Feeling Overwhelmed?

Time for a Body Reboot

Feelings of being overwhelmed by life, the inability to fully relax, failure to heal from an acute illness, injury or surgery—these are all messages from the body that we need to take a break and replenish our qi energy. According to Chinese Medicine, qi is the vital life energy that circulates throughout the body.

In today’s world, we are all being pulled in different directions. And when we’re taking care of others, we very rarely take the time to take care of ourselves. It doesn’t require a lot of time to make a difference in how you feel. Even a small effort can help you de-stress and start regenerating your body’s qi energy. Here are some simple first steps to try: 


When you feel overwhelmed, take a small break. Walk away from the situation, if possible, and sit down with both feet planted firmly on the ground. Then take three to five slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. This will slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.

Take a short walk—even if it’s just around your house. Walking will give your mind and body a brief respite from whatever overwhelming situation you find yourself in.


Meditate. This is a great way to begin or end your day. If you have never done it before, start at five minutes and slowly build up from there. There are wonderful guided-imagery meditations online that you can download for free. I’ve found that having someone take me on a mental journey helps me clear my thoughts and relax my body.

If these techniques don’t provide adequate relief, it may be time for a different modality that can offer deeper, longer-lasting qi energy healing. Here are some treatments to try:

Massage therapy: There are many different massage techniques, but they are all designed to promote relaxation and reduce stress through manipulation of the body’s soft tissues.

Reflexology: This noninvasive energy treatment works by stimulating “reflexes” on the feet and hands. These reflex areas connect with natural energy pathways that run through the entire body and correspond to all major organs, glands and systems.

Reiki: This universal life force energy treatment works on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels.

Acupuncture: A key component of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture directly regulates and balances qi energy within the body.

Ondamed Biofeedback Therapy: This noninvasive process uses pulsed electro-magnetic frequencies and pulse biofeedback that penetrates deep into the cells of the body to stimulate healing.

The best modality to choose depends on your level of emotional or physical distress. Just be sure to choose one that will address the root cause of your problem. If you only treat your symptoms, you might feel better in the short term, but over time the same issues, both emotional and physical, will eventually return.

Laurie R. Mallis, M.D., LAc, is the founder of SearchLight Medical, located at 2424 Rte. 52, Hopewell Junction, NY. She offers a variety of alternative and complementary treatments and services, including medical acupuncture, Ondamed Biofeedback Therapy, AcuGraph Qi Analysis and Reiki. For more info, call 845.592.4310 or visit SearchLightMedical.com.