Every chronic disease we know is exacerbated by stress.

“Every chronic disease we know is exacerbated by stress.”
Dr. Robert Lustig,
Emeritus Professor, Pediatric Endocrinology, University of California, San Francisco
Author of “The Hacking of the American Mind”

This connection between stress and dis-ease in the body is not ‘news’ any more.

We know that in each and every moment of life, unmanaged stress leads to elevated cortisol in the body. Elevated cortisol in the body impairs the flow of energy and information to and through the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The prefrontal cortex is where our ‘sober second thought’ area lives. It’s where our impulses and cravings are subjected to logical rational thought as to their safety and appropriateness. When the nervous system is under the effect of too much cortisol, this ability to discern literally goes off line and we find ourselves engaging in risky behaviours like texting while driving, or telling ourselves that one more time through the drive-through isn’t such a big deal. Of course, such emotionally driven behaviours lead to unwanted consequences.

This impairment of short-term judgement through the elevation of cortisol is an ‘inside job’. It’s created through our reactions (emotions, thoughts, behaviours) to situations, people and events in our lives. Some of those reactions are conscious – but most are well below the level where we are aware of them in our rational minds. But our bodies know and respond with the
release of stress hormones like cortisol.

That’s in the short-term. We know that when this dysregulation continues over time, as Dr. Lustig says, ongoing unmediated stress in the human body is a major contributor to chronic disease. Whether its heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis – without exception there is a link to unresolved emotional stress.

We know this. And yet …

This morning I read an article in the Toronto Star May 7, 2019 entitled “Doctor suicide higher than general public.” How ironic is this?

Two Canadian doctors, Dr. Sarah Tulk, family doctor, and psychiatrist Dr. Joy Albuquerque have published an article about physician suicide in a recent issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The suicide rate for male doctors is two times that of the general public and for female doctors even higher – two and a half times more.

If our medical care professionals are having a disastrous time managing stress, what are we to do?

What we’ve been missing is an evidence-based technique that is readily available right in the moment. That can be integrated consistently as a stress management habit throughout the day. We have many ways that we are encouraged to reduce our stress; meditation, yoga, walking in nature, kale smoothies. All are good but the difficulty is that either they are not strong enough to mediate cortisol right in the moment or they are not practical to engage in in the moment.

The excellent news is that regular, consistent use of Emotional Freedom Techniques, even just in its simplest self-help form, has a profound regulating effect on cortisol right in the moment. It is ‘at our fingertips’, evidence based, low cost, easy to use, takes only minutes to work.

Imagine the impact if a doctor were to do a few rounds of EFT tapping between patients or before or after surgeries … so many ways to seamlessly integrate tapping into what their busy lives already look like. And I’m eagerly anticipating the day when a surgeon insists that their team do some basic group tapping before they started an operation. Can you see a future where this was the norm? That patients insisted that their medical professionals were cortisol balanced?

At the National EFT Training Institute, we call this Bronze Tapping. It involves just tapping on the acupressure points of the basic EFT algorithm. No words, no thoughts. Just physically tapping on the points. Or, if it works better for you, you can use the alternative finger tapping points.

Bronze tapping consistently – every day, throughout the day, leads to a toning of the energy system that regulates cortisol and brings your thinking brain back online – able to mediate those ‘stupid ideas’ and ‘destructive impulses’ that threaten our health and well-being in the short term and protect us from the devastating impact of chronic ailments in the long-term.

Can you think of a good reason why you wouldn’t do this?

With appreciation,