DAILY REGIME DURING WINTERS

DAILY REGIME DURING WINTERS

Rise with the sun:

Ayurveda suggests waking up a bit later in the winter (around 6-7 a.m.) than what you usually do in other seasons. Upon rising, scrape your tongue to remove the dead bacteria and yeast that have accumulated overnight. Then brush your teeth with herbal toothpaste.

Drink warm water: Next, drink a cup of HOT WATER to stimulate a bowel movement. Drink this water sip by sip so that it helps in cleansing and detoxifying the toxins from your body.

Try invigorating yoga sequence and/or run in the morning: It’s common in winters that we don’t have sun all the days so a morning yoga sequence with lots of sun salutations helps to bring in more light energy into your day. A morning run outside is also beneficial, activating your heat energy and helping you catch more daylight. Conclude your morning regimen with Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation. Surya Namaskara (sun salutation) and poses that open the chest, throat, and sinuses remove congestion in the respiratory organs. Try the fish, boat, bow, locust, lion, and camel poses, along with the shoulder stand and the headstand, if you can do it. Follow this with a systematic relaxation and a few rounds of bhastrika pranayama, the breath of fire. This breathing practice builds heat and eliminates mucus from the respiratory tract.

Moisturize using warming oils like sesame oil or coconut oil: Give yourself a quick “abhyangya” oil massage. Rub warmed sesame oil if you notice that you have cold hands and feet, all over your entire body (it’s heating and good for dry skin in the winter).  Take a tablespoon of oil in the palm of your hand and apply it over your body in short, gentle strokes, from the extremities to your center. Let the oil soak in for 5 to 10 minutes, then take a hot shower and exfoliate your skin.

Hot showers and/or baths: Hot baths are not always recommended for energy-saving reasons, or because it’s supposed to dry your skin. However, it’s essential to keeping your body temperature warm in cold winter months. A hot shower is very energizing after your morning workout. In the evenings, a hot bath infused with calming essential oils like lavender works wonders to restore you.

Breakfast & Drink tea with warming spices : After meditating, it’s important to eat a nutritious breakfast. If you don’t feed your digestive fire in the morning, it will dry up bodily tissues and provoke vata. Enjoy a bowl of oatmeal, barley, cornmeal, or poha mildly spiced with turmeric, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and black pepper. An hour after breakfast, boil 1/3 teaspoon of fresh or powdered ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of ground clove in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Drink this tea to increase your digestive fire, improve circulation, and reduce excess mucus from body.

Ø Ginger and tulsi tea is beneficial for your body to keep you warm in winter season and to stay away from common cold, flu, cough and fever.

Eat more nourishing meals: In summers we take lots of salads but in winters avoid taking salads, especially in evening. Winter calls for warming foods like soups, stews, curries, whole grains, roasted root vegetables, and more. Your body calls for a different kind of nourishment in the winter and seasonal eating is the best way to keep it healthy and happy.

Dress warmly: It looks like a simple thing but makes a big difference. Make sure you’re dressed for the weather!

Nasal Oil Administration: In winters, we usually suffer from cough and cold which comes becomes of allergens from the environment so best way to prevent yourself from these allergens is to put a drop of warm mustard oil in your nostrils daily before leaving out for work and also before going to sleep.

Food Intake  :Milk and milk products, wheat, Udad dal, meat and poultry, eggs, soups, herbal tea, soaked almonds, coconut, walnuts, pistachios all types of nuts and seeds which contain natural oil. Increased use of jaggery in diet helps to balance vata. Preparations like ladoos of fenugreek seeds, edible gum (Dinka), dry dates, cashews in ghee proves healthy during winter. Juicy fruits and vegetables like carrot, cucumber, lemon; etc which has high water content should be consumed. Daily Water intake should also be increased. Eat your main meal when the sun is strongest, i.e. midday.

ANDROPAUSE & AYURVEDA

What is Andropause?

Andropause is derived from Greek word "andro," which means man, and "pause," which means to stop.
Andropause is similar to menopause, but it is found in men. As menopause affect the life of the female, andropause affect the life of the male. Andropause is related with the set of gradual psychological and physical changes among the men of middle age from 40 to 55. Like female, male also suffer from drop in the hormone level, testosterone in the male and estrogen in the female. Usually men suffers from the bodily changes which occur very gradually and they are also accompanied by changes in mood, attitude, fatigue, physical agility, loss of energy, sex drive and other health problems like weak bones, heart disease etc. sometimes it is confused with the Male Midlife Crisis. It is often called male menopause.

Andropause is a Hormone Imbalance due to the lack or absence of Testosterone which is the Male Hormone. Historically, by the age of 55 the amounts of Testosterone secreted by the Testis are significantly lower than it was at the age of 40 years. Unlike women, men do not have a clear-cut signpost such as the cessation of menstruation to mark this transition. Both, however, are distinguished by a drop in hormone levels; estrogen in the female, testosterone in the male. The bodily changes occur very gradually in men and may be accompanied by changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, a loss of energy, sex drive and physical agility.

Andropause is a simple Endocrine Imbalance. All Male Hormones gradually decline with passing years. The levels of the male sex hormone Testosterone decrease with advancing age, and the ratio of Testosterone to Estrogen falls. Testosterone (from the Testis); Human Growth Hormone (from the Pituitary); and DHEA and Androstenedione (from the Adrenal Glands) all begin to drop steadily.

Ayurvedic Aspect of Andropause

According to Ayurveda, andropause can be correlated to ageing process which is a part of growth in our body. Rasayana is the best way to treat the ageing process. Ayurveda believes that all seven constituents [dhathus] get weakened due to our body’s prolonged structural changes, as we age.
Aging is an inevitable change for all living organisms. Most people go panic about getting old. It's not the aging, but the consequences of aging which troubles them. Through Ayurveda, it is possible to slow down the process of aging, restore physical and mental strength and prevent the consequences of aging up to certain extent.

Symptoms

Difficulty Passing Urine
Impotence
Prostate Inflammation
Mood swings / Depression
Inability to lose weight
Fatigue
Memory loss
Blood Sugar Imbalance
Leg / Muscle Cramps
Swollen feet / ankle
Low Sperm Count
Lack libido
Breast Enlargement
Rapid Weight loss
Hair loss
Anger / Irritability
Bone loss (Osteoporosis)
Dry aging skin

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is one of the primary Male Sex Hormones produced in a man's body. A healthy male has approximately 1000 to 1200 nanograms/dl of Testosterone at the age of 20. By the age to 40 to 50 one sees a significant drop in these levels. By the age of 80 these levels decline to pre-puberty levels of 100 to 200 nanograms/dl.Testosterone, together with its metabolites, is collectively known as androgens. As a group of steroid hormones, they stimulate the development of masculine characteristics and are responsible for male puberty characterized by deepening voice, broadening shoulders, and moustache growth. The hallmark of andropause is declining testosterone levels.

Andropause & Osteoporosis
In an individual with osteoporosis, more bone tissue is lost than is regenerated. We've all heard of women suffering from weaker bones, or osteoporosis, after menopause. In men, testosterone is thought to play a role in helping to maintain this balance. Between the ages of 40 and 70 years, male bone density falls by up to 15 percent.

The incidence of hip fractures rises exponentially in ageing men, as it does in women, starting about 5 to 10 years later. Wrists, hips, spine and ribs are most commonly affected.

Ayurvedic Treatment of Andropause

In Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, the treatment of andropause involves use of potent herbs like gokhshura (Tribulus terrestris), kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens), methi (fenugreek) and asphaltum, also known as shilajit. Other herbs like ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), masha (Black gram) and safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) can also provide some benefits in relieving the symptoms, mainly due to their aphrodisiac properties.

In Ayurveda, gokhshura is used as a physical rejuvenation tonic since time immemorial. In Ayurveda, it is also called as "rasayana," meaning the rejuvenator of health. Gohkshura increases testosterone by increasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn stimulates the production of LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The active ingredient in gokhshura is protodioscin, and besides this, it also contains many steroidal saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and glycosides which have a positive impact on testosterone and sex drive. Studies have shown that gokhshura can also decrease the frequency of angina pectoris, besides possessing antibiotic property and anti-tumor potentiality. Also it helps to lower cholesterol levels in bloodstream. Due to its diuretic property, gokhshura can also lower blood pressure and it also possesses blood sugar lowering properties. The herb is also known to have a positive effect on bone marrow activity, producing healthy red blood cells and boosting our immune system.

Kapikacchu (Mucuna pruriens) has been found to contain L-dopa, which is an amino acid that converts into dopamine. Dopamine is an essential component of our body and it is required for proper functioning of the brain. The increased dopamine levels also optimize the production of other hormones, including testosterone. Studies also show L-dopa also helps in the reduction of cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Methi (fenugreek) contains a high amount of furostanolic saponins, which elevate testosterone levels by increasing in the amount of LH (luteinizing hormone) and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) produced by the body. LH and DHEA are hormones that signal the release of testosterone in the body.

Shilajit is a natural extracts of plants of the regions of the Himalayas, and is found in the Himalayan ranges. Shilajit contains at least 85 minerals in Ionic form as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. The three vital minerals, which play an important role in testosterone production in men includes zinc, copper and selenium. Shilajit contains these minerals in highly bio-available ionic form.

Some Ayurveda Preparations

ü  Vigoraoyal-M

ü  Energol-MA

ü  Maharishi Amrit Kalash

ü  Chandraprabha Vati

ü  Ashwagandhadi Avleha

ü  Gokshuradi Guggulu

ü  Shilajeet Vati

ü  Kaunh Paak

ü  Mushali Paak

Tips for Andropause

1. Reduce fried foods, tea, coffee and sugar; all these foods deplete the adrenals, add to andropausal weight gain, and drain male energy.

2. An extremely low fat diet is disastrous for andropausal health.

3. Increase your intake of zinc to renew sexual potency. Zinc, highly concentrated in semen, is the most important nutrient for male sexual function.

4. Avoid your alcohol intake. Heavy drinking can lead to prostate problems and impaired erections by increasing levels of di-hydro-testosterone (DHT).

5. Take care of your prostate health.

6. Regular exercise is a vital component of male sexual health. Exercise makes the body function more efficiently and raises strength and endurance.

7. Do practice T.M (Transcendental Meditation) in your daily routine.

TREATMENT OF DIGESTIVE AND ELI MINATORY DISORDERS

HERBS AND THE DIGESTIVE PROCESS

Ayurveda aims at treating the root of disease, not merely at alleviating symptoms. Its treatment methods involve the main factors of our daily living, as it is what we do every day that determines who we are and how we feel. The most basic of these daily factors is our diet.

The physical body is built up by the food we eat, which is divided into three portions. The gross part becomes feces, the middle part becomes the bodily tissues, and the subtle portion becomes the mind. Hence most physical or even mental disorders are caused by or accompanied with digestive disorders. While such digestive disorders may appear mild relative to the other disease symptoms we may experience, even mild digestive system disorders can over a period of time cause severe health problems to arise.

For example, if we eat excess Kapha-forming food as in the case of too much dairy, sugar, oils, or animals facts, Kapha will eventually accumulate in the system causing such problems as atherosclerosis and heart disease. The digestive tract symptoms that underlie this condition may be no more than a feeling of heaviness and occasional nausea after meals, yet the disease caused by such dietary indiscretion can prove fatal in time, even without any major digestive systems symptoms.

If even a small fraction of the food we take daily is not converted properly into bodily tissues, but instead accumulates as toxins, over a period of time a large toxic mass can be formed. If, for example, only one drop of the food we eat daily is not digested properly, this amount will accumulate in a month to thirty drops-quite enough an amount to damage the organs or clog the channels. This is just like how one little hole in the roof can damage the whole ceiling of a house. Hence we should not overlook the role of apparently minor, but ongoing digestive dysfunctions to cause severe diseases.

In the same way, correcting wrong eating habits can cut off the root of many health disorders and even cure diseases over a period of time. However, several months to a year or more may be required for diet alone to cure manifest diseases, as its curative factors work by the same gradual method that produced the condition in the first place. Similarly, if dietary therapy does not accompany our healing methods, then these methods may be ineffective. If our diet is contrary to our herbs or medicines, we cannot expect them to work.

