Balachikitsa or pediatrics in Ayurveda has two main methods – preventive and treating methods. Preventive methods start even before the birth of child. In fact, it begins even before the child is conceived within the womb of a woman. Fresh food, pleasant mind, good atmosphere, etc are necessary for the mother to give birth to a healthy child.

Balachikitsa begins the minute the child is born. Specially prepared ointment is applied to the whole body, excluding head, mainly to avoid future diseases caused due to vata. The room where the baby is kept is sterilized by smoking with medicinal herbs that have sterilizing and cleaning properties.

The best food for a new born baby is breast milk.

By the word bala (children) it is understood that persons below the age of 16. Almost all diseases that affect adults attack children too. Diagnosis of the disease can be a bit difficult with children. Kids and children are also given much lower doses medicines than to adults.

Purity of body, mind and soul is the primary requirement to a healthy life. If there is impurity anywhere, the person canÂ’t be healthy.

Panchakarma is a way to purify the body by removing accumulated toxic substances. Engaging in right Karmas, depending on God, consciously keeping a cheerful mind (which will automatically be filled with love) are ways to purify mind and soul.

Ayurveda remedies or treatment of any major kind is determined after determining the prakriti (general conditions) of a person and determining dominant dosha of the tridosha. However, Ayurvedic remedies are used for specific illnesses only. Mostly herbs – a single herb or a combination of herbs, certain spices, other plant products and minerals form the medicine.

For example, people (in Kerala) would take a few leaves of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) or Tulasi with two or three grains of pepper as a remedy for simple cough. There are several such readily available Ayurvedic remedies for almost all common diseases.

Ayurvedic remedies or Ayurvedic treatments like panchakarma, marma chikitsa, etc requires specialized training and preparation of medicines through different processes that last for many days.

The purpose of Ayurvedic treatments is to keep tridoshas at balance. An imbalance in the balance of a dosha is a disease condition. Imbalance of any one dosha of the tridosha also causes imbalance to the other two doshas as well.

Ayurvedic treatment goes through three main stages.

1. Samsodhana (cleansing process)
2. Samsamana (palliative care)
3. Nidhanaparivarjana (treating the causes)

Panchakarma falls in Samsodhana or the cleansing process.

The largest organ of our body, skin primarily provides protection to internal body tissues. It also is a sense organ, which gives the senses of touch, temperature, pressure and pain.

According to Ayurveda, skin is composed of seven different layers of tissue. Nourishment to the skin is derived from mamsa, one among the seven dhatus or saptadhatu. Skin is also an upadhathu (sub-dhathu) of raktha (blood). Ayurveda searches the roots of skin diseases in blood. The qualities of blood are reflected in the skin. Glowing skin is synonymous with good quality blood in the circulatory system.

The three types of body, tridosha, is reflected in skin types also. Not all skins are alike.

Vata skin or vata type skin is delicate, dry, cold and is often flaky. This type of skin ages quickly.

Pitta skin or pitta type skin is soft, warm, looks good and is of medium thickness. Rashes, acne, etc are common with this type of skin.

Kapha skin or kapha type skin is thick, soft, cool, tolerant to temperature, moist, and is slow aging. The complexion is dull and the skin will be oily. Moles, and pimples are common with this type of skin.

There can be combination skin types too – vata-pitta, kapha-pitta and vata-kapha.

Food habits and lifestyle habits affect the health of skin. Too much of physical or mental straining harms the skin.

Accumulation of body wastes (impurities or ama) is the prime reason of disorders in skin, leading to toxins in blood. Clean and complete bowel evacuation, drinking lots of water throughout daytime, etc will help in evacuation of ama or digestive wastes.

Sodhan (cleansing) with panchakarma and shaman with food, ointments, and lifestyle balancing are the methods of treating skin diseases.

Prevention of skin diseases includes oil massaging (medicated or non-medicated coconut oil), avoiding physical and mental exertion, drinking plenty of water, eating seasonal fruits, keeping the skin clean – without using any strong bleaching agents, taking nutritious diet, etc.

Oil therapy in Ayurveda (abhyanaga) is a well-developed scheme of treatment and its benefits are visible in the form of body stiffness and flexibility after oil massage, mental composure after dhara and a variety of other applications.

Ayurvedic oil therapy mainly address vata related disorders. Remember, vata is the most prominent dosha of tridoshas. Oil therapy in Ayurveda is aimed at curing diseases mainly related to nervous system and bones. Oil massaging is also beneficial to cure body pain.

Oil massages nourish and supple the skin. It also transit the medicinal benefits of the oil used to inner tissues. The person feels instantly relieved and better organized after a massage session. This is quite a big evidence to the effect of Ayurvedic medicated oil massage on human psychology.

