Red Alert!

This morning along with everyone else, I was greeted with the hairraising news of the terrorist suspects arrested by British authorities for planning to do all kinds of dastardly things in the sky.

"We are at Severe, Red Alert!" boomed Michael Chertoff's voice, which I suspect was deliberately selected to be unreassuring. Then I had to hear George Bush talk about our ongoing war with "Islamic Fascists." Meanwhile, I am planning on flying out of LAX on Wednesday morning, and now face the prospect of waiting in line for 4 hours and not being allowed to bring a water bottle on board. By the time I got my dog ready to go out for a walk, my stomach was churning, my head was pounding, and I was ready to call down curses on any number of heads.

Fortunately, I have some secret strategies for dealing with stress, that I would like to share with all of you. Trapped in line at the airport? Forced to listen to politicians trying to make you even more nervous than you already are? Just generally stressed out to the max? Here's some TCM tested tips:

1. Breathe! Yes, it is the annoying thing that anyone trying to calm you down will say to you when you are upset, but it really does work. Dr. Candace Pert, the scientist who discovered the neuropeptide, talks a lot about breathing in her book, Molecules of Emotion (If you've seen What the Bleep do We Know, then you saw Dr. Pert talking about the science behind the mind-body connection and how we can affect our emotions by changing our physical bodies.)

"The peptide-respiratory link is well documented: Virtually any peptide found anywhere else can be found in the respiratory center. This peptide substrate may provide the scientific rationale for the powerful healing effects of consciously controlled breath patterns." Molecules of Emotion

There are thousands of breathing techniques, ancient and modern, out there. The most simple one that I use in frazzling situations is to inhale while counting 1, 2, and exhale while counting 1,2,3,4. This completely empties your lungs and forces you to breathe more slowly.

2. Move! In Chinese Medicine, we understand the deleterious effects of stress on the body in terms of stagnation. Energy should flow easily and calmly throughout the body, like water meandering through a clear streambed. Stress constricts the flow (literally in fact: adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor and tightens your bloodvessels, increasing your blood pressure). We even say "I'm tied up in knots by this." If you can head out for a walk, do - you will break up the stagnation in a gentle way. If you are stuck in a line, try a simple qi gong that expands the space in your body, allowing the energy to flow.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your hands loosely at your sides. Take a few breaths. As you inhale, bring your hands slowly up the front of your body, palms facing you. When you reach the center of your chest, pause, interlace your fingers and exhale. With your next inhale, stretch your interlaced hands up over your head. Smile. (you are imitating this guy. He's not stressed!) Exhale, letting your hands fall to your sides.

3. Ears! The ears are covered in acupoints, many with a calming and sedating influence. Giving yourself a mini ear massage can stimulate these points and their anti-stress effects. Even better, get someone else to do it. It's not too likely that my vision of the lineup for security at the airport, with everyone rubbing the ears of their neighbour, will come true, but a girl's got to dream.

Remember the other basic tenets of self-care, like packing healthy snacks and drinking plenty of water and you can bring that red alert down to chilled-out blue.

Be well!
Kirsten