Acupuncture For Grief
Grief Can Hit Us At Anytime
The death of a loved one can be extremely difficult to deal with. But there are other kinds of grief that don’t get talked about as much that can be equally painful.
the end of a relationship such as a divorce or a breakup
the death of a beloved pet
losing a job
or grieving the old way of living before the pandemic
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries as to help manage the grieving process with acupuncture points, movement, lifestyle modifications, and nutrition.
How Acupuncture Helps With Grief
In acupuncture we use points to help manage and treat the emotions associated with grief. When these points, usually found on the lung meridian, are used during acupuncture can:
help manage the emotions associated with grief (such as frustration, sadness, or anger)
help treat ailments that arise during the grieving process (like migraines, digestive issues, neck and shoulder pain).
help balance out brain chemicals responsible for regulating moods or managing stress or anxiety
Acupuncture is a powerful therapy for the suffering people experience after a traumatic incident or loss.
Using Movement And Acupuncture For Grief
One of the most thoughtful things we can do as grievers is to concentrate on the present moment; be present in your life, and grounded in your body. Integrating our minds, bodies, and spirit through movement is genuine and life-altering, and some have used it to cope through times of sadness and depression
Here are some key ways to incorporate movement into your life:
Dance Movement Therapy - using movement to help heal and reconnect
Laughter Yoga - humor is a great way to reduce stress and makes you feel better
Qi Gong - gathering ambient energy and channeling it into our bodies and releasing pain and sadness
Forest Bathing - getting slow and present by being in nature
Exercise - it can help people cope with grief by alleviating stress and adapting to loss
Read Our Series on Acupuncture & Grief
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Acupuncture & Grief: Part One
Acupuncture points and acupressure techniques are great tools to help you cope with grief.
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Acupuncture & Grief: Part Two
Dance movement therapy and laughter yoga are some of the ways to stimulate acupuncture points to help relieve emotional pain.
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Acupuncture & Grief: Three
We explore how you can use food as medicine and nutrition to help soothe the pain of loss, disappointment, and sorrow.
Making Lifestyle & Nutritional Changes To Alleviate Grief
It’s no accident when there’s the loss of a loved one that family and friends provide food. It’s not just the convenience of having food available, it’s the warm food cooked with love by that family member that also provides healing.
Warm, cooked foods are good for preventing the metal organs–the lungs and large intestine–from being thrown out of balance. During this time, you should eat less cold, uncooked dishes like salads, icy drinks, and raw foods. Also eating sour foods and drinking lots of water helps with our breathing.
Although it’s hard, it is essential not to repress sadness when things change or are lost, but to allow it to let the tears flow or talk about it with others. This helps you process.
Breathing long, deep oxygen-rich air can also assist us in clearing the emotion of sadness that we might be carrying within. Focusing on the present can be one of the most compassionate things you can do for yourself and others. By being grounded in the “now” you can let the emotions flow through, release, and heal..
Want To Know More About How Acupuncture Helps Alleviate Pain During Grief?
To make an appointment with Dr. Brooke Foreman contact us on (808) 378 4888 or send an email to: drbrookeforeman@gmail.com