Suffer Less From Stress :: Holistic Healing :: Acupressure and Acupuncture

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Suffer Less From Stress
by author Nicole Duelli, CCH, RSHom (NA)

Do you feel stressed a lot of the time? Maybe you’re convinced that nothing can be done, except moving to a remote island and throwing away your cell phone. Wait a minute, though. Stress can be overwhelming, but it’s also a powerfully motivating force of change.

When stress becomes overwhelming, a homeopathic remedy may work to increase resistance to physical and emotional stress. The beauty of homeopathy is that this natural medicine can treat each person’s unique constitution. All you need to do is find the one that best suits you and the stressor you’re dealing with.

Stressor 1: Anticipatory anxiety and fear

Anticipating a significant event can cause unbearable tension, be it an exam, a presentation, or even a flight. Argentum nitricum restores tranquility when you feel hurried and high-strung, rushing around to get everything done. This remedy also calms performance anxiety that is accompanied by sudden blackouts of memory. But if apprehension produces extraordinary tiredness that causes weakness, trembling, and exhaustion, use Gelsemium instead. Both these remedies can also help soothe bouts of diarrhea due to nerves. Aconite, on the other hand, will take the edge off panic and intense fear, for example, fear of death before a flight.

Stressor 2: Work and study

Times of excessive work or study can push you past your limits. Keep Nux vomica on hand to relieve illnesses associated with work excess: colds, insomnia, cramps, and headaches. The ambitious, efficient business type, who becomes muddled, irritable, and impatient from overwork, too little sleep, and too much caffeine, may also need a dose of this remedy. Sometimes passion for work and study causes a state of intense excitement, filling the mind with ideas that prevent sleep. If so, use Coffea to bring rest.

Should a heavy workload bring nervous exhaustion, then Kalium phosphoricum is the better choice. It will usually restore you when, despite feeling tired and weak, the body becomes nervous and jumpy and you are unable to relax or concentrate. Other symptoms may include the feeling that rest, nourishing food, and warmth help, but only temporarily.

When nervous exhaustion with nausea and dizziness result from a combination of sleep loss and worry, typical when looking after an ill family member, Cocculus is an excellent restorative.

Stressor 3: Grief and loss

If loss and grief cause you to feel overwhelmed, three homeopathic remedies can help. Ignatia may be used soon after a loss occurs if you cannot stop crying, sobbing loudly and involuntarily or, alternatively, cannot cry at all. You may also experience a lump in the throat and sigh constantly. Your emotions may be reactive and moody, and the body may feel cramped and numb.

Natrum muriaticum may be used after Ignatia when the symptoms fit. These may include feeling lonely and depressed, being withdrawn from others, or burying feelings and dwelling on past hurts. Consolation may only cause anger and resentment. Headaches or herpes outbreaks after grief can also be helped with this remedy.

When grief causes shock in the form of exhaustion and indifference, consider using Phosphoric acid. A person needing this remedy may not want to think, go anywhere, or do anything. Diarrhea linked to grief may also be helped with this remedy.

Stress is a part of life but, instead of letting it defeat you, use it to build character and inspire change. A select few stress-relieving homeopathic remedies are listed here. You can gather more information from Miranda Castro’s Homeopathic Guide to Stress (St. Martin’s Press, 1997) or find a classical homeopath to assist you.

How Much to Take

You should notice improvement after taking three to five pills in a 30C potency every 12 hours for three doses. If you prefer to take the remedy longer, use a 9C potency two to three times daily instead. Reduce and stop as symptoms improve.

If You Always Feel Stressed, Change Some Habits

Let off steam regularly: take a daily stroll or practise yoga.
Be mindful in every task: efficiency results from focus.
Eat healthy organic food: a healthy body withstands more stress.
Talk about your problems or lend an ear to bring perspective.
Practise compassion: be kind to others and especially to yourself.

Nicole Duelli, CCH, RSHom (NA), enjoys sharing her love for homeopathy. She is a certified classical homeopath who trained in Germany as a naturopathic practitioner and now practises in Vancouver.

Source: alive #271, May 2005

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