Whether it's Mom Life or just Life Life, your stress levels might be higher than you'd like (ok, sometimes they're through the roof). We were so lucky to have Dr. Karuna Sabnani with us to chat about adrenal fatigue, the four pillars of ayurvedic health, and simple ways mamas and families can reset and destress. Check out the video above...and read on for easy ways to reconnect with your own essential joy!

Touch, Food, Sleep, Exercise (The Four Pillars)

These four fundamental elements of health necessary for well being are all interconnected, and can easily all be addressed before you do anything else diagnostic or therapeutic. They can be boiled down to: proper touch, proper nourishment, proper rest, and proper movement. Each pillar needs to be properly balanced with the others in order to feel good; what that balance looks like is different for everyone. Try something within each pillar (include your kiddos and/or your partner if you’d like)...enjoy the process of discovering what you like!

PROPER TOUCH:

• Foot massage - an Ayurvedic technique to bring down anxiety, you can massage your own feet or your kiddos’ feet at night with a little oil or lotion to create better sleep, deeper relaxation, and connection.
• Earthing (grounding) - when you connect with the earth element you are engaging something other than your mind… get your bare feet on the ground, get your hands in the dirt, and connect to that healing energy.
• Foot baths → place 2 scoops epsom salts into a basin of warm water and add a few drops of essential oil. The salts help you mineralize with magnesium and reset your adrenals, and it can be a lovely way to wind down along with your children.
• Self-massage → massage towards the heart (moving up from feet, down from head, etc.) to draw energy back to yourself.

Mama Pro-Tip → Focusing on the earth element with your touch can get you AND your kids out of your heads...so necessary when everyone is going a little stir crazy! A simple way to get your kids grounded? Tell them to “find your feet!” when their energy is heightened. 

PROPER NOURISHMENT:

• Fire up the Instant Pot - warming foods are grounding, and the Instant Pot is easy to use for simple stews and other all-in-one meals.
• Blueberries - toss ¼ cup into your morning smoothie or make a compote for your oatmeal (bonus: frozen wild blueberries are highest in antioxidants and you can keep them on hand more easily than fresh).
• Hot water in A.M. - Hot water grounds you and helps move energy downward which is excellent for digestion.
• Pink salt - a dash of it in your drinking water will help you mineralize and aid your adrenal recovery.
  

Mama Pro-Tip → Nourish your senses. Ritualize as many things as you can...use a pretty mug for your morning hot water, light a candle to set the tone for your nightly foot soaks, etc). Make things extra special...it’s not indulgence, it’s essential!

PROPER REST:

• Implement a routine - engage in some kind of evening ritual before bed; a bath or shower, a facial regimen, or your foot massage.
• Transition intentionally - take a moment, take a breath, and enter your bed away from the rest of your day.
• Daily rest - during the day, lay on the floor (or better yet, outside on the ground) for 5 minutes. You can easily do this with kids and teach them progressive or body scan meditation.
• Bach Rescue Remedy - designed for emergency situations and crises, this blend of flower remedies can help promote relaxation and reduce anxiety.

Mama Pro-Tip → How you start and end your day rules your day; these “bookends” are what you can lean on for support even if the rest is a bit (or a lot) chaotic. Set up a morning routine and give yourself time to wind down before bed and see how much calmer you feel! 

PROPER MOVEMENT:

• Rebounding - rebounding has a huge number of health benefits, not to mention it’s really fun and easy to do indoors or in small spaces.
• Dance breaks - definitely a great family activity! Put on a favorite song and have a dance-off (or rock your own solo party).
• Walk - getting outside for a walk every day connects you back to the earth and your surroundings, as well as being a good form of exercise.
• Yoga - you don’t need to do a full practice; just focus on opening key channels (front, back, side, second side/twisting). Do one pose for each channel and put more breath into each posture; you’ll be done in 5 minutes.
  

For more information and tools, visit http://www.karunanaturopathic.com

*AMMA is NOT an affiliate*