Emotional Stress & Causes of Disease Intro.

When experiencing bloating, unexplained weight gain, acne, fatigue, infertility, anxiety, high blood pressure or just feeling "off", our labs may point out exactly where our systems are out of balance and other times we may be left not knowing what else to do because the lab results come back "normal". There may not be any significant markers to take into account, but where can we look to next?

Our emotions play a big role in our physiological processes and if not managed properly can give rise to both acute and chronic issues. I agree that medication is necessary in some cases, especially when dealing with mental illness, but I don't agree in the WAY it is prescribed. If we pay close attention to how we feel, when we feel it, oftentimes we can find the why and what is causing the issue or at least a hint in the right direction.

When we experience an emotion, physiological changes in our bodies happen automatically through the control of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which has two branches known as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system is known for its “fight or flight” reactions and the parasympathetic nervous system is known for its “rest and digest” mechanisms.

Similarly, in Chinese medicine (TCM) there are two major components in all physiological processes known as Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang, here Kidney Yin can be associated with the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) activity and Kidney Yang with the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT axis). In short, cAMP/cGMP activity can be mostly related to the state of “rest and digest” and the HPT axis to “fight or flight”.

In the posts to come, I will be sharing information on the ANS and the physical effects of emotional stress on the lymphatic, digestive, endocrine, reproductive and vascular systems as well as how TCM, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help with conditions associated with these systems.

Some of the topics will include blood sugar regulation, gut health, hormone health, boosting the immune system, and lowering inflammation.

My goal is to share as much knowledge as possible in a simplified way so that you are better able to understand what is happening in your own body and feel confident and empowered when making decisions about your health.

I'm very excited about this blog and to continue learning as I go! Please feel free to reach out with any questions from here on out.

Love,

Denise