Āyurviśva Online Issue No 11

Transcription

1 Āyurviśva Online issue No.11 Special Edition Saundarya Part Two (HEALTH AND CARE OF EYES, LIPS, HAIR AND TEETH) Chief editor Vd Shrirang S. Galgali Visit us at An Ayurveda Awareness Initiative

2 VOWELS - a ā I ī u ū ṛ ṝ अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ क TRANSLITERATION KEY (IAST) ḷ ḹ e ai o au aṃ aḥ am ऌ ख ए ऐ ओ औ अ अ अ CONSONANTS k kh g gh ṅ c ch j jh ñ क ख ग घ ङ च छ ज झ ञ ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ t th d dh n ट ठ ड ढ ण त थ द ध न p ph b bh m y r l v ऩ प फ ब भ म य र ल ś ṣ s h ḻ kṣ jñ ळ ऴ व श ऱ ष स Translation done by Vd. Priya Nene

3 Eyes Health and Care of eyes Indicators of healthy eyes The most important indicator of healthy eyes is good eyesight for both near and distant vision. The eyes should be clean with the white part appearing clean and white without any yellowish hue, brown or red patches or discoloration. The eyes should not exude any discharge without reason. Eyes should be moist. Care of the eyes Eyes should be washed clean with water at least once daily. One should use sunglasses while travelling to avoid exposure to harsh winds and sunlight. Soft cloth or cotton dipped in rose water may be kept on the eyes in summer season. Avoid exposure to intense heat of the sun, stay indoors during sunny afternoons. Avoid watching eclipses with naked eyes. Avoid working on the computer or watching T.V continuously for more than 1 to 11/2 hrs. A break from computer or T.V after every 2 hrs is advised. Daily application of home-made kājaḻa is advisable. Application of surmā (nilānjana) may also be done on daily basis to maintain health of the eyes. Method of preparation kājaḻa as mentioned in the texts Light a lamp with cotton wick and pure castor oil in a silver lamp or a plain mud lamp. Place two bricks to protect it from winds. A plate, spoon or bowl of pure silver is then held over the lamp to collect the soot from it. This soot is collected and mixed with a bit of white butter or ghee and a very small quantity of camphor. The mixture is triturated for some time and stored in clean glass bottle. This kājaḻa can be used for daily application. Triphalānjana is a strong variety of anjana (kājaḻa application) and should be used only once in a week. There is excess watery discharge from the eyes after the application of triphalānjana and hence it should preferably be applied at night and only once a week. To maintain health of the eyes, it is advisable to consume 125 mg of triphalā powder mixed with unequal quantities of honey and ghee, daily at night. One should always wear comfortable foot wear while going out and avoid walking on hard, rough and uneven surfaces. Application of ghee to the soles of the feet and rubbing them with copper bowl provides rest to the eyes. Irritation, redness or watery eyes caused due to continuous work on computers or watching television can be treated by placing cloth or cotton soaked in milk at normal temperatures over the eyes.

4 Eyes with constant discharge or dirty sticky eyes can be treated by washing with specially prepared decoction. Triphalā (mixture of three herbs Terminalia chebula, terminalia bellerica and Emblelica officinalis), anantamūla (Hemidesmus indicus) and dāruharidrā (Berberis aristata)are added to water in equal quantities and boiled for some time. This water is then strained through a fine muslin cloth. The decoction thus prepared can be used to wash the eyes after every two hrs and also to soak cotton or cloth and keep it over the eyes. Lips Health and care of lips Indicators of healthy lips Pinkish or light pink color tone of the lips is considered healthy. Individuals with dark complexion may have slightly dark pinkish or red hue on the lips. Lips should not be dry or chapped. Lips should be a bit moist and soft. There should ideally not be any marks or patchy discoloration on the lips. Care of the lips The lips need to be taken care of in the winter season, more than any other season. As it is essential to take care of the skin to protect it from dryness in the winters, the lips also need special care to prevent dryness and chapping. Application of milk cream, white butter or ghee on the lips should be done at night, on a daily basis in winters. If the lips are cracked or chapped, these should be scrubbed lightly after applying a little ghee to remove dead cells and then cleaned with cotton or muslin cloth. The lips should then be applied with ghee again to restore the lost moisture and prevent further chapping. The lipsticks used to color the lips should always be of good quality. Low quality products may cause darkening of lips. Even if it is the trend to use color on one s lips, it should be remembered that true beauty lies in the natural rosy, pink color of nude lips. Darkening of the lips may be treated with the application of petals of wild pink rose crushed in honey. This paste can be left on the lips for about 15 min and then washed off. Gulkanda which is prepared from sugar and rose petals may also be used. Juice of fresh betel leaves in honey may be applied on the lips for the same purpose.

