Anxiety & the Shen

Dr Sarah is a registered Acupuncturist & Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, Naturopath, Herbalist & Nutritionist; with a passion for empowering and educating clients on how to make good health simple - blending traditional wisdom with modern medicine. Whether you struggle with digestive problems, depression or anxiety, Dr Sarah will explore the root causes and find solutions collaborativley. It’s not only about the mind and gut. It’s also important to learn how to reset your energy, balance your hormones, and improve your overall health with natural medicine.

Recently in clinic, I have been seeing more and more people presenting with anxiety, so I wanted to take a brief look at what it is from a TCM perspective and what we can do about it.

Anxiety is a very normal human emotion, and in small doses it can actually help you deal with a tense situation, study for an exam or keep you focused for that dreaded speech. It becomes a problem when it repeatedly interferes with daily life, is excessive, prolonged or out of proportion with the cause.

According to Chinese Medicine, anxiety is most frequently associated with the Heart & shen (or spirit). The spirit can become ungrounded due to Heart qi, blood or yin deficiency, or heat & stagnation can further disturb the spirit. All leading to different forms and presentations of anxiety.

Anxiety can present as: 
palpitations with mental restlessness, insomnia, headache, digestive disturbances, abdominal fullness &/or pain or even mouth ulcers.

palpitations with poor memory, being easily startled, excessive dreaming, dizziness, blurry vision, scanty periods, numbness/tingling, as well as a lack of energy.

Inherited predispositions also play a role, as well as overwork, exhaustion, poor diet, lack of exercise, conditions such as hypothyroidism and even some medications. As such, make sure to move your body, eat well, eliminate sugar & processed foods and reduce caffeine.

Acupuncture has been shown to be helpful in calming the shen (spirit) and reducing anxiety when used once or twice weekly. Herbal medicine & specific nutrients have also been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety, ‘replenish blood & yin & anchor the shen’. 

What this means is super calming effects!

Herbs and nutrients include: Passionflower, Zizyphus, Lemon Balm, St John’s Wort, Lavender; Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Zinc, GABA, Inositol etc.

It is normal to worry sometimes, but if you feel like anxiety is negatively impacting your life, make sure you reach out to your healthcare practitioner. Anxiety can be managed by seeking the right treatment and employing the right strategies that are individually tailored to you. If you would like to book an appointment and chat to Dr Sarah about how TCM, acupuncture and natural medicine can help, click the button below.