self-care tools: evidence-based stress reduction techniques
TRANSCRIPT
SELF-CARETOOLS
Evidence-Based Stress Reduction Techniques
Michelle Bombacie, MS, L.Ac., LMT
The use of essential oils for therapeutic purposes
Dating back nearly 1,000 years
Easy-to-use modality for people of all ages
Essential oils are liquids extracted from flowers, herbs and trees
Each essential oil has a characteristic fragrance and therapeutic benefit
Function: calm, stimulate and balance; depending on the oil’s chemistry
Essential oils can enter the body by inhalation, topically through the skin, or orally
by ingestion
AROMATHERAPY
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Direct Inhalation: Directly inhale using a tissue
sprinkled with 2-5 drops of an essential oil or
inhale directly from the bottle.
Bowl and towel: Add 1-5 drops of essential oil
in a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your
head, and keeping eyes closed, lean over the
bowl and inhale deeply.
Mist: Add 20-30 drops of oil to an 8 ounce
mister bottle. Shake vigorously before use
and spray in room or on skin.
Diffusion: Diffusers dispense essential oils
into the air using electricity. Diffuse an
essential oil for 15 to 30 minutes by sprinkling
3-6 drops of oil on a diffuser pad.
Inhalation
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Direct Application: Essential
oils can be directly applied to
the skin using dilution of 3-5
drops oil in 1 tablespoon of
carrier oil.
Acu-point: Apply 1-2 drops oil
directly on acupressure point,
hold and apply circular
pressure 15-30 seconds.
Foot Bath: Add 2-4 drops of
essential oil to a basin of cool
or warm water, soak feet for
10-20 minutes.
Topical
Overall very safe with few reactions
Most common adverse reactions are skin irritation and perception of fragrance as
noxious
Avoid touching eyes with essential oils and always wash your hands well after use
Citrus essential oils are photosensitive; avoid the topical application of these oils
prior to sun exposure
Be aware of skin sensitivities and irritations; do a patch test by applying 1-2 drops
oil on a band-aid and keep on12-24 hours, looking for irritation, redness or
itchiness
Exercise caution around children and pets
Safety Recommendations
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Calming
Anti-Inflammatory
Antiseptic
Cooling
Lavender
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Improves circulation
Boosts energy
Enhances mood
Warming
Orange & Tangerine
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Pain relieving
Decongestant
Supports digestion
Cooling
Peppermint & Spearmint
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Antidepressant
Expectorant
Immuno-stimulant
Stimulates the limbic system
Stress reducing
Frankincense
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Calming
Antispasmodic
Skin disorders
Stabilizes emotions
Chamomile
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Calming
Antispasmodic
Balances blood pressure
Promotes lustrous hair
Balances equilibrium
Ylang Ylang
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Calming
Anti-inflammatory
Antiseptic
Anti-depressant
Bergamot
• A system of integrative medicine, based on the principles and philosophy of
Traditional Chinese Medicine, that utilizes specific points called “acupoints” located
along energetic pathways known as channels or meridians.
ACUPRESSURE
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Each acupoint has more than one action
Apply medium pressure directly on to the
point
Hold for 15 seconds; then apply circular
pressure for an additional 15 seconds
Acupoints
Yin YangYang: Light
Yin: Dark
Yang: External
Yin: Internal
Yang: Excess
Yin: Deficiency
Yang: Rising
Yin: Sinking
Location:
At the glabella, at the midpoint
between the medial extremities of
the eyebrows.
Actions:
Calms the mind
Benefits the nose
Alleviates pain
Clinical Applications:
Insomnia, anxiety, agitation, mental clarity, frontal headache, nasal congestion.
YintangHall of Impression
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Location:
Four points at the vertex of the scalp.
Approximately two finger widths distance between
each of them.
Actions:
Calms the spirit
Pacifies wind
Benefits the eyes and ears
Clinical Applications:
Depression, insomnia, poor memory, headache,
dizziness.
SishencongFour Alert Spirit
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Location:
On the palm, in the depression
between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones.
