Archive for March, 2007

Rithucharya

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Rithucharya or Rithu Charya (seasonal routines) are activities specified for different seasons of the year. Ritu means season and in India there are five main seasons.

Vasantha (Spring)
Sisira (winter/cold)
Grishma (summer, warm, sunny)
Sarath (autumn) and
Varsha (rainy season or periodic monsoons)

Rithucharya and dinacharya are closely related. Dinacharya or daily routines are modified according to the season. There can be more activities during spring season than at hot summer months.

Rithucharya and Dinacharya are designed in Ayurveda to keep the three doshas or Tridoshas in balance and thereby to preserve the balance and health of mind, body and soul.

More at Rithucharya Explained

V M Kuttikrishna Menon

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

VM Kuttikrishna Menon is the son of Appan Thampuran. He translated the six main chapters of Ashtangahridayam to common man’s language. He also wrote ‘kriya kaumudi’, a book that depicts damstra chikitsa or toxicology. It concerns mainly about snake venom and treatment.

A Good Dinacharya to Follow

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Ayurveda suggests two types of charyas or routines, Dinacharya and Ritu Charya. Ritu charya is the change in daily routines according to climatic changes.

Dinacharya or daily routine forms the basis of health or unhealthy state of a man (or woman or child). Here is a healthy dinacharya routine that everyone can follow.

Waking up
There is a time to wake up. It is called Brahma Muhurtha, which starts three hours before sunrise. Healthy persons, if they mind their health should rise up before sunrise – Ayurveda Acharyas say.

DonÂ’t jump up from the bed immediately after waking up. Spend some time lying on the bed, assessing the state of the body. Are there any different feelings of pain or unnatural sensations on the body?

A good exercise to enhance memory and brainpower without medicines – bring to mind the things happened in the previous day from the moment you woke up to the moment you fell asleep. Teach children to follow this exercise, the results will be sharper memory and better alertness.

Then answer to natureÂ’s call. After that brush the teeth with fresh twig of vep, ungu, neer maruthu, or karingali plant. Prepare the toothbrush by softening one end. Chukku, pepper powder, thippaly, induppu, etc with honey can also be used for brushing. Take extra care not to damage gums.

Cleaning the tongue is also necessary to remove hindrances to breathing, and for fresh breathe.

One should bath everyday. Before bathing, one should apply oil (coconut oil, gingelly oil, etc) over body, under feet, and all parts of body. There are different benefits for applying oil all over body. The first among them is their effectiveness in increasing blood circulation. It shoves away tiredness and keeps the body fresh and healthy. It also helps in preventing wrinkles of skin. applying oil on head before bath strengthens senses, nervous system and circulatory system. Persons suffering from fever, stomach upset, etc shall not apply oil on head. Bathing without applying oil can cause vatha related diseases in the future.

Use hot and cold water for bathing – use hot water for below neck and cold water for head. Don’t take a bath immediately after meals.

A carefully followed exercise regimen gives different advantages to your body – general health, enthusiasm, better digestion of food, etc. are some of them. Persons with defective digestive system shall not attempt exercises. Physical exertion can be maximum in cold months and in spring. Only light exercise is needed in other seasons.

Massaging the body after exercise is also good for body.

Don’t overdo anything – exercise, sleeplessness, going to woman, etc can cause deterioration to body.

All the above things are primarily aimed at keeping body in good condition. One must also keep his mind in good condition.

Willingness to help other living things in need is required to attain satisfaction. Associate only with people that think and do good deeds only. Associating with people with wrong intention can harm your peace of mind.

DonÂ’t believe everyone, donÂ’t view everyone with skeptic eyes either. DonÂ’t talk about bad things happened to you to others. DonÂ’t strain eye, ear, tongue, etc. Avoid travel at night.

Stop all activities – both physical and mental – before you feel tired. Don’t gather, sell or drink wine.

DonÂ’t think about or engage in sex during dusk. It is also not good time to eat, sleep, serious thoughts, etc. DonÂ’t take any food from enemies, prostitutes, and people you donÂ’t know. View the matters of others as your own and do all possible help to them. Keeping this ensures health, longevity, good fame, etc.

