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| Measures For Good Health |
Maintaining good health and treatment of disease are two sides of the same coin. The food, drugs and regimen that Ayurveda prescribe for both are similar. The components are the same: they are all found in nature. Equal importance is given to the kind of food to be taken as to the drugs prescribed. Each reinforces the other and both act in similar ways to maintain the equilibrium of the doshas in the body. |
Traditionally, a person should wake up before dawn when it is calm and quiet, the air is free from pollutants and there is time to pray or to meditate. There is also time enough to plan the day's work. After getting out of the bed one should wash one's face with water-lukewarm or cold according to the season. While gently splashing water over the eyes, it helps if one keeps one's mouth full of water. This helps exercise the eye-muscles. The eyes should be kept wide open while splashing water over them.
After this, the teeth should be brushed. In India, twigs of the neem tree and others are used for brushing the teeth. The neem twig is chewed at the top while brushing. Herbal tooth powders and paste are also available. Along with brushing the teeth, scraping is also highly recommended. Again this helps the eye muscles and therefore strengthens eyesight. Tongue scrapers should be made of gold, silver, copper, tin or brass. They should be curved and should have smooth edges.
After washing and cleaning one's face, it is always advisable to drink a glass of cold water. This is prescribed for all days in all seasons unless one has a cold, a cough or a sore throat. The importance of drinking a glass of water in the morning cannot be overemphasized for it helps in the excretory process. Drinking a cup of tea in the morning only produces pressure and stimulates the intestine to start the movement for evacuation of waste. It is like a reflex action which is different from the effect produced by drinking a glass of water. Hot tea stimulates the intestine so strongly that the effect loses its significance after some days leading to constipation. The caffeine content in tea also produces some adverse effects in the intestines. A glass of water, on the other hand, is excellent for the peristalsis of the intestines.
Evacuation of stool early in the morning should become a regular habit and a glass of cold water helps overcome any problems caused by indigestion and inadequate sleep if the previous night's meal has not been assimilated properly. Worry, anxiety, a short temper, over-sensitivity cause a lot of wind to form in the stomach which gets accumulated in the intestines at night. Fried food and certain 'heavy' lentils cause flatulence as also the absence of an adequate quantity of leafy vegetables and fruit in one's diet. Flatulence causes obstruction and irregularity in bowel movements. Very often this incomplete metabolism leads to loss of appetite, indigestion, headache, fatigue and even sleeplessness. Excessive flatulence can also put pressure on the heart and cause palpitation. Proper food, drink and sleep are therefore of primary importance. |
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The use of oils in therapies can be of two kinds - internal and external. Oil massage for the body is an essential part of the daily routine in most parts of India. The oil used for this purpose are generally mustard oil, sesame oil and coconut oil. Massage with mustard oil particularly in winter, is characteristic of the north of India while sesame oil is used in the south. Coconut oil is generally used for massaging the scalp and for luxuriant hair growth.
A good oil massage slows down the ageing process. It keeps the skin moisturized and shiny. It helps to overcome fatigue, tones up the nervous system, promotes eyesight and nourishes the body by opening the pores of the skin. A good oil massage followed by a bath helps one to sleep well and feel rested. Applying oil (sesame oil or coconut oil preferably) on the head quite regularly is a good way to prevent hair from falling. Massaging the body with oil is also somewhat like oiling a machine. It keeps it in shape. It strengthens and maintains the body and relaxes the muscles. It smoothens the skin and removes roughness and dryness, prevents susceptibility to vata - aggravated diseases and relieves exhaustion and the effects of exertion. It alleviates the effects of strenuous physical exercise and even of injuries.
Sesame oil has several excellent properties. It can be used for gargling, it effectively strengthens the jaws, gives depth to the voice, and a fuller to the face, provides excellent gustatory sensation and increases appetite. Regular gargles with this oil prevents dryness in the throat and cracked lips, while massaging the gums with this oil strengthens them and prevents caries. The teeth become strong and less prone to disease. Nasal inhalation with Anu taila during all the three seasons - the rainy season, autumn and spring - is an extremely useful practice with numerous benefits. Habitual nasal therapy according to the prescribed methods helps keep the eyes, nose and ears healthy, restores and strengthens hair, prevents greying. Inhalation therapy also helps cure disease such as torticolis, headache, facial paralysis, lockjaw, rhinitis, hemicrania and tremors of the head. It gives strength to the veins, joints, ligaments and tendons of the head and neck. The voice becomes stable and sweet and the face fills out. All the sense organs regulated. Signs of age such as grey hair are not manifested. Oil used as ear-drops prevents deafness and other diseases of the ear.
Massaging the soles of the feet with oil cures roughness, immobility, dryness, fatigue and numbness. The feet become strong and steady and eyesight is improved because the eye muscles are strengthened through this. Regular oil massage of the feet helps prevent sciatica, cracks in the feet, and constriction of vessels and ligaments.
Oleation relieves drowsiness and itching. It also eliminates unpleasant body odours because of perspiration. |
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Physical exercise in excess causes exertion, exhaustion, consumption, thirst, bleeding from various parts of the body, acute form of dyspnoea, cough, fever and vomiting. On the other hand, if exercise is done correctly. There will be perspiration, enhanced respiration, a feeling of lightness and proper functioning of the heart and other organs of the body. It also builds resistance and alleviates doshas especially kapha. It stimulates the power of digestion. Ayurveda does not recommend exercise while laughing, taking or walking or during sex. Exercise should be done in a relaxed manner, not on a full stomach, nor when one is tired. Rest after exercise is essential. Yoga is an excellence form of exercise helping the body, mind and soul.
A bath in the morning is not just refreshing but a sexual stimulant. It enhances stability in the body and gives it strength. Above all, it helps remove fatigue, dirt and perspiration. Generally, warm baths should be taken in winter or during the rains. Cold baths are better in warm weather. Hair and scalp should be washed with cold water. Wearing clean clothes adds to one's appearance and personal hygiene. Clean apparel inspires self-confidence. Enhancing one's looks and providing a well-groomed appearance by trimming one's hair and beard (for men), combing one's hair, keeping the finger-nails trimmed and clean. Longevity, cleanliness and beauty help in maintaining physical and mental well-being.
Proper and comfortable shoes preserve the skin of the feet. It protects the feet from contact with germs, disease-carrying bacteria and from the attacks of reptiles and other creatures. |
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Food, an important factor in the maintenance of good health, should be eaten in proper quantities, depending upon the power of digestion and the metabolism of the individual. The right quantity of food is the amount which, without disturbing the equilibrium of tissues and doshas of the body, gets digested as well as metabolised in proper time. The power of digestion varies with individual metabolisms.
In Ayurveda, food is characterised as light or heavy. Food which is light is rich in the qualities of air and fire. Those dominated by earth and water are heavy. Light food stimulates appetite and is less harmful even if eaten in excess of the prescribed quantity. On the other hand, food which is heavy suppresses appetite and is exceedingly harmful if taken in excess unless the power of digestion and metabolism are greatly reinforced by physical exercise. If the food is heavy, only three-fourths or half of the stomach should be filled. Even in the case of light food, excessive intake is not conducive to the processes of digestion and metabolism. |
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Proper sleep endows an individual with nourishment, strength, virility, knowledge, longevity and happiness. On the other hand, improper sleep causes misery, emaciation, sterility and even early death. Untimely and excessive sleep as well as prolonged vigil take away both happiness and longevity.
Depending on the causative factors, there are seven types of sleep:
It is not advisable to sleep during the day in seasons other than summer. Doing so causes vitiation of kapha and pitta. Obese people who are used to unctuous substances, those with a pitta constitution, those suffering from diseases due to vitiation of kapha and those suffering from artificial poisoning (which happens when substances are incompatible are mixed and consumed either deliberately or inadvertently; honey in hot water can act as a poison) should never sleep during the day. This could lead to liver problems, heaviness of the body, fever, loss of digestive power, oedema, anorexia, nausea, urticaria, eruption, abscess, drowsiness, coughing, diseases of the throat, impairment of the memory and intelligence, obstruction of the circulatory channels of the body and weakness of sensory or motor organs.
Sleeping during the day in all seasons is permitted for those who are exhausted by singing, studying, alcoholic drinks, sex, elimination therapy, carrying heavy weights, walking long distances; those suffering from diarrhoea, colic pain, dyspnoea, insanity; those who are too old, too young, weak and emaciated; those injured by fall and assault; those exhausted by a journey, vigil, anger, grief and fear. In summer, nights become shorter and vata gets aggravated in the body due to absorption of fluid because of perspiration. Therefore, during this season, sleep during the day is allowed for all. |
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Elimination of doshas from the body through purgation and emesis; fear, anxiety, anger, smoke, physical exercise, excessive bleeding, fasting, uncomfortable bed go a long way towards overcoming sleep. The above-mentioned factors along with overwork, old age, diseases, specially those due to the vitiation of vata (like colic pain) are known to cause sleeplessness even in normal individuals. |
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Sleep may be induced by massages, unction, bath, drinking meat soup, eating rice with curd, drinking milk and alcohol, giving the mind rest, peace and happiness and hearing soft music, applying soothing ointments to the eyes, head and face, having a comfortable bed and home and going to bed at an appropriate hour. There should be a sufficient gap between retiring for bed. This will aid the digestive process which in turn will result in good sleep. Food should, as far as possible, be light and easily digestible. Curd should be strictly avoided at night. Though good for health, curd has a negative effect on the channels of circulation when taken at night and obstructs them. It is specially unsuitable for patients suffering from asthma, bronchitis and rheumatism.
