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We know that stress can lead to an array of diseases.
Both western science and Ayurveda tell us how damaging stress can be for our mental, emotional, and physical health. Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree.
Stress in Ayurveda
So, stress is known as sahasa in Ayurveda. What stress or sahasa does is lowers immunity also known as ojahksaya. Once the immunity dips, it makes an individual susceptible to diseases. According to Ayurveda, there are three doshas that control the levels of stress and anxiety and how they show up in our mind-body. These doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Addressing these three doshas can help bring balance to one’s body and life and lower stress.
Identifying the root cause of stress
In Ayurveda, we get to the root of the problem. Aside from doshic imbalances, let’s look at what can contribute to stress. If where you live and/or work is noisy, polluted, feels unsafe, and leads to sensory overload…it adds to stress. Period. Weak agni (digestive fire) and ama (toxins) can lead to stress. I have a cousin who loves to see the world but hates the act of traveling. The night before her trip, without fail, she gets diarrhea. Her weak agni adds to the buildup of ama, in the mind-body and causes a bad mood. Can you see how poor digestion and gut health can contribute to stress and anxiety? Then people with an erratic lifestyle (sleep and wake up at odd hours and don’t maintain good eating habits) are bludgeoning their body’s natural rhythm (dinner at 11:30 p.m. isn’t what a body needs) and disregarding circadian rhythm.
Ayurvedic Tips for Managing Stress
1. Balance the doshas: Your Ayurvedic Doctor will help identify which doshas are out of balance and tell you how to balance them using diet, lifestyle, and herbs (in some cases). I know it’s tempting to pop Ayurvedic herbs now that Costco and Walmart sell them too. But know that plant medicine is potent and can interact with your western medication.
2. Start your day with warm water: A few glasses of warm water each day enhances your blood circulation, which is important for proper muscle and nerve activity. The Ayurvedic practice of drinking warm water has shown to impact digestion, improve skin health, and promote weight loss. Drinking warm water in the morning helps to flush toxins from the body, assists with bowel movements, and cleanses your intestines. Don’t we stress out about digestion, gut health, and whether we have glowing skin?
3. Meditate to release stress: The mind tends to chatter. Depending on the doshic imbalance, the mind can get anxious, angry, or depressed. Meditation can bring it back to a place of equilibrium and quiet.
4. Do breathwork: The breath plays a vital role in lowering stress. Some common pranayama techniques include ujjayi breathing (victorious breath), bhastrika pranayama, bhramari pranayama, and nadi shodhana pranayama (alternate nostril breathing). There are many more. Some are meant to calm the nervous system while others are meant to energize the nervous system. Nadi shodhana is the first pranayama in the classical yogic texts.
5. Express your feelings: Emotional expression is key to a healthy life. It can release stress and help you keep in touch with your feelings. The only way I can make sense of the world, or a challenging situation, is by writing about it. Expressing myself helps me take control back over my mind, which can be inundated with stress. Find your creative and healthy pathways to express your emotions.
6. Try shirodhara to calm anxiety: In this traditional Ayurvedic therapy, a gentle, warm, and steady stream of oil is poured on the third eye. According to Ayurveda, this eliminates ama and can provide relief from symptoms of stress and anxiety. Please don’t try this technique at home. Seek out a skilled Ayurvedic practitioner.
7. Include essential oils in your self-care routine: They have been used for centuries to induce relaxation and used as an effective way to manage stress. But don’t apply it directly on your skin. You can use a diffuser, and the home smells divine. You can also purchase body oils mixed with essential oils.
8. Go for nature walks: According to Ayurveda, nature, by its very essence, heals us. Nature has played a critical role in our mental health for a long time. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings.
9. Nurture a calm environment: I agree that it’s not always possible to pack our bags and walk out of a space that feels stressful. But you can create your own sense of calm with mantras, candles, oils, and cleansing techniques. Surround yourself with people who bring out the compassion, not trauma in you.
10. Embrace Abhyanga: It is an Ayurvedic practice that combines self-anointment with self-massage—you rub your body from head to toe with warm oil prior to taking a shower. You leave the oil for about 20 minutes. A daily abhyanga practice restores the balance of the doshas and is said to enhance longevity and overall well-being aside from lowering anxiety and balancing vata dosha.
11. Eat what your body needs: Ayurveda eating takes into consideration the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of an individual. So…Ayurvedic eating questions whether the food is good for you, but whether the food is beneficial to you right now. For example, if you need grounding (hello, vata imbalance), Ayurveda recommends warmer, heavier meals. An Ayurvedic diet can be vegetarian or include animal protein depending on people’s needs.
“If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.” ~ George Burns
Disclaimer: The content is purely informative and educational in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. Please use the content only in consultation with an appropriate certified medical or healthcare professional. If you are looking for advice from a trained yogi and ayurvedic doctor, contact the author here.
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