Practical guidelines for concept of health in today's society

TRIPODS OF HEALTH

 According to Ayurveda classics ,a   complete health  is  considered as it is the state of body and mind simultaneously.we can't consider complete fitness with possessing a physically fit or healthy but mentally unstable, frustrated,worrisome, unhappy .

For that all the body systems should be  active structurally as well as functionally both.At the same time there should be a peaceful,calm, optimistic mind, which can be achieved by Yoga, Meditation,prayers and any spiritual activities which teaches a person to faith,love respect for others,also surrender to the Almighty .

A person should conquer wrath,anger, jealousy, depression, disappointment, sorrow,pain etc.So increase to sustaining capacity,to face such conditions, steadiness,patience like virtues can achieve with physical and psychological health.

As per Ayurveda Satva( mind),Atma( soul), Sharir ( body) and Indriya (senses) are combinely serves Health.

With the help of such complete healthy body one can achieve four mottos of life those are Dharma( Righteousness, justice,duty, obligation, disposition, distinctive quality, religious observance); Artha ( wealth),kaam( love, respect) and moksha( the ultimate goal of life , salivation).

To achieve this four purusharth a's of life  the equipment the tool is a healthy diseases free body and a stable mind which based on three pillars can be day a tripod on which the strength of the built of body is dependes those are Aahar( Diet), Nidra ( good sleep), Bramhacharya ( celibacy).

Ayurveda elaborately explained as

The proper observance of the three aspects of food, sleep and sexual indulgence  support the body just like pillars supporting a building.

Among these the Concept of Food has been described in lucid manner in Ayurvedic classics.

AGNI ( the digestive fire): it is one of the five fundamental elements.It is responsible for transformation or change  in the form of an element.In human biology it is a important responsible factor for Digestion ,Absorption & metabolism, this is basic property of pitta dosha which is a basic factor of body physiology.

One must respect of Agni , Ayurved described elaboratively in various text about importance of Agni it's all attributes in that way explained the importance of food and all aspects of its cultivation,preparation,consumption , digestion.

In proper quantity, quality diet in various regimens according to seasons  ,atmospheric changes should follow . Quantity of consuming food is vary person to person according to strength of Agni which further decide  the built of body also.For health of body it's construction is necessary.

The quantity of food is important as its quality and protection. The perfect combination of good quality,in right measurement at proper time consumption of  food makes healthy keep awaay all the diseases.

The quantity of food taken depends on the ' Gurutva' i.e heavy ness or lightness properties of foodstuffs.

The recommended quantity of intake of food substances having guru guna( property of heaviness) is half the amount of satiety,whereas  food items having laghu guna( property of lightness) are to be taken in in quantity which does not cause much satiety,by only that ,it undergoes to early digestion.

Food when taken in  less quant is not capable of promoting bala(strength) ,upachaya( nourishment) and ojas( vitality).

Taking an admixture of desirable and undesirable food is known as 'samashana' 

Timely consumption of food, possessing properties like fresh,pleasant,snigdha( unctous) i.e contained with oil  in proper quantity,laghu(easy to digest) such food is ideal for body.

In Ayurveda classics ideal food described as:

Food should be of six rasas( tastes) with predomince of Madhur( sweet) rasa.

Better if in liquid form  and delicious, prepared and served by cooks who are clean and affectionate.

Food is to be taken after  bathing, washing the hands,legs and face.

Should consume after gratifying the forefathers,deitis, guests, children and preceptors.

Pet birds and animals should be satisfied with eatables before taking food.

It is to be taken  when one feels hungry enough.

Staying at scheduled place , at reliable environment.

After self assessment of body  status, without abusing the food.

Avoid talking while taking the food.Not to be to slow or hurrying while taking the food.

Food should be taken in the company of beloved.

Food contaminatedwith foreign bodies,impurities like stone or any other uneatables is not wholesome for body health.

Taking of food containing only vegetsbles or only pulses or only non vegetarian food affects badly so there should be sarvarasatmak ,sarvagunatmak  aahar i.e.diet of all tastes and varible properties  prooves beneficial to  the body.

Food should be take timely,healthy,properly cooked,not too much in quantity or insufficient,not too oily or dry,spicy,salty. Should not be consume in hurry or very slowly,or at unkown strange place, Should eat with full  of concentration happily.

Regular emptying of bowel also includes in health of digestion which is the base of health of other systems.

Ayurveda provide independent topics, complete text 'Annapanvidhi'; 'Aharvidhi vishesh aayatan',where the basic factors to be considered while preparing and consuming diet ,the eight such factors are : Prakriti ( Nature),Karan( processing),samyog( combination),Rashi( Amount),Desha( Region),Kaal( time) and season, upayogsamstha ( rules for consumption) and upayokta ( consumer). Also should follow all dining etiquettes described in Indian culture and classics like  Anna grahan should be with "Maun'' i.e not to talk while eating,with ' ekagrachitta' i.e.with full of concentration of all the senses, because these factors influences the digestion and ultimately the strength of body.

Implementation of this guidance while preparing the food and consuming we can avoid many lifestyle disorders like Diabeties, Obesity, hypertention,hyper or hypothyroidism, osteoporosis etc.

Second pillar of a healthy body is Nidra i.e. A good sleep. In Ayurveda classics 'Nidra' described in lucid manner.

In Charaka 21 chapter of sutrastan ,in Astang Hriday classics also concept of sleep described vividly.

The various aspects of happiness & sorrow, Nourishment & emanciation, strength & weakness, virility,& eunucnism , knowledge & ignorance, life and death are all dependant upon sleep( A.Hr.7/53).

Sleep which is untimely, excessive or very less destroys the happiness and longevity of life similar to all destructible night at the end of the world.

In human being happiness,misery, nourishment,emaciation, strength, weakness, fertility, Infertility everything depends upon a good sound sleep.

Ultimately excessive sleep or deprived sleep may be the basic cause of any disease which takes away both health and happiness and longevity .

'Jagran' i.e. remaining awake at night is Ruksha i.e increase dryness in the body systems,on the other hand day sleep increases 'kleda' i.e. moistness on body,so those who couldn't slep at night because of any unavoidable reasons ,those who are engaged in excessive talking, excessive journey, walking, alcohol consumption, sexual intercourse, weight bearing,exausted of anger,grief,fright,those suffering from bswasa( asthama), belching, diarrhoea,old age person, children,the weak, exausted,those who suffering from chest injury,those afflicted with thirst,intense pain, indigestion,trauma, insanity ,in such exempted cases one can complete the sleep by taking in day time.which brings about dhatusatmya i.e. equilibrium of tissues.

People who are excessively obese ,who have exceeds kapha and those sho are habitual to the useof excessive  fats are not permitted to bsleep during day time.

Sleep is totally contraindicated in those who are affiliated with poison & diseases of throat,even at night.

Untimely sleep causes moha( confusion),jvara( fever), staimitya( stiffness),punasa( running nose),sororuja( headache), kasa( cough),hrillhas( hyperacidity),srotