We feed our mood beyond food.

Everything we consume feeds our mood. Our emotions.

Our emotional states drive our decisions, goals, and actions.

We spend a significant amount of time consuming from our environment the things we think we need to live. Vogue recently suggested to set our phones to airplane mode to decrease the amount of time spent on it. These things, like social media, phone apps, streaming services are not detrimental until they are taken in at enervating quantities. We inhale this stuff like it’s air. But air serves a purpose- it is fundamental to our survival. How are those other things vital to our health and wellbeing?

We do not have much time nowadays with all the options available and luring us in. But we created this. Is it what we really want and need? Nourishing our mind and body is fundamental to improved personal and societal health. Usually we are covering up for what we really need with the overconsumption of the extras.

Nourish or undernourishment?

We spend our lives in 5 major areas of busyness. Often these activities are inaccurately aligned with fulfillment. Congested schedules do not equate harmony because the need for more persists. Wholeness can be met without entirely renouncing favorite television shows, style trends, social networking, happy hours and working out. Here’s how to attain balance sans overconsumption.

Entertainment

Binge watching a buzzed about TV series perpetuates sedentary lifestyles, anxiety and aggravation. The lack of motivation for predominantly Kapha doshas can be countered by committing to a challenging workout prior to tuning into the show. Take it slow by watching one episode per week at a scheduled time to lower inattentive Vata tendencies. Make it a reflective process by evaluating the positive qualities to tamp down fiery Pitta instead of becoming overly critical.

Fashion

Clothing purchases for another ootd clutters our minds, especially those prone to Vata and Kapha doshas. A more sustainable option is to shop in your closet, choose pieces that are well-made classics instead of trending, and swap pieces with friends and family. The growing rental clothing and accessories market also helps prevent Kapha’s from feeling heavy and congesting their emotions with overstuffed closets. This method also dissipates the greed-prone dosha. Learn how to dress for your personal energy here.

Socializing

Real friendship is replaced by those who like your content on social media, increasing egotistical-prone Pitta doshas. Sustaining genuine friendships with in-person sessions and phone calls (not texting) has shown to decrease neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Social connections outside of the metaverse support warm-hearted Kapha and staves off depression from loneliness. It is valuable to recognize that too much socialization, either in person or online, has negative effects. Being alone with ones thoughts in order to reflect and evaluate wants and needs can streamline actions leading to more pleasing mood states. Commit to weekly calls or meet-ups.

Drinking

Mocktails and cocktails filled with sugar decrease drinking of water. Tridoshic imbalances ensue. A general rule is 1:2 drink:H2O. More water for dry Vata types, and maybe a 1:1 for Kapha doshas with sugarless drinks. For mocktails, use healthier options like unsweetened iced teas or natural sugars like fresh fruit sugars. Fruit is still sugar, so probably one per week should suffice for all doshas. Try the pomegranate recipe here for gut-brain axis balance. Liver-hot Pittas are better off with beer instead of hard alcohol. Nobody should drink alcohol or ingest sugar during intensely emotional imbalances.

Exercising

Movement should be a daily habit but not to the extreme where the body is feeling drained, broken and damaged. Programs that track fitness without a personalized approach can jeopardize health goals. Exertion of the body usually accompanies exertion of the mind. Conscientious movement using any method from yoga to running has more positive impact than following trends. Aligning fitness goals with personal energy can be found in the exercise article here.

Bottom Line

Knowing + appreciating our energy, which can change daily in our busy and multifaceted lives, helps us live better + better manage our moods. Nourish your mood with style, art, food, conversation, and music. It leads to stronger decision-making, constant goal-attainment, and healthier gut-brain axis functioning.

The Dosha app and line at AKScientist integrates modernized Ayurvedic science and medicine with technology. Detection prior to overconsumption can help reach mood stability and avoid doshic imbalances. Working with what we have and what we are leads to higher contentment. The need to overconsume is then overriden. Starve overconsumption. It brings wealth to the mind and body. We certainly can’t starve ourselves of one particular activity- social or wellbeing- so finding the balance before imbalance is paramount.