DAILY AND SEASONAL TIDBITS FROM AYURVEDA

This post will be an ongoing document for sometime that shares general tidbits/suggestions that Ayurveda makes towards dinacarya(daily) and rtucarya(seasonal) healthcare and management. Please note that some daily practices may be omitted from the current list but can still be found in the original chapter if you are curious. The references used consist of the Asthanga Hrdayam by Srikanthamurthy and Bhavaprakasa of Bhavamisra. The original tidbit will be posted monthly in the newsletter. (Be sure to subscribe, if you haven’t already!)

1. PrAtaruthAna= the healthy person (or to become healthier) should get up from bed during brAhma muhUrta (early morning sunrise) to protect his(her) life." The old adage “early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise can relate to this Ayurvedic principle of daily practices that contribute towards health and well being.

   -AH Su 2/1,YR 1/496

2. Dhantadavana= cleaning of teeth. It is important to clean your teeth twice daily, once in the morning before ingesting any liquids or solids to cleanse the mouth of the nightly stagnation of bacteria, and at the end of the day before bed to clear the mouth of the day’s residue.

   -AH Su 2/2, YR 1/505-519

3. Abhyanga= oil massage and bath should be resorted to daily, it wards off old age, exertion, and aggravation of Vata, immunity, bestows good vision, nourishment to the body, long life, good sleep, good and strong (healthy) skin. It should be done specially to the head, ears and feet. It should be avoided by persons suffering from aggravation of Kapha, who have just undergone purifacatory therapies like emesis, panchakarma etc. and those suffering from indigestion. -AH Su 2/8-9

4. Vyayama (exercise)= exercise creates lightness of the body, increases the ability to do (hard) work, supports keen digestion, encourages the depletion of (excess) fat, and stabilizes and distinguishes the physique. Contraindication: a person suffering from diseases of Vata and Pitta; children, the aged (elderly), and those having indigestion should avoid it. Individuals who are strong and who indulge in fatty foods daily, in cold seasons and spring should do exercise to half their strength (capacity) only; while others (and in other seasons) should do it mildly. After doing exercises all the parts of the body should be massaged comfortably. Thirst emaciation, severe dyspnoea, bleeding diseases, exhaustion, feeling of debility (even without work), cough, fever, and vomiting are caused by excess exercise. Those who indulge daily in too much physical exercise, keeping awake at night (loss of sleep), walking long distances, sexual intercourse, too much laughing, speaking and other such strenuous activities perish, just as a lion after vanquishing an elephant. -AH Su 2/10-14 *it is important to clarify that Ayurveda defines exercise as a physical regimen that is intentional and focused on creating a certain level of challenge upon the body per concerted efforts, such as training with weights, etc. Yoga and manual labor are not counted as examples of exercise as per the definition of exercise in Ayurveda. Per Bhavaprakash, the benefits of Vyayama include lightness of body, capacity to work, well shaped and thick body build, mitigation of dosas and increase of digestive capacity. The person who does exercise daily and so possesses a strong body does not suffer from disease any time; food which are incompatible or improperly cooked through consumed get digested quickly, looseness of joint etc. do not develop in his body, nor old age invades him quickly, there is no other thing equal to it (exercise) in removing obesity (stoutness), it always bestows good to those who are strong and who consume fatty foods, it is beneficial during vasanta (spring) and sita (winter), even in other seasons it should be done to half the strength of the person. BP 5/49-51. Additionally, here are signs/indications of exercise being done properly, per Bhavaprakash: When vayu (air) present in the hrdaya (chest) moves up to the mouth quickly, and the mouth becomes dry, or when sweat appears (in more quantity) on the forehead, nose, joints, axillae etc. these are the symptoms of half the strength of the person. Contraindications per BP include a person who has just taken food, who has indulged in copulation, who is suffering from cough, dyspnoea, emaciation, consumption, bleeding disease, injury to lungs or tuberculosis should never do exercise. Excess exercise gives rise to cough, fever, vomiting, debility, fatigue, thirst, consumption, bronchial asthma, and bleeding diseases. BP 5/52-55. Additionally, per Ayurveda, the best times to exercise are BEFORE 10 am (optimal) OR BEFORE Sunset (next best time), never at night time or after dinner time, never during meal times or when meals are skipped for exercise. YR 1/538-546

5. Udvartana (dry powder massage)= massaging the body with soft, fragrant powder, mitigates kapha, liquefies the fat, and produces stability (compactness, strength) of the body parts and excellence of skin. AH 2/15 Per Bhavapraksha, bestows strength and improves blood, fineness, and softness of skin. BP 5/59 *it is important to note that during summer months this treatment does not usually apply.

