| Stress has become one of the silent killers | | | | distress. This is caused due to overwork, |
| of people in today's world. There are many | | | | planning too much, thinking excessively about |
| different types of stresses that people can | | | | something, making destructive schemes or |
| suffer from; and these stresses are | | | | conspiracies, etc. This is a very dangerous |
| deteriorating people's wellbeing to such an | | | | type of stress, because in the long run, it |
| extent that they are becoming victims of | | | | would affect all the faculties of the brain |
| several physical and mental ailments. | | | | and prevent it from functioning properly. |
| Stresses can arise from work, family | | | | |
| relations, financial problems, education | | | | Vata dosha is responsible for mental stress. |
| problems, appearance of the body, physical | | | | In particular, the prana vata is responsible. |
| state of the body, etc. There are so many | | | | This is the sub-dosha of the vata dosha which |
| stresses that is difficult to discuss all of | | | | is responsible for the normal functioning of |
| them under one heading. | | | | the brain. |
| | | | |
| In simple terms, stress can be defined as the | | | | The following dietary guidelines can help to |
| condition when some aspect of the human body | | | | get relief from mental stress:- |
| - either physical or mental - is aggravated | | | | |
| beyond a particular limit. It can have | | | | # Sweet, sour and salty foods must be had as |
| several repercussions on people, such as:- | | | | they help in balancing the vata dosha. |
| | | | |
| Feelings of isolation, frustration and | | | | # Milk and dairy products must be included to |
| depression | | | | a fair amount in the daily diet. |
| | | | |
| Raising the level of the blood cholesterol | | | | # Preferably, all foods must be cooked in a |
| and blood pressure, which can cause fatal | | | | little ghee. |
| cardiovascular diseases | | | | |
| | | | # Get a full body massage done, particularly |
| Lowering the immunity of the body, making it | | | | with ksheerabala taila or dhanwantari taila. |
| vulnerable to other diseases | | | | |
| | | | # Get adequate sleep per day, for about eight |
| Lowering the mental capacity of the person | | | | hours in the least. |
| | | | |
| Since there are different types of stresses | | | | (3) Physical Stress |
| and there are different methods to tackle | | | | |
| them, let us study them individually. | | | | Physical stress or strain occurs when the |
| | | | body is excessively used, such as by too much |
| (1) Emotional Stress | | | | exercising or by performing too much hard |
| | | | labor. |
| This is the stress caused due to emotional | | | | |
| issues in relationships including conflicts, | | | | Symptoms of this type of stress are pain in |
| romantic rejection, separation and even | | | | several parts of the body, loss in memory and |
| death. The extent of emotional stress depends | | | | concentration, inability to focus on things, |
| from one person to another. It all depends on | | | | unclear vision, etc. |
| how emotionally balanced the person is. | | | | |
| | | | This is by far the most important of the |
| Emotional stress generally affects the heart | | | | three types of stresses, as in this all the |
| and the brain. It can bring about a change in | | | | three doshas can be vitiated. Shleshaka kapha |
| the eating and sleeping patterns of the | | | | can cause problems in the proper lubrication |
| individual. Most emotionally unsettled people | | | | of the joints and vyaana vata can tamper with |
| overexert their brain by thinking constantly | | | | normal circulation of blood in the body, |
| of the issue. | | | | along with pitta vitiation. Since vata and |
| | | | kapha are the more affected doshas, steps are |
| From an Ayurvedic point of view, emotional | | | | taken to balance the vata and to make the |
| stress is placed in the category of Sadhaka | | | | kapha stronger. |
| pitta vitiation. This is a sub-dosha of the | | | | |
| pitta dosha which looks after the functioning | | | | The following dietary rules can be obeyed to |
| of the heart. | | | | achieve this purpose. |
| | | | |
| The following dietary points can be | | | | # Have cooked apples once a day. These are |
| considered to bring about a reduction in | | | | great stress-busters. |
| emotional stress:- | | | | |
| | | | # Other foods that are good for removing |
| # Eat sweet foods to bring the mind back to a | | | | physical stress are coconuts, almonds, ghee, |
| balanced state. Sweet and juicy foods are | | | | milk and almost all dairy products. |
| very beneficial. | | | | |
| | | | # Massage your own body with oil everyday. |
| # Every night before going to bed, drink a | | | | |
| cup of warm milk with some rose essence and | | | | # Use of the shirodhaara therapy is |
| its petals in it. | | | | considered useful. This is done by lying flat |
| | | | on the ground, while a pot full of oil is |
| # Use cooling spices such as cardamom, | | | | hung right above. A hole is made in the |
| coriander and mint in the diet. | | | | bottom of the pot such that oil from the hole |
| | | | drips right on the space between the two |
| # Get a good head massage done with either | | | | eyes. |
| coconut oil or with sandalwood oil. | | | | |
| | | | Among the herbs that are generally prescribed |
| # Include bitter and astringent foods in the | | | | for the treatment of all three types of |
| diet. | | | | stresses are included arjuna, ashwagandha and |
| | | | brahmi. Their preparations are also very |
| # Do not stay up late at night. | | | | commonly prescribed. |
| | | | |
| (2) Mental Stress | | | | Read More on Treatments by Ayurveda and Home |
| | | | Remedies at |
| Mental stress occurs when the person | | | | |
| overexerts the mind or uses it in a wrong | | | | Read more about Ayurveda at World's Largest |
| way. This is also known as negative stress or | | | | Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Remedies. |