Dhanteras : Worship for health and wealth

Today is Dhanteras (dhanatrayodashi), the first day of Diwali  which is celebrated in gusto. 

The Goddess of wealth (dhan)- is worshiped to provide prosperity and well being. 

It is also an occasion to worship an incarnation of Vishnu – Lord Dhanwantari, the god of health and the spirit of knowledge, " The God of Ayurveda". On this day lord Dhanvantari emerged carrying a jar of elixir when the Gods and demons churned the ocean for nectar (Samudra manthana).

Worshiping God of health and wealth on the same day!   Isn't it a great tradition? No one can deny the fact that the health is the  greatest wealth of all. So it makes perfect sense to celebrate both the deities on the occasion of dhanatrayodashi.

In southern India esp.in Maharashtra the traditional naivedya offered today is lightly pounded dry coriander seeds ( dhanyak beej) with khadi shakkar ( candy sugar ), rice corn (laja or dhan) and jaggery ( guda).

Actually this is the perfectly planned  combination of food items  as per seasonal demands of our body.

Let me explain how? 

The festival of Diwali falls in  Sharad Ritu (Autumn = October to November). Due to extreme rise in temperature and increased humidity in external environment,  the internal environment of the body goes haywire.

Pitta dosha agravates naturally, and vata dosha decreases. The digestive system becomes weak. Weak digestion and agravated pitta leads to various Pitta related disorders. That is why Sharad Ritu is considered as breeding time for diseases, as it is said "रोगाणाम् शरदि माता:।".

So to remain fit and healthy you should eat in moderation, eat easily digestible food with bitter, astringent and sweet  food items in taste and that what is cool in nature.

1.Coriander seeds : sweet, bitter and astringent in taste, alleviates pitta dosha,  appetizer, carminative, improves digestion and diuretic

2.Rice corn : easily digestible, sweet in taste, alleviates Pitta, diuretic and relieves thirst

3.Candy sugar : sweet in taste, pacifiyes aggravated Pitta, increases stamina (bala)

4.Jaggery :  increases appetite, good for heart and health.

You should consume it regularly during this very hot season of the year. It is a perfect blend to pacify Pitta dosha and to remain healthy in Sharad ritu.

So celebrate dhanteras,  be healthy and be happy always.. 

Why I love diwali? Pampering Abhyanga..

Why I love diwali ? Pampering abhyanga..

Deepawali the festival of light,   Which symbolizes victory of "good over bad". I love deepawali for this reason for which it is being celebrated.

I love Deepawali for sparkling crackers, lights that illuminates homes and our hearts, family gatherings and     Delicious   Sweets And ofcourse for early morning ritual called abhyanga done  everyday during the festival.

Mom wakes me up before rising sun ( on Brahma muhurta) then applies a specially made medicated oil and coconut  milk followed by scrubbing with aromatic powder called " ubtan" . It makes my day special.
The lingering fragrance of specially made oil and ubtan recharges me for the year ahead. It is so relaxing, so comforting and a royal treatment just pampering my body , mind and soul.

What ayurveda says..

What's so special about this abhyanga?Let me tell you that ayurveda says-

"अभ्यंगम् आचरेत् नित्यम्। "

Which means abhyanga should be a part of our daily routine. It is an excelant rejuvenator.   It nourishes our body and soul; and improves overall health and well-being. pacifies the doshas esp vatadosha; relieves fatigue; enhances stamina, pleasure and improves sleep; enhances the complexion and the luster of the skin; promotes longevity; and nourishes all parts of the body.

"By and large we get following benefits by regular abhyanga -

1. Our Skin is the largest organ our body which performs diverse functins effectively. One of function of the skin is that it helps to eleminate toxins, waste products from the body. Abhyanga improves circulation and enhances elimination of these toxins from the skin.

2. Abhyanga is done with defferent medicated oils for different medical conditions and body type  . Abhyanga provides the means for trans-dermal absorption of the healing qualities of the oils used for it and it helps the skin, perform its diverse functions.

3.  Abhyanga is the best rejuvenator and delays onset of aging.

4. When done regularly boosts immune system. This effect can be enhanced when it is done with special oils containing immunomodulators.

5. It sedates the nervous system,  help ease muscle tension, spasticity, stress-related symptoms and headaches.

4. It Increases circulation, especially to nerve endings and useful in peripheral neuropathy.

5. In muscular fatigue It stimulates sluggish   circulation to muscles, and improves muscle tone.

6. It Increases stamina and relieves fatigue which help us to work harder and effectively as it also it increases mental alertness and improves memory.

7.It relieves stress and it brings good quality of sleep at night.

8. Regular Abhyanga helps improve eye sight.

9.It makes your skin softer, smoother and supple and enhances complexion and luster.
10. It lubricate joints and relieves joint pain.
11. One of the important benefits is that it involves caring, comfort and promotes deep caring healing  connections through the touch of the the therapist.