This is the general outline of dinacharya. This will give swastya or state of rest and health to body and mind while keeping tridoshas balanced.

Vachaspathy T C Parameswaran Moossathu

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Vachaspathi TC Parameswaran Moosathu was a famous Ayurvedic practitioner of Kerala in the last century. His book on Amarakosam, Parameswary entitled him the honorary distinction – Vachaspathi.

Dinacharya

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Dinacharya (dina charya, daily routine) is the activities that you do in a day, beginning with waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night.

There are set rules about the time to perform various tasks. Waking up and taking bath before sunrise is considered to be the most healthy beginning of the day.

Ayurveda prescribes a healthy dinacharya even for periods of complete health. Observing the dinacharyas including waking up before sunrise, taking exercises, doing meditation, eating healthy food at right times, doing physical jobs, and going to sleep before it is too late into the night are all healthy dinacharya routines.

Waking Up
The ideal time to wake up is before 5am. The two hours before dawn is considered to be the freshest time of the day. However children, aged people, nursing mother, and persons with diseases are not to follow this rule.

Breakfast
Take a nutrition rich light breakfast at least before 7am.

Work time
Work time is until noon. You can use this time to study, work or traveling.

Lunch
Take lunch before 12.30. this is the main meal of the day. Moderate carbs and highly nutritious food are to be taken.

Bedtime
Bedtime according to Ayurvedic dinacharya is around 10pm. It will ensure that you get enough sleep before you get up early in the morning. It is also the time for physical union.

Everyone has a dinacharya – it can be natural or unnatural, healthy or unhealthy. The dinacharyas also can change with ritucharya. That is your dinacharya can change with different seasons (ritus). That is your body needs more rest during rainy and summer season than it would require at spring or winter.

Dinacharya and Rithucharya are designed in Ayurveda to keep the three doshas or Tridoshas in balance and thereby to preserve the balance and health of mind, body and soul.

More at Dinacharya Explained

Vaidyamadom Valiya Narayanan Namboodiri

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Vaidyamadom family is one among the rare breed of ashtavaidya families of Kerala. vaidyamadom Valiya Narayanam Namboodiri is a link in the chain of ashtavaidya tradition in Kerala.

Vaidyamadom vaidyas are the only allowed ashtavaidyas in places of religious rituals like yagnas.

Vaidya madom valiya narayana namboodiri’s words about treatment – “You don’t have to look whether it (treatment) is old or new; from wherever, or by whoever, anything that is good for humankind is acceptable. The best treatment gives the fastest results. Ayurveda is such a great ocean, where all the knowledge accumulates. Modern technology allows the separation of minute components of nature. Mere mechanical knowledge of composition of materials can sometimes be counterproductive. Ayurveda is the sum total of the enlightenment that our yogis got after several thousand years of diligent efforts.”

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Vaidyaratnam P S Warrier is well known as the founder of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala. Panniampalli Sankunni Warrier is also remembered for his contributions to Ayurveda education, production of medicines, and spread of Ayurveda.

He learned vaidyam (Ayurveda) from Kuttancheri Vasudevan Moos and allopathy from Dr. Varghese.

He instituted Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala in 1902 and it is the first attempt to produce medicines in a commercial scale.

Srotas or Body Channels in Ayurveda

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Srotas or channels are present in all living things. These srothas or channels carry food, minerals, water, air and thoughts. A block in the srotas is the beginning of diseases. Another definition of health is here – the unchecked flow of physical elements, thought and knowledge.

Only three srotas or channels are recognized by modern medical science – they are the anna vaha srotha (the digestive system), rakta vaha srota (circulatory system) and the prana vaha srota (respiratory system).

