Ayurveda Article - Evergreen Secrets Of Ayurveda For Everyone

01-17-2003, 04:38 AM

You have permission to publish this article in your print or
electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety
including the resource box, all links and references and copyright
info. If you decide to use this article please send me an email at
drmishra@...
----------------------------------------------------------------------

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, MAPI's Director
of Product Research and Development, 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, hesays, 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. If you are not sure
how to blend them, try Maharishi Ayurveda's gourmet Churnas, which
will spice up your food with no fuss and lots of flavor.

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.

The herbal formulations in Maharishi Ayurveda's Blissful Sleep
System™ can help correct specific sleep imbalances naturally and
gently.

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.

One of the key elements of regular routine is good elimination.
Although getting more fiber in your diet can help, Maharishi
Ayurveda's Detoxification System is a highly effective support system
for good digestive health. It helps purify the liver, supports
balanced fat metabolism, reduces digestive impurities, curbs the
buildup of impurities in fat and muscle tissue, strengthens the
entire urinary tract and aids liver function for pure blood and
better absorption of nutrients.

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.

The most respected of MAPI rasayanas is Amrit, which strengthens the
immune system and refines the functioning of the physiology. Amrit
promotes bala or vital energy. Scientific studies have now
established that Amrit fights free radical damage 1,000 times more
effectively than any other anti-oxidant. While Amrit is excellent
for overall mind/body health, targeted herbal formulations can help
you address any specific imbalances you encounter.

Note : This ayurvedic information is educational and is not intended
to replace standard medical care or advice.
Copyright MAPI, 2002.

For more information on Ayurveda or to subscribe to free newsletters,
plaese visit