Where the tip of the little finger rests when
a loose fist is made.
Actions:
Calms the spirit
Regulates Heart qi
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Clinical Applications: palpitations, fear, sadness
and worry, fear of people and agitation.
Shaofu – Heart 8Lesser Palace
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Location:
Between the second and third
metacarpal bones, in the depression, where
the tip of the middle finger rests when a loose
fist is made.
Actions:
Calms the spirit
Cools blood
Harmonizes the Stomach
Clinical Applications: depression, fright, sadness
mouth ulcers, throat pain, vomiting.
Laogong - Pericardium 8Palace of Toil
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Location:
On the dorsum of the hand,
Between the first and second metacarpal
Bones, at the midpoint.
Actions:
Alleviates pain
Regulates face
Expels wind
Clinical Indications: headache, eye pain, jaw pain, nasal congestion, body pain.
Hegu - Large Intestine 4 Joining Valley
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Location:
On the midline of the sternum, in
a depression level with the junction of the fourth
intercostal space and the sternum.
Actions:
Regulates qi and unbinds chest
Descends rebellious qi
Clinical Applications: shortness of breath,
inability to speak, acid reflux
Shanzhong – Ren 17Chest Center
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Location:
Below the knee, 3 cun inferior to the lateral
“eye of the knee”, one finger-breadth lateral
To the anterior crest of the tibia.
Actions:
Harmonizes the Stomach
Resolves dampness
Tonifies qi and blood
Clears pain along the channel
Revives yang
Clinical Applications: fatigue, indigestion, constipation, edema, muscle pain.
Zusanli - Stomach 36Leg Three Miles
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Location:
On the sole of the foot, between the second
and third metatarsal bones, approximately one
third the distance between the base of the second
toe and the heel.
Actions:
Descends excess from the head
Calms the spirit
Rescues yang
Clinical Applications: fright, headache, dizziness,
agitation, insomnia, cough, constipation, poor memory
Yongquan – Kidney 1Gushing Springs
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Placing individual essential oils on specific acupressure points can result in a more
clinically significant effect
Essential oil and acupressure point have the same energetic and functional
properties
Oils activate peptides connected with acupoints that transmit the suggested action
to specific target tissues, organs, etc. through meridian energy pathways
Mechanism of action is unproven
Universal principle of reciprocal resonance: oils and points have similar qualities
and will energetically resonate with each other and create a particular sonic
vibration similar to the sound created when a peptide docks on a receptor site
Aromatherapy & Acupressure Combined
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Lavender
Stress
• Calming
• Anti-Inflammatory
• Antiseptic
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• Improves circulation
• Boosts energy
• Enhances mood
Orange & Tangerine
Fatigue
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• Pain relieving
• Decongestant
• Supports digestion
Peppermint & Spearmint
Pain
1. National Acupuncture Detox Association (NADA)
• Michael Smith; founded 1985
• Non-verbal approach to healing
• Involves placement of five specific acupoints located on each ear
• Adjunct therapy; helps reduce cravings, increases calmness, improves sleep and
emotional trauma
2. Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA)
• Air Force Col. Richard Niemtzow, MD; founded 2001
• Used in the United States military for over a decade
• Involves placement of five acupoints located on each ear; applied in a specific
order
• Calms the CNS, particularly an area of the brain that processes pain known as
the cingulate gyrus
AURICULAR PROTOCOLS
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1. Autonomic Point (Sympathetic) – regulates
autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and
parasympathetic), palpitations; inferior crus
2. Shen Men - sedation, ease minds – relieves
pain; triangular fossa
3. Kidney – strengthens bones, hearing and low
back; lower border inferior antihelix crus
4. Liver – relaxes tendons, vision and promotes
smooth flow qi and blood; helix crus
5. Lung – promotes smooth flow qi and blood,
nourishes skin and breath; cavum conchae
NADA PROTOCOL
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1. Cingulate Gyrus – regulates emotion +
behavior; near intertragic notch
2. Thalamus – regulates acute + chronic pain;
antitragus
3. Omega 2 – musculoskeletal + vascular;
superior helix
4. Point Zero – tranquilizes mind + centering;
helix crus
5. Shen Men – sedation, ease minds – relieves
pain; triangular fossa
BFA
Sleep Hygiene
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society
recommend that adults aged 18–60 years sleep at least 7 hours
More than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular
basis (CDC)
NIH estimates up to 70 Million adults suffer from insomnia
18 million struggle with obstructive sleep apnea
1 in 4 children have insomnia
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Childhood Sleep
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1 w
k 1 3 6 9 12 18 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Age
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day
night
These are guidelines. Most children’s sleep needs will fall within one hour of these guidelines, but not every child will have the same needs. Particularly in young infants (1 week – 3 months), there is variability in the amount of sleep required as well as the daytime versus nighttime distribution.
