Ayurveda Article - Take Care Of Joints Ayurvedically !!!

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The Ayurvedic View on Healthy Joints:

 

Take Care of Your Joints the Ayurvedic Way

Joint disorders affect millions of Americans. 80% of individuals over

50 years of age reportedly have joint concerns of one type or

another. Reasons range from obesity to heredity. Improper use of the

joints, overexertion, stress, diet and lifestyle contribute to the

problem.

 

The Ayurvedic Perspective

Ayurveda identifies two major types of joint problems. The first type

is associated with poorly nourished joints or low bone density and

overall weakness in the joints. This kind of problem starts with some

discomfort, a cracking sound, and if not taken care of, results in

eventual immobilization of the joints. Because the bone is not

getting the nourishment it needs, it starts to degenerate. The second

kind is associated with a toxic overload in the joints, and is the

result of too many toxins in the body. As ama (the sticky, toxic

waste-product of incomplete digestion) accumulates in the joint, it

first creates stiffness and heaviness. If it stays there for a long

time, the joint can become swollen and painful. Damp, cold weather

can aggravate this type of joint problem.

 

Vata-Related Joint Problem

"When Vyana Vata, which is the aspect of Vata that governs the

circulation and nerve impulses, is aggravated, the first type of

joint problem can occur," says Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, Director of

Research and Product Development at Maharishi Ayurveda Products

International. "The person's circulation, metabolism, and ability to

absorb food are weakened; as a result, the bone tissue does not

receive enough nourishment and eventually starts to degenerate. The

imbalance in Vyana Vata and the weakened circulation, metabolism and

absorption create a drying effect on Shleshaka Kapha, the subdosha of

Kapha that governs lubrication of the joints. When this happens, the

joints are not lubricated properly and this creates the discomfort,

cracking sound, and diminished flexibility."

 

Foods and Lifestyle Habits to Pacify Vata

"Include all six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and

pungent) in your diet," suggests Vaidya Mishra. "Favor the sweet,

sour, and salty tastes, as these help pacify Vata dosha, and eat less

of the bitter, astringent and pungent foods." Other healthy foods to

include in the Vata pacifying diet are grains such as quinoa, rye and

amaranth, cooked in water to which a little Ghee has been added;

freshly cooked organic vegetables; split mung dhal soup; and sweet,

organic, juicy fruits. It's important to eat a diet rich in calcium,

including high-quality organic milk and vegetables such as spinach,

kale, asparagus, and root vegetables cooked with vata-pacifying

spices.

"Follow a Vata-pacifying daily routine," advises Vaidya Mishra. Go to

bed before ten o'clock at night, and rise before six a.m. Avoid too

much stimulating activity at night, such as watching television right

before bed. Eat your main meal at noon, and eat a light, nourishing

dinner early in the evening. Engage in some mild exercise such as

walking for half an hour a day. Practice Transcendental Meditation®

on a regular basis to dissolve stress and calm your mind. All of

these things together will soothe Vata dosha and prevent and correct

Vata-based joint problems. A daily ayurvedic oil massage is

recommended to prevent these kinds of joint problems, because it

helps settle Vata dosha.

This program is most effective in restoring balance to the joints

when there is a small amount of malnutrition of the bone and drying

of Shleshaka Kapha.

 

Ama-Related Joint Problem

This second type of joint problem is really a problem of ama

(digestive toxins) in the joints, and is characterized by a heavy,

stiff feeling. Sometimes a bout of cold, humid weather can trigger

these symptoms. That is the first stage. If nothing is done to

dissolve the ama and it sits in the joints for a long time,

eventually the ama converts to amavisha, an even more toxic form of

ama that is more irritating and reactive in nature. Amavisha causes

the joint to become inflamed, swollen, and painful. In this kind of

environment, ama also mixes with the natural lubricating fluids in

the joint governed by Shleshaka Kapha, forming an extremely sticky,

toxic substance known as Shleshma. Shleshma restricts mobility and

disturbs circulation in the joint. If the ama, amavisha and Shleshma

stay in the joints unattended to for a long time, eventually the

structure of the joints and the bone itself becomes damaged. Once

these morphological changes happen to the joint and bone, it becomes

extremely difficult to correct.

 

Foods and Lifestyle Habits to Reduce Ama

An ama-reducing diet is made up of warm, light, dryer foods that are

easy to digest. Nourishing soups and warm, freshly cooked grains and

vegetables prepared with Kapha Churna and spices to stimulate

digestion are the mainstays of the ama-reducing diet. To keep your

digestion working properly, avoid day sleep, and go to bed early so

you can rise before 6:00 a.m. Exercise for half an hour every day,

and choose atype of exercise that you enjoy. A brisk walk is ideal

for most people, along with yogasana stretches, although if you have

more Kapha dosha you may need more vigorous exercise to stay in

balance. You'll feel lighter and more energetic just by making these

simple changes in your routine.

A very effective way to purify the joint is to drink lots of ama

pachana water (water infused with ama-reducing spices). To make the

water, boil two quarts of water and put it in a thermos flask. Then

add two to three thin slices of fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4

tsp. fennel, 2 black peppercorns, and 2 leaves of mint. Let it steep.

Drink this water throughout the day for a very purifying effect. It

also helps to eat an apple cooked with prunes and figs each morning

for breakfast. You can also cook your foods with an ama pachana spice

mixture. To prepare this, mix 2 parts turmeric, 6 parts cumin, one

part ajowan, 2 parts fenugreek, 1 part black pepper, and 6 parts

fennel.

"Again, prevention is key," says Vaidya Mishra. "It takes a great

amount of effort to get rid of ama that has circulated throughout the

body and settled in the joints. So once you start taking care of your

joint problem by reducing ama, you should be very careful not to

accumulate ama in future. Examine your tongue in the morning-it

should not be coated. If you are eating right, you should not carry

any post-lunch fatigue. If you feel even a little stiffness or

heaviness in your joints, you should start following all of these

recommendations immediately to prevent ama from accumulating. This is

truly a case of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure."

 

 

 

Note : This ayurvedic information is educational and is not intended

to replace standard medical care or advice.

Copyright MAPI, 2002.

 

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