EVERGREEN SECRETS FROM AYURVEDA

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THE AYURVEDIC VIEW ON LIFE EXTENSION:

EVERGREEN SECRETS FROM AYURVEDA

 

Elders in India traditionally bless the young with the

words: "Shataayu Bhavah!" which means: "May you live a hundred

years!" The blessing is not too removed from the literal. According

to ayurveda, the human body is indeed engineered for a full five

score years and more. The three pillars of life -- diet, sleep and

self-mastery -- form the foundation on which ayurveda says you can

build good health and longevity.

 

 

Here are some tips from Vaidya Ramakant Mishra, Director of Product

Research and Development at Maharishi Ayurveda Products

International, to help you chart your course to a long, happy life.

 

 

EAT TO LIVE ... LONG!

"Aaharah Praanah," says ayurveda. Which means, food is a synonym for

life. Food nourishes more than the body. It determines the quality of

your very consciousness. What you eat, how you cook, when and in what

company you eat ... these seemingly small details have a big impact

on your overall health, and, ultimately, your life-span.

 

 

Vaidya Mishra likes to use plenty of spices and herbs in his cooking.

Spices, he says, are not only taste-enhancers, but also great

healers. Sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper on your sandwich

and it helps you absorb the nutrients readily. A pinch of turmeric in

your soup adds not only color but also works as an excellent anti-

oxidant. Combined in the right proportions, spices lend their synergy

to everyday soups and curries.

 

 

To derive maximum benefit from your spices, sauté them in clarified

butter or Ghee before adding them to prepared foods. Ghee helps the

body absorb the lipid-soluble part of spices with ease. It's highly

aromatic and delicious, too.

 

 

SLEEP YOUR WAY TO A LONGER LIFE!

Ayurveda believes that disease and disorders develop as the result of

accumulated "ama" or toxins in the body. While physical "ama" leads

to disturbed digestion and forms the breeding ground for disease,

mental "ama" can impact resistance to day-to-day stress. Lack of good

quality sleep is a major factor in generating high levels of

mental "ama." Nature intended sleep as a nightly ritual of rest and

rejuvenation. When sleep does not come easy or is disturbed, the

day's piled-up stresses or ama fails to be cleansed. A good night's

sleep, on the other hand, increases ojas or vital life force.

 

 

Ayurveda has several remedies for disturbed sleep. Drink a glass of

warm milk with a little honey just before you sleep. This has a

settling influence on the mind and body. Milk contains the amino acid

tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin, a brain chemical that

facilitates sleep. Use honey that has not been heat-treated and be

sure not to heat it above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, as this eliminates

its beneficial qualities.

 

 

Transcendental Meditation helps combat the daily build-up of stress,

making it easier for the mind to shut off for the night.

 

 

ROUTINE MATTERS

Ayurvedic healers have always emphasized the value of regularity in

everything, be it rest, play or work. They observed it in the daily

and seasonal rhythms of life itself, and adapted it to their own

lifestyles. Most of it is practical advice: Go with the flow of

nature as often as you can. Sleep on time-never after 10 p.m. if

possible. Wake up early. Spend time and attention on your morning

ablutions, including the daily self-massage. Eat a good, fibrous

breakfast, and have lunch at noon, when the body's agni or digestive

fires are at their peak. Meditate twice a day-Transcendental

Meditation is a proven stress-reduction technique. Spend time with

your family.

 

 

KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SEASONS

Though you can choose any time of the year to cleanse your body,

ayurveda believes that spring is king. It is, after all, Nature's own

chosen time to regenerate, renew and cleanse the environment of

winter's accumulated rough, dry and cold qualities.

 

 

Panchakarma, done at this time, is a wonderful way to cleanse and

detoxify the body through healing massages and baths. Research on

Panchakarma indicates that it is a very powerful way to increase

biological youthfulness and improve overall well-being.

 

 

If you meet the demands of the seasons year-round, you can maintain

both body and mind in peak health. In summer, stay cool with healthy

shakes and sherbets, cool, not ice-cold. Eat lots of sweet juicy

fruits. In the fall, fill up on figs, prunes and raisins to fortify

the body and improve elimination. Let the winter months be as

nourishing as you can make them, for both body and soul.

 

 

HERBS TO HELP YOU ALONG

While your own efforts will take you a long way in your journey

towards a long, healthy life, a little help from Mother Nature will

make matters much easier. Nature has an astounding pharmacy, and each

herb it creates has its own concentrated synergy and intelligence.

Researchers at Maharishi Ayurveda pick the best and the ripest of

herbs, fruits and spices, then combine and process them to ensure

maximum benefit.