(years)
(months)
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Adapted from: Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber, MD
Strategies for Sleep Hygiene
Consistent bed and wake time
Limit electronic use before bedtime
Bed is just for sleeping
Exposure to sunlight
Regular meals
Eliminate (or limit) caffeine consumption before bedtime
Get regular exercise each day, but avoid intense exercise 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Establish and maintain a consistent, relaxing, and quiet bedtime routine to help your body wind
down.
Maintain a quiet, dark and cool (< 75 F) sleep environment.
Sleep when sleepy; try to limit the amount of time you spend awake in bed
Get up & try again: if you can’t get to sleep after 20 minutes or more, move out of bed and do
something (e.g., sit on the couch with the lights off) and then try again
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The practice of imagining or
creating an image in your mind
and holding that image for a
specific effect.
Mind-body discipline that can
be readily integrated.
Bridges the brain, mind, and
body, directly promoting
relaxation.
Visual Imagery
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Mindfulness exercise which
helps to stay connected to
your physical body and better
manage areas of discomfort.
As you focus on areas of
physical tension, observe your
mind and thoughts and
feelings that arise, then gently
let them go.
Body Scan
• STEP ONE: Belly Breathing
DEEP BREATHING
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STEP TWO: Lengthened-exhalation Breathing
• Breathe in for a count of four
• Gradually lengthen your exhale to a count of eight
• Continue breathing in for four, out for eight for several minutes
• Each time you exhale, consciously release tension in your body
• Use this breath in stressful situations, or when trying to fall asleep
Guided Breathing
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• Tones the core muscles necessary for good posture and functional
movement
• Strengthens the back body, elongates the front body
1. SIP in through the mouth like you are sipping through a straw,
expanding the rib cage into your hands
2. Hold the breath for two seconds, tightening the core
3. Exhale through the mouth with the sound of “SSSSS,” squeezing the
rib cage back in toward the midline of the body, and getting taller in the
front of the body
4. Practice a few core breaths at a time, in yoga sequences and poses
CORE BREATHING
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Serves as a support for
modified versions of traditional
yoga poses that target the
muscle groups of the
shoulders, back, and neck.
Stress reduction technique
that only requires a few
minutes.
Mind-body engagement, as it
will increase circulation to the
body and oxygen to the brain.
Chair Yoga
STANDING YOGA
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Questions?
• Battlefield acupuncture. Accessed at https://www.battlefieldacupuncture.net
• Deadman, P. Al-Khafaji, M. & Baker, K. (2007). A manual of acupuncture. East
Essex, England: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications.
• DeStress Monday. Accessed at
https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/campaigns/distress-monday
• Edwards, M. “YogAlign.” Accessed at https://youalign.com.
• Ferber, R. (1985). Solve your Child’s Sleep Problems. New York, New York: Simon
& Schuster.
• Ladas, E. J. & Kelly, K. M. (2012). Integrative strategies for cancer patients.
Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co.
• National acupuncture detoxification association. Accessed at http://acidetox.com
• Young, D. G. (2003). Essential oils integrative medical guide USA: Life Sciences
Press.
Resources
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