How to Manage Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout
Written By Dr. Brandy James and Dr. Megan Mankow
Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed with the current circumstances and finding it hard to cope? Do you have new demands on your energy and attention so you have no time to recharge your battery?
This is what we are hearing more and more from women that come into the clinic. Stress can cause many imbalances in the body creating physical, mental and emotional symptoms.
At Maliya, we strongly believe in collaborative care ensuring women are supported on the physical, mental, and emotional levels. Dr Brandy James (Doctor of Naturopathic Doctor) and Dr Megan Mankow (Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine) work well together as we have similar philosophies and views on how stress manifests in the body. The goal is to find the root cause of imbalance in the body in order to achieve wellness.
Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy aims to find the underlying cause of disease or imbalances within the body rather than just treating the symptoms. This can be done through extensive intake and functional testing. The aim is to optimize the body’s ability to handle stress, minimize the side effects that result from stress, and improve sleep, mood and overall well-being.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophy looks at everything going on in the body with an in-depth questionnaire and then classifies the illness according to organ systems and meridians (energetic lines on the body). It looks at diet, lifestyle, environment, emotions and stress to see what could be causing the dysfunction. Emotions and stress are one of the primary reasons illnesses occur in the body. TCM then uses acupuncture points that stimulate the central nervous system and release chemicals into the local tissue, brain and spinal cord to elicit a change in the body.
Here are 5 quick tips to help manage your stress:
Identify triggers associated with any stressors
Recognizing the stressors in your life is an important first step. One way to do this is by taking inventory of stressors in your life. For example the transition from work to home, busy schedules, paying the bills, lack of sleep, poor nutrition, social media, etc…
Move your body
It is important to move your body for at least 30 minutes a day. This will help increase the circulation of both blood and lymph. It also releases endorphins which are chemicals that help relieve pain and stress.
Remember to breathe
Breath is one of our greatest tools. Taking a deep breath is one of the quickest ways to take our nervous system out of a sympathetic state (fight, flight, freeze) and into a parasympathetic state (rest, digest, repair).
Connect with nature and community
When you are stressed, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Connecting with nature and community is a great way to remember what is important in life and feel supported.
Nutrition
Be sure you are getting the proper nutrition for what your body needs so you are better able to better handle stress.
The collaborative village model of support used at Maliya is why Dr Brandy and Dr Megan have lasting success with their patients. For more information about how Naturopathic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine can support you, click here to book a Meet and Greet with Dr Brandy or Dr Megan today!
