NEWS RELEASE

Traditional Medicine Helps Alleviate Holiday Stress

San Francisco, CA – For many people, the holidays bring more attention to family, work and money. As a result, individuals can find themselves feeling more depressed, anxious and stressed than usual. Combine this stress with recent stock market lows, home foreclosures, and billion dollar bank and auto industry bailouts, and stress can easily start to detract from the peace and joy the holiday season is intended to celebrate.

According to a 2007 American Psychological Association (APA) study, money and work are the leading causes of stress for over three quarters of Americans. APA research has shown that stress is linked to the six leading causes of death—heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. In fact, 75 percent to 90 percent of all visits to the doctor are for stress-related problems, according to the American Institute of Stress.

To help alleviate holiday stress and depression, more and more Americans are turning to age-old holistic modalities such as Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine and exercise.

“Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture, massage and herbal medicine, is a very popular way to help individuals relax and re-energize. It can help with conditions such as anxiousness, depression, insomnia, tense muscles, headaches and pain; all things many of us experience during the holidays,” said John Kolenda, a licensed acupuncturist and American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM) clinic dean. According to Kolenda, many patients report an enhanced sense of well-being and a deep feeling of relaxation after an acupuncture or massage treatment. These modalities alleviate stress symptoms by releasing endorphins, the body’s own natural painkillers, and improving the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids which bring fresh oxygen to body tissues. This increased oxygen flow eliminates waste products from inside the body and enhances recovery from diseases. Acupuncture and massage also decrease the stress hormone cortisol, lower blood pressure, reduce the heart rate, and relax muscle tissue. “One of the reasons acupuncture and massage are so popular is because they provide health benefits that are also free of side effects when performed by a licensed professional,” Kolenda added.

For more information on how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help alleviate stress and depression during the upcoming holiday season, call (415) 355-1601 x12. To make an appointment, please call the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic at (415) 282-9603.