Ayurveda - Food & Exercise

As per Ayurveda Wholesome food (Hitaharam) and adequate exercise (Mitayasam) are like Aswini devas (twin gods of health). One who follows these two will never have to depend on a Physician (Vaidya)-for he will be free from diseases.

Ayurveda explains the Ahara Vidhi or food protocol which a common man should observe while taking food. Significance of daily exercise is also added herewith.

Wholesome food

• Ayurveda advices the use of readily prepared, hot food which is prepared out of fresh ingredients.  I think, this may sound quite impractical in today's era of frozen, reheated, junk and fast food. But you can reduce the incidence of common digestive problems such as hyperacidity, ulcers as well as many lifestyle disorders by avoiding such meals.
• Use only healthy edible oils. Trans fat are the worst when compared to saturated fats. Trans fats like vanaspathi ghee are widely used in fast food.
• One should eat specific quantity food i.e. , under eating and over eating should be avoided. Modern day’s calorie scale can be used as a parameter in this case.
• Eat your next meal only when previous meal is digested.
• Eat food which is completely compatible. One should not mix food of extreme qualities. eg; use of meat with milk.
•  Dining should be in a pleasant atmosphere. Before starting meals set all sufficient utensils around.
• Avoid eating very fast and very slow. Both affect digestive process adversely.
• While eating talking and laughing should be avoided. Presence of mind is always needed while having meals. Ingestion of gas or aspiration of food particles, water or saliva into the respiratory passage may result. Watching TV, reading books or concentrating on smart phone or computer screen would distract your mind from various aspects of food.
• Always take food that is conducive to one’s own health.  Eg: if you are a diabetes patient you should avoid excess carbohydrates from your diet.

Exercise

Exercise is mentioned as an integral part of Dinacarya or daily routine.

 Proper Exercise Provides:

      •       Lightness to the body

      •       Ability to do hard work.

      •       Improves digestive power.

      •       Depletion of excess fat.

      •       Stable and distinct physique.

For healthy people it should be executed with half their strength and for weaker people like too young or old, milder exercise should be selected.

Healthy exercise can be brisk walk, jogging, practicing yoga, gardening, and games or playing with kids or pets.

In the context of diabetes treatment, it is said that the patient should walk without using umbrella and footwear for miles. Anyways for a normal individual mild exercise, that too daily would be enough.

  Let us see what the modern research says about healthy eating habits later.

Ayurveda - Health of Eyes

As per Ayurveda Eyes are of prime importance among all senses "Sarvendriyanam Nayanam Pradhanam".Laymen may wonder what Ayurveda has to do with the health of eyes. When it comes to the health of eyes, lenses, cataract surgery, Lasik etc are buzzwords.In this vision oriented era of tablet-computers or smart phones  healthy eyes is a very important topic of discussion. Very few know about a specialty in Ayurveda named Salakya Tantra that deals with diseases of head in general. Netra Chikitsa is the branch within Salakya that deals particularly diseases and health of eyes.

NETRARAKSHA PATHYA

Ayurveda enlists a few dietary as well as other factors called NETRARAKSHA PATHYA those can be simply incorporated in your daily diet and regimen  if you are looking forward for better health of eyes. Also,there are certain things that have to be abandoned for the better health of eyes.

DO’s

Pure cold water should be drunk in plenty.

Among fruits include more grapes, gooseberries and pomegranates.

Carrot, radish and leafy are vegetables which are good for eyes.

Among rice verities Red rice is the best choice.Wheat and barley are good choice among other cereals.

Green gram should be included in daily diet.

Prefer bird meat like chicken, turkeys etc.

Use of Rock salt instead of common salt.

Among fats ghee is the best.

Use of umbrellas that protect from sunlight.

Proper care of foot by applying oil and use of footware.

DONT’s

Food that cause indigestion.

Use of sesame oil for cooking and application on head.

Food with sour taste, also hot and spicy food.

Looking at very shiny, quick moving and minute objects.

Sleeping during day time, and keeping awake at night.

There are various treatments mentioned in Ayurveda for improving the health of eyes as well as for getting cured from various ophthalmic disorders. Some of them can be practised as part of daily regimen or Dinacarya.

Application of collirium (Kajal, kanmashi) or Anjana is an example. The eye-liner we use today is actually a modified kind of collirium.

Murdha Thaila or oil application on head using suitable medicated oils is also mentioned among Dinacarya.

Use of Triphala as Netra Rasayana and Padabyangam or application of oil on foot should be carried out effectively.

There are so many other treatments including various internal medications as well as therapeutic procedures for curing Ophthalmic Diseases.

Seka - Bathing the eye using medicated water or milk.

Aschothana - Instilling medicated drops in eyes.

Bidalaka - External application of medicated paste over the lids.

Nasya - Nasal administration of medicated ghee,oil etc.

Tharpana - Retaining medicated ghee in eyes.

Shirodhara - Pouring medicated oil or decoction on forehead.

