How to Cope Stress with Ayurveda
The use of terminology “stress” in daily routine has increased. Though we talk so much about the stress it is often not clear what stress really is about all? Synonyms of stress are a strain, conflict, pressure, depression, conflict, and burnout.
As per Ayurveda aspect:
Stress is correlated with “Sahasa” in Ayurveda which can be caused due to ojahksaya (loss of immunity) and increases the susceptibility of the body to various infections.
Stress-inducing Factors
- Physical factors: Excessive physical exercise, injury, fasting, etc.
- Psychological factors: Fear, anger, grief, etc.
- Environmental factors: Prolonged exposure to fire and sun, high altitudes, etc.
Vata dosha is the main dosha vitiated by excessive physical stress such as vayayama (exercise), abhigata (injury), RatriJagran (insomnia), etc.
Pitta dosha is vitiated due to krodh (anger) and direct exposure to sun or fire.
As per modern aspect:
Stress is not always harmful because it can help you to perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best in your daily lifestyle. But if someone is constantly running in an emergency mode then the mind and the body have to pay the price. If you are finding yourself feeling frazzled and overwhelmed then it’s the time to take a strict action that will bring the nervous system back into the balance.
Stress may also be understood as a state of tension which is experienced by the individuals that are facing extraordinary demands or opportunities.
While there is no definition of stress that has been universally accepted but there are three common definitions which are as follows:
1st definition: Any stimulus or an environmental event that is usually a threat that affects the body in a complex way hence stress is referred to as a “stressor”-that evokes the complex reactions of the various body systems.
2nd definition: Stress is a body’s reaction to stressors and is a complex interaction of the body’s system that can result in deleterious consequences to those systems and organs of the body to the point of a person becoming “stressed out.” This defines stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any demand.
3rd definition: This type is an interactive one between environmental events and some bodily reactions as stressors affect the body’s system and changing behavior feeds back to affect the environmental stressors.
The Relation between Stress and the body
The body starts reacting to stress by releasing the hormones. These hormones make the brain more alert that causes the muscles to become tense and increases the pulse rate. In short, these reactions are good because they can help you to handle the situation that causes stress.
When a person has chronic stress the body stays alert even there is no danger but with time it puts the person at a higher risk for health problems which include:
- Heart disease
- High BP
- Diabetes mellitus
- Obesity
- Anxiety or depression
- Skin-related disorders such as eczema, acne
- Menstrual disorders
How Stress can be Defined?
Stress is defined as the body’s way to respond to any kind of demand or threat. When someone feels threatened then a chemical reaction occurs in the body that allows you to act in a way to prevent injury. This is referred to as “fight or flight” and also called the stress response. During this the heart rate increases, muscles get tighten, breathing process quickens and blood pressure rises.
What are the main causes of Stress?
Situations that cause stress are known as stressors, things that put high demands can be stressful. It may include positive events such as buying a house or car, getting married, going to college or receiving a promotion.
Stress is not only caused by external factors. But it can also be internal or self-generated.
Some external causes are
- Too much busy life
- Relationship difficulties
- Major changes in life
- Children and family
Internal causes are
- Pessimism
- Unable to accept uncertainty
- Negative self-talking
- Rigid thinking
What are the Symptoms of Stress?
Physical symptoms:
- Headache
- Muscle stiffness and tension
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Backache
- Insomnia
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Loss of sex drive
- Frequent colds
- Rapid heartbeat
Emotional symptoms:
- Restlessness
- Short temper
- Impatience
- Irritability
- Unable to relax
- Agitation
How to Cope with Stress with Ayurveda?
Natural Treatment for Stress
Herbal supplements or Ayurvedic treatment offered by Planet Ayurveda is formulated with the pure and standardized extracts of best quality herbs like Brahmi, Vacha, pipali, yashtimadhu, etc which are effective in managing the symptoms of stress which is depression care pack. This pack contains gotukola capsules, memory support, stress support, and medhya churna. All these formulations are 100% pure, natural and are free from preservatives, fillers, and additives. These formulations are safe to use and free from side effects.
1.Gotu Kola Capsules
Gotu kola capsules are composed of a pure and standardized extract of Gotukola (Centella Asiatica) herb. This herb has various medicinal uses and is rich in vitamin A, B, E, and K. According to Ayurveda, it balances all the three doshas in the body i.e., vata, pitta and kapha. Gotu kola capsules have the power to boost up the brain, promote kidney and liver functioning and heal the skin related issues. These capsules improve memory and concentration power which become impaired in stress-related conditions. It also promotes the overall strength of the body.
Dosage: 1 or 2 capsules two times a day with plain water after meals.
2. Memory Support
Memory support capsules manage the symptoms associated with stress. These capsules are a pure blend of herbs such as mulethi, Vacha, and shankhpushpi. All these herbs are helpful in treating stress and anxiety. Memory support capsules maintain the functioning of the brain and support its health. These capsules provide relief in symptoms such as low concentration power, headache, insomnia, etc. It also manages the stress associated with nausea.
Dosage: 1 or 2 capsules two times a day with plain water after the intake of food.
3. Stress Support Capsules
Stress support capsules are packed with wonderful herbs that relax the mind naturally and induce sleep. Hence, these capsules are useful in patients of stress. The wonderful herbs present in it are ashwagandha, tagar, and Brahmi. According to Ayurveda, it balances the Vata dosha in the body and all the herbs act synergistically on the root cause of the disease. These capsules help to ease insomnia and other sleep-related disorders.
Dosage: 1 or 2 capsules two times a day with plain water after meals.
4. Medhya Churna
In this shloka,
Actions and therapeutic uses of Brahmi are explained.
Brahmi is cold as well as bitter in taste. It treats inflammation, fever, anemia, pruritis, and spleen related diseases. It pacifies Vata and kapha dosha and also acts as an appetizer.
(Reference: Dhanvantrinighantu, Shlok No. 10)
Medhya churna contains pure extracts of various herbs such as Vacha, Brahmi, Ashwagandha, shankhpushpi, sonth, pipali and marich. All these herbs improve mental health and rejuvenate the nervous system. Medhya churna has been proven useful in Ayurveda for many ages for treating stress-related disorders. This churna acts as a nerve tonic that improves the mental health of the body. It also shows good results in relieving hysteria and epilepsy.
Dosage: 1 gram or 1 pinch of powder two times a day daily.