NON SUPRESSION OF NATURAL URGES

NON SUPPRESSION OF NATURAL URGES

As we know Ayurveda deals with living a healthy life.

Prevention of diseases is our first aim.

According to Ayurveda, there are 13 non suppressible natural urges for a human being.

Ayurveda also describes various types of channels in our body and if these urges are suppressed then it straight away leads to blockage in these channels. Each channel has its own purpose .No flow in any of them is wrong or to be suppressed. To suppress any has an unbalancing effect on all and deranges the life force. The product that should be discharged is forced to stay in the body and the natural urge to expel it is suppressed and driven backwards. This not only causes the suppression function to be weakened but also causes the whole nervous system to be disturbed, as the nerve behind the impulse must be discharged elsewhere. It may cause a flow in the wrong direction or out of the channel altogether.

Suppression of natural urges tends to derange VATA.

The thirteen non suppressed urges are towards:

1.    Urination                                 8. Yawning

2.    Excretion                                 9. Eating

3.    Ejaculation                             10. Drinking

4.    Farting                                    11. Crying

5.    Vomiting                                12. Sleeping

6.    Sneezing                                 13. Breathing

7.    Belching

1.    Suppression of urge to urinate causes: difficult or painful urination and lower back ache.

2. Suppression of urge to defecate causes: constipation, abdominal pain and muscle cramps.

3. Suppression of urge to ejaculate causes: swelling of prostrate, difficult urination and malaise.

4.  Suppression of urge to fart causes: constipation, abdominal pain and in  a longer run causes arthritis.

5.    Suppression of urge to vomit causes: nausea, anorexia, anemia, fever and skin diseases.

6.  Suppression of urge to sneeze causes: headache, facial nerve pain and numbness of sensory organs.

7.    Suppression of urge to belch causes: hiccups, anorexia, difficult breathing and palpitations.

8.    Suppression of urge to yawn causes: tremors, numbness, convulsions and insomnia.

9.    Suppression of urge to eat causes: lack of appetite, poor digestion and mal-absorption.

10. Suppression of urge to drink causes: dryness, deafness, fatigue and heart pain.

11.  Suppression of urge to cry causes: eye diseases, allergies and heart diseases.

12.Suppression of urge to sleep causes: insomnia, fatigue, headache and heaviness in eyes.

13.Suppression of urge to breathe causes: cough, asthma shallow breathing and heart diseases.

Ayurveda Diet & Digestion

DIET & DIGESTION

The Ayurvedic regime of proper living is designed for maintenance of health, long active life, providing relief from diseases. To attain the above said benefits three pillars are described in text-
1.Diet
2.Sleep

3.Celibacy (Brahmcharya). 

If these are observed properly and body is supported well with three pillars it continues well endowed with strength, complexion and development and abstain individual from harmful diseases.

Diet plays an important role in life of all living beings. All living beings require good complexion, clarity in sense organs, good voice, longevity, creativity, happiness, contentment, nourishment, strength and intellect all of which depend on food.

DIET – Daily eating with intelligence acts as TREATMENT

Food taken in proper quantity certainly helps the individual in bringing strength, complexion, happiness and longevity without disturbing the equilibrium of Dhatus and Doshas of the body

Improper quantity of food is of two types-
1.Deficiet(Hina Matra)
2.Excessive (Adika Matra)

Food deficient (Hina Matra) in quantity will produce following symptoms-
a) Loss of strength, complexion
b) Impairment of longevity, virility and Ojas
c) Affliction of body, mind, intellect and senses
d) Causation of various diseases affecting  Doshas and Dhatus.

Excessive quantity (Adhik Matra) will aggravate all the three Doshas( that vitiate other Dhatus and Malas). Some of the symptoms that occur due to aggravated Doshas are as-
Vata – Colic pain, constipation, malaise, dryness of skin, giddiness, irregular Agni, pain       and stiffness in muscles and joints etc.
Pitta – fever, diarrhea, burning sensation, thirst, giddiness and delirium.
Kapha – vomiting, anorexia, indigestion, heaviness of the body etc.

Ideal Matra of Food

Whatever quantity of food taken gets digested in time without disturbing the normalcy should be regarded as measure of proper quantity.

