Ayurveda Can Help You Beat Stress

Stress is a natural response to situations we have to face, but the fact remains that a similar situation may leave one individual a mess but another, untouched. What this implies is that how stressed you feel largely depends on the way you choose to respond to a stressful situation. With the right diet, breathing techniques and the use of adaptogenic herbs, it is possible to alter this response and cultivate a positive attitude that will help us face life's challenges with courage and strength, without losing our cool. Here are the other ill effects of stress.

Eat the right foods

According to ayurveda, food possesses three qualities or gunas

sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattvik food is light, fresh and nutritious,rajasik food is spicy and fans emotions, and tamasik foods are stale and promote the sense of inertia. Obviously, the consumption of a diet rich in rajasik and tamasik foods is bound to keep you in a state of mind that is most conducive to stress whereas a sattvik diet helps keep the mind calm.

Remedy
make sure you include foods such as pulses, fresh vegetables and fruits, milk and grains such as rice and tapioca. Avoid spicy chutneys and pickles, sour cream, chicken, fish, meat, cheese, onion, garlic and urad dal and you will find a noticeable change in your ability to cope with stressful situations. Here are some more expert tips to beat stress.

Use relaxing herbs

Certain herbs such as cardamom (elaichi), lettuce, celery, peppermint, chamomile and fennel (saunf) contain phytoconstituents that have wonderful relaxing properties. Make these a part of your diet in the form of herbal tea or by working them into the dishes you cook for some stress relief. Ayurveda recommends the use of adaptogenic herbs (that help the body and mind adapt better to stressful conditions) over time can also help you cultivate a calm mind that does not easily get swayed by extreme emotions. Herbs such as aswagandha, jatamansi, guduchi, brahmi, tulsi and shankhpushpi help restore the imbalance in your doshas that make up the body and mind. However, it is important you avoid self-medication with these herbs- have them only under the prescription of a registered ayurvedic practitioner who is well-versed with their use.

Have an oil massage 

An oil massage has a number of health benefits and one of them is stress relief. According to ayurveda, abhyanga the application of oil to the entire body at regular intervals is an easy way of relaxing not just the body, but also the mind. Use any oil- castor, sesame or coconut. heat it and rub it into your scalp and all over the body; allow the oil to remain for an hour or two and then bathe with hot water. You will actually feel the stress and strain wash out of your system. For even better relaxation, mix in a little powder of shankhpushpi or brahmi into the oil you use for the massage.

Cut down on unhealthy beverages

Most of us are addicted to some form of liquid stimulant that we believe makes us more alert and able to deal with the myriad things life brings our way. Caffeine and alcohol tends to increase feelings of anxiety and stress. Cut down on your intake of such beverages and you are sure to observe your stress levels becoming much more manageable. Apart from increasing your stress levels soft drinks also have a lot of unhealthy side effects, so giving up that one habit can do you a world of good.

Breathe right

In our constant rush to meet deadlines and do things on time, our breathing takes a backseat. A lack of proper deep breaths greatly reduces the amount of oxygen circulating through your body. This is a major reason for stress related damage to the body. To combat this, make it a point to breathe in slowly and deeply a few times every morning and night - feel your stomach and chest expand as you inhale, and fall as you exhale. Breathe in as you slowly count from 1 to 5, hold for five counts and then exhale while counting from 1 to 5. If possible, learn the techniques of pranayama from a qualified instructor and practice it every day. Whenever you feel yourself getting tense, practice this deep breathing a few times and you will find the feeling of crisis tide over almost effortlessly. Over time, you will find it easier to cope better with unpleasant situations without getting stressed. Pranayam has a number of other health benefits too, you can read more about them here.