How 5-Element Acupuncture Can Benefit Neurotransmitters
Lori Horan Soule, N.D., L.Ac.
When a person is exposed to prolonged stress, neurotransmitters
are often adversely affected, initiating some common symptoms
such as weight gain, fatigue, sleep disorders, and anxiety. So why
are some neurotransmitter imbalances unimproved by well-chosen
medications? Most likely the lifestyle cause of the problem has
not been addressed. This is where 5 Element acupuncture excels in
holistic treatment.
Jan was an office manager and mother of 2. She was suffering from migraines, obesity, and anxiety. She hadn’t slept well since the kids were born. Because she was so fatigued, she ate junk food to give her energy. She was taking Paxil and 3 different headache medications, but still had several migraines per month. She also obsessed during the night about starting her own photography business that she planned for years ago and hadn’t ever developed. She worried she could never get out of her current situation. No doubt, Jan had a neurotransmitter imbalance.
Most people in America don’t know that there are different
styles of acupuncture. Most of what is practiced in the US is a
modern style of Chinese Medicine, which developed after the
influx of Western medicine into China. Consequently, much of
the historical diagnostic and therapeutic principles of the older
Classical Chinese Medicine were lost to the newer form of acupuncture.
Classical Five Element Acupuncture retained the old
ways of diagnosing and treating the origin of illness. Its goal is
returning people to a balanced state of functioning.
The ancient Chinese were keen observers of nature and based their understanding of the body, health and disease upon natural rhythms. Underlying all of nature, they say, are five basic energetic “elements” (wood, fire, earth, metal and water). Because human beings are a part of nature, they contain all of these elements within them. Ideally, all of the elements are balanced within us, but with illness, characteristics of one element are more excessive or deficient than others. The out-of-balance element predisposes a person to specific illnesses, behavior, mental-emotional weaknesses, and neurotransmitter disorders.
Jan had an earth imbalance, which meant her pancreas and stomach were her weakest organs. The pancreas is associated with over-thinking and over-worrying, which tends to bring out anxiety felt in the pit of the stomach (which is also associated with high levels of excitatory neurotransmitters, and low levels of inhibitory neurotransmitters). When the earth element is imbalanced, it tends to bring on cravings for sweet foods and hypersensitivity to the needs of others while ignoring ones own self-care needs.
After having her stomach and pancreas energies rebalanced, she found the ability to let her children take on more responsibility around the house, to carve out time for hot baths, yoga, good foods, and pursued her own photography business. Her migraines became infrequent, and her anxiety was transformed into excitement. Eventually she was able to give up her office job and now enjoys working as a photographer full time.
Call CTM today for an appointment with Dr. Lori Horan Soule to experience the transformational quality of Five Element Acupuncture.