Ayurveda is an ancient science of life that emphasizes on maintenance and promotion of health and prevention of diseases through various dietary and lifestyle regimens and treatment of diseases through various therapeutic measures substantiating the principle
“Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam”
i.e preserving the health of healthy persons and
“Aturashya Vikar Prasamanam”
i.e curing the diseases of diseased. Followings are dietary and lifestyle interventions as per Ayurveda that one should follow in order to achieve healthier life.
1. Right to get up in the morning (Pratarutthanam) :
Get up early in the morning before two hours of sunrise (Brahma Muhurta).it is considered to be the purest time of the day. The body is well rested. The mind is alert, focused and peaceful.
Contraindication: In condition of indigestion and any disease conditions.
2. Drinking of water in the morning (Ushapana) :
After waking, wash hands and feet and drink 04 Anjali ( a cup lukewarm/ normal water preferably in a copper or
clay vessel.
Benefits: Regular habit of drinking water at early morning helps easy passage of motion and urine, enhance digestive power, minimize the diseases related to digestive system and delayed ageing.
3. Voidings of natural urges (Malamutra visarjan) :
It is beneficial to inculcate the habit of voiding natural urges in the morning.
Benefits: It helps to maintain health and prevention of diseases. A tendency
to suppress the natural urges (Vega Vidharan) is the root cause of many diseases.
4. Cleaning teeth and tongue (Dantadhavan) :
After defecation, clean teeth preferably astringent, pungent or bitter plants such as Arka, Nimba, Nyagrodha, Khadira, Karanja, etc. After cleaning teeth, the tongue should be scrapped by curve scrappers. Teeth also may be cleaned with the fine powder of Triphala (Haritaki, Bibhitaki and Amalaki) or Trikatu (Sunthi,
Pippali and Maricha) added to honey.
Benefits: Brushing the teeth removes the accumulated filth and helps in appreciating taste.
*After cleaning the teeth and tongue, salt water gargling should be done to keepgums, mouth and throat healthy.
5. Nasal medication (Nasyakarma) :
Apply 3-5 drops of sesame oil/ ghee or medicated oil viz. Anutaila into each nostril in the morning regularly.
Benefits: It keeps eyes, ears, nose, head, shoulder healthy, prevents wrinkles, baldness and early greying of hair. It also alleviates diseases like headache, paralysis, sinusitis, mental disorder, spondylitis and skin complaints, relieves the tiredness, improves eye sight and increases the strength of teeth.
Contraindication: It should not be applied in toxic conditions, indigestion, respiratory diseases and after child birth.
6. Gargling (Gandush)/ Oral cleansing technique :
Fill the oral cavity completely with lukewarm or coldwater mixed with paste of tila taila (sesame oil) /ghee/ cold milk/ honey / honey mixed water and hold till the tears come out of eyes and nostrils OR Gargle with either of above regularly.
Benefits: It enhances the efficiency of sense organs; removes wrinkles; delayed graying of hair, black circles on face; removes and prevents cracking and roughness of the lips, excessive salivation, dry face, tingling sensation, shaky teeth, diseases of oral cavity, anorexia, loss of taste, impaired vision, sore throat,
etc.
7. Oil massages (Abhyangam) :
After above process, massage oil to the whole body particularly on head, ears and feet with sesame oil/ mustard oil or coconut oil. Medicated oils may also be used.
Benefits: It increases softness and unctuousness skin and muscles; helps in free movement of joints ; increases circulation of blood; enhances the strength of head and forehead and makes hair black, long and deep-rooted; helps in getting
sound sleep, increases hearing power and helps in maintenance of health.
* Oil massage of feet especially before sleeping in night improves eyesight, relievesfatigue and stiffness o f feet.
8. Exercise (Vyayama) :
Do regular exercise especially in spring and winter to remain healthy till the appearance of sweat on forehead and axilla.
Benefits: It increases the blood circulation and efficiency of lungs, increases stamina and resistance against disease. Regular walking enhances memory, improves digestion and efficiency of sense organs.
Precaution: Careful selection and extent of exercise should be done in diseases like cough, tuberculosis, heart diseases and also in summer, rainy seasons etc.
9. Cutting of hair and nails (Kshaur Karma) :
Shaving, cutting nail and hair, etc. should be done regularly i.e. Maximum once in 5 days.
Benefits: It imparts lightness to the body and makes one cheerful.
10. Massage of herbal powder (Udvartana) :
Massage of herbal powder over the body after exercise in the opposite direction of hair root.
Benefits: It reduces fat, cleanses the skin and imparts firmness to the limbs, improves complexion and cures itches and eruptions.
11. Bath (Snana) :
After udvartana, should take bath with neither very hot nor very cold water.
Benefits: It removes dirt, sweat, itching, thirst, burning sensation and exhaustion. It also improves appetite, longevity, courage and strength. Bathing in warm water also gives strength, but warm water should not be poured over head otherwise it causes loss of strength of the hairs and eyes.
Contradictions: Bathing is not recommended in people suffering from facial paralysis, diseases of eye, mouth, ear, flatulence,sinusitis, indigestion, diarrhoea and immediately after food intake.
12. Meditation (Dhyanam) :
For a few minutes to an hour sit in Peace for just a little while and meditate. Be quiet for some time and try and introspect. The whole day, indeed the whole world, revolves around meditation. Meditation is a key part of the Dinacharya as
it helps in self-awareness.