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One should not indulge in excessive sex. Sex should be avoided if there is no privacy, or if under pressure of the urge to micturate, after exertion, after physical exercise, while fasting, and if exhausted. A glass of milk should be taken before and after the sexual act.
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The living body has some natural urges. They are the urge to urinate, to dedicate, to have sexual intercourse, pass wind, for vomiting, sneezing, yawning, hunger, thirst, tears and sleep. Inhibition of these natural urges leads to many complications. These complications affect digestion and metabolism which in turn can lead to several kinds of ailments. Therefore, on order to sleep enough at night, it is essential to see that the body's natural urges are never curbed.
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The philosophy behind Ayurveda is to enable the individual to live his full span of life as a useful and productive member of society. By prescribing various diets and regimens along with therapies, Ayurveda aims to help the individual towards this end. Specialized therapies such as garlic and rejuvenation therapies have been touched upon in brief to show the scope of this complex system of medicine that heals and preserves at the same time.
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The averaged span of an individual has increased in present times due to better quality of medical help and improved nutrition. Therefore the number of old people in the society has gone up. Rejuvenation or rasayana therapy, prescribed in Ayurveda, is meant to help improve the lives of old people. Charaka, while defining the scope of this therapy, states that through it, the individual is endowed with longevity; memory; intellect; positive health; youthfulness; excellent complexion, voice, strength of the sensory and motor organs and luster. Instead of a society of old and invalid people, it aims at creating a society of youthful vigour-both physical and mental.
Rejuvenation therapy aims at keeping the enzymes in the tissues cells in their normal functioning conditions. These cells are revitalized and their composition is changed. Tranquility of the mind as well as bones kept in good condition. This prevents the process of aging and makes the individual free from any disease in his advanced years. He is able to see as clearly as before and maintain his hearing abilities, as also the glow on his face and the colour of his skin. The sooner the therapy is administered to the individual the better. As the person grows older, this therapy becomes ineffective.
For rejuvenation, many drugs are described in Ayurvedic classics, and prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians. The most important ones are amalaki, bibhataki, haritaki, guduchi and brahmi. Drugs of mineral origin like mercury, sulphur, gold and mineral pitch or bitumen are also extensively used for the purpose of rejuvenation. These drugs are detoxicated and assimilated before they are used. The mode of administration, the method of preparation, the dosage, the diet and the precautions to be taken while administering these drugs, vary from drug to drug. Normally, they require the supervision of experts. To obtain the desired effect, the therapy should be followed for a considerable amount of time. The duration of this therapy depends on the age and other physical and psychological conditions of the individual.
There are many pharmaceutical processes to make these drugs palatable. The most common tonic used by Ayurvedic physicians is Chyavanaprasha. Ayurvedic physicians consider Chyavanaprasha more a food than a medicine. The dosage of this medicine has to be increased gradually. This medicine is absolutely non-toxic. But, at times, it suppresses the power of digestion, if the dose is increased all of a sudden.
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There are more than forty-five varieties of garlic which are used as medicine in several parts of the globe from Siberia to the tropical climes of India. Despite differences in colour and taste, they all have the characteristic odour of garlic.Its therapeutic properties are undisputed but Indian texts on religious rites categorize that it is food that rouses passion and emotion or rajsic food. Hence, it is taboo for Brahmins and those engaged I spiritual practices.
Garlic therapy or rasona kalpa which is a rejuvenation therapy can be administered only to persons who are physically strong and whose systems of digestion and metabolism are powerful. It should be administered only in certain seasons, according to the individual constitution of the person receiving the treatment. Ayurvedic texts are also emphatic in indicating the kinds of individuals (including children) who are not fit to receive this therapy. The list of such persons is fairly long and detailed.
For a long term effect and especially for rejuvenation, a large quantity of garlic has to be used which most people cannot tolerate. The procedure is therefore very gradual where due care is given to indications and contraindications. The plant has to be gathered in a specific manner and it has to be mixed with other drugs before administration. The dosage, the preparation of the patient, the processing of the drug and its administration are all part of a highly complex system which involves the patient and the physician in a protracted process of therapy and aftercare. Rejuvenation therapies likewise are not for everyone. These therapies can be administered only to persons who posses certain qualities that go to make a 'good' individual whose conduct and bearing in all respects make him or her an asset to society.
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