5 Hair Health and care of hair Long, healthy and lustrous hair is an important indicator of overall health and fitness of an individual. Ayurveda describes the hair to be the mala or waste product formed during the production of the asthi dhātu. Indicators of healthy and disease free hair The color of the hair may be dark black, brown, light brown or blond depending on the individual s constitution. However the hair, irrespective of its color, essentially exhibits a healthy luster or shine. The thickness of the hair is the same from its root to the tips. The tips of the hair are not split. (The hair is without any split ends.) Each hair strand is thick and separate from each other. (Hair is not tangled together.) The hair of vāta prakruti individuals is generally dry, rough and curly. The pitta prakruti individuals display light brown, thin and shiny, soft hair. The hair of kapha prakruti individuals is very thick, dark, soft and lustrous. Described here are the most commonly occurring hair problems like hair fall, graying and dandruff. We present this information in the form of important causative factors and their treatments. Hair fall - (Khālitya) Causative factors of hair fall This is the most commonly occurring hair problem. It can be caused due to consumption of excess salty, spicy and oily, fried foods. Hair fall is also can be caused due to lack of oleaginous substances in the diet in form of oil or ghee and non application of oil to the scalp. Inadequate bowel movements. Repeated late nights. Inadequate cleanliness and care of hair and over exposure to sun and pollution. Excess and repeated washing of hair with soap and shampoo (detergent based products) damages hair and makes them dry and brittle. Repeated mental stress and strain, inadequate and untimely sleep. Over exposure to harsh winds while travelling by vehicles. Irregular meal timings. Excess consumption of sticky and gooey substances like cheese, refined flour or fried foods and other unwholesome food products. Abdominal worm infestation.

6 Graying of hair - (Pālitya) Causative factors The graying of hair is also caused due to excess consumption of salty, spicy or fried oily foods. Excess worry, anger, frequent late nights and too much contemplation also leads to graying. Total non application or inadequate application of oil to the hair and scalp. Over exposure to harsh sunlight. Improper treatment of ailments like amlapitta (~ hyperacidity) or repeated consumption of antacid medications. Dandruff (Dāruṇaka) Causative factors Dandruff is caused by similar factors as mentioned above like late nights, excess consumption of salty and spicy foods and unwarranted use of detergent based products like shampoos or soaps. Dandruff may be caused as a kind of skin ailment affecting the scalp. Travelling with wet hair and exposing them to harsh winds, or even excess exposure of hair to winds otherwise, can be an important causative factor of dandruff. Common treatments for above mentioned hair problems a) Hair wash To maintain the health and luster of hair it is important to keep the hair and scalp clean. It is advisable to wash the hair at least twice a week to keep it clean. Ayurveda advocates the use of śikekāī powder instead of detergent based shampoo or soaps for hair wash. Śikekāī (Acacia concinna) powder can be prepared at home or even brought ready-made from the market. Contents used for preparing 1 kg of śikekāī powder Śikekāī (Acacia concinna) powder 500 gm + Rīṭhā (Sapindus muccorri)powder - 200gm + Amla 100 gm (Embleica officinales) + Nāgaramothā 100 gm (Cyperus rotundus) + Kacorā (Curcuma aromatic) 50 gm + Methī seeds 20 gm (Trigonella seeds). Lemon rind or orange rind, about 10 gm may also be added. All the ingredients are mixed and roughly ground together to make śikekāī powder. The śikekāī powder should be taken as required depending on the length of the hair and boiled in about 2 3 glasses of water. This water should then be cooled, strained and used for hair wash.