6. Snana (bathing)= improves appetite, sexual vigor, span of life, valor (enthusiasm), and strength; removes itching, dirt, exhaustion, sweat, stupor, thirst, burning sensation, and sin. Pouring water of the body bestows strength, but the same over the head makes loss of strength, hair, and eyes. Bath is contraindicated for those suffering from facial paralysis, diseases of the eyes, mouth, and ears, diarrhea, flatulence, pinasa (discharge of foul-smelling liquid from the nose), indigestion, and who have just taken food. AH 2/16-18. Per BP 5/71-78 and YR 1/563-572, bathing promotes hunger, is aphrodisiac, enhances life span, valor, and strength, and removes itching, accumulation of wastes, fatigue, perspiration, stupor, thirst, burning sensation, and sin. Bathing in cold water mitigates aggravation of rakta (blood) and pitta while in warm water is strengthening, and mitigates aggravation of vata and kapha. Bathing in hot water on the head always is bad for the eyes but it is said to be beneficial for vat and kapha. Bathing in not-so-cold water (lukewarm), drinking milk, and eating foods that are suitable/healthy unctuous, and less in quantity are good for men. Bathing is not suitable for persons suffering from fever, diarrhea, disease of the eyes, and ears, diseases of vata, distention of abdomen, running in the nose, indigestion, and those who have taken meals just then.

7. Jihva Nirlekhana (scraping of the tongue)= per Srikantha Murthy, the tongue scraper should be made of gold, silver, or copper. The tongue should be scraped gently and comfortably. This removes dirt of the tongue, bad taste and smell from the mouth, and sluggishness. BP 5/30-31 Per Yogaratnakara, tongue cleaning removes dirt, tastelessness, and foul smell of mouth and alleviates ailments of the tongue, mouth, and teeth, and lightness is created. YR 1/519-521

8. Nasya (nasal drops)= per Srikantha Murthy (Bhavaprakash) and Asha Kumari (Yogaratnakara) one who undergoes nasal administration daily achieves good odor of mouth, unctuousness of breath, perspicuity of sense-organs and freedom from wrinkles and grey hair. BP 5/37-38, YR 1/527-528

9. Eat when hungry! As per Caraka, suppression of this natural daily urge can cause many conditions: emaciation, weakness, change in body complexion, generalized body ache, aversion (to food), and dizziness are caused by suppressing hunger. In such cases, unctuous, hot, and light (easily digestible) food is advised. Per Yogaratnakara and Bhavaprakash, he/she who does not take food though hungry in him/her digestive fire becomes weak, by the absence of fuel (food) just like the fire outside becomes reduced when not fed by the fuel. Ca Su 7/20, BP 5/202, YR 1/597. Additionally, how it can be known when there is proper hunger according to AH Su 8/55: that the ideal time for taking meals is after the elimination of feces and urine, when the mind is clear, when belching is clean, when the hunger cue seems manifest, when flatus is moving downward easily, when the digestion feels activated, and the body feels light. In Bhavaprash, it similarly states that good signs of proper digestion are: pure belching (without bad smell or taste), enthusiasm to work (increased energy), urges (general body functions such as urinating/defecating) of the body appear naturally, feeling of lightness in the body, the appearance of hunger/thirst shows us when digestion of the next meal is appropriate and that the previous meal was digested. BP 5/209 For further consideration, it is not only important to eat when you are hungry (which excludes snacking), but also at the appropriate meal times, per your specific health maintenance schedule and constitutional needs, along with the proper portion size; and should be consistent with these meal times daily.