VYAYAMAM

Vyayaman-Physical Exercise

"लाघवं कर्मसामर्थ्यं  दिप्थोग्निर्मेदस: क्षय: |

विभक्तघनगात्रत्वं व्यायामादुपजायते  ||"

About 5000 years ago, Ayurveda has spoken about Vyayamam, i.e. Exercise. Ayurveda has given Importance of Physical exercise as followsलाघवं ,lagavam which means lite. Lite body helps in कर्मसामर्थ्यं i.e. perfection in work by improving body strength.दिप्थोग्नि:, Agni is nothing but digestive fire which helps in digesting the food intake. Deeptha-agni means sufficient or healthy digestive fire. So it implies practice of Vyayama gives good digestive power.र्मेदस: क्षय:, practice of physical exercise removes extra medas or fat which get accumulated in the body. Such that body becomes slim and trim.Also body gains strength according to the vyayama done.Other references from Ayurveda says that which brings about tiredness or weakness to the body is called Vyayama or physical exercise.All bodily strains are called as Vyayama.Lord Punarvasu, preceptor of Ayurveda has said that the body activities which brings pleasure and peace to mind is called Vyayama.
Vyayama or physical exercise should be practiced in limits. Once when sweat starts to generate from the body, vyayama should be stopped. Because it aggravates vata in body...

ABHYANGAM

Is Abhyangam needed for us???

Abhyangam means general body massage and it is a daily regimen.

Abhyangam includes both oil application and bath.

An olden day, our grandparents used to practice Abhyangam regularly. They had delayed ageing and long life too. We can also be blessed with delayed ageing and long life, if we add this in our regimen. Like adding salt and pepper to our food...

Method of Abhyangam:

Abhyangam is anointing the head and body with medicated oil, mild massaging and then taking bath with warm water. This helps to build adipose tissue by storing lipids and cushioning and insulating the organs. 

Uses:

Abhyangam is beneficial not only for healthy person but also for the person suffering with aggravation of vata (disorders of nervous system, joints, etc.)

It wards off old-age, exertion and aggravation of vata.

Bestows good vision.

Gives nourishment to the body.

It gifts long-life, good sleep.

As a cosmetic result it helps in gaining good, strong and glowing healthy skin.

Restrictions:

The person who has undergone purification procedures like emesis, purgations, etc. would be so tired and weak. So Abhyangam is contra-indicated.

As Abhyangam increases Kapha which kills the digestive power. So it can be avoidied during indigestion.

The person who already suffer with aggravation of Kapha should not again increase Kapha by Abhyangam because it produces jwaram (fever).

TAMBULAM

According to Ayurveda, Chewing betel leaf is a daily regimen.

BOTANY:
The Betel leaf is a vine belonging to Piperaceae family with Botanical name Piper betle. It is valued as mild stimulant and for its medicinal properties. It is an evergreen and Perennial creeper with glossy heart-shaped leaves and white catkins.

USES:
Betel leaves are used as a stimulant, an antiseptic and a breath-freshener.

Piper betel

ANJANAM

Collyrium is an eye freshener...

It protect our eyes from irritation and removes foreign material, air pollution or chlorinated water...

Ayurveda also explains about Collyrium as Anjana...

It is considered in daily routine activity...

Why it should be used?

According to Ayurveda, Properties of Anjana are

• It helps for good vision
• It gives lusture
• It removes foregin materials
• It relieves from irritation
• It drains sleshma (Kapha or Lacrimation) from eyes

How Anjana are used in Ayurveda?

It is said under daily regimen and as medicine for eye diseases.

They have good medicinal effect.

Sauveera Anjana

It is Antimony. Found in old Sindhu Desha, presently it is in Pakisthan. It is used daily for good vision and as Cosmetic.

Rasanjanam

This Anjana is used once in a week  to drain the accumulated Kapha in eyes. 

DANTADHAVANAM

Brushing teeth is the basic activity. It is very essential for the maintenance of health. 

Ayurveda says, after wake up one must  think deeply whether the person is eligible to begin the day with routine work. If not, he must continue with little more sleep. That is, One must check whether the food taken in previous night is digested or not. If the digestion is complete, the person can go for brushing.This helps a person to keep up at-most health. The reason is when we take before digestion of the previous food, it leads to indigestion.

Ayurveda has given some rules for brushing. They are

One must defecat and urinate before brushing.

In olden days, people use to do brush using herbal twigs. The twig must be 12 angulas in length and half angula in thickness. (1 angula = 1 phallenge approximately 1 inch)

That twig must have the following tastes which acts on the germs. They are  Kashaya-Astringent, Thikta- Bitter and Katu- Pungent.

Dantadhavanam

Drugs/ Twigs mentioned in Ashtanga Hridayam for dantadhavanam,

ARKA- Calotropis gigantea

KHADIRA-Acacia catechu

KARANJA-Caesalpinia bonducella

KAKUBHA-Terminalia arjun

Contra-indications:

One who suffer with these diseases should not indulge in brushing teeth. But they can gargle their mouth with Decoctions for thoses drugs. The diseases are indigestion, Vomiting, Asthma, Cough, Jwaram(fever), Facial palcy, Thirst, mouth boils, heart diseases, Eye disorders, Ear problems.

BRAHMA MUHURTHAM

Brahme Muhurt Uttishtet svastho raksharthamayusha :

-The person who wants to live with good health should wake up at Brahma Muhurtham. 

What is Brahma Muhurtham?

