health and how we eat are inextricably linked. Eating to excess, eating poor quality food, or under eating can gradually throw us out of balance. Eating the right foods for your needs and constitution, eating at regular times, and having most of your food early in the day all can ward off illness.
3. Regulate exercise
Choosing the right amount and right type of exercise for your activity level and constitution has a long list of proven benefits. According to Chinese medicine, exercise fosters body awareness, calms the mind, improves breathing and promotes alignment.
4. Regulate sleep
Balancing activity with rest fosters well-being. Getting good sleep can improve memory, cardiovascular health, regulate blood sugar and help keep anxiety and depression at bay.
Checking in
The ‘first four'’ can be compared to the legs of a chair. When all four are strong the base is stable, when one is neglected we’re more prone to fall. A simple practice is to check in with ourselves and see what leg needs attention.
Prevention and acupuncture
Coming in for a treatment, especially when you are experiencing a change in lifestyle or season is a great opportunity to assess and create a plan of action for prevention. With primary prevention, you are feeling healthy but there is always a risk of ill health. Acupuncture can help prevent illness due to ongoing physical and emotional stress. If you tend to throw out your back for example, treatment would aim to keep things loose before this happens. If you tend anxiety and depression acupuncture can assist in soothing an overactive nervous system.
Secondary prevention is used when something has gone wrong. At this stage chronic overuse, stress and other factors may show up as headaches, tightness in the upper back and neck or insomnia. Treatment is fairly specific and usually requires a few to resolve the issue. At this stage acupuncture and bodywork may reduce complications and speed up healing.Most folks get treatment when they are already run down, stressed out and in pain. There is an increasing body of evidence that bodywork and acupuncture can reduce stress hormones, improve immune function and reduce pain. If done preemptively, it can have an accumulative effect on your general health.
Have a great week and be well.
Matthew Sedo R.Ac