Full body oil massages or local application of medicated oil and massage also is in some way similar to injections in modern medicine, where the medicinal qualities of the oil is transferred directly to the blood and tissue without waiting for metabolic absorption of the medicinal part.

Ayurvedic oil therapy is also one among the purva karma (or preparatory therapy) of panchakarma, the five-step body purification method of Ayurveda. With purvakarma, Ayurvedic oil therapy is a method of releasing the imbalances into the system for quick removal from there within.

Shirodhara is an oil therapy for head and brain. It is used to relive mental turbulences and put the person at ease. It is a good psycho-therapy. The therapist allows warm medicated oil to continuously flow over the forehead. The objective is to relieve excess vata, which gives a soothing effect to the person. The oil also has properties like nourishing the hair, improving blood circulation in the brain, etc. Many authorized and unauthorized Ayurvedic treatment centers use the picture of a person undergoing this therapy in their brochures and advertisements.

Full body massaging or pizhichil is another method of Ayurvedic oil therapy, which includes pressure application of Ayurvedic oil all over the body of a person with either hands or feet (a common practice in Kerala and is called chavittithirummal). Application of medicated oil with feet is also forms an important part of marmachikitsa associated with Kalarippayattu and kalari chikitsa.

The main base oil is coconut oil followed by sesame or castor oils. There are over 100 medicinal herbs that forms part of an Ayurvedic medicated oil.

The choice of medicated oils varies with the body type of the person and the ailment for which oil therapy is being administered. In many cases like pain related to arthritis, local application of medicated massage oil is enough. The person can do it by himself/herself without the help of a masseur. However, full-fledged body massage or sirodhara requires proper selection of oils and application of oil in a scientific manner.

Nutrition, as far as our thoughts go, is the ingestion of food that contains certain elements like carbohydrates, fat, proteins, minerals and vitamins necessary for the functioning of our body. When we connect Ayurveda and nutrition – it goes a step deeper. It is not only feeding the body with good food, but also nourishing mind and soul with essential ingredients – good thought, relaxed atmosphere, meditation, etc. In other words, nutrition includes nourishing mind, body and soul with essential nourishments.

Vagbhata, an Ayurvedic practitioner of 7th century puts certain guidelines for proper food. One cannot digest the food he/she takes, if, the food is not served properly and with love, overcooked, cold, dry, consumed with excess water etc. When a person takes food with troubled mind – due to grief, anger or hunger – the food is wasted.

Thus, ayurvedic food or nutrition denotes to taking not only the right food items, but also in a calm environment and with a calm mind.

Foods to avoid are too spicy, too hot, too cold, old, unclean, food. One also should not take food whenever he/she is mentally disturbed.

Not all humans are made alike. There are differences in physical and mental constitution of two persons. A nutritional type appropriate for a person may not be the same for someone else. It is therefore necessary to find individual nutritional requirements. For example, not all persons can quickly digest meat and meat products.

There are food items that can be taken in combinations and food items that cannot. While wine makes good combination with meat, milk and milk products are not suitable to be taken with spicy food.

Though there are specific directions regarding different food items, one needs to identify the combinations that are good for him or her.

Ayurveda sees late worldwide acceptance as a natural holistic treatment method. Now people increasingly are aware of the effects of chemicals entering our body in the name of prescription medicines. Ayurveda is not just about treating diseases. It is about living a life with fullness of health by mind, body and soul.

Medicines in Ayurveda are prepared from the flowers, seeds, roots, stem and plant products like resins. There are some claims that Ayurvedic medicines have a large content of heavy metals. The fact remains true that almost every human being on face of earth has at least a hundred different harmful chemicals in his/her body.

Ayurvedic philosophy depends on treating the person as a whole by identifying his/her body type (vata prakriti, pitta prakriti or kapha prakriti) and not the diseases. It is about helping the person regain that natural healing power, instead of applying some chemicals to kill the bacteria or virus that attack the body.

Ayurvedic remedies may take some time before showing results, but there will not be major side effects that are very common with different prescription medicines. Make use of the incredible power of herbs for natural medicare with Ayurveda.

Relaxation techniques in Ayurveda is also a major thing to study. Dinacharyas help persons attain what is expected of him. Laziness and being exhausted are states that you must avoid. All you have to do to attain your full potential is to do your karma only. Nothing more – exhausting, nothing less – don’t be lazy. You will be in a relaxed state of mind, you don’t over-exert your body, thus your body too will be healthy.

Kochi (also cochin, Ernakulam) is the most industrialized city in Kerala. Ayurvedic treatment in Kochi is facilitated by a series of hospitals and Ayurvedic treatment centers. You can find Ayurvedic spas with five star facilities. If you choose, you can choose to take Ayurvedic treatment procedures like massage or dhara in a houseboat or at an exquisite getaway.

Government Ayurvedic college at Thrippunithura and Nangelil Ayurveda College at Kothamangalam in Ernakulam is a major center for Ayurvedic education and training. There are also a number of Ayurvedic hospitals in the district.

