As defined in our ancient scriptures, a person in good health (स्वास्थ्य) consists of a balance between various elements – physical & psychological elements, of energies produced in the body combined with proper elimination of wastes from it. A happy soul or consciousness resides within a happy mind, stored in a healthy body with a proper functioning of the senses.
Before we talk about the ayurvedic remedies that can help one improve their mental health, it is important to know more about the problem itself. Here are some of the most common mental health questions asked by people around the world, as per data shared by Google.
- Are mental health and emotional health the same?
- Can mental health issues be cured?
- Can mental health issues be prevented?
- Is depression common?
- Can mental health stop you from working?
- Are mental health and physical health related?
Anxiety, Stress, Insomnia, Mood Swings, Memory Loss – they may seem like a mere day-to-day concern, but Psychiatric sciences have now proclaimed them to be a matter of deep concern in the long run. According to World Health Organization (WHO), depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. We saw an increase of more than 18% in number of depression cases itself in the last 5 years. WHO data suggested that the depression rate in India in 2016-17 was 36%.
The fear of stigma and lack of open support for people with mental health problems are the two biggest reason why people have not been able to find a right treatment for themselves in the past. But now, as mental health becomes an openly talked about topic in our country, we delve deeper into the practices of Psychiatric medicine and find out that it resonates with the practices mentioned in Ayurveda.
Here are 3 ayurvedic remedies, that resonate with the modern psychiatric beliefs, that can help one strengthen and improve their mental health.
1. THE BRAIN-GUT CONNECTION
Did you know that 50% of a human body’s dopamine (the happy hormone) is produced in our gastrointestinal tracts?
Studies show that when food is not efficiently digested by our body, it creates and leaves behind unwanted metabolic by-products of digestion called ‘Ama’. These Ama cause nervousness, anxiety, irritability, sadness and can cause low ambition in an individual. When our gut is healthy, it directly affects our emotional state. After our brain, our gut is the body part with the highest quantity of nerves present.
Consult an Ayurvedic practitioner so that they may suggest ingredients and supplements that help your guts based on your psychophysiological type. They may also suggest certain minor changes on how quickly do you eat, how much do you chew, and how to distress before a meal, which will aid in keeping the Ama levels low.
2. EXERCISE FOR BALANCING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
Did you know that 20 minutes of exercise can reduce inflammation causing chemicals from our bloodstream?
Exercise does not only keep you fit physically, but also mentally. It helps in the production of serotonin and endorphins in our body that improve our mood. This also reduces those chemicals that cause inflammation in our body and our brains. However, the degree of exercise varies as per different psychophysiological type.
Modern medical researches recognize that practicing certain yoga postures can increase blood circulation to the brain and product those neurotransmitter hormones that strengthen our mental health. Ayurveda recommends a regular practice that involves Hatha Yoga and Pranayama, as they help reduce stress and worry. The combination of both is also beneficial towards preparing you for a deeper experience during meditation.
3. NATURAL SUPPLEMENT OF POSITIVITY
Did you know that some of the world’s renowned Quantum Physicists postulate that Ayurveda herbal preparation work on a biochemical level, creating a vibrational phenomenon within our body?
Some scientists postulate that our thoughts and emotions behave as a wave function, therefore having their own respective frequencies. While in Ayurveda, it states that some herbs act in different ways to change the vibrational frequency of our body from within, Physics puts it as each ingredient’s vibration superimposing on the vibration of our organs when ingested.
Tests conducted with Ayurvedic medicines that contain natural ingredients like Brahmi showed great potential in alleviating stress, improve mood and enhance the overall functioning of the mind.
Be it ancient like Ayurveda or modern like Psychiatry, it all suggests a similar path towards a correlation between physical and mental health. More so, it points at a lot of ways that can be custom designed to suit our preferences and requirements.
If you are looking to start your journey and build up your mental muscles as much as your physical ones, our first and foremost recommendation would be our authentic and natural Brahmi Tablets. Brahmi has been traditionally used as a herbal tonic for brain that stimulates memory, improves concentration and reduces anxiety by decreasing the levels of Cortisol in our body. Studies also suggest that intake of Brahmi lights up the hippocampus part of the brain that is responsible for intelligence, concentration and memory.
Ayurveda is not just ancient, it is a science that has been so ahead of its time, that we keep learning more and more from it even today.