13. Rules for dietary intake (Ahara Vidhi Vidhan) :
Diet should be regulated taking into account the desha(region), kala (time and season, and habit.
Diet should be balanced including all the six rasas (taste) i.e sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent in terms of nutrients and quantity as per digestive capacity. It should be neither very hot nor absolutely cold Diet should be taken in calm and comfortable manner at proper place in proper utensils to maintain hygiene.
Diet of hard substances should be properly chewed
Diet should not be eaten too fast, too slow and while talking, laughing or watching television.
Next meal should be taken after proper digestion of previous meal.
A wholesome diet is essential for maintaining health and also for fighting diseases. Diet should be planned to.
Madhur (sweet) rasa food like fruits are advisable to be consumed in the beginning of meal, food with Amla(sour) and Lavana (salty) rasa in the middle and Katu(bitter),Tikta (astringent), Kashaya (pungent) foods should be taken at the end of the meal. Avoid consuming curd at night.
4• Water should be avoided at least 15 minutes before food and should not be drunk just after the food. If needed water can be drunk often during meal in small quantity.
• Intake of little oily food will facilitate in digestion and improve nutrient absorption but should be taken in limited quantity.
• Dinner should be lighter than lunch taken at least three hours before bedtime and walk a hundred steps after dinner then lie in left lateral position for 10- 15min.
• Do not eat incompatible food items such as milk with fish, eating raw and cooked foods together, salt and milk, cooking honey or honey and ghee in equal quantity, eating fruits with starchy food such as potato etc.
• After meals heavy mental or physical work should be avoided. Some rest is advisable for proper digestion of food.
14. Sleep (Nidra) :
• Take average 6-7hrs of sleep in the night but sleep necessary is more in case of children and old individuals.
• Sleeping during the day especially in spring season and late at night should be avoided. However, if one keeps awake at night, then can take some sleep in the day time.
• Day sleep is not contraindicated in summer, rainy and autumn seasons. But in winter, day sleep causes respiratory and digestive troubles.
• It is advisable to massage the head, sole and palm with oil before going to bed.
Benefits: Sleep is overcomes wear and tear of the body due to physical workand mental stress and tissue loss.
15. Ethical Regimens :
• Everyone should strive to bring happiness to all and practice living in harmony with neighbors, well wishers and remain away from enemies.
• One should keep aloof from sins-bodily, mental and speech such as theft,telling lies, jealousy, arrogance, grief and bad thoughts etc.
• One should respect the intellectuals, the educated and the elderly persons.
• Should not talk irrelevantly.
• Actions should be planned in such a way that all the three achievements viz.
Dharma (religion), Artha(money) and Karma(actions) are achieved.
• One should never habituate (Asakti) to one particular thing and have any addictions such as drinking and smoking.
• One should always be truthful and speak politely and in respectful words.
• One should always assess about ones responsibilities and analyze eternalside of mind and soul.
• One should keep faith and devotion to God.
• One should not indulge in bad company which is not acceptable to society.
• One should always have an attitude of forgiving people for their mistakesand try to guide them for their errors.
• One should maintain hygiene.
6 COMMON AILMENTS AND THEIR HOME REMEDIES
1. Fever:
Take one tea spoon juice of Tulsi (basil) leaves and Adraka (ginger) and add one teaspoon of honey to it, consume 04 times a day.
2. Common Cold:
Herbal tea prepared from Adraka (ginger), Marich (black pepper) and Tulsi (basil) leaves.
Mix one teaspoon honey with half teaspoon Tvak(Dalchini-Cinnamon).
Consume it 2-3 times a day.
Consume 5-6 cloves of crushed Rason (garlic).
Inhale Ajwain seeds keeping in a cloth repeatedly to open nasal
congestion.
3. Cough:
Boil fresh Adraka(Ginger) pieces in water and drink this when luke
warm.
Extract one teaspoon juice of Adraka (Ginger) and Tulsi (basil) leaves and add 3 teaspoon honey. Have one tsp. of this mixture 3 times a day.
4. Constipation
• Add one tea spoon of Nimbu (lemon) juice mixed with salt in one glass of lukewarm water and drink it empty stomach every morning.
• Drink one glass of luke warm water mixed with half teaspoon of Saunf (fennel seed) powder at bed time.
5. Diarrhoea (loose motion)
• Mix half teaspoon of ginger paste and a pinch of black pepper with two teaspoon of lemon juice. Consume it two times a day.
6. Pain
• Add 60 ml of coconut oil to 8-10 garlic cloves. Fry this mixture. Apply the lukewarm oil on affected area.
• Take 1 cup of mustard oil and add 10g of camphor. Heat till camphor dissolves completely. Massage the affected area with lukewarm oil.
• Take 1 glass hot milk add 1 teaspoon turmeric powder. Drink every day.
7. Diabetes Mellitus
• Drink juice of 3-5 Karela in empty stomach.
• Take 4 teaspoon Methi (fenugreek seeds )and soak them in 250 ml water overnight. Crush them in the morning and strain the mixture and collect the water. Drink it every day.
• Haridra powder 1-3 gm with luke warm water may also be taken two times a day.
• Add 3-4 tbsp of cinnamon powder to one litre water and heat it for 20
minutes. Strain the mixture and made it to cool. Drink it every day.
• Triphala (Haritaki, Bibhitaka, Amalaki) powder 1-3 gm two times a day with luke warm water.
8. High Blood Pressure:
• Chew 2-3 raw Rason (garlic) cloves every day
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