10 Oct World Mental Health Day
With today being World Mental Health Day, we wanted to highlight how the Asian Medicine practices that we offer at Touch Tuina may help mental health and wellbeing.
Mental health refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave, and influences how we handle stress, relate to others and make decisions. Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness; it involves a state of balance where we can realise our potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and contribute to our community.
Mental health is shaped by a combination of biological factors (like genetics and brain chemistry), life experiences (such as trauma or abuse), our diet (gut brain axis), hormone imbalances and family history of mental health issues. It can fluctuate over time, and maintaining mental health requires ongoing self-care, support and sometimes professional intervention.
East Asian or Chinese therapies, particularly Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offer a holistic approach to mental health that addresses the interconnectedness of the mind, body and spirit. These therapies aim to balance the body’s energy (qi) and harmonise the internal organs to maintain overall well-being. Here’s how they can help with mental health:
- Bodywork (Tui Na & Reflexology)
How it helps: we use Tui Na’s therapeutic techniques to stimulate energy flow, improve circulation and posture. It focuses on the body’s meridians and acupressure points.
Applications: By releasing physical tension and helping things physically flow correctly in the body structures, we can help bring fresh blood flow, oxygen and nutrients to the brain, alleviating emotional stress and anxiety, while also promoting relaxation and mental clarity.
- Acupuncture
How it helps: Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the flow of energy along the meridians. In TCM, mental health issues are often seen as imbalances in the body’s energy system, particularly involving the heart, liver, spleen and kidneys.
Applications: Acupuncture can help relieve anxiety, depression and insomnia, by restoring balance to the affected organs and energy channels. Studies have shown it to be effective in reducing stress hormones and promoting relaxation.
- Herbal Medicine
How it helps: Chinese herbal medicine uses combinations of natural herbs to treat imbalances in the body’s organ systems that are believed to contribute to mental health disorders. Different formulas are used, based on an individual’s unique constitution and symptoms.
Applications: Herbs like ginseng, licorice root and Rehmannia are often prescribed to address anxiety, depression and fatigue. For example, a common TCM diagnosis for anxiety might involve an imbalance in the heart or liver, and specific herbs would be used to restore harmony.
- Dietary Therapy
How it helps: In TCM, food is seen as medicine, and dietary choices are used to balance the body’s energies. Foods are categorised as warming, cooling, or neutral, and certain foods are believed to nourish specific organs, which in turn affect hormonal and mental health.
Applications: A diet tailored to support the heart and liver may be recommended to calm the mind and improve mood. For instance, warm, nourishing foods might be suggested to address emotional coldness or depression, while cooling foods could help soothe an overactive or anxious mind.
- Qi Gong and Meditation
How it helps: These mind-body practices combine gentle physical movement, breath control and meditation, to promote balance and relaxation. By enhancing the flow of qi, Qi Gong and Tai Chi help to calm the mind, reduce anxiety and stress, improve emotional regulation and foster a sense of inner peace.
Applications: Regular practice has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, by regulating the nervous system and encouraging mindfulness.
- Moxibustion
How it helps: Moxibustion involves burning mugwort (a medicinal herb) near specific acupuncture points and meridians to warm the body and invigorate the flow of qi. In TCM, mental health issues like depression and fatigue are often linked to coldness or stagnation in the body.
Applications: Moxibustion can help lift the mood and stimulate the body’s energy when there is a sense of heaviness or lethargy, which are common in depressive states.
- Five Element Theory
How it helps: This theory relates elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water) to different organs, emotions and aspects of personality. Imbalances in the elements are believed to cause emotional and mental health issues.
Applications: Treatment is tailored to balance the elements. For example, excess Wood energy (related to the liver) might be linked to anger and frustration, while an imbalance in Fire (related to the heart) could cause anxiety or insomnia. Therapies would focus on restoring harmony between the elements.
- Kiniesiology
Kinesiology can help with mental health by addressing the connections between the body, mind and emotions. It uses muscle testing and other techniques to identify imbalances in the body’s energy systems, which can contribute to emotional and psychological challenges.
Overall Impact on Mental Health:
East Asian or Chinese therapies emphasise the idea that mental and physical health are deeply interconnected. By addressing underlying imbalances in the body’s energy, these therapies not only treat symptoms but also aim to resolve root causes of mental health issues. This holistic approach can provide long-lasting relief and improvement in mental well-being, offering a complement to or alternative for conventional treatments.
For more information you can always get in touch to speak with one of our senior therapists at Touch Tuina.