Stressed and feeling lost in life- all of us have been there. According to The American Institute of Stress, 48% of people have trouble sleeping due to stress!
The biggest challenge in fighting this demon is how easily accessible it is for most of us. It is an inevitable part of our lives. We can all agree that a certain level of stress helps, also known as the eustress but there is a limit to how much stress we can take.
The stress of living and working in the fast-paced modern world is tough on our psychological and physical health equally. Headaches, irritability, anger, depression, anxiety, appetite changes, fatigue, anxiety are common symptoms and results of today’s stressful life.
Therefore, to fight this everyday demon, people are constantly on the lookout for something that can calm their minds and body. Some people prefer chamomile tea, some massage, some alcohol, and some short-term vacations.
Today, complementary and alternative solutions are replacing the modern medicine of relieving stress. People are looking to alleviate themselves from the pharmaceutical methods.
In order to alleviate the modern medicine and the everyday mental stress, places like kava bars, methods like acupuncture, homeopathy, tai chi, ayurveda, meditation, yoga and even new forms of herbal drinks such turmeric latte are paving their way into our lives beautifully and serenely.
In this article, we shall be looking into the world of complementary and alternative solutions to stress.
Let us first dive into why the traditional and alternative solutions are producing a wave of popularity across the world.
The Increasing Popularity of Herbal Philosophy
The world of herbal medicine is picking up at a rather unexpected pace now. The popularity is encapsulated in herbal philosophy and history. It allows for the holistic development of the mind and body. It moves beyond symptomatology and has in its storage solutions for everyone.
From the Greeks to Romans to the world of Ayurveda, herbal medicine has its historical roots in every culture. For example, Ayurveda is the oldest medical system that originated in India almost 5000 years ago!
The herbal philosophy brings with it solutions from nature. It is not a pharmaceutical cocktail and thus, makes it accessible to many. For example, a simple turmeric paste has been used as an anti-inflammatory agent for ages in India and China.
The world saw the power of this reviving traditional medicine when the World Health Organization launched its first-ever traditional medicine strategy back in 2000. Its objective was simple:
“…to discuss the role of traditional medicine in health care systems, current challenges, and opportunities and WHO’s role and strategy for traditional medicine.”
The world of alternative medicine is affordable, accessible, natural, and cares for our holistic development. The individual is given a sense of autonomy when using these solutions. It is expected of us that we will not only take these medicines or solutions. But equally focus on our habits, mental health, and other aspects which need to be addressed.
So, what do these alternative and complementary solutions (that even got WHO’s interest) look like while dealing with daily life stress? Let’s find out!
Paste, Roots, Drinks, Mindfulness, Body Movement & More: The Many Shades of Securing Mental Peace
Today, in the USA, evenings are accompanied by a shell of kava in one hand and peace in the other. This South Pacific drink has managed to help with situational and generalized anxiety for people across the States and the world.
Similarly, turmeric curcumin has taken over hearts too. It has a 4000 years history and has found its place in multiple cultures. It has the potential to reverse the cellular damage that results from stress often. Pretty cool, right?
In case you want a bounty of health benefits, you can order our turmeric candies. These candies are overwhelmingly functional and tasty! Simply pop a candy to de-stress your everyday life
Body-movements are being carefully used to address a variety of physical health issues among young individuals to the old age population. Like tai-chi which is called “meditation in motion”. Tai chi has a lot of elements involving the body and mind such as qigong or breath work and can help anyone to help build muscle flexibility, balance, and strength.
Not just tai chi, another well-known alternative solution which has gained momentum in the past one decade has been cupping therapy. It dates back to 1550 BC! British Cupping Society has assured its positive impact for anxiety and depression.
The list does not stop here. The world is happily exploring new methods to uplift their overall well-being and we’ll be seeing a lot more solutions revived from history in the coming years.
The complementary and alternative solutions are innumerable and available in diverse formats. Whether you want them as a dietary supplement, or a body movement therapy or as a herbal medicine, everything is possible.
Are These Solutions Sustainable For My Mental Stress?
It is absolutely fine to question the reliability and sustainability of these solutions we’ve been talking about for so long. After all, it is about your body and health!
One of the logical perspectives to have on alternative solutions is to take the spotlight on history. For example, in one of ancient Hindu literature, Atharva Veda, cannabis sativa is mentioned for its medicinal properties.
The thousands of years old Hindu literature stands tall in the face of modern science too. CBD, found in cannabis sativa plants, has proven effective as an anxiolytic solution. Many people across the world are using it to treat their anxiety and a general sense of mental stress emanating from life.
Similarly, many forms of body movement therapies such as DMT or dance movement therapy have found their place in the modern world. DMT is used for stress reduction, disease prevention, and mood management too. Dance as therapy dates back to 1916 when Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung introduced it as a method to heal through movement.
Therefore, these solutions are sustainable and effective not just because people have been using them for years. Also because science has consistently supported the overall positive impact on our bodies.
The penultimate choice is yours. Do your diligent research and see what might work for your mental stress. Our blogs are here to help. Click here and find a plethora of topics on alternative solutions that Ozia has been working on for quite some time
References:
Ansorge, R. (2012, August 28). Cupping Therapy. WebMD; https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/cupping-therapy
Dance / Movement Therapy. (2009). Good Therapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/dance-movement-therapy
Harvard Health Publishing. (2019, August 20). The health benefits of tai chi. Harvard Health; https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-health-benefits-of-tai-chi
Johnston, A. (2019). Curcumin Reverses the Cellular Damage of Chronic Stress – Life Extension. Life Extension. https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2016/12/curcumin-reverses-stress
Patterson, E. (2019, May 6). Stress Statistics. The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab. https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/stress/related/stress-statistics/#:~:text=About%2033%20percent%20of%20people
Sexton, E. (n.d.). History of Dance and Movement Therapy | Dance and Movement Therapy. University of Oregon. https://blogs.uoregon.edu/esextonw14/timeline/
WHO | WHO traditional medicine strategy. (n.d.). WHO. https://www.who.int/medicines/publications/traditionalpolicy/en/