7 Hair should never be washed with very hot water. Warm or cool water is ideal for hair wash. b) Hair pack Application of hair pack at least about twice in a month, helps to reduce hair fall, graying of hair and dandruff. It also helps enhance the shine or luster of hair. Hair pack no. 1 is prepared by mixing fine powders of triphalā 50 gm, nāgaramothā 10 gm, methī seeds 40 gm and mehendī or hīnā (Lowsonia inermis) powder 150 gm is mixed in water and applied from the root to the tips of the hair. This pack is kept for about 2 hrs and washed clean. Hair pack no.2 is prepared by mixing curds 200 gm and egg white from 2 eggs and whisking them together. This pack is applied on the hair, kept for about 2 hrs and then washed off with śikekāī powder. The hair pack no. 1 is useful against complaints like hair fall or graying. The hair pack no. 2 is very effective for treating dandruff and dry and rough hair. Ground amla powder and mākā (Eclipata alba) powder in water can be ground together and applied on the hair and scalp. This helps to enhance the general health and luster of the hair. Healthy individuals may also use this hair pack to maintain hair quality and thickness. c) Head massage Head massage or śirobhyanga implies the application of warm oil to the scalp followed by light massage. It is better to consult a physician to decide the kind of medicated oil which would suit the hair and can be applied as per individual constitution. Generally the medicated oils like mākā oil, yaṣṭimadhu oil suit all kinds of hair and constitutions. The individuals of vāta prakruti may use nārāyaṇī or aśvagandhā oil, while the pitta prakruti individuals may prefer kṣīrabalā or lākṣādi medicated oils. The kapha prakruti individuals may use sesame seed oil or nirgudi oil for head massage. Healthy individuals with normal hair may use nilibhrungyādi taila or bhrungyāmlakādi taila for head massage. Indications and contraindications for head massage Individuals with very rough hair who suffer from hair fall after massage to the scalp should lightly apply warm oil to the scalp immediately after washing hair. Head massage should be avoided in such cases. Individuals with oily hair or scalp can apply oil only about once or twice a week, followed by light massage. Individuals with normal to dry hair are advised to apply oil daily or at least once on alternate days.

8 According to the new fashion, many people avoid application of oil to the hair. Application of oil, at least once a week surely helps to control hair fall, reduce the rate of graying, dandruff and other hair problems. Dandruff can be controlled by regular application of oil treated with nīm (margosa) leaves and camphor. Head massage with kāpura karanjel taila also is known to be useful against dandruff. d) Nasya Nasya can be said to be the most important treatment for hair problems amongst all the others mentioned above. Nasya is the instillation of liquids like milk, ghee, medicated oils etc. into the nasal passages. Regular therapy of nasya for hair related ailments has been found very effective. The use of medicated oils for nasya is advisable in treatment of hair fall and dandruff, while the use of medicated ghee or plain cow ghee and milk is advisable for graying of hair. Oils Yaṣṭimadhu taila, aṇu taila, nimboṇī taila etc. Ghee Yaṣṭimadhu ghruta, brāmhi ghruta, plain pure cow ghee etc. Milk Cow milk or Mother s milk. Appropriate treatment of the underlying diseases which may cause hair fall, is of utmost importance. Like for example, abdominal worm infestation may cause hair loss in patches, pāndu (~ anemia) may cause hair loss or graying, menstrual problems in females or problems like indigestion and constipation may also lead to hair loss and other problems. Teeth Health and care of teeth Pearly white, proportionate and well aligned teeth add to the physical beauty of an individual. Let us now learn about the health and care of these pearly whites. Indicators of healthy teeth Clean and white teeth without yellowish discoloration or dirty tartar deposits. Teeth without dental carries. Clean teeth and cavities. No bad breath or haliotosis. Pinkish, healthy gums which do not bleed or discharge pus. Common teeth problems 1. Dental carries Dental carries are caused due to bad oral hygiene and habits like not cleaning the teeth after consuming sweets at night. The affliction of dental carries is predominant

