Stress is nothing but the bodys reaction to a situation. Faced with a emotionally or physically challenging situation the body adjusts itself and releases certain chemicals like adrenaline etc to cope better with the situation. These results in manifestations like pounding heart, perspiration or a flushed or reddened face. Small amounts of stress are actually considered to be beneficial and productive towards work, where in the person puts the extra effort to achieve his/her accomplishments. But chronic stress can affect the normal physical and mental functioning of the body and may lead to break down of certain bodily mechanisms.
In our day to day life we come across situations will cause strain to our body and the resulting pain might last for a few hours , few days or often for a longer period of time. The causes of body strains may include several reasons like trauma, irregularities in life style, insufficient rest or chronic pain causing diseases like arthritis and other joint pains.
Ayurveda believes that the cause of strain or pain in ones body is related to energy imbalances and (imbalances in doshas) and are aggravated by several factors like dietary habits, lack of exercises and improper routines. Following are the recommendations made by Ayurveda to deal with strain related situations:
A massage of Ayurvedic oils in the affected part is greatly helpful is dissolving the impurities in the tissues and wash them in the blood flow, eventually eliminating the pain
It is advisable to follow a dietary routine which facilitates easy digestion and absorption which again is helpful in maintaining a balance in doshas, lacking which will cause chronic strain related problems.
Painful conditions are a result of vata imbalance and this can be reversed with the use of specific herbs , yoga positions and meditation.
Managing your stress is also related with management of strained situations. Ayurveda recommends warm oil massages and certain yoga postures for good stress management. We recognize that there is a lot to work with in the preceding paragraphs. As you prepare to ground, nourish, and rejuvenate, please keep in mind that Ayurveda is a very holistic and individualized system of medicine. Listening to yourself as you engage this process is as important as each of the steps above. A slow, simple, gradual approach to change is far more likely to be supportive than an overly effortful attempt at perfection. Remember, the stress response floods our bodies with activating, energizing qualities that are light, sharp, hot, dry, mobile, and subtle by nature. Balance is therefore supported by quieter, more nurturing qualities that are naturally heavy (or grounding), slow, cool, oily, and stabilizing. Your process of embracing change should also feel nourishing and stabilizing delicious, even.