As the world enters a new normal filled with uncertainty and misinformation, we all can’t help but feel the added stress layering onto our already busy lives. Resiliency has become the word of our time as we navigate 2020. Indeed, according to a recent Gallup poll, eight out of ten Americans are afflicted by stress, and that was before COVID-19. While periodic stress can lead to temporary mood swings and headaches, chronic stress is linked to lower immunity and serious health conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and more.
The good news is that while sometimes we may not be able to control what comes at us in life, we can take control of how we respond. And in taking control of our responses, we can position ourselves to not only survive but to thrive in the new normal.
Strengthening your body’s balance system
Of course, stepping into a new chapter first starts with establishing a grounding routine that can guide you during uncertain times and strengthen your body’s ultimate balancing system: the Endocannabinoid System. This is potentially the most ubiquitous and important neurological system in your body that influences many physiological processes including immunity, mood, and overall health. Cannabinoids like CBD are considered a literal bridge between the body and mind, and can help maintain a healthy ECS through promoting homeostasis across bodily systems. Numerous research studies indicate that CBD can provide relief for a variety of conditions―one of the most well-supported of which, is stress. You can head over to our ECS blog for a deeper dive as well as our blog on top nutrition tips for a healthy ECS. In short, since your ECS is your biological response system, it can be affected by everything from your diet to exercise to your environment. Thus, caring for your ECS requires an Integrative Health Approach.
What is Integrative Health?
According to the Institute for Integrative Health, it is a “state of well-being in body, mind and spirit that reflects aspects of the individual, community, and population. It is affected by 1) individual biological factors and behaviors, social values, diet, and public policy, 2) the physical, social, and economic environment, and 3) an integrative healthcare system that involves the active participation of the individual in the healthcare team in applying a broad spectrum of preventive and therapeutic approaches.” Our Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Nathan Walworth, is working with the USC Institute of Integrative Health to conduct studies that integrate CBD into wellness routines involving practices like meditation, yoga, and beyond.
How can a wellness routine transform my life’s journey?
Having a holistic wellness routine consisting of science-backed techniques can transform your life actions from reactive to proactive. This strong mental and physical foundation will help to center you on a daily basis and maintain calm amidst the chaos. With a few tools, you can transform stress into fuel for your fire. The good news is that there is a wealth of science-backed wellness methods available on the internet to help you formulate a routine that works for you.
However, we understand that knowing where to start can be paralyzing with so much information out there from a variety of sources. Here, we have done some of the initial work to give you a starting point with several tools and practices that you can integrate into a single routine that includes CBD, meditation, and yoga. Please see our wellness routine blog for a deeper dive into the science behind each of the techniques. For a quick look, you can view the routine below and then head over to our blog that takes you through the theory behind each step. We hope this can help you as much as it helps our team in navigating these crazy times we are in!
CBD: 1 dropper full of either the 250mg or 500mg Asha Apothecary Broad-spectrum CBD tincture. Or alternatively, 1 Softgel of our Everyday Formula.
YOGA: Sink into a yoga session – the type and length depends on how we are feeling on this day. There are lots of great (free) yoga videos on YouTube and on various apps that allow you to practice yoga at home!
MEDITATION: Now, if you are new to meditation, it can sometimes be difficult to sit still and quiet the mind. Like with anything transformative, it takes consistency and practice, but over time the effects are priceless. Newcomers can meditate for just 5 minutes and increase over time. Again, there are excellent YouTube videos and apps that can guide you through your meditation sessions – we highly recommend trying one if you’re new to meditation.
We thank you for reading and hope this information can help in some way as it has done for us. Much love from all of us at Asha.