I have a recipe for gluten-free pumpkin ginger bread that I want to write up, but as school ramps up I wanted to share what I know about how Chinese Medicine and lifestyle choices can help with stress management.

You see, I am a person who gets stressed out fairly easily and when my to-do list piles up, I start to feel the pressure.  So what does that look like for me?  Well, I begin to feel irritable.  I start hating whatever it is that is making me busy, even if it is something that I would otherwise like.  I feel exhausted and foggy during the day, and then ramped up at night and can’t sleep when I desperately need to.  I start eating more to deal with the stress, and I usually exercise less since I have no time–a bad combo!  In general, I feel anxious and on-edge.

As we head into cold and flu season, an important reason to keep your stress under control is to keep your immune system strong.  If you are feeling weak and tired you are much more likely to catch whatever bug is coming around.  So let’s all work on staying stress free and healthy!

Here are a few of my “tips” for staying stress free when you’ve got a lot on your plate.  This will serve as a good reminder for me too since midterms are next week.  Study, study, study!

Chinese Herbs–My number one tip is to take some herbs for stress reduction.  Since I am a very new student of Chinese medicine I won’t be able to give too much information on specific herbs or formulas that can help…I need to learn a little more first!  However, I will say that Xiao Yao Wan (pronounced shaow yaow wahn) is a VERY popular and famous herbal formula that helps with stress, depression and numerous other ailments and is arguably the most often prescribed Chinese formula in the U.S. (Hey, we are a high-stress society!).  The Chinese translation of Xiao Yao Wan is “Free and Easy Wanderer,” and it gives you the ability to flow through your busy life with ease.  I wouldn’t recommend taking herbs without a thorough consultation with a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) who can prescribe herbs for your specific condition and recommend a dose for you.  Check out my resources page to find an acupuncturist and talk to them about your stressful life and how herbs can help!

Regular Acupuncture Treatments–When your life is busy you don’t often get much needed down time.  Acupuncture treatments are very relaxing (think of getting a massage).  Often patients fall asleep on the table during their treatment and wake up feeling calm and refreshed.  Having regular treatments can often feel like the only time in your busy life you don’t have to do anything at all.  What a great feeling!  As an added bonus, acupuncture is very effective for releasing tight muscles, as we all know is a side effect of stress.

Physical Activity–It’s hard to find time to exercise when you are busy but even getting in a 20-30 minute walk can brighten your mood and release stress.  Engage in exercise that is vigorous enough to elevate your heart rate but don’t overdo it.  If you can find time to do some relaxing physical movement such as Tai Chi, Qigong, or Yoga, this is also a good way to find a little peace in your life.  As for exercise, schedule it in to your daybook or calendar!  Treat is as an important appointment that can’t be missed or blown off.

Sleep--Find out how many hours of sleep your body requires (this is different for everyone) and then make a commitment to getting enough every night.  If you have trouble winding down try drinking a cup of herbal tea and sitting in silence with no distractions until you calm down.  I find some light reading can help me relax (no homework though!), but this doesn’t work for everyone.  Do what works for you!

Food—I believe food is powerful stuff.  Foods that are especially stressful on your body are sugar, alcohol, and caffeine.  These substances all raise adrenaline levels in your body, which is something your body is already producing a lot of if you are under stress.  Too much adrenaline will cause you to eventually “crash,” leaving you feeling very fatigued.  It’s hard to avoid these foods when you are tired and/or anxious and want your caffeine buzz or your nightcap to fall asleep, but it is a huge key in staying well.  Check this site often for recipes that will keep you stress-free.  I think I may do a post soon on how to give-up caffeine or just reduce your intake.

So you may be wondering now, “well this is all well and good and these tips sound great, but the reason I am stressed out is because I am BUSY and I don’t have time for all of these stress management tools.”  My advice is to start slow.  Begin by going to an acupuncturist and getting some herbs and one acupuncture treatment.  Replace coffee with green tea a few times a week, which has less caffeine, but should be enough to keep you from going through withdrawals.  Commit to taking two 30-minute walks a week.  Just start experimenting with what helps you best manage your stress.  If you think you don’t have time for these things, believe me you’ll soon realize you can’t manage your life without a plan for stress management.

So I’d like to know…what do you do to manage your stress?  Please share in the comments section.