Kochi is well connected to Indian locations and major international locations through road, rail or air.

Not only Ayurvedic treatment, but also the places to see at Kochi make your stay at the place known as the Queen of Arabian Sea worthwhile. You can pursue all kinds of Ayurvedic therapies like oil massage, rejuvenation therapy, panchakarma etc at different treatment centers.

Jaggery used as an Ayurvedic medicine comes from palms. Not date palm. But jaggery technically is a product from sugarcane. Such jaggery is unrefined sugar, without removing minerals. Both the jaggery are prepared without adding any preservatives of chemicals. The production of palm jaggery is concentrated mostly to southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala in south India.

Sugarcane jaggery in south India is known in the names – ‘sarkkara, chakkara, sakkara, sarkara, sharkara, charkara – all are variations of same name. Palm jaggery too are called different variations of a same name – karippotti, karippukatti, karippatti, karuppatti, karuppotti, karuppu katti, karippu katti, and panam chakkara. There can be more local variations for the name.

Karippatti kappi, or a palm jaggery coffee doesn’t have any trace of coffee, but has karippatti as main ingredient, with variable ingredients like tulsi leaves, pepper, thippali or Indian long pepper. The preparation is indeed very simple – karippatti and water are taken in a vessel and heated till boiling. Add the other ingredients. Boil till the karippatti pieces dissolve completely. Drink it warm. A quick fix medicine for common cold, cough etc, it dissolves mucus and clears the throat.

Sometimes sugarcane jaggery (juggery) too is used for same purpose, but is far less effective.

Though the scripts of Ayurveda were written thousands of years ago, each and every word inscribed thereupon is completely true even in todayÂ’s context. There is no need to take Ayurveda and holistic treatment separately. Ayurveda is in its very nature a holistic treatment. More than a method of treatment, it is also the way of life.

More than a curing method, Ayurveda is a method of prevention of diseases by keeping a healthy lifestyle. Ayurveda provides detailed description about daily diets, daily routine (dinacharya), change in daily routine with seasonal (seasonal routine or rithucharya), which lays down in detail the things to do and things not to do. It is not only for body, but also for mind and soul. Daily routine tells you about the daily activities you should take and at what time. There is a time in the day for waking up, taking bath, taking food, working and travel, and going to sleep. The specific timings are variable according to changing seasonal conditions. Imbalances and/or pursuing of an incompatible career can seriously affect the health of a person. Holistic Ayurveda just means keeping the body and mind in a balanced state.

According to Ayurveda, human body is composed of three humors (tridoshas)– vata, pitta and kapha, which are composed of five basic elements of nature, panchabhootangal – akash, bhumi, jal, vayu, and agni. The balance of the elements and the three humors constitute good health.

It all starts with diet. Diet in Ayurveda doesnÂ’t mean mere food that you take for body alone. It is the nourishment you give to mind and soul for their nourishment. If you take food with a troubled mind, it is more likely that the food you eat is wasted, without giving you any benefits thereof.

According to Ayurveda, every minute element of nature – light, sound, smell, natural scenery, etc all can act as medicines, under favorable conditions.

When it comes to Ayurveda, Kerala is the only state that practices this ancient Indian system of medicine in its true sense. A major part of the population depends solely on Ayurveda, Ayurvedic medicines and Ayurvedic lifestyle for treating diseases and staying healthy. There are also unique methods of Ayurvedic practices developed in Kerala. Njavarakkizhi, pizhichil, marma chikitsa etc are the main treatment methods among them.

The selfless service of Ashtavaidyas of Kerala played an important role in the development and flourish of Ayurveda in the past two-three centuries. The ashtavaidyas, who are from the Namboodiri or Brahmin caste, were once demoted in social status by other Brahmins because they considered it is impure to deal with blood (in surgery) and touching the people of lower castes. They are called ashtavaidyas, because they were knowledgeable about all the eight angas or branches of ashtanga (eight-branched) Ayurveda.

Kerala Ayurveda is much organized than in other parts of India. There are five Ayurvedic medical colleges under Kerala Government and other six Ayurvedic medical colleges. Ayurvedic College Thiruvananthapuram, which was started by the Maharaja of erstwhile Travancore dynasty to impart Ayurvedic knowledge to the members of the ruling family is the biggest one in India. It later became a property of Kerala State and it began to officially known as a College in 1918.

The fervor of Rajas and the selfless service of Ayurvedic practitioners and teachers made Kerala the cardinal center for Ayurveda. Now there is a network 108 Ayurvedic hospitals under direct government control in Kerala and there are more than 2000 hospitals and treatment centers in the private sector. Ayurveda in Kerala is also closely associated with Sidha-Vaidya, Unani, Naturopathy, disciplines of treatment and wellness.