A new study out today reveals stress levels are on the increase and we are risking our health by turning to sugary food, takeaways and alcohol to help cope with modern life. The study by the British Acupuncture Council to mark ‘Acupuncture Awareness Week’ (2nd-8th March 2015) shows that over half of the UK are more stressed now than ten years ago but are turning to junk food and booze in a bid to make themselves feel better1.
The study of 5,000 adults found that a third of us admit to comfort eating when stressed, a quarter confess to drinking alcohol and as a result 1 in 5 admit they put on weight.
Despite 70 per cent of the UK saying they are aware prolonged periods of stress can have a long term impact on their health, almost half of people admit they just put up with it and two thirds say stress is unavoidable in their life. A lack of time (41%), wanting to have it all (25%) and difficulty switching off from work (24%) were cited as the top reasons for the rise of burnt out Brits.
Tracy Frankson our amazing Acupuncturist at Nature’s Medicine Hampton and a qualified member of the British Acupuncture Council comments:
“Stress can make it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle but reaching for your favourite foods or treating yourself to that bottle of wine after a hectic day may make you feel better in the short term but it won’t tackle the root cause of the problem. Traditional acupuncture is an effective, evidence based therapy that can be a positive step for anyone wanting to get their stress levels back under control.”
With 2.3 million acupuncture treatments carried out each year, traditional acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary therapies practised in the UK today. Based on ancient principles which go back nearly two thousand years, traditional acupuncture involves placing extremely fine, sterile needles painlessly at specific points on the body to trigger a healing response and restoring balance.
Despite acupuncture’s widely recognised health benefits, many of us are missing the point when it comes to this ancient Chinese medicine. Statistics show that only 4% of the UK have tried acupuncture to cope with stress and 67 per cent say they didn’t know the therapy can help to release endorphins, the body’s feel good hormones.
“Although the research shows 1 in 10 of us think stress isn’t serious enough to seek help, it’s common to feel exhausted, overwhelmed and even depressed so finding support is vital. A course of traditional acupuncture helps to target the root cause of the problem as treatment is unique for each individual. Typically the cause could be a deficiency in the body exacerbated by overwork, working long hours, burning the candle at both ends or a lack of proper rest and nourishing food. Together with a specific treatment plan which addresses diet, exercise and lifestyle, many of my patients find traditional acupuncture to be a wonderfully relaxing experience. When looking for a practitioner, make sure you find a qualified acupuncturist registered with the British Acupuncture Council to ensure a high standard of care and safety.”
To find out more about traditional acupuncture visit www.introducingacupuncture.co.uk.
1 5,000 UK adults were questioned by One Poll, December 2014
Discover the benefits of Acupuncture yourself with our Special Promotion for Acupuncture Awareness Week.
£10 acupuncture taster treatment focussing on stress relief and relaxation
Wednesday 4th March – To book your appointment please call us on 020 8979 2323 or email us at naturesmedicine@talktalkbusiness.net
