Health tips to combat seasonal diseases with Ayurveda

It is a usual practice in India that during pain in stomach, a person is advised to take ajwain or carom seeds for immediate relief. One afflicted by cold is advised to drink ginger and tulsi tea or lukewarm milk stirred with turmeric powder. This increases body temperature and makes the patient feel better. All these home remedies are part of Ayurvedic treatment which is an inseparable part of Indian culture.

About

The word Ayurveda is originated from a combination of two words Ayush and Veda. Ayush means life while Veda means Science. Thus, Ayurveda is the science of life. Treating diseases with Ayurveda has very significant impact on the mind, body and soul of an individual.

Interestingly, Indian sage Acharya Charak has explained, "the science which enlightens us on the right and wrong methods of leading life is Ayurveda".

Thus, it is not specific for a particular society, country or a time phase, Ayurveda is universally applicable and it is in practice for thousands of years. In fact, Ayurveda is world's oldest pathy or therapy, an ideal and totally scientific method of treatment.

Ayurveda describes in detail the nature of diseases of body and mind depending on the nature, treatment and kind of suffering. Inappropriate food habit causes imbalance in Vata, Kapha and Pitta - the three doshas defined on the basis of physical constitution of a person are responsible for many diseases. Vata is related to elemental qualities of air, Pitta to fire and Kapha to water.

Hence, a doctor’s success depends upon his ability to understand the cause of the disease as he needs to sense all such factors. The medicines of Ayurveda are formulated with nature ingredients like herbs, metals, minerals animal discharge like Gomutra or cow urine, cow milk, ghee, etc. No chemical is being used for treatment of diseases under this system of medicine. Therefore, these medicines do not have any side effect on human body.

The metals and minerals used in Ayurvedic medicines are first purified and then given to the patients in required amount.

Methodology

The treatment of the diseases in Ayurvedic system of medicine is done in a way that the disease could be rooted out from its origin. A patient is not cured by treating his or her symptoms of the ailment, but by identifying the root cause. When the cause of a disease is rooted out, the disease would never return. 

Ayurvedic method of treatment is not a symptomatic treatment, but a systematic method of treating a disease.

Whereas, allopathic method only cure the symptom of a disease and that too for a temporary period, causing and in doing so, a lot of damage is done to the patient in the form of harmful chemical effects, hormonal imbalance, bacterial infection and virus infection.

The person, who practices yoga and takes Amla or Indian gooseberry, Giloy or Tinospora cordifolia, Tulsi or Indian basil and other herbs in sufficient quantities, leads a natural life and has up to 99 per cent chances of leading a disease free life.

A recent study unveils, the ayurvedic medicines have 84 per cent share in the world market. Their usage had been predominant in small towns and sub urban areas. However, now the affluent sections of the society living in the developed cities are also slowly switching to Ayurveda, after experiencing the side-effects of allopathic medicines.

Besides, food taken as per the seasonal changes helps in keeping good health.  Since atmospheric conditions affect human body, our appetite gets reduced during summer and monsoon drizzles, make it worse for body. With drizzling, the earth generates harmful gases which in-turn increase the acidic level of atmosphere and pollute air, which affect our digestive system manifolds. These gases may also cause other dangerous diseases like malaria, elephantiasis, fever, cold, cough, diarrhea, colitis, arthritis, cholera, dysentery, high blood pressure, pimples and body rashes. Thus, light, digestive and fresh foods, which may stimulate our digestive system, are advised to consume during monsoon.

Combat seasonal woes

Spring is the most beautiful and enriching season. The climate is moderate and days are warm, whereas nights are cold. The sun rays start getting warmer in this season, which helps in melting the phlegm deposit in our body during winters. Phlegm is a secretion in the airway during disease and inflammation, which usually contains mucus with bacteria, debris, and sloughed-off inflammatory cells. Thus, keeping a tab over our diet during this period is extremely important as acidic, sweet and salty food products add on phlegm.

One should consume fresh, light and easily digestible food in this season. Green pulses, gram, barley, old wheat, rice, wry, sprouted seeds, white butter, green leafy vegetables, bitter gourd, garlic, mustard oil, black pepper, lemon and honey are to name a few most beneficial food items.

Good water intake and regular gargle is advised to keep phlegm at bay. Also, light exercises and yoga should be included in the daily routine to combat seasonal health woes. Regular morning walk before sunrise, apply oil on the body before bathing and maintain hygiene are advised to be included in one’s routine.

To keep human body healthy and fresh, proper sleep is extremely important. After day-long hard work, our body and brain gets tired. As we sleep only crucial organs of the body like respiratory system and heart function while the rest sleep. Hence, very limited energy is used for the function of the crucial organs and rest of the energy helps in rebuilding and strengthening our body. Negative emotions like fear, concern, worry, anger, sadness, tiredness or pain in entire body due to excess labour may lead to sleeplessness.

Besides, be happy, listen to music, use balms and lotions on eyes, head and mouth and keep fresh flowers in the room to facilitate sound sleep.

Significantly, sleeping in day-time is harmful for the body as it increases Kapha and Pitta, which causes different diseases. Also, one must take dinner early to keep a much needed gap of two hours between dinner and bed time.