We live in a plentiful country full of abundance.
We have clean water, plenty of food, electricity, our roads are paved and clean, and we have adequate emergency rooms.
We are far less likely to contract infectious diseases or suffer from an illness requiring intense intervention than those in developing nations.
However, we still have our own set of health care problems, which, by and large, stem from a world of excess. Generally speaking, we are over-fed, over-medicated, and overwhelmed. These conditions are what have led us to our major health concerns of today - diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
These types of conditions are epidemic to countries not lacking basic needs, but lacking healthy lifestyle habits and awareness. Our lives are full of pressures, frustrations and tensions and we are finding it difficult to cope and live amongst these high-stress environments.
The American Institute of Stress estimates that between 75-90 per cent of visits to our primary care physicians are motivated by stress.
Stress can manifest in many ways such as: headaches, digestive problems, decreased immunity, anxiety and depression, all kinds of pain, insomnia, and high blood pressure.
These signs and symptoms are at times just the surface of a brewing, underlying, serious condition. Stress is subjective and contextual - relative to the individual.
What is stressful for one may not be for another and what is stressful for one may not be the following week.
In Chinese medicine, it is not necessary for a particular set of symptoms to be present in order to make a diagnosis.
A diagnosis is made by interpreting a collection of symptoms, gathered from various aspects of the patient's life: mental, emotional, social, and biological. These symptoms are grouped to form a pattern of imbalance for the patient at any given time.
This is why acupuncture and Chinese medicine, when performed by a trained and regulated practitioner, is an effective and safe treatment modality for stress.
Growing up, I noticed that my health was a direct reflection of how I lived my life on a day-to-day basis - including the choices I made in terms of my diet, exercise, emotional responses and stress management.
With this awareness, I came to value my health, which guided me towards a path of healing and education.
Through my studies of Chinese medicine and my experiences as an acupuncturist, I have come to greatly appreciate the balance it brings to not only myself but in patients of Chinese medicine as well.
The challenges and demands of today's fast-paced world breed environments of stress and it is essential for us to live well-balanced lives in order to manage this stress effectively.
My columns, I will be exploring ways to manage stress and cultivate wellness in your life, discuss common health concerns of today, and advise on how you as an individual can play a more active role in your health and your community's health at large.
Jenica Geisler is a registered acupuncturist and she practices at Ageless Traditional Chinese Health Centre in Richmond. She can be contacted by at 604-270-4826 or [email protected].
