Weight Loss

Talking Stress Reduction

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At the beginning of the month I was asked to appear on BBC Radio Oxford as their afternoon show – Jo Thoenes in the Afternoon – was covering the topic of stress, and how this can manifest in our bodies. Local personal trainer George Anderson spoke about the impact stress hormones such as cortisol, has on the body and the way it stores fat, making it difficult to lose weight.

I spoke about how acupuncture can help regulate hormonal imbalances, particularly adrenal fatigue (which is also linked to not being able to shift fat, as well as leaving patients exhausted), as it is a very regulating, balancing and harmonising treatment. And with hormones, balance is the key.

Acupuncture helps both physical and emotional stress, and the best thing about it being a completely holistic treatment, is that when these physical and emotional symptoms occur at the same time, we can treat them simultaneously – we treat YOU as you, not as a tense neck or shoulder… have a listen below!

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVlbxE-TVf0%5D

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The piece finishes by highlighting some of the other things your acupuncturist can do in the treatment room. For example, we can recommend dietary changes, lifestyle advice, drawing attention to the rest vs exercise balance, and so on… remember, acupuncture is not ONLY about the needles, we have a whole wealth of Chinese Medicine theory to draw upon, to help you!

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© Rhiannon Griffiths 2011

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Resolutions Reminder

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Hello 2012! We are now entering the age of love, which means this new year is going to be a super positive one, with tons of great changes – I for one, am soooo excited to see what it has in store for me, and also to hearing all about what it has in store for you – here, online, and of course in the clinic.

For those of you who already follow my Facebook and Twitter pages, you probably already know that my only “resolution” for the new year was to start yoga again, after something like 8 years away from the practice! But I chose to start this just after Christmas – it helps that Santa left me some goodies under the tree to get me going!

Starting early, takes some of the “pressure” off starting today, the 1st January 2012, and all the connotations that come with that – the fact that many people spend the first day of the new year feeling hideously hungover (not me – though don’t get me wrong, in the past I have had my fair share of hungover, negative, depressed New Year Days), just adds to that pressure of “oh no, I haven’t started my resolution”, or “gosh, I need a detox”, or “damn, I’ve broken my resolution in less than 24 hours!”… We do not need to put that much pressure on ourselves! Resolutions are supposed to be empowering – looking at what good stuff we want for ourselves in the year ahead… again, the focus is on what WE want for OURSELVES, not what we feel we SHOULD be doing, or going into competition with our friends, work colleagues or neighbours (meeting them on the doorstep as we get up for the gruelling 5am  run before work – YUCK!)…

I know what I want my general life to look like, in all its best holistic balanced glory… I want to ensure that I do at least one of the following each and every day – meditation, qigong or yoga. Of course, more than one each day would be preferable (and wonderful!), but I am realistic – if I am treating in clinic until 8pm, as I tend to for the first part of the week, I am not going to be doing yoga, then qigong and meditating before bed… As you think about your resolutions for 2012, don’t set yourself up for a fall, take small steps, and feel good about what you DO manage, don’t focus on the negative and beat yourself up – we are all human, even acupuncturists!

And sometimes we need a little support in keeping on track, I know I do – so you have my permission to ask me, when I see you in clinic, as to how my yoga is getting along! And acupuncture can help keep you on track, as you move into the new year with wishes for a healthier, more holistic focus – whether that be stopping smoking, losing weight, reducing stress levels and feeling more positive about life, or just having a better level of health with a boosted immune system.

Click here to read an article published in “Go Local” magazine this time last year, in January 2011 (scroll halfway down the page and click on the picture for pdf), which explains exactly HOW acupuncture works to help YOU to keep on track with your resolutions this year, and make this your healthiest and best year yet!

Let me know what your healthy, holistic resolutions are this year, and/or how I can help you keep on track with them for this magnificent New Year! Sending goodness to you all!

 

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© Rhiannon Griffiths 2011

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