Ayurveda: The Secret of Good Health
Nature has made man fit and healthy, but we abuse our bodies in a variety of ways, and later complain that our body isn't upto the mark. A healthy body is more important than anything else, but somehow other things like power, money and status often take precedence over our health. This is a very damaging trend in the long run. Think about it, would like to spend the last 5 years of your life bed-ridden, with nothing to do or say, probably little memory and even lesser company? No amount of money can improve your health for you, that you have to do yourself.Staying healthy is not a very difficult task; it just needs a little focus. You do not have to give up anything, just consume it in moderation. Here are some things which can be easily incorporated into our daily lifestyle, to bring us abundant benefits in the long run. Ayurveda is sciece of life and follwing guidelines have been based on fundamentals of ayurveda. To read more deeply on ayurveda click here
Rules for Staying Healthy:
- Sleep for atleast 6-8 hours. Sleep early and wake up early. Your sleeping schedule affects the release of certain essential hormones, which are released only at specific times of the day. Sleeping and waking up late prevents the release of these hormones, affecting your health, your rate of ageing, and your mental state as well. Early to bed and early to rise, does keep you healthy, wealthy and wise!
- Take deep breaths in the morning, before breakfast.
- Start your day with the juice of a lime mixed in equal quantity of honey, and a glass of warm water first thing in the morning. Besides cleaning your system, this mocktail has several other health benefits as well. Avoid bed tea/ coffee, as these drinks are extermely harmful if taken on an empty stomach.
- Eat slowly. Eat a heavy breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a light dinner. Dinners are best when raw and eaten atleast 3-5 hours before bedtime. Avoid snacking between meals.
- Avoid drinking water for about half an hour before and after a meal, because it causes a dilution of digestive juices. Do not sleep or bathe for atleast half an hour after eating.
- Take the stairs, not the lift. Stretch. Little physical activities done during the day are much more effective than exercise, and done regularly, will keep your body supple, flexible and fit.
- Meditate for 5-10 min before sleeping. This step ensures that you get a sound, undisturbed sleep. Drinking a glass of milk with a teaspoon of honey just before sleeping not only gives you a good sleep, but also improves your sex drive.
Common Colds: Keeping yourself warm when you have a common cold, helps improve your condition. Avoid yogurt/ curds, and other cold items such as cucumber, etc. Chicken soups are the best remedies to common colds.
For problematic flowing noses, avoid the use of inhalation sticks - they are more harmful than you'd like to know. Fomentation (steam inhalation) with a few drops of eucalyptus oil added in, helps tremendously in clearing blocked nostrils.
Fever: Fever is your body's way of eliminating unwanted germs from your body. By taking painkillers to reduce the temperature, you are paving the way for further problems, because those germs will now not be killed. It is best to let the fever stay. Keep yourself warm so that you start sweating, and do not strain - this includes any physical activity, reading, and watching television.
The best thing to do when you have a fever is sleep. The juice of one lime, mixed with equal quantity of honey and a glass of warm water often relieves fever magically.
Sore Throat: Gargle with warm water as many times as you can. If the infection is bacterial, then gargling with mouthwash also relieves the condition. The juice of one lime, mixed with equal quantity of honey and a glass of warm water also helps.
Mix 1 portion of the juice of ginger with 3 portions of honey. One tablespoon of this mixture consumed first thing every morning, keeps common colds and sore throats at bay.
Cough: Mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder and a teaspoon of pepper powder in a glass of warm milk and drink immediately. If you have too much of phlegm, mix a tablespoon of ghee (clarified butter) in a glass of warm milk and consume it.
You may also slowly chew a ball of pepper for half and hour (without swallowing), and then take a teaspoon of honey and finally swallow the pepper you have been chewing.
Dandruff: Cut a lime or a lemon into half, and rub it onto your scalp, letting the juice wet your scalp. Leave it on for 15-30min and wash off with water and a mixture of equal quantities of soapnut powder and gram flour. Repeat weekly.
To keep dandruff at bay, massage your hair everyday with small amounts of oil (about a quarter teaspoon). We strongly recommend brahmi oil for this, but coconut or olive oil will also do. Also, wash your hair everyday with just water. If you drive a two-wheeler or a convertible, it is recommended that you cover your hair with a helmet or a scarf to protect it from dirt.
You may use neem powder or orange peel powder to wash your hair as they help reduce dandruff.
Hair-Fall: The most important step to prevent hair-fall is, stop using shampoo! No matter how mild or how good, all shampoos invariably contain chemicals, which affect your hair adversely. Wash your hair everyday, oil it, and use powders like soapnut powder, shikakai powder, gooseberry powder, to wash your hair.
You can mix these powders with egg once a week and leave it on your hair for about 15-30 min, before washing off. It leaves your hair shiny and healthy.
To reduce weight: The juice of one lime, mixed with equal quantity of honey and a glass of warm water, taken first thing in the morning regularly for atleast three months, will increase your metabolism rate and help you gain lesser weight from the food you eat. Also, drinking lots of water during the day keeps your weight on the lower side.
Increase your intake of soups and salads, and eat as slowly as possible. Avoid drinking water for about half an hour before and after a meal, because it causes a dilution of digestive juices. Do not sleep or bathe for atleast half an hour after eating. READ More about how to STAY HEALTY
- Read More on Ayurveda
- www.hindu.org
- www.ayurvedic.org
- www.yoga.com
- www.ayur.com
- www.aryavaidyasala.com
- www.vedahealth.com
- www.ayurvedahc.com
- www.ayurveda.com
- www.jiva.org
- www.holheal.com