Modern researchers have proved  that abhyanga can be effectively administered in following -
*Anxiety
*Digestive disorders
*Fibromyalgia
*Headaches
*Insomnia related to stress
*Myofascial pain syndrome
*Paresthesias and nerve pain
*Soft tissue strains or injuries
*Sports injuries

You can use seasam oil for regular abhyanga and do it regularly on your own  . But if you chose specific oils as per your body prototype (prakriti) you will be benefited more.
DifferntDifferent Oils are recommended for different people with  different prakriti -

1. Vata prakriti -  seasam oil, narayan tail, bala ashwagandhadI tail.

2. Pitta prakriti- chandan bala lakshadi tail, chandan tail, coconut oil

3. Kapha prakriti- mastard oil

http://www.baidyanath.com/our_products_list.php?page=1&catid=22

So from this diwali start practising abhyanga regularly. If your hectic schedule doesn't allow for a daily massage, try it atleast once in a week, on a relaxing sunday and remain mentally & physically fit for the week ahead.

Medicinal plants: Way to wellness! Tulasi

Tulasi: "The incomparable one"

Tulasi(Ocimum sanctum L. also known as Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tulsi)  has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda. With possesing diverse healing properties this devine plant proves its name Tulasi, which means, the "incomparable one" .

In the Charaka Samhita; an Ayurvedic text. Tulasi is considered to be an adaptogen, balancing different processes in the body, and helpful for adapting to stress.

Tulasi leaves/ extracts are used in Ayurvedic medicine  to treat various of diseases right from common colds- coughs to cancers. Tulsi is believed as a elixir  of life and believed to promote longevity.

Some of the benefits of tulasi -

1.Boosts immune system-
Tulasi is an Imuunomodulator. Hence it is useful in defferent immune disorders  including allergic bronchitis and allergic skin conditions.

2.Helps to cure infections-
Tulasi leaf  also has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,  antiviral and antiseptic properties that help to beat the infections.

3.Helps Cure respiratory conditions -
Tulasi has immunomodulatory (helps to modulate the immune system), antitussive (suppresses the cough center) and expectorant properties (helps expel phlegm from the chest), therefore it relieves  cough and helps in respiratory disorders including chronic and acute bronchitis.

Because of its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties tulsi help to beat the infection causing the respiratory problem.

It also relieves congestion since it contains potent components like camphene, eugenol and cineole in its essential oils. Its anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties also help to treat allergic respiratory disorders.

4.Relieves headache:
Tulasi, relieves pain and is decongestants. Hence fumes or steam with tulsi leaves or extract relieves congestion and relieves head aches of different etiology including sinusitis, migraine, cold etc.

5.Potent Anantioxidant-
Powerful anti-oxidants like eugenol,  are present in tulasi leaves which  help beat the ill effects of oxidative stress.

6.Cardioprotective- anti oxidants in tulasi also protect heart by keeping blood pressure under control and by reducing total cholesterol level and bad cholesterol level. You can protect your heart by chewing 8-10 tulsi leaves early in the morning and stay away from heart trouble.

7.Reduces blood glucose level and  insulin resistance-Tulasi significantly decreases blood glucose level and glycosylated haemoglobin by stimulating insulin release from pancreatic cells. It also lowers serum cortisol level. Additional antioxidant effect of tulsi reduces ill effects of oxidative stress.

8.Stress buster-Tulasi is an excellent stress buster. It keeps your cortisol level normal. It is also a nervine tonic. Munching 10-12 leaves of tulsi help you to combat stress.

9. Cures skin diseases- tulasi is proves to be useful in acute and chronic skin disorders because of its antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal and anti allergic properties. It is an excellent blood purifier and helps to reduce itching. Its  internal and external use cures difficult to treat skin conditions like leucoderma, ringworm and eczema.

10. Cosmetic use-
It is also useful in the treatment of acne. Application of tulasi swarasa (extract) along with internal use( just 8- 10 tulasi leaves every day)cures acne and reduces pigmentation and blemishes.

Its extract can be used as skin toner and beutifies skin.

Regular application of oil made up of tulasi leaves serves as an excellent hair tonic, cures dandruff and prevents hair fall.

Medicinal plants: Way to wellness !

Plants have been used in Ayurveda for their curative and preventive properties since Vedic period.

A rich knowledge on plants is available in Rigveda, Atharvaveda, Ayurveda and in other texts.
The Rigveda has documented about 67 medicinal plants, 81 species and Atharvaveda 290 species.

The Ayurvedic texts also described the clinical uses of thousands of medicinal plants with their characteristics and innate properties like, Karma ( action of the drug) and mode through which the a they exert their effects i.e. Guna ( properties like whether the drug is hot or cold) ,Rasa ( taste of the drug like sweet, sour, salty, pungent,  bitter and astringent  ), Veerya (the potency of the drug like hot or cold   ), Vipaka (attributes of drug assimilation   )  and Prabhava ( specific action of particular plant)

With the increasing esteem of herbal medicine and Ayurveda, use of medicinal plants is expected to rise globally.The popularity of herbs have increased because of side effects of synthetic drugs, development of resistance to many drugs like antibiotics, public awareness, population explosion, insufficient supply of drugs, high cost of synthetic drugs.

These Plants contain potent phytochemicals. Plant-based natural constituents can be derived from any part of the plant like bark, leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, seeds etc as any part of the plant contain active components. Many active compounds have been isolated from various plants so far.

In present era also Modern  research activities are focused on these plants for the development of new drugs as in the past.

Let's review some of the devine,  auspicious and important medicinal plants and their usage in Ayurveda one by one

।।ॐ धन्वन्तरये नमः ।।