‘The Act of eating’ is life giving and The Process of digestion, is the critical half of it!!! Benefits of right Eating Habits-Eating for maximum benefit requires awareness and is important for the development of consciousness as well as our physical health—

• Stimulating Digestion- When we sit down to eat with our stomach in a relaxed posture and our awareness on the taste, texture and smell of the food, then digestion is greatly improved. For optimal digestion, our bodies need a suitable environment, for it to start an uplifting and a settled environment allows the body to process and absorb the nutrients from our meals. Standing, walking, driving and other similar activities can inhibit digestion.

• Another way to improve digestion is stimulate the ‘Agni’ or Digestive fire in our stomach, before we begin eating. Weak digestive fire may result in fatigue after eating —

So, to handle this, “The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians” recommends Right Eating which include the following—

*Eat sitting down, in a settled environment, without the T.V on.

*Eat a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger with a few drops of lemon and a pinch of      salt, before a full meal. The blend of spices activates the salivary glands, producing the necessary enzymes to help digest the nutrients in the food and help support absorption by the body.

* Follow nature’s prescription of suitable times to eat. Our digestive system is closely tied to the solar cycle.

*Ayurveda suggests that lunch be the largest meal of the day, since that is the time when the digestive fire is at maximum potency. As the sun goes down, so does our digestive fire.

*Avoid ice-cold drinks and foods

*Chew food thoroughly.

*Stay Hydrated.

*Eat mindfully and only when hungry.

*Add healthy fats to your diet. Good Digestion requires eating enough fat.

Good Nutrition goes beyond eating foods that are fresh and wholesome. If the process of digestion is sluggish, the body creates sticky food residue called ‘Ama’, that can clog the channels in our body and hinder the process of assimilation. Proper digestion and metabolism on the other hand results in the conversion of the foods you eat into healthy body tissues.

A few Ayurvedic Dietary Rules—

-Leave 4 hours between meals with no snacking [Eating in between meals weakens the digestive fire].

-The sign that the previous meal is digested is when the breath is fresh.

-Drink hot water to stimulate the digestive fire [Agni]

-Eating foods with cold, wet and heavy qualities, weakens the Agni.

-Avoid contradicting food combinations, such as raw and cooked foods together and very hot and cold foods at the same time.

Therefore, what you eat can nourish and strengthen the digestive fire, boosting your digestive system—or on the other hand it can smother it, leading to an impaired, weakened or imbalanced Agni. So, the health goal is to balance this ‘Digestive Fire.’

“A diet of Simple Foods is the Best for your Gut”

Joint Pain Treatment – Joints are the vital parts of our body and in case injured or inflamed, they can cause immobility and pain. Joint pain and stiffness are common complaints about many.

Notable causes of joint pain can rise from, number of conditions that include–

*Medical complications arising from treatments for other problems.

* While there are many kinds of joint pain, the most common ones are Osteo Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. It can be very worrisome and can make a person unable to fully perform his/her daily activities. In severe cases, it disrupts sleep to a certain extent.

*Injury or Accidents

*Inflammation of joints

*Leukemia

*Degeneration

*Sprains and strains.

Common Symptoms of Joint Pain-

*Swelling

*Stiffness

*Limited range of motion

*Tenderness

*Fever

*Weakness

Holistic Treatment of Joint Pain— Through Ayurveda— Ayurveda offers ‘Safe and Effective treatment alternatives for joint pain.

The herbs used in Ayurveda have all shown to reduce inflammation by interfering with the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body.

The Efficiency of joint pain treatment through Ayurveda—

Ayurvedic specialists explain that joints are the vital parts of the body and in case of a disease, injury or fracture, they cease to function as they ought to. Treating joint pain with an ayurvedic approach is an individualized process. A patient is 1st diagnosed and evaluated as per the symptoms. Doctor may require an X-ray or an MRI, before treatment. Any treatment approach will aim at balancing the ‘Vata’[ combination of air and ether] which causes the inflammation and pain. Your treatment approach is influenced by the severity of the joint condition. Treatments also include massaging the joints with enriched oils and other herbs. Applying the medicated paste on the diseased joint is another treatment approach.

