5 Ayurvedic Remedies To Cure Holiday Stress
5 Simple Ayurvedic Remedies To Cure Holiday Stress
The
holidays are coming! The time of year that used to feel so exciting and
happy when you were a kid now may cause anxiety and irritation. I don't
know if you feel overwhelmed, but it's how many of my clients have felt
in the last few days.
It's hard to stay
positive and think kind, nurturing thoughts when your mind is racing
through endless tasks. And it's difficult to find time to eat mindfully
when there are hundreds of emails to reply to. Or when your only
exercise is shopping, and when you're eating party platter fare instead
of kale and quinoa.
Add to that a couple of drinks and too many desserts and guess what? Insomnia, depression, and general lack of unhappiness take over.
Fortunately, we can find some effective remedies in Ayurveda, with its amazing seasonal approach.
Anxiety
is associated with aggravated Vata dosha. Vata dosha can be elevated
due to stress, dry cold season, too much caffeine, and dry cold foods or
drinks.
Breaking a regular routine and
staying up late get mess Vata, too. To heal anxiety and un-grounded
fear, you need to balance Vata.
Below are a few tips to prevent anxiety and stress recommended by Dr. Vasant Lad:
1. Relaxing bath with ginger and baking soda
Use 1/4 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda in a tubful of water.
Soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Almond milk
Soak 10 almonds overnight in water. Peel off the skins and blend with 1 cup water or warm milk.
Warm milk is traditional variation recommended by Dr. Lad but if you are avoiding dairy, use warm water.
Add a pinch of nutmeg, ginger and saffron.
Enjoy warm!
3. Orange juice
For
anxiety accompanied by a fast heart rate, a cup of orange juice with 1
teaspoon honey and a pinch of nutmeg can be effective.
4. Calming pressure point
When you're on the go and can't take a bath or make almond milk, acupressure can come in handy.
Make
a fist with your left hand, so that the fingers rest in the middle of
the palm. Locate the point where the middle finger ends, in the 'heart'
of the palm. Then, with the thumb of your right hand, press firmly on
this point in the center of your left hand.
Press for 1 minute.
This will calm down the agitation of prana, which causes anxiety.
This
one is probably one of the most effective strategies, based on my own
experience. I do it every night to prepare for sleep. You can use vata
massage oil or plain sesame, coconut, or almond oil.
Warm
it up in hot water and rub it on your feet, neck, and major joints. If
you have time rub it on your scalp, too. Usually this massage is done
before morning shower but it can be done at any other time, too.
Let
the skin soak in the oil while you take 10-15 deep relaxing breaths.
Them either wipe the oil or take the shower. You can also leave the oil
on, put on warm soaks to prevent soiling the sheets and go to sleep.
It's
a lot more fun to enjoy holidays and hang out with friends when you
feel grounded and balanced so find a few minutes a day to cure your
anxiety with Ayurveda!
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