Ayurvedic Way of Stress Free Living

In the present era, we have developed medical science to advance levels by different types of research. And the purpose of that is to increase the longevity of life. But are we achieving that with all the enjoyment, happiness it should bring? No! Because increased longevity with dependency is useless.

It becomes impossible for everyone to live a stress-free life because we consider ourselves in a competitive world. We are running behind the things, achieving them, and again start running behind another thing without enjoying the first one. “We cannot sleep on time because we don’t have time to sleep”, we must prove ourselves in each sector of life. Let it be personal, professional, or social. We live in a family but never talk patiently to each other due to our raised stress levels. And the big thing is that we are taking the stress for the wellbeing of our family only.

How complicated these things are nowadays?

We are earning better for food, but we are not having time to consume it. All these little things eventually make bigger issues. Decaying of teeth at the age of three years, glasses at the age of 5 years, heart attack at age of 30, infertility at an early stage, what are these? These are nothing but the reflection of our deeds. Mind and bodywork in a synchronized manner we cannot change that. The day is for work, and the night is for sleep. We can’t change our system at any cost. If we are working against nature; nature will work against us.

Ayurveda has described life in a very simple manner. We must maintain our health before getting diseased. Aayu (life) – is one that goes on continuously without any break from birth to death. And our body is one which every minute is decaying. So, for enjoying a healthy life we should have to make some changes to our lifestyle. Health is not merely an absence of disease, but it is a state of physiological, psychological, and spiritual equilibrium.

According to Ayurveda, our body is made up of three constitutions i.e. Vata, Pitta, and Kaph which are called doshas. The doshas gain expression through natural law. When someone lives his life according to the natural laws the dosha is expressed properly and he will experience good health. Bad habits, unhealthy food, irregular lifestyle, poor eating habits, overwork, suppressed emotion, insufficient sleep, toxic environment all fight natural laws, and doshas go out of balance. This makes a person susceptible to illness – mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Ayurveda considers a healthy living person requires proper food, sleep, and celibacy [controlled sex]. This is regarded as a tripod or three pillars of Ayurveda. Food gives character such as growth, intelligence, happiness, understanding, satisfaction, strength, clearness of mind, good voice, color, and complexion. Sleep provides a stage of happiness, strength, energy, knowledge. Celibacy is necessary for intellect, willpower, maintaining a healthy body.

According to Ayurveda, food combination, or type of food that conflict with our nature will cause (ama) toxins, because the body cannot properly process them. In the same manner, unresolved emotions and impressions can cause mental (ama) toxins which will eventually manifest as a disease. So Ayurveda emphasizes meditation and yoga. Ayurveda explains daily regimes, seasonal regimes, and following that make us physically and mentally strong so we can tackle all issues very easily. Ill thoughts and behavior get erased from our minds. By following it we can be strong and conquer our lacking. For stress-free living, we need to follow daily regimes, seasonal regimes, food habits, and proper sleep. Also make use of therapies like abhyangam, Shirodhara, panchakarma with the advice of an Ayurvedacharya, along with the different types of exercise, yoga according to our body type.

Dr-Rekha Shukla is a BAMS (MD) associated with Birla Ayurveda. She is an Ayurveda consultant with 7 years of experience and specializes in lifestyle disorders and dietary advice. Dr. Shukla is well-known for making an accurate diagnoses.