What happens in Ayurvedic Treatment—

Ayurvedic medicines combined with some joint exercises and therapies help to give natural and gradual relief from stiffness, swelling and joint pain. You can get rid of taking pain killers provided you do comfortable and easy movements regularly. Ayurvedic medicines can help in maintaining the healthy joints, from there on.

Does Ayurvedic Treatment have a Permanent cure for Joint Pain???

Well, Ayurvedic medicines work best to cure and root out the joint pain but it is just a remedial approach, depending on the nature and extent of the problem.

Ayurveda is —Holistic Healing Through Herbs

Ayurveda is all about natural healing and it has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. The word Ayurveda means (ayur =life, veda= knowledge). This age old tradition has been here for many years and still holds a cure for many ailments.

These days a lot of us face lifestyle related diseases and back pain is one of them. Also known as ‘Nitambha shoola’ or ‘Kaati shoola’ that causes pain and muscle weakness.

Here are the 7 ways to reduce back pain in India

• Kati Bashi (Back oil dough therapy)

One of the most popular treatment in Ayurveda, diffused oil is used on the back. The process helps the oil to get submerged in the body which gives a healing impact. It’s a tried and tested method that gives a huge relief instantly to the patient suffering from back pain.

• Camphor oil therapy

‘Camphor’ or ‘karpoor’ is widely used for Ayurvedic treatment. This is a very simple technique, but can work wonders for the back pain. Heat some coconut oil and add a few pieces of camphor. Once it gets cooled, store in air tight container. Massage it daily before bedtime.

• Cut down intake of pungent spices

Daily intake of pungent spices can aggravate back pain. It dries the body and disbalances the ‘vata’ which results in back pain.

• Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus has many benefits and the healing properties are immense. It’s a very simple procedure to cure back pain. Just add a few drops in the water and use it before bath. You will get energized and will instantly see a relief from back pain as well.

• Turmeric and Ginger

It has inflammatory properties that help in reducing pain in the body. Daily intake of these will prevent back pain from spreading.

• Follow a Vata diet

The kind of food you consume creates a massive difference in the body. Have a warm, mildly spiced diet that will maintain a proper balance in the body. Overeating irritates the Vata.

• Exercise

Exercise is something one must not avoid. Mild stretching and exercise can ease the pain. It helps to relax the muscles. Start with 15 minutes and gradually increase the timing .

Back pain can cause serious discomfort in the body. Because of our modern lifestyle, our movements have become restricted and we often consume junk food. Follow these simple principles and keep back pain at bay.

Tharpanam in the context of Ayurveda treatments means nourishment and netratarpanam specifically refers to nourishing and caring or the eye. This is a popular treatment to cure ailments of the eye and to remove effects of stress on the eyes. Any influence of vata or pitharoga on the eyes can also be cured with tharpanam. This cleansing procedure is also critical in preventing eye irritation, strain, and diseases, delivering an overall cooling effect and strengthening the nerves arising from the eyes. Tharpanam is becoming an increasingly popular treatment at my Ayurveda clinic in Chennai. Given today’s extensive use of mobile phones, tabs, and laptops, our eyes are perennially strained. This procedure comes in as a savior in such instances. So, here are a few details about tharpanam.

Benefits of tharpanam

Tharpanam completely relieves the harmful effects of a fatigued eye, including reduction of puffiness around the eyes, removing headache, alleviating strain to the eyes, removing basic eye problems  such as dry eyes, soothing inflammation, and strengthening the nerves of the eye. Tharpanam is also an effective solution for conditions such as corneal disorders, retinitis, and optic nerve disorders.  This treatment is also found to be effective in degenerative eye disorders such as glaucoma.

Procedure

The procedure involves placing medicated Ayurveda formulations, especially ghee-based preparations, into the eye sockets. This requires preparing strong poultices made from lentils. This batter is placed in the form of a ring around the eye region. The formulation or ghee is warmed and poured into this ring. The ring-shaped well seals any leakage and retains the warmth for maximum effect. The duration of time for which the formulation is placed inside the well differs, but the procedure usually extends to about half an hour. It usually lasts for more than one session, depending on the purpose of the treatment and the presence of any underlying disorder. After the process, the medication is removed by draining. At the end of the procedure the region of the eye is gently cleaned with a neat cloth and the eyes are sometimes subjected to fomentation to ensure that the medicated oil is entirely absorbed by the body. Sometimes, the doctor recommends applying a bandage around the eye in the night, after the treatment and between sessions. You might also be given supplement Ayurveda medications and recommended special diets during your recovery period.

