Incorporate yoga into your routine for stress management.

  Yoga requires focused attention and discipline coupling the breath with body movement. It gently teaches you to let go of stress by integrating meditation along with physical movement. Regular practice will strengthen and stretch the mind, body and spirit, thereby allowing you to manage stress more easily.


 

Visit this page for easy yoga postures for de-stressing.

Get to know your dosha

Ayurveda views life from an energetic perspective utilizing the five elements: Either, Air, Fire, Earth and Water. The attributes of these elements are applied to all aspects of life, including your health. When the elements are balanced, there is harmony and health. Imbalances can cause disruption, dis-ease and disharmony.

The three doshas are:

Vata - ether and air
Pitta - fire and water
Kapha - water and earth

Learning your dominant dosha will provide information about yourself and a basis for food and lifestyle choices that allow you to work with, instead of against, your natural energy tendencies.

Take this Quiz to find out your dosha.

Fennel Seed - a Natural Breath Freshener

Chew fennel seeds after a meal. Fennel seeds naturally help digestion and freshens the breath.

Fennel Properties:

Warming, carminative (an aromatic which tends to expel wind from the alimentary canal, or to relieve colic, griping, or flatulence), Antispasmodic, Antidepressant, Promotes milk-flow in nursing mothers, Stomachic, pectoral, diuretic, diaphoretic, aromatic, Anti-microbial, Pain reducing, fever reducing.

Uses:

Colic, gas, soothes irritable bowel, increase urine flow, promotes menstruation, improves digestive system, improves milk flow, anxiety, depression, arthritis, water retention, appetite suppressant, amenhorrea, angina, asthma, heartburn, lower blood pressure, boost libido, respiratory congestion, coughs

Take time to giggle daily.

 A good laugh does a body good! Check it out -laughing can:

• Stimulate your organs
• Enhance your oxygen intake
• Increase endorphin release in your brain
• Activates your stress release response.
• Soothes tension

 Over time, laughter can:

• Improve your immune system
• Positive thoughts release neuropeptides that fight stress and can help ward off more serious illness
• Relieve pain by getting the body to release its own natural pain killers
• Improve your mood. Who can stay angry when they're laughing?

Stress relief from laughter

A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data are mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

  Stress relief from laughter

  A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data are mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
  Short-term benefits
  A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
  
• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.
• Stress relief from laughter
  
  
  A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data are mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
  
  
  Short-term benefits
  A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
  
  
      Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
      Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
      Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.
  
  
  Long-term effects
  Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:
  
  
      Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

 Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses. Short-term benefits
  A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:
  
• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

Short-term benefits
A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can:

• Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.
• Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response and increases your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Long-term effects
Laughter isn't just a quick pick-me-up, though. It's also good for you over the long haul. Laughter may:

• Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. In contrast, positive thoughts actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

Mint is a natural way to relieve gas attacks

Eating mint or sucking on a peppermint candy can quickly stop intestinal distress in most cases.   Why? Mint is a carminative, meaning that it both prevents and facilitates the release of gas. Mint relaxes muscle tissue, especially smooth muscle tissue, making it a useful antispasmodic. It should be noted that if you are having a gas attack, it is your body telling you that what you ate was not digestible! Avoid it in the future!

Consider adding a Triphala supplement to your diet.

Triphala for colon health

Triphala is considered one of the more important herbal supplements in Ayurveda. It is is a powerful combination of three of three fruits: Myrobalan, Amla, and Belleric Myrobalan. It promotes regular digestion, is a rejuvenative, cleanse the colon, flush the toxins in the body, and it will keep the liver functioning in a proper manner. It has laxative properties and it can reduce the level of cholesterol in your body.

Honey & Spice Throat Coat

Honey & Spice Throat Coat is a quick and efficient way to help reduce spring congestion, regardless of the forecast. In this formula, turmeric, ginger and black pepper invigorate, warm, and circulate the blood. This has the effect of flushing fluids and drying them up. Invigorating the blood also tends to open up the lungs. Honey heats and breaks up mucus. It also provides a quick burst of energy. Its thick texture allows the healing spices to linger and coat the throat. Caution -this formula is strongly pitta provoking. ingredients 1/8 tsp Black Pepper 1/8 tsp Ginger (Dried) 1 tbsp Honey 1/8 tsp Turmeric preparation This traditional syrup is designed to be savored and licked slowly from a spoon. The honey coats the back of the throat allowing for sustained contact with the spices. These spices heat the throat, nose and chest -- highly effective for sore throats, runny noses and other allergy or flu-like symptoms. Prepare this remedy in individual portions using unheated raw honey and take 2 or 3 times a day between meals. Mix together and lick from a spoon over a 15 minute period. The formula should be strong enough to warm the back of the throat. - From Joyful Belly

Reduce or Avoid Nasal Congestion

Drink soothing teas using fresh or ground spices: 2 parts ginger, 3 parts cinnamon, and pinch of cardamom. Steep in hot water for 10–15 minutes. When the tea has cooled down, add a little raw honey.
 

Ginger and cinnamon are warming and stimulating spices that counter act the cold, wet stagnant energy of cold and flu congestion.

Avoid or eliminate dairy products when you're congested.

According to Ayurveda, dairy products produce mucus in the body. Consuming dairy will compound your mucus problem. So, skip the cheese, yogurt, milk, ice cream, sour cream, bleu cheese dressing.

Stick with clear liquids, broths and fruit juices to thin out mucus. Consider adding dry, pungent spices to your meals to loosen and dry up mucus.

During the cold and flu season, consider taking the Ayurvedic herb Amalaki.

Amalaki (available in capsule form) is high in natural antioxidants, is believed to have the most concentrated source of vitamin C in the plant kingdom. Further, Amalaki is highly bioavailable, meaning the body absorbs nutrients quickly and easily.

Amalaki (Emblica Officinalis) is a small tree that’s native to tropical southeastern Asia. Amalaki produces a small round fruit and is one of nature’s

richest source of antioxidants. Research has shown that the fruit has both antibacterial and antiviral properties.

In the Ayurvedic healing tradition, Amalaki is considered the most powerful rejuvenating medicine. In Sanskrit, Amalaki means “the sustainer,” and it’s used to nourish the blood, skin, liver and bones. It’s frequently recommended for a wide variety of debilitating conditions.

Take time to rest during cold and flu season.

Adequate rest supports the immune system as the body only heals and repairs itself while at rest. Ayurvedic tradition suggests going to bed between 10 and 11 pm to allow the body to cleanse, heal, and balance during the body’s natural time of self-repair.

Resting facilitates healing in the body.