Over the weekend, the practitioners at The Pagoda Tree all went to a seminar together. It was fun spending more time outside of the clinic together, but more importantly, as all good seminars do, it motivated us to improve our own practices in clinic. This one happened to be on the biology of emotion and ways to improve energy, mood and stress.

Without going into it in too much detail, stress in particular has an effect on brain structure – literally shrinking parts of the brain (hippocampus and prefrontal cortex) and making other parts bigger (amygdala). This in turn has an effect on how much our moods are geared towards happiness and decision-making, or fear and worry.

So how can we enlarge those parts of the brain that make us happy and decisive and shrink the parts that make us worry and have fear?

Reduce the stress stimulation
Haha! Of course this is number one on the list, but make simple obtainable goals to reduce your stress. It is great to have a little stimulation in your life, but if you are having more than 2 hours at a time of heavy stress, take 2-10 minutes to slow your breathing, gather your thoughts or at least have a drink (non-alcoholic please!). We can all spare 2 minutes to be still.

Become a pro at sleeping
Good sleep recharges your battery and gives your body the ability and energy to better deal with the day ahead. Some simple steps to become a pro are:
– Stick to the same times to rise and fall as best you can, even on weekends.
– Make your bedroom a place of sleep. Don’t get into bed and stay awake for too long and don’t wake up and stay too long in bed.
– Detox from screens in bed by either cutting them out or using an app that blocks the blue light being emitted. Alternatively read a paper book.
– Learn the herbs and supplements that help. (I’ll discuss soon)

Eat the right stuff
- Get the gut right with probiotics
– Have 2 tablespoons of nuts and seeds with healthy oils
– Have a cup of fresh fruit, three cups of fresh vegies
– Have a protein rich food with each meal
– Drink more water (at least 6 tall glasses, cheers!)

Supplement support
There is continually more and more research coming out about supplements that help with mood, stress and energy but the key formula starts with a high strength B supplement and specific magnesium tailored to your needs. When you come in to The Pagoda Tree we will be more than happy to guide you towards specific practitioner prescribed supplements that help and do wonders for your wellbeing, when accompanied by acupuncture.

Hug a tree, salute the sun and embrace mother earth
Take this literally if you would like, but more importantly get outside every day. Exercise is always essential for a happy mind, but so is getting fresh air and vitamin D. Also try walking bare foot along the beach or through a park to help balance magnetic energies through grounding. It’s free, easy and we have so many wonderful places to do it.

Take a deep breath
Short shallow breathing causes stress on your body and your body’s pH levels to drop. This then causes stress hormones to be released. Slow your breathing for at least 2 minutes to have the reverse effect.

Make new friends
A good social network is imperative to mental health and wellbeing, so be kind and friendly to all and you will not only brighten someone else’s day, but also benefit your own wellbeing.

Acupuncture
We at The Pagoda Tree find happiness in helping you reduce stress, improve energy and uplift your mood. After 15-20 minutes of acupuncture, the first thing you will notice is the calmness. We can also discuss further the diet, lifestyle and supplements that will fit you perfectly as well as be that new friend.

Being in a rut of poor energy or low mood is often due to a change of the brain structure and function, but is often reversible through these simple steps. If you are looking for more help, our doors are always open at The Pagoda Tree. If you want to find out more or are looking to make some new friends we are having an open day soon. I’d love to meet you and answer any specific questions you may have.

– Caleb

Caleb is one of our wonderful practitioners here at The Pagoda Tree.  To book an appointment with Caleb, you can contact us here.