Stress can cause numerous health problems for some people, depending on their ability to cope. In some cases, stress can be so overwhelming it consumes even the most laid-back person. Rather than turning to medications with unpleasant side effects, you might consider an all-natural approach. Ayurveda is one such option, but it is holistic. Since it is not a traditional medical treatment, speak to your doctor before using Ayurvedic methods.
Understanding Stress
In certain situations stress is a good thing; it can protect you by helping you stay focused and alert. If a car pulls out in front of you, you do everything in your power to stop from hitting it. When the moment passes, you calm down and return to your normal activities. For some people, stress takes control of their lives, causing an imbalance in their nervous system. This affects them physically, emotionally and behaviorally. Some signs include depression, irritability, moodiness, diarrhea, nausea, chest pain, sleeping disorders, changes in eating patterns, becoming withdrawn and procrastination, according to HelpGuide.org.
Stomach Ulcers
An ulcer is a sore in the lining of your stomach, or the first part of your small intestine. The most common cause of stomach ulcers is an infection known as H. pylori, which may spread through unclean food or water, or kissing. Although spicy foods and stress do not cause ulcers, they can worsen the symptoms.
Ayurvedic Beliefs
Keeping your body, mind and soul in balance helps heal and prevent diseases and sickness. This includes eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle. You need to win the war on stress; the only way to this is to listen to your body. This begins with your digestive system. Ayurveda believes diseases begin with improper digestion, explains John Douillard, Ph.D. Any undigested food, also known as ama, damages your digestive tract over time as it sticks to the tissues of the lining. This is comparable to cholesterol clogging your arterial walls. The more ama your tract contains, the more diseases you are prone to. This includes stomach ulcers.
Pitta
Pitta is an energy source, a dosha in Ayurvedic beliefs. It characterizes who you are as a person, and controls bodily functions such as digestion and absorption. When a pitta dosha is out of balance due to stress or poor eating habits, the physical result is the development of rashes, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. The fix is eating the right food for your energy source. This helps restore balance and heal the sickness you suffer from, explains Douillard.
A Healthy Diet
A healthy diet in Ayurveda is not just the foods you eat, but when and how. Drinking warm water throughout the day flushes your digestive system of residue, helping it process food as it is meant to. Eating three times a day, no snacking, gives it more time to process food, resulting in less ama. Eating foods to complement a pitta returns this dosha back to its state of balance, which may help heal your ulcers. Choose cooling fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains. Avoid spicy and salty foods. Limit your meat to chicken and freshwater fish as much as possible. Switch to soy or rice milk if you can and drink calming teas such as chicory, hibiscus and mint. They may help relieve the stress that contributes to your ulcer symptoms.
References
- HelpGuide.org; Understanding Stress; Melinda Smith, M.A, et al.; May 2011
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; What I Need to Know About Peptic Ulcers; October 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Ayurveda; September 2009
- AyurBalance: Pitta Dosha
- "The Yoga Body Diet," John Douillard, Ph.D., et al.; 2010