The key to the success of this procedure is the composition of the formulation, the ability of the poultice to seal in the formulation, the warmth of the formulation, and the duration. The poultice has to be leak proof and has to be placed around the eye sockets carefully so that the entire region on top of and around the eye is exposed to the medication. The Ayurveda doctor determines the type of formulation, duration, and number of sessions based on the inherent condition of the eye. The patient has to keep the eyes open as much as possible all through the procedure. Hence this could be quite a challenge. But the procedure results in rested eyes and completely distressed eyes and even better eyesight.

Points to note

While undergoing this treatment and during recovery, there are a few rules that patients have to follow. Completely avoid bright light since this adds to the strain. Either avoid going out in the sun or wear eye protection, such as sun glasses, when you go out. Restrict the amount of time you spend in front of the television, mobile phone, and computers. Equally restrict reading and other activities that irritate and strain your eyes. The intention is to completely relax your eyes. Check with your doctor before you start your daily routine practices such as having a hair bath, food, etc.

Contact me for any questions you have about tharpanam, the procedure, and its benefits. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

As an Ayurveda doctor, I am observing an alarmingly increasing tendency over the recent years for people to develop bone-related disorders. Bones form the framework of our body; hence weakened bones will completely reduce your body’s strength and lead to all types of complications from osteoporosis to a crippling body pain. The best form of cure is definitely prevention, and in addition to a bone-friendly lifestyle, following a bone-friendly diet is critical. But what are the common causes of bone-related issues? Let’s take a look.

Common causes of bone-related issues and why bone-friendly diet

1. Menopause: Menopause leads to a complete change in a woman’s hormonal profile, especially as a result of lack of estrogen production. As a result, the bones in women become weak and easily prone to injury
2. Reduced intake of calcium and other bone-friendly elements: Calcium and Vitamin D are the core enablers of a healthy bone structure. If your daily diet does not include enough sources of these two food elements, then you definitely run the risk of facing a bone disorder.
3. Certain conditions and drug increase the elimination of calcium in urine. If this does not get compensated with the right extent of intake, then the bone structure considerably weakens.
4. A tendency for bone disorders such as osteoporosis is hereditary. Hence when you know that your chances of developing a bone disorder are high, it is better to develop a preventive plan.
5. Poor lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle, poor postures, and complete lack of physical exercise are all aggravating factors for bone disorders.
6. Fall and accidents also lead to bone issues, where the bone formation process needs to be enabled with some additional nourishment.

So, now we know the common reasons why we worry about fortifying our bones. Let’s now look at some of the do’s and don’ts of bone nourishment and what a bone-friendly diet looks like.

Don’t

1. Never go overboard with salt. Salt causes excessive elimination of calcium through the urine.
2. Avoid cold and bitter-tasting food items
3. Avoid alcohol and dried vegetables
4. Avoid processed and canned foods

Do’s

1. Eat nuts, green leafy vegetables, and dairy prodcuts so you get your regular intake of vitamin D.
2. Don’t forget your ghee – include it in all your meals
3. Sources of plant estrogens are great diet inclusions – for example, soyabeans and sesame seeds.
4. Milk, buttermilk and all the milk products should be included generously in your diet.
5. Always check the nutrition value on food packets to find the level of vitamin, salt, and calcium in them
6. Include a lot of proteins in your food, from legumes to beans.
7. Include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet; for example, bananas, papaya, watermelon, carrot, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, and mushrooms
8. Try adding a lot of brown rice in your diet
9. Sesame is one of the best source of calcium, so add it liberally to your diet.
10. Many herbs are precious in supporting strong bones; for example, triphala, aamla, ashwagandha, and brahmi are great sources of calcium.

Never ignore your bone since they form the foundation of your body. Hence in addition to a healthy lifestyle, follow a healthy and bone-friendly diet to keep all bone-related disorders at bay. To find out more about bone-friendly diet, please do connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.