AYURVEDIC TREATMENT OF STRESS
Everyone wants to live a stress free life and wants to be happy rather than becoming rich or famous. Responsibility, Society pressure, inferiority complex, any failures, frictions in relationships and many more factors lead to worries and over thinking which results in stress. Stress has become the serious health issue and we must talk about this thing openly. It is well said that good mental health is essential for the overall health of body. It is miserable that people of all age groups (child, youngster, mid aged and old aged people) suffering from this complication. It is not possible to get rid from stress very soon. To manage the stress, some changes with life style are also required. For the stress management nothing could be better than ayurveda.
In Ayurveda description of the Total health is considered as a state of mental, spiritual and intellectual well being. Ayurveda is a science of life whose focus is not only to manage the ailments but also prolong the life. To manage the stress there are various herbs present in Ayurveda like Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Tagar (Valeriana wallichii), Brahmi (Bacopa monnoieri), Vacha (Acorus calamus), Ajmoda (Carum roxburghianum), Shwet jeerak (Cuminum cyminum) and Krishna jeerak (Carum carvi) which support the good brain health and help to get rid from stress.
WHAT IS STRESS?
Stress is the response of our body to any kind of feeling like good or bad experiences. In stress there is release of stress hormones which cause hyperactivity in hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) system which causes the disruption of the normal levels of serotonin (brain chemical, important for feeling of well being). Stress can reduce the quality of life to a greater extent. Stress may lead to the serious health complications like heart diseases, high blood pressure, leads to stroke, cancer, weakened immune system due to that susceptibility to infection increases, weight gain, gastrointestinal complications , sexual/ reproductive dysfucntioning and many other complications.
WHAT CAN BE THE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS?
COGNITIVE SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
Worrying
Anxious thoughts
Negativity
Lack of concentration
Memory loss
Over thinking
EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
Mood swings
Short temper
Feeling of loneliness and isolated
Feeling of sadness
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
Body aches
Dizziness
Lethargy
Diarrhea
Constipation
Increased heart beat
Pain in chest
Loss of sexual desires
BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS MAY INCLUDE:
Eating too much or too less
Insomnia
Sleeping too much
Cut off from everyone
Irresponsibility
Getting nervous e.g. nail biting
Consumption of alcohol, smoking and use of drugs to make you relaxed
AYURVEDIC VIEW
In ayurveda there are three energies – vata, pitta and kapha which are liable for the good health. When there is an imbalance in any of three energies, it becomes the cause of disease. Stress is due to the imbalance of all the three energies. According to ayurveda there are three sub doshas which govern mind. Vata has the sub dosha named as prana vata which regulates the sensory perception, brain and mind. Whereas, tarpaka kapha is the sub dosha of kapha which helps to govern cerebro spinal fluid. Sadhak pitta is the sub dosha of pitta which governs the emotions and their impact on heart. So the vitiation in any of these sub doshas results in stress.
DIET AND LIFESTYLE
Eat walnuts and almonds etc.
Eat green vegetables like spinach, French beans, cabbage and cauliflower.
Consume fruits which are rich in antioxidants like Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries etc.
Avoid junk food, smoking and drinking.