Four categories of bodily fire

1.     Sama Agni (Balanced digestive Fire)

          The individual having equilibrium in three Doshas have Sama Agni and provides benefits of a long life,free from diseases.

2.     Visham Agni (Irregular Digestive Fire)

          Seat of fire having being subdued by Vata, fire becomes Irregular

3.     Tikshan Agni (Intense Digestive Fire)

          Seat of Agni is dominated by Pitta.

4.     Manda Agni(Mild,dwelling fire)

          Seat of fire is subdued by Kapha

Ayurvedic Diet

According to Ayurveda, diet along with sleep and lifestyle, is a fundamental pillar of good health and longevity. Diet is an important therapeutic modality of Maharishi Ayurveda. According to individual’s needs (based on imbalances of Doshas and Dhatus) diet is recommended. 

Guidelines for proper intake of food

To strengthen digestion some proper guidelines should be followed while having meals.

1.     Favor fresh food. Don’t eat leftovers.

2.     Eat only when hungry, and after previous meal is digested.

3.     Maintain regular meal times

4.     Food should be warm, well cooked, in proper quantity.

5.     Don’t divide your attentions by reading, working, or watching TV while you are eating. Savor your meals.

6.  Avoid cold or iced drinks as they decrease the digestive fire.
7.  Eat only until you are three quarters full (one portion of the space for solid food, one for liquids and one for Doshas).
8.  Take your time, chew slowly.
9.  Regular intake of boiled milk with ginger or cinnamon.
10. Wholesome diet promotes health, brings happiness and balances bodily humor. Incompatible diet like milk with salty meal, use of milk with citrus fruits    should not be taken.

RASAYANA

RASAYANA

The Therapy, which gives the benefit of good Rasa, is Rasayana. Hence, it is the therapy by which one gets the Rasa, Raktadi Dhatus of optimum quality.

The therapy which produces the best quality of ras, rakta dhatu & other dhatus, is rasayan.

Which decreases the ageing process, increases the longevity & increases the mental as well as physical strength & which destroys the disease process, is rasayan .

          Rasayan maintain the immunity and increases potential of the human being.

          Rasayan from different aspects in texts are given as follows:-

·       “Rasayan”,as a means to promote vigour and health which is mainly virlific and promotive of vitality. This is same described by Aacharya Bagbhatta also.

·       Maharishi “Susrut” has defined “Rasayan” as the method which retards the aging process, increases longevity, talent, and vitality and makes the body fit to overcome the factors causing ailments.

·       According to text Bhava Prakash, rasayan prevents ageing & diseases. It improves longevity of life. Presides optimum strength & maintains good functioning of sense organs as well as Aphorism.   

Drugs which ward off old age & diseases are called as Rasayan (tonics, rejuvenators, elixirs).

The action which creates strength to body, sense organs & teeth, out of that it control over the wrinkles, graying & falling of hairs that are the Rasayan.

The medicine which prevents diseases,   controls ageing and increase optimum strength provides nourishment to the body tissue, increase sexual power that is considered as Rasayan.

Those medicines which invigorate to healthy person are mostly Aphrodisiacs & rejuvenators.

Rasayan is to remove diseases and refresh the body cells and accelerate the various systems of body, thus giving strength to every organ enhancing the physical resistance and providing immunity against diseases.

According to Charak, A person undergoing Rejuvenation Therapy attains longevity, memory, intellect, freedom from diseases, youth, and excellence of luster, complexion and voice, excellent potentiality of the body and the sense organs. Vak siddhi   (i.e. whatever he/she says ,that become true), respect and brilliance.        

According to Bhav Prakash, A person undergoing rejuvenation attains long life, good memory, and forbearance, free from disease, youthful life, and potential of sense. So by in taking Rasayan one can attain long life and prevention from disease.    

The person who has taken Rasayan properly not only gets long like even after death, they attained blessing from deity (goddess). Not only this they attained immortal life, which is never decaying. 

Rasayana Benefits

 

•         It enhances longevity

•         It boosts memory

•         It sharpens the intellect

•         It lends glow and aura to the skin

•         It improves quality of voice

•         It makes speech more effective

•         It increases the stamina of the senses

•         It keeps the body and the mind youthful.