The Ancient Chinese Secret to Stress Relief

Do you feel like there is a weight on your shoulders caused by work, family life, school, poor decisions or unmet goals? You are probably very aware that you are experiencing stress - even chronic stress. Are you wondering what you can do about it? Is there really a Chinese secret to stress relief?

In reasonable amounts, the stress we experience daily is somewhat normal, and even healthy. It helps our body to adapt to new situations, and it can motivate you to reach your goals. However, too much stress can even lead to physical ailments, and we can begin to feel stronger effects as we are subjected to stress on a more regular basis.

In reality, the stress most of us experience goes way beyond reasonable amounts. In fact, in the US:

- 77% of people regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress
- 73% of people regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress
- 33% of people feel that they are living with extreme stress

Too much stress is detrimental to your health. Feeling stressed for days, weeks or even months at a time can result in a weakened immune system, high blood pressure and heart disease, tiredness and fatigue, and depression and anxiety, among others.

Stress is, without a doubt, is a public health issue. But on a personal level, what can you do about it?

In addition to making lifestyle decisions that help avoid chronic stress, like performing regular physical activity, promoting mental balance and eating a balanced diet, there are herbs and botanicals that can provide your body with essential support to be better equipped to deal with stress and feel stress relief.

Here, we will tell you about seven Chinese herbs and two additional components that will help your body deal with stress much more efficiently, allowing you to finally take a deep breath and relax.

But first, ask yourself, what type of stress are you feeling?

What Types of Stress Are You Feeling?

According to the American Institute of Stress, there are different types of stress that we experience - some are positive and part of a normal life, while others are negative and can be a burden to our health.

Acute stress, for example, is what you feel when you are startled or scared. Your metabolism is immediately altered to induce the fight or flight response, and it takes up to an hour and a half for your hormone levels to get back to normal. While it can be uncomfortable at the moment, it is a normal, healthy response so you can be prepared to act to save your life.

Eustress is a type of “positive stress." It is the type of stress you feel when important events are occurring in your life, like getting married, receiving a promotion, having a baby, making new friends, graduating, moving cities and other similar events. When you experience eustress, you are at your peak-performance level.

Distress occurs when the level of stress surpasses levels to help you be productive. Instead, it results from negative events in your life, like divorce, punishment, getting hurt, experiencing financial problems, having difficulties at work and experiencing negative feelings.

Chronic stress is one of the largest health problems in the United States. It is what happens when daily events and responsibilities begin to weigh us down. Because the feeling is continuous, we tend to ignore it. If we don’t control chronic stress, it takes a toll on our health and even on our immune system.

Chronic stress is the type of stress that is the most difficult to relieve, and the one that is most prevalent. This is where we look to ancient Chinese knowledge for herbs and remedies to help save our chronic stress.

Key Components and Traditional Chinese Herbs That Help to Relieve Stress

Research and ancient knowledge hold solutions to help you relax and let the stress roll away. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holds many secrets that help to modulate and reduce stress in your body in many ways.

• Pantethine: Pantethine is a derivative of Vitamin B5. Supplementation with pantethine helps to enhance the function of the part of the brain called the adrenal cortex and help to reduce the secretion of the stress-inducing hormone, cortisol. This helps to induce a feeling of calm.
• L-Theanine: L-Theanine is a plant extract known as a “calmative.” This is beneficial for anxiety during the day, as well as for promoting sleep at night.
• Bupleurum (Chai Hu): When you are under a considerable amount of stress, you can feel anxiety that affects your memory and even your spatial awareness. Bupleurum helps to increase our body’s tolerance to stress and can even calm any stress-related digestive disorders. From the perspective of TCM, Chai Hu helps to awaken a stagnant Qi, thus re-establishing balance.
• Aged Tangerine Peel and Bitter Orange: Aged tangerine peel helps to reestablish digestive processes interrupted by stress and anxiety, and prevent the damage that stress can cause on our bodies. It also helps move your Qi to the center of your body.
• White Peony Root: White peony root is one of the most commonly used herbs in TCM. It helps to act on the neurotransmitters of the brain to help to prevent depressive symptoms. It also helps to nourish the liver meridian and relieve pain associated with stress.
• Zizyphus (Lotus or Suan Zao Ren): Suan Zao Ren, or Zizyphus, helps to calm muscle tenseness and spasms that often occur when you are under a lot of stress. It also helps to nourish the liver and heart meridian, while balancing the yin-yang connection. Together, these processes help to calm the mind.
• Lovage Root (Chuan Xiong): This root helps to promote healthy circulation throughout the body and assists in relaxing muscles.
• Honey-Baked Licorice Root: When you are chronically stressed, inflammation can take place, which then can increase your risk of the multiple health problems mentioned above. Both honey and licorice have significant anti-inflammatory properties that help to counteract the damaging effects that stress can have on your body.

How Can You Get These Herbs?

Running around town to a dozen stores to try to find these Chinese secrets to stress relief in the form of helpful little herbs and components definitely won’t be the best step toward ultimate relaxation.

That’s why it’s a good thing that there is a little capsule that contains all of these components in one. Balance Blends offers the Just Breathe capsules that contain the seven Chinese herbs used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and two additional research-backed components to help move your Qi to relieve stress and help you feel calmer.

Take the Just Breathe capsules daily, and you may finally be able to take a restful breath… with this Chinese secret to stress relief.

Plus, if you're worried about becoming ill as your immune system weakens in response to stress, click to learn more about Force Field from Balance Blends.