It's that time of year again, when the weather changes so swiftly it leaves you standing on the street corner shivering in shorts and wondering what happened to those warm, balmy afternoons (it was 80 degrees here last week in DC!). The anxiety kicks in and your mind blows around faster than the leaves on the street. How do you get grounded again?
Anxiety comes from an imbalance of the doshas, an aggravation of vata in the nervous system. To balance vata dosha, try the following:
1. An oil massage to reduce stress. Use sesame oil if you have a vata dosha, coconut oil if you have pitta dosha, or corn oil if you have kapha dosha.
2. Drink calming herb teas made from 1 part valerian, 1 part musta. Steep a teaspoon of these herbs in 1 cup of hot water. Drink twice a day.
3. Almond milk is very good for anxiety. Soak 10 raw almonds in water over night, peel off the skins and put them in the bledern. Warm the milk and add a pinch of ginger, nutmeg and saffron.
4. Orange juice is good if your anxiety is accompanied by a fast heart rate, ayurvedic practitioners recommend drinking a cup of orange juice with a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg.
5. A warm bath of ginger and baking soda pacifies anxiety. Add 1/3 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda to a tubful of water, soak for 10-15 minutes.
6. And of course...yoga!
*Here's a great list of foods that balance vata dosha:
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