We all experience anxiety in our lives, whether it shows up as irritability, a lack of focus, or lethargy, it is important to pay attention to these symptoms and cultivate a plan to avoid/lessen them.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 31% of adults will experience an anxiety disorder in their life and only ⅓ of them seek formal treatment. While there are many medications to help combat anxiety, there are also powerful holistic tools we can use that are not only safe for our bodies, but suitable for long-term mental health management.
Ayurveda, a 5,000 year-old life science, contains a plethora of holistic wisdom to address the symptoms of anxiety you may experience and help cultivate long-term lifestyle changes to combat them.
According to Ayurveda, anxiety is a Vata dosha imbalance. Vata embodies the energy of air and space. The qualities of Vata are dry, light, cold, mobile, and irregular. Symptoms of a Vata mental imbalance are erratic thoughts, worrying, obsessive thoughts, confusion, and difficulty focusing. Physical symptoms appear as difficulty sleeping and an overactive nervous system. If you’ve ever felt “ungrounded” or your “mind racing”, you’re feeling a disturbance in Vata.
A core principle of Ayurveda is like increases like and opposites balance. In order to manage imbalances, we have to pay attention to the qualities of the energy that is out-of-balance. Then we can build a plan of limiting practices/ food with similar qualities and incorporate practices/food with opposite ones.
In order to treat anxiety/Vata imbalance, we need to stabilize our energy, calm our nervous system, and reconnect to our body and the Earth.
Avoid triggers with similar qualities such as:
- Dry and light food (chips, crackers, popcorn)
- Cold or frozen foods (ice cream, salad, iced drinks)
- Caffeine
- Eating on-the-go
- Fast-paced lifestyle
- Irregular sleep and eating patterns
- Running or heavy-intensity workouts.
Incorporate changes with opposite qualities such as:
- Healthy fats (nuts, oils, ghee)
- Grains and cooked root vegetables
- Room-temperature/warm meals
- Hot tea and warm water
- Soups, stews, and soft food
- A routine eating and sleeping schedule
- Deep breathing and meditation
- Gentle movement practices
- Veda Warrior Focus + Balance Capsules for Vata Stress
A few simple changes can bring about powerful results. Empower yourself with holistic tools to cultivate long-term mind-body health.