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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.