Charaka, the ancient Ayurveda acharya lists thirteen srothas in his book, the Charaka Samhita. Three srotas for food, air and water, seven srotas associated with sapta dhatus, and three srotas for excretion. Presently there are sixteen srotas identified.
The first three srotas are:
Prana vaha srota carries breath
Anna vaha srota carries solid and liquid food
Udaka vaha srotas carry water in the body

The seven srotas associated with sapta dhatus are:
Rasa vaha srota carries plasma and lymphatic liquid
Rakta vaha srota carries blood – circulatory system
Mamsa vaha srota carries nutrients to muscles and wastes from muscle tissue
Meda (medha) vaha srota supplies fat to adipose tissues
Asthi vaha srota supplies nutrients to bones
Majja vaha srota supplies nutrients to bone marrow, nervous system and the brain.
Sukra (shukla) vaha srota supplies nutrients to sexual organs and carry reproductive cells and liquids.

The three srotas associated with malas are:
Purisha vaha srota carries feces
Mutra vaha srota carries urine
Sveda vaha srota carries sweat

The three additional srotas that are not described in Charaka Samhita are Artava vaha srotas (the menstrual channel) stanya vaha srotas (the channel that carries breast milk) and mano vaha srotas (the channel that carries all mental activities).

Two women-only srotas are:
Artava vaha srotas carry menstrual fluids
Stanya vaha srotas carry breast milk

One srota associated with mind is:
Mano vaha srotas carrying thoughts, and wisdom

Publishable part ends hereÂ…
NOT FOR PUBLISHING-> Source: NIAM.com

Vaikkath Pachu Moothathu — Ayurveda Practitioners of Kerala

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Vaikkath Pachu Moothathu was a palace physician (kottaram vaidyan) of Travancore. He got honorary ‘veerasringhala’ from Ayilyam Thirunal Maharaja.

Hridaya Priya, his commentary on Ashtangahridaya is noted for its simple lucid style. He insisted in transferring the knowledge of Ayurveda to ordinary people. His book, sukhasadhakam is an attempt in this direction. Diagnosis and treatment methods are described in simple language in this book.

Apart from a well known Ayurveda physician, he was also a well known poet and linguaphile.

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

People of Kerala know Vallathol Narayana Menon better as a romantic poet only. The knowledge that he was an Ayurvedic practitioner and also a writer of Ayurvedic books in Malayalam may be new to most people in Kerala.

Vallathol Narayana Menon learned vaidyam (Ayurveda) and Sanskrit in his childhood, mostly from his uncle Ramunni Menon. He wrote the Ayurvedic books, Arogyachintamani, vaidyabhooshanam, garbha raksha kramam, vaidya jeevanam, and nethramrutham.

Apart from literature, Sanskrit and Ayurveda, he was also fond of Kathakali, the divine dance form of Kerala.

Mala, Waste Products of the Body

Friday, March 23rd, 2007

Mala (malas) are the waste products produced in the body of living things. Ayurveda lists two main types of malas (waste products) – ahara mala (waste products derived from food) and dhatu mala (waste products expelled from cells and tissues).

Ahara mala include purisha (feces), mutra (urine), and sveda (sweat).

Dhatu mala are secretions from nose, eyes, ears, and elements like carbon dioxide, lactic acid, hair, skin and nails.

These all are waste products. They also serve specific functions before the body expels them. Skin, for example protects the inner body tissues from infection. The external skin sheds away and gets replaced by new skin. The hair is also expelled from the body after serving purposes like body heat regulation. Sweating serves to regulate body temperature and urine serves to remove toxic waste products from blood.

These all function normally when the quantity and quality of them remains normal. Any abnormality in quality or quantity of the malas leads to disease. Malas interact with the dhatus (sapta dhatus) and whenever they become imbalances, it is called spoilt elements or dushyas.

The malas too are composed of panchabhootas, the five principle elements of nature.

Purisha or feces is composed mainly of the element bhoomi (earth). Its increase can cause abdominal unrest, heaviness, etc. Its decrease can lead to abdominal pain, back pain, asthma, hypocalcemia, bloating and other conditions.

Mutra or urine is composed mainly of jal (water) and agni (fire). Its increase can cause infections to urinary tract and bladder dysfunction. Reduced urine production can lead to kidney stones and subsequent abdominal pains.

Sveda or sweat is composed mainly of jal (water). Increased sweating can cause quick dehydration, lower body temperature, fungus attack on skin resulting in itching and body odour, constipation, etc. If decreased, it can lead to dry skin, high body temperature, etc.