Jalaoukavacarana - Blood letting using freshwater leeches etc. to name a few.

Apart from these different surgical procedures are also practised in like that of Pterygium etc.

 Ayurveda exhorts, “All possible efforts should be made by men to protect their eyes, throughout the period of their life. For a man who is blind this world itself seems to be useless as the day and night are quite the same for him even though he is wealthy.

Ayurveda - Oil application or Abhyangam

Why Oils and Ayurveda are too related to each other?

Let me tell you what suddenly comes to you mind when you hear the term Ayurveda?

In most of the cases, it’ll be a guy or gal preferably a tourist, minimally clad, smeared all over with oil, getting massaged by  somebody wearing  traditional attire. If this is not the scene that comes to your mind, at least an Ayurvedic hair oil ad would have just come up.

Are all Ayurvedic Oils used for cosmetic purpose?

See, oil application  mentioned in Ayurveda can be classified in two ways. 

As a daily routine or Dinacarya and as a part of treatment of various disease conditions. 

Actually, as a daily routine, it is practised in India since ancient times. Somebody from Kerala would remember the sweet aroma of virgin coconut oil that mother used to apply on our body while we were babies…the strong odour of Karpuradi Thaila or Kottam chukkadi Thaila that grandmother anointed on her painful joints…Even there are scenes in Indian movies portraying a hero, landlord or a local gunda exposing his huge torso for an oil massage with the help of servants or maids.

  

Benefits

When performed as a daily routine, Oil application or Abhyangam bestows the following benefits.

It imparts natural glow and improves the health of your skin, thereby reducing skin ailments.

It stimulates the circulatory process thereby providing nourishment to your body.

The reduces tiredness.

It slows down ageing process.

 Moreover, oil applied on head or Murdha Thaila is given much more significant coz head is the seat of all important sense modalities.It said to bestow vision and provide sound sleep.

Conclusion

But nowadays market-scene  highlights the use of cosmetic products such as oils that they claim to cure baldness and, impart fair skin, or reduce tummy etc. .They do not fix to the category of authentic and pure Ayurvedic Medicines. People should identify them as just cosmetic products.

Only an Ayurvedic Physician can suggest you the right choice of oil you have to use on your body and head considering your body constitution, diseases present, skin type, cosmetic requirements etc..whether it be for daily routine or treatment procedure.

If oil application is practised as Dinacarya or Routine basis it can be applied all over by yourself with mild pressure.

Therapeutic application of Oil ie, for treatment purpose can only be executed by well trained and academically qualified therapists  under the strict  supervision of an Ayurvedic Physician.
It has a much more wider perspective which can be discussed later.

Ayurveda- Cardiac care in Ayurveda

Terminalia arjuna

I have come across T.arjuna, a significant drug of choice in Ayurvedic Cardiac Care several times during my second professional BAMS- DravyaGunaVijnana (Ayurvedic Pharmacology) lectures,field visits,practicals etc. We had even  2 or 3 Arjuna trees in our college herbal garden though  not fully grown.After graduating, when I got exposed to field of practise of Ayurvedic Medicine I came across the power of this particular herb especially in the area of Cardiac Care.In Malayalam its called 'Neermaruthu.'

Identification
Quite simple coz they are commonly found almost throughout Kerala. Often they are seen planted on sidewalks of some roads.The young leaves,as I have observed are mostly pigmented in red or brown,long,elliptic and seen in sub opposite arrangement.Flowers yellowish white in spikes and with winged fruits which are seasonal.

Clinical Importance
Apart from its widely accepted Cardiotonic or Hrdya activity,Arjuna has been used in Ayurveda for  treating conditions such as Fracture-Bhagna,Skin lesions-Kushta,Diabetes-Prameha etc...

  Useful Part
  Bark

Some Important Ayurvedic Formulations
Partharishtam

Research
As Ayurveda  is a time tested science research studies and its results can be conveniently used for convincing those folks outside its reach. Any ways am enlisting a few I found interesting and while going through for the same purpose.

i) An experimental study was carried out in 50 dogs by ligating coronary artery and T.arjuna decoction was administered(25 dogs in each group).At the end of the experiment  the histopathological study revealed that Arjuna significantly regenerated t he cardiac tissues in the infarcted area.After carrying out the  coronary angiography in dos treated with Arjuna it was noticed that new vessels developed.(Gupta,1972)

ii) Ethanolic extract of bark reduced Total Cholesterol,LDL and TG levels with out adverse effects on liver and kidney.(Ram Et al.1997).


Mode of Administration
Ksheerapaka or Decoction with milk is the best form of administration for Hridroga(Cardiac disorders).


Adverse effects
As its Hypotensive and Diuretic effects it should be administered under the advice of an Ayurvedic Practitioner only.

Ayurveda - Lord Dhanwantari

“Namaami dhanvantarim aadi devam

 suraa surair vandita paada padmam

loke jara ruk bhaya mrutyu naasham

daatarameesham vividoushadeenaam”