MANAGE YOUR STRESS WITH AYURVEDA

When we are suffering excess stress, many systems in the body can be negatively affected: the digestive system and metabolic function (including imbalances in body weight), the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, the reproductive system, and the immune system.1 Excess stress can also impact our mental and emotional states, our relationships, as well as the health of our bones2 (and related issues such as the teeth, hair, and nails). Stress tends to wear us down on a systemic level, so even though it is a contributing factor in a variety of ailments, its influence is easily overlooked. The bottom line is that, if you know that you’re stressed (even occasionally), there is a good chance that making some supportive adjustments could benefit you immensely.

The sources of stress, called stressors, can be:
• Environmental due to weather, indoor environment, noise, pollution, etc.
• Physiological due to illness, injury, sleep disturbances, hangover, poor nutrition, etc.
• Interpersonal due to roommate conflicts, family demands, work responsibilities, etc.
• Psychological due to thoughts, beliefs, worries, changes in moods, etc.
• Organizational due to rules, bureaucracy, role expectations, etc.
• Financial due to bills, unplanned expenses, tuition, etc.
• Life events like the death of a loved one, moving, marriage, divorce of parents, etc.
• Lifestyle choices due to lack of sleep, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, poor time management, alcohol, tobacco and other drug use

The human stress response is an evolutionary adaptation that has helped humans copes with moments of the crisis through the ages. It occurs in response to danger in any form—whether a natural disaster, war, devastating emotional loss, or an encounter with a powerful predator. In the face of a perceived threat, the sympathetic nervous system floods the body with stress hormones (cortisol being the primary player), and initiates a complex cascade of events known as the “fight-or-flight response.” Hormones can travel anywhere in the body, so the effects of cortisol are felt virtually everywhere in the body.

Cortisol reallocates the body’s resources; it makes more energy available to the brain and large muscle groups in order to accelerate speed and response times, but it simultaneously decreases urine production, inhibits inflammation, slows the digestive capacity, and stifles the immune response. These physiological changes are meant to support us in navigating the crisis at hand. Truth be told, the system serves us beautifully, as long as the crisis is followed by a period of rest, recovery, and recuperation, which has generally been the case throughout evolutionary history.

Yoga's sister science of Ayurveda is a system of healing that integrates basic physiology, emotional disposition, and spiritual outlook then presents all three in the context of the universe itself. Dating back 5,000 years to the ancient Sanskrit texts the Vedas, Ayurvedic theory takes nearly every conceivable stress influence into consideration—from seasonal and planetary changes that affect our well-being to subtle bodily impurities that can precipitate disease. It also sheds light on the thought patterns and physical tendencies that make stress either a constant stumbling block or a non-issue, depending on how well we understand ourselves. Comprehending such an exhaustive system may seem daunting to those who haven't made it their life's study. But when it comes to managing stress, Ayurvedic concepts can be boiled down to a basic idea: Trace stress back to its roots, then find lasting ways to change the patterns that cause it.

 For more details: Agni Panacea Ayurveda