9 in children as they consume chocolates and avoid dental cleansing thereafter. Fruits are predominantly amla (~ sour in taste) in rasa and excess consumption of these fruits by children leads to aggravation of kapha doṣa and amlatā or amla (~ acidity) attribute in the mouth which aggravates the formation of cavities. The general trend also sees children and adults using toothpaste which are sweet in taste. This tooth paste helps in cleaning the oral cavity and imparting a fresh taste, however it does not provide strength to the gums which weaken due to repeated and excess exposure to amla rasa. The sweet toothpaste also does not help pacify the kapha doṣa. Therefore, Ayurveda advocates the use of dental powders which are kaṣāya (~ astringent), kaṭu (~ spicy) and lavaṇa (~ salty) in rasa. 2. Excess deposition of tartar on the teeth The deposition of yellowish tartar on the surface of the teeth due to improper cleansing is known as malāḍhyatā. The yellowish discoloration and repeated deposition of tartar on the teeth, in spite of regular cleaning is a prodromal symptom of prameha mentioned in the texts. It implies that the individual is susceptible to prameha in future life and hence timely treatment should be taken for the same. 3. Bad breath or haliotosis Bad breath can be caused by improper oral hygiene and other reasons like chronic afflictions like amlapitta (~ hyperacidity), indigestion etc. Appropriate treatment of these disorders along with good oral hygiene and care is essential to treat this problem. This problem also requires the holding of medicated liquids in the oral cavity or chewing betel leaves or cloves to mask bad breath. 4. Yellowish discoloration of teeth (Dantapītatā) This problem is also caused due to improper oral hygiene or repeated indigestion and amlapitta. Apart from this, discoloration may also be caused due to continuous chewing of sweets or products with artificial sweeteners like chewing gums etc. This problem is treated by following proper dental hygiene and by holding medicated liquids like triphalā or jeśṭhamadha (Glycerrhiza glabra Linn.) decoction in the oral cavity. 5. Gingivitis or bleeding and swoolen gums (Dantapuppuṭa ) The gums generally swell in case of dental carries or after extraction of teeth. Edema and bleeding gums caused on the entire denture, without dental carries can be a sign of chronic raktapitta or vāta rakta afflictions. In such cases, treatment of the original ailment along with dental hygiene is of prime importance. Common treatments for dental ailments Cleaning of teeth with medicated powders or paste made from spicy, astringent and bitter rasa ingredients. Dental hygiene before sleeping at night is extremely important. Manjan or tooth powders are more useful for proper cleansing of teeth. These can be prepared by mixing 1 tsp of triphalā powder, 1/4 th tsp of khadira bark powder and 1/8 th tsp of saindhava (rock salt) powders. Extraction of teeth may also be essential in case of third degree dental carries.

10 Tooth powder for children can be prepared by mixing jeśṭhamadha 50 gm, lavaṇa bhāskara curṇa 20 gm and triphalā powder 20 gm. Edema or swelling on the gums can be treated with the application of medicinal powder prepared by mixing cumin powder, hirḍā powder (Terminalia chebula), saindhava and powder of śālmalī (Shalmalia malabarica) thorns in equal proportions. Light massage with this powder on the gums helps alleviate edema, pain and bleeding gums. Swollen gums can be treated by holding medicated liquids in the oral cavity. Decoction of triphalā or dāruharidrā (Berbaris aristata) can be prepared fresh and held in the mouth when warm for about 30 seconds to about a minute and then spit out. This process of holding liquids in the oral cavity is known as ganḍuṣa and is an effective treatment for oral problems. Black sesame seeds or white sesame can be chewed and spit out. This chewing of seeds helps treat swollen gums and alleviates pain. Proper oral hygiene comprising of brushing of teeth and cleansing of tongue with the help of tongue cleaner is essential for dental health. The use of tooth powders for the same purpose helps enhance the beauty of the teeth and maintain the health of the entire oral cavity. Bramha Ayurveda Services Pvt. Ltd. Punarvasu Chiktsalaya Pune s First private registered ayurevda hospital Shivajinagar Main Branch - (with indoor facility) 5, Shanti Prasad, 1123 B, Shivajinagar, Model Colony, Pune 6 Phone Rajendra nagar, Navi Peth Branch - (With day care facility) Sneha, Navi Peth, Rajendra Nagar, Near Senadatta Police station, Pune, Phone Bhusari Colony, Kothrud Branch (With day care facility) Nirmal Hights, Right Bhusari Colony, New India school road, Pune 38, Phone Panchkarma with Complete Ayurveda treatment..