How Ayurveda Can Help You Cope With Social Distancing Stress

Being forced to stay inside has undoubtedly been taking a toll on all of us. 

Whether it’s the boredom many of us are facing while out of work, the anxiety of the unknown, the chaos of keeping children entertained, or the stress of financial pressure… We are all in the same boat. Facing dry hair and skin? You're not alone!

This is a time when we are all a bit anxious about our health and safety. While we are all doing our best to stay calm, positive, and healthy, it’s normal that some of us will have days where we feel better than others.

Certain days are just going to be straight up tough… and that’s okay!

Facing an unprecedented health threat may be forcing us into a self-induced permanent state of cabin fever, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t still look for the silver lining amongst this new fear. 

People all over the country (and the world) have all been coming together to unite against the COVID-19 virus, and we don’t know about you, but it’s pretty beautiful to see the strength of our country in times of need, as well as the beauty of the human spirit.

If it’s boredom that seems to be getting you down, there are plenty of resources available online that are being offered free of charge.

Our suggestion? Try taking up a new skill or rediscover an old hobby while you have the free time.

It will help take your focus off the present situation and you’ll even get an extra boost of confidence from remaining productive and active.

One area of study that has been especially helpful to our team through these past weeks has been taking a deeper look into the ancient healing practice known as Ayurveda. 

Here at Primal Harvest, we feature many Ayurveda-inspired formulas in our products and stand behind this holistic approach to wellness that looks at the body as one integrated system, rather than a number of separate parts.

Often referred to as the “sister science” to yoga, Ayurveda is believed to be one of the oldest healing methods in existence, with roots in India dating back more than 5,000 years.

Ayurveda focuses on balancing all parts of your health, from physical to emotional, and firmly believes that the foods you eat can dramatically affect how you feel from day to day.

So how can the ancient principles of Ayurveda help those of us struggling to get through this social distancing period?

7 REASONS WHY AYURVEDA MAY HELP YOU COPE WITH QUARANTINE

Ayurveda is largely about understanding the impact that our diet has on mind, body, and soul. That’s why learning more about this ancient approach to wellness can help improve mental clarity and focus, and many practitioners even report better sleep, concentration, and feelings of calm.

This stems mostly from Ayurveda’s approach to nutrition, which is usually referred to as the ‘Sattvic’ diet. The Sattvic diet is centered around pure foods and holistic guidelines meant to nurture and support your highest self from within.

An Ayurvedic diet is believed to help naturally cleanse the system, both physically and emotionally, and promote a better energetic balance. Ayurveda promotes the use of certain healing herbs and foods that are said to support increased well-being while also decreasing toxins throughout the body.

At the same time, this practice also encourages us to periodically  reflect on our lives and clear up whatever is no longer working for you. Doing so can clear out unwanted or negative energy, according to Ayurveda.

We’ve all experienced to some degree the ways in which food affects how we feel. Ayurveda explores this important relationship between our bodies and the impact of food in a number of different ways.

The bottom line here is that when you start eating according to these principles tailored to fit your needs, your body will become more in balance and you will experience less stress and anxiety as a result.

By eating foods that progress your mindfulness or yoga practice, Ayurveda says you will be helping progress the mind/body connection, and ultimately experience more feelings of positivity and calm as a result.

Ayurveda promotes self love by honoring the uniqueness in each person and teaching us to look beyond our physical body and stop comparing ourselves to others.

Since each one of us is truly unique, Ayurveda believes that we should individualize and tailor our holistic routines to fit our Ayurvedic body type and specific needs. The three main body types (or “doshas”) in Ayurveda are referred to as Kapha, Vata, and Pitta.

In Ayurveda, it’s believed that optimal health stems from you and your environment being in perfect balance. Creating this harmony requires connecting to our environment on a deeper level and therefore, with the beauty of nature as well.

Ayurveda incorporates the five main elements of nature: Earth, water, fire, air, and space. By teaching that we are essentially one with nature, this practice helps to ground you and explains how the elements of nature affect your overall well-being. 

This science of wellness uses your specific dosha, or body type, to decide the best way for you to eat for your specific type, and in turn, improve your digestive system. Ayurvedic principles can tell you exactly the right foods to eat at the right time of the day to decrease inflammation in the digestive tract and support healthy metabolism and energy levels.

Ayurvedic guidelines for wellness are fairly simple, easy to follow, and detailed, so that there is no room for misinterpretation. However, that doesn’t mean that this ancient yogic science isn’t a powerful tool for healing!

Ayurveda is believed to promote healing on a cellular level by bringing the body into total balance and harmony with its holistic, full circle approach. The end result is said to be a greater sense of well-being on all levels of health.

AND REMEMBER...

IT'S ABOUT YOU. IT'S ABOUT YOUR HEALTH. IT'S ABOUT RECONNECTING.