Ayurveda Day: Simple tips to promote a healthy lifestyle

By Vikas Chawla,

The Ayurveda day every year is celebrated to promote this ancient healing system by creating awareness of Ayurveda among the modern generation. Dhanvantari Jayanti is chosen to celebrate this day due to the belief that Lord Dhanvantari is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu has appeared in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods and the god of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurveda is one of the oldest & holistic medical sciences in the world. Atharva Veda, one of the oldest literatures in India has a massive repository of Ayurvedic treatment, methods and diet tips as per the season, age and body type of a person.

It is the only medical science with no side effects. It is effective in healing the mind, body, and soul of a person. It improves the overall health of the person including his physical and mental health. Ayurvedic home remedies help in the improvement of flexibility, stamina, and strength among individuals.

At the time of pandemic, interest of people not only peaked in Ayurvedic treatments. Kadha (decoction), the liquid extraction of the boiled part of herbal stems, roots, and blend of homely spices became one of the most popular supplements in COVID to boost immunity.

The government authorities are also fully supporting and have introduced the Ministry of Ayush for giving due recognition to this medicine system.

Ayush Ministry has also collaborated with the UK’s London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to conduct a yearlong study upon Ashwagandha, on promoting cells against the covid-19 virus. If the Indian herb proved useful in treating or combating the virus, this will be a major breakthrough for Indian healthcare system.

Ayush Ministry looking at the changing perception and immense scope Ayurveda can offer has recently introduced an online process to grant license for manufacturing Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs. This will boost the production and make functioning swift, paperless and more transparent.

The popular saying goes ‘Health is wealth’ but challenge is how to acquire the wealth. Here is a list of simple Ayurveda recommended tips with which one can gain a disease-free and a healthy lifestyle, if practised from early age.

Intake nutritional diet on daily basis– A good diet leads to good health. In Ayurveda ‘aahaar’ comprises proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, green vegetables, and fruits are a must for overall body development. Eating less than one loaf of hunger and having meals in proper interval gaps is the best advice for improving health. A good diet not only benefits physical health but also reduces heart risks and improves mental health. Junk food items, spicy dishes should be avoided as much as possible.

Adding Physical workout to everyday life– Ayurveda recommends workouts like Yoga, brisk walk, jogging, training the muscles for increasing immunity, flexibility, and endurance in the body. A 15-20 minutes’ walk in the morning as well as in the evening is good for a patient with joint pain and complain of Arthritis. A person with heart disease should avoid intensive workouts and be more focused on his entire day diet.

Choose herbal ayurvedic medicine– From minor cough and cold, to serious heart disease Ayurveda has effective healing treatments including some practical tips with Ayurvedic herbs. Ayurvedic herbs like Tulsi, neem, ashwagandha, mulethi, arjun ki chhal, are popular ones used in the treatment. Most of these herbs are available in liquid and powdered form for intake. The practice of intake is also known as “Ayurvedic Rasayana”, the specially formulated supplements with powdered extract form. These medicines have no side-effects; hence can be taken without any stress by any age group.

The traditional method of Ayurveda includes benefits such as gaining physical strength, improving mental health, sharp memory, diabetes management, weight loss, and a healthy sleep cycle. An individual inclined to establish a wholesome lifestyle full of health benefits for long run can include some basic changes like replacing cold drinks with herbal tea, consuming more protein-loaded food like fish, egg, and nuts, avoiding junk food, and drinking enough litres of water in a day. An improved lifestyle also reduces the risk of heart diseases, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and the risk of developing cancer.

(The author is Founder and Director, Vedas Cure. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult medical experts and health professionals before starting any therapy, medication and/or remedy. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)