1. रात्रेश्चतुर्दशो  मुहूर्तो ब्राह्मो मुहुर्त : ।

Raatre chaturdasha muhurta brahma muhurta: |

or

2. रात्रेस्तु पश्चिमो यामो मुहूर्तो ब्राह्म उच्यते ।

Raatreshu pashchimo Yaamo muhurto Brahma Muhurtha Uchyate|

That is - The last part of the night just before the Sun Rise, means 4 hours time period before the Sun Rise is called as Brahma Muhurtam.

"Approximately brahma muhurtha kala can be between 2am to 4am..!"

According to Ayurveda, A day starts from 6 am and end at 6 am of next day. Meanwhile, one day  is divided into 6 parts-

1. 6 am to 10 am
2. 10 am to 2 pm
3. 2 pm to 6 pm
4. 6 pm to 10 pm
5. 10 pm to 2 am
6. 2 am to 6 am

Night part starts from 10 pm to 6 am. This time period is divided into 2 parts-

1. 10 pm to 2 am
2. 2 am to 6 am

The quote 2 says Pashchima yaama means last part of night which falls between 2 am to 6 am is called as Brahma Muhurtham.

LIFE STYLE SCIENCE

In our day today life, we all give vast importance and struggle for multiple the capital and we forget what for it is being added. All our destination is to have a happy, peaceful and healthy life. This technical world making us to put off our healthy life. We do not find time even for having a cup of tea. Then where is the place of the word health? 

The modern Science always talks about technology development, researches, etc. Then where is the health? If life doesn't persist, then what is the use of developing the technology?

In olden days, people did their work and had good time to keep up their health as well. They were very strict about their life style. They gave disciplined value for sleep and food. Where these two remain basic tool to support the healthy status.

Ayurveda, our Science merely deals about healthy life. It gives knowledge about style life. It remains us to bring the old healthy custom into practice.It says about स्वस्थ शरीर  (swastha sharira) means healthy body, healthy mind.

The texts of Ayurveda includes topic called Dinacharya, Rutucharya, Roganutpadaniyam, Matrasithiyam, which help us to get back our healthy status.

BRANCHES OF AYURVEDA

BRANCHES OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is an ancient Science. It is known for health Science...

Ayurveda also has different branches with which the complete treatment procedures are embodied.

We all know that Western Medicine has different branches namely., Pediatrics, Gynecology, Otology, Ophthalmology, General medicine, etc.

As such Ayurveda also having its own branches which are elaborated beautifully in different texts of Ayurveda..!

There are 8 different branches in Ayurveda. They are,-

1.  Kaya Chikitsa          - General Medicine
2. Bala Chikitsa            - Pediatrics
3. Graha Chikitsa         - Psychiatry
4. Urdhvanga Chikitsa - ENT, Ophthalmology and Dentistry
5. Shalya Chikitsa        - Surgery
6. Damshtra Chikitsa   - Toxicology
7. Jara Chikitsa            - Geriatrics
8. Vrusha Chikitsa       - Sexology

The treatment principles are common for all the branches in Ayurveda. 

It basically follows purification therapy which helps to over come the disease faster. 

These 8 branches of Ayurveda will be discussed briefly in further posts..! 

HEAVENLY SCIENCE

It's heavenly Science

Ya Ayurveda is a heavenly Science because it's origin is from the Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma has recalled the Science of Life and thought it to Daksha Prajapathi and who thought it to Aswini Kumaras. Aswini Kumaras thought it to Lord Indra, the King of the Gods.

When Diseases started to trouble the Human, the Great Sages of the World gathered together in the slopes of the Himalayas. They all decided to learn Ayurveda, the Science of Life from the Lord Indra. But there confusion arised about who has to go to the heaven to learn Ayurveda.

Sage Bharadvaja, one of the participants from the gathering learnt Ayurveda from the Lord Indra and thought it to all other Sages. 

Atreya who is known as Punarvasu Atreya, son of Atri, thought this Science to his Six disciples. they are Agnivesa, Bhela, Jatukarna, Parasara, Haritha and Ksarapani. Each one of them wrote their own Treatise and placed before their Acharya. The treatise of Agnivesaadjudged as the best and praised even by the Gods. This treatise became popular in the World, called as Charaka Samhita..!

There are so many other stories revealing the Origin of Ayurveda..!

OBJECTIVES

Main aim of Ayurveda is to promote Ayu, a healthy life... Ayurveda includes all its teaching under the name of Ayu... It keeps on telling Ayu, Ayu... Then what Ayurveda says about Ayu..?

 What is आयु , A healthy life..?

Aim or pursuit of life is achieved by धर्मं (Dharma), अर्थ (Artha), काम (Kaama) and मोक्ष (Maksha). Each and every person desires to attain a healthy life. That means he is directly or indirectly desires to achieve Dharma - righteousness, Artha - Wealth, Sukha - Happiness. Kama - Desire of sexual happiness and Moksha - salvation, these two comes under Sukha - Happiness.

Ayurveda Strictly says to follow 2 things in life... That is 

1. Do's

2. Don't

When we follow these things, one can achieve Ayu whereas Ayu means हितायु, सुखायु and दीर्घायु  that is healthy life...

आयुर्वेद शास्त्र

"Initially before start posting with my thoughts, i would like to convey my प्रणामs to the Great Physicians who has given me knowledge about the Science i'm dealing with."

Ayurveda Science is the oldest Science meant for Ayu, means Life, Health...