» Ayurveda and nutrition for stress

Only 40 percent of the population currently state that they do not feel stressed or only rarely. What makes people feel stressed?

Objective stressors

• cold, heat
• Hunger, thirst
• Noise
• strong sunlight
• toxic substances (cigarette smoke)
• Sleep deprivation
• Sensory overload
• monotonous task
• Failure to meet essential needs

Psychosocial stress factors = subjective stressors

Expectations and fears 

• Lack of time
• Lack of money
• missing design possibilities
• enormous responsibility
• Mobbing in the workplace
• shift work (causes a disturbance of the sleep-wake rhythm)
• constant concentration on the work (e.g. assembly line work)
• Fear (not enough)
• social isolation, contempt and neglect
• Illnesses and pain, own and those of relatives
• psychological problems, subliminal conflicts
• serious events (e.g. a break-in, an operation, an examination, death of a relative)
• also (unbalanced) underchallenge, boredom

The factors that are considered objective stressors are all factors that increase Vata except for strong sunlight.

According to Vagbhata, Vata is increased by

• Hunger, thirst
• Noise, cold, bright light
• Pain
• strong heat, dryness
• raw food, uncomfortable food
• fast locomotion
• much speak
• Time pressure
• Suppression of natural needs

Vata is reduced by

• Eating fatty, sweet food
• Milk and dairy products
• sweet, sour and salty food
• Silence
• Heat
• Oil
• Regularity

Nutrition can therefore play a major role in reducing stress. Primary foods are fats and carbohydrates, but protein intake can also reduce Vata.

Vata-reducing foods

Dr. med. Annette Müller-Leisgang
General practitioner, nutritional medicine, Ayurveda
Munich
www.ayurveda-institut.de