Back in the days of the caveman and cave woman, life was simple. Back then it was all about “fight or flight.” Now life is complex and we’ve traded the occasional brush with life or death, fight or flight for slow, daily accumulating stress. While we might be aware that stress is seriously affecting our health, stress means different thing to different people. The body is able to cope magnificently with daily stress –- up to a point.

Do any of these sound familiar:

• Tiredness
• Irritability
• Anger
• Depression
• Hopelessness and despair
• Eating too much or too little
• Headaches
• Backaches
• Stomachaches
• Relationships becoming strained

All of these could be signs that stress might have started to affect your life.

Stress Triggers, Causes of Stress

Dr. Hans Seyle (who was also referred to as “the father of stress”) divided the stress triggers into internal and external categories. Some of the internal stress triggers include certain personality types (such as a workaholic or a perfectionist), different types of thought patterns (negative thinking, pessimism, self- criticism, high expectations of yourself and others) and lifestyle choice (smoking, drinking alcohol and coffee, overeating, not exercising).

External stress triggers would include anything from daily nuisances like getting stuck in traffic and losing your keys to major emotional traumas or events divorce, death of a loved one to getting married or a new addition the to the family.

So while that traffic jam might push you over the edge, a lot of your stress may be self-induced, or at least internally motivated. And when you understand that you can learn to utilize tools that will help you manage stress more effectively. Ayurveda can help.

Ayurvedic Treatments for Stress

• Ayurveda considers some food to be beneficial in combating stress. Stock up on sweet, seasonal fruits such as apples or pears (they work well cooked too), almonds, walnuts, coconut and cheeses such as ricotta.
• If you are suffering from purely physical stress, you should balance out Vata and Kapha for optimal results. The obvious is to exercise and get enough rest. But to help minimize physical stress, try self massage. Thirty minutes of full body self massage with warm oil in the morning will both relax and energize you. It will pacify the Vata and balance out the Kapha dosha.
• If you are suffering from mental stress, full body self massage with warm oil is very beneficial. Light dairy products and warm milk are also recommended Ayurvedic remedies. Sweet, salty and sour tasting foods should help with balancing out the Vata.
• If you are suffering from emotional stress of any kind, the goal is to balance out the Pitta. Daily self massage is recommended however it has to be done with cool massage oil. Sweet, juicy fruits are foods that will help out balance out Pitta, as well as cooking with spices such as mint, coriander or cilantro. Foods that help to calm down Pitta have bitter, sweet or astringent tastes.
• Two yoga postures that help with stress are the Hala Asana (also known as the Plough Pose) and Shava Asana (the Corpse Pose). But even if yoga is not your thing, any type of exercise even a long walk and a breath of fresh air can clear the head and help you relax.
• While meditation might not be everyone’s cup of tea it goes without saying that meditation can be beneficial tool in combating stress. Meditation can be somewhat frustrating especially for a novice. However even ten minutes of sitting still, breathing and observing your inner chatter will build a good foundation and help you in the long run. You can try a meditation-inducing CD with Tibetan bowls or light mantras to help out.