Beauty through Ayurveda

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with beauty of mind/soul rather than body. For women, the beauty of both body

and intellect is very important. Many women, who are not beautiful by body,

possess a keen and alert mind, and their intelligence quotient is high.Many

women exhibit both body beauty as well as beautiful mind. According to ancient

acharyas of ayurveda however, the beauty means balance of all doshas of the

body and mind. Kapha, Pitta and Vata, when balanced in their usual seats, body

can be treated as healthy. Any unbalance of three humors causes body to become

unhealthy. The effect of unbalance is seen on the body. Today, many are

adopting Ayurveda due to side effects of modern medical science. One can obtain

benefits without side effects by making proper use of Ayurvedic medicines and

herbs. Mostly, ayurvedic medicines are innocent, by using them in proper

amount, one can not only obtain benefits, but even avoid some chronic

ailments. To understand ayurveda and to follow it in everyday life, one must be

working hard continuously.There are a number of herbs around us, in our

neighborhood, which are useful directly or indirectly to humanity. They grow

according to type of soil and environment available. Using these plants

optimally, one can avoid ailments and also remain healthy throughout. Firstly,

one must remain alert to see that disease does not enter the body at all. For

this, life-style becomes important. The remedies to cure the disease come only

next.Many assume that ayurveda requires very strict diet control. This is not

true for many cases. If we consider personal health, it contains three temporal

phases: Daily routine ("din-charya"), Night routine ("Ratri-charya") and

Seasonal routine ("Rutu charya"). In daily routine, one should get up early.

Many, when told to get up early, get tired of "Vaidya". But early rising keeps

body

fresh throughout the day. The environment during early morning is very

enlivening. Total silence everywhere, except sound of birds. The mind becomes

very happy. In the beginning, getting up early becomes a little difficult; but

if one remains active after getting up, the whole day goes "happy" and

fruitful. This improves digestion. After getting up early morning, one can take

at least two glasses of water. If possible, this water can be stored in a copper

pot during night. This water causes detoxification of body to some extent, as it

flows out of urine and stools. It reduces constipation, and helps in diseases of

stomach, obesity, ailments of waist, head, neck and piles. In the `night'

routine, one should take dinner during early part of night. Without remaining

awake for most part of night, one should retire to bed early, with calm and

healthy thoughts.Next comes seasonal routine: The diet and lifestyle must suit

the

season. Thus in `Vasant' rutu (season) in India, and tropical countries, one has

to win over `Kapha', so rice, barley, grren moong, snake gourd, brinjal, bitter

and astringent foods give benefits. `Greeshma' or summer causes reduction of

body strength, but detoxifies blood due to sweating. In winter one can take

tonics, rasayanas. In monsoon, the "agni" becomes weak, so one should take food

which is easy to digest, and which will not cause imbalance of "Vata". In

winter, everyone feels increased hunger, increased digestive power and one

should eat accordingly.The beauty can be earned through food only. If one

observes discipline from time to time, the disease will also be kept away, and

one can remain healthy. Another important factor for beauty is "happiness".

People who remain happy, also become healthy and beautiful. The beauty resides

in eyes according to most poets. Health also shows up by sparkle in eyes.

Incidently, the ojas governs this sparkle. Moment life disappears, eye sparkle

disappears. Since we do not wish to see such eyes, first action following death

is to close the eyes with force.To appreciate this "ojas", glow etc. the author

suggests a following program for everyone. Show your face to a close friend

before starting the programme.Start the morning at about 6 a.m., with 3-4

glasses of copper pot stored water. If you cant drink that much drink as much

as you can comfortably. This water drinking is for whole week.Fast on only warm

water and Green gram soup once or twice a day, for two days.Take only vegetable

soups for next two days.Take veg. soups + Fruits for next three days.No oil,

ghee, other cooked food during this entire week.If you feel weakness during the

week, take adequate rest. After seven days programme show your face to the same

friend again and let him give his

opinion.Dr.Geetha.S

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