Reduce Stress: health for mind and mood

More than every fifth Person in Germany feels often stressed and every second occasionally. Although women and men normally deal differently with Stress, we know that chronic Stress contributes in both sexes to a range of health problems, including mental disorders, heart diseases and obesity. A health expert presents four effective methods to reduce stress.

Professor Dr. Linda Lee is a specialist in gastroenterology at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Medicine. In a recent article, she presents their Top recommendations for the integrative treatment of Stress, focusing on techniques that involve both the mind and the body.

Integrative Stress Treatments

Integrative treatments such as Meditation and acupuncture can help to reduce Stress and related problems. These techniques are finding increasing acceptance in the General Public, since the research provides evidence of their positive impact on the health increasingly.

“Health should be considered not only from a physical perspective,” explains Lee. It is just as important, the brain and the mind involved. The expert recommends four treatments, the suitable removal specifically for the stress.

Meditation and mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are therapies that are proven to help reduce Stress and to cope with anxiety and depression. Meditation is an ancient practice that helps to achieve a relaxed state. This is achieved mainly by focusing on the breathing and the awareness of the body is concentrated on the present.

MBSR is a program based on the principles of Meditation, to help people, to make yourself more aware of how negative thoughts affect physical feelings. Studies have shown that MBSR can bring many advantages, including:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behaviour therapy is a talking therapy that focuses on identifying and questioning negative, often false thoughts, which can lead to behavioral and mental health problems, such as anxiety,. The research shows that people who receive cognitive-behavioral therapy, experienced a greater reduction in mental health symptoms than people who take only medication.

“There is plenty of evidence that these therapies are effective,” stresses Lee. In addition, there is no risk for side effects. The good thing about methods is that you can perform only after you have learned the principles.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice in which tiny needles to stimulate the nervous and immune systems. The procedure should only be done by a professional and skilled personnel. With acupuncture, hair-thin needles are introduced at certain points of the body in the skin. The process is painless and, depending on the treatment a number of illnesses, including Stress, chronic pain and digestive disorders”Acupuncture is a more integrative treatment, which I highly recommend, especially for people who suffer from insomnia,” says Dr. Lee.

Massage

While many of us consider Massage as a rare, soothing Spa treatment, studies show that massages States in the treatment of stress-related disorders, including anxiety and insomnia, can help. “Many people find massage therapy to be very helpful to relieve anxiety, especially if it is carried out in a series,” explains the Professor.

Prior to a more regular conduct should, however, be a Doctor, or a doctor consulted. According to Dr. Lee, the Massage for some people with certain pre-existing conditions are not suitable, such as bleeding disorders or osteoporosis. (vb)

Other methods for stress reduction, see the article, “stress relief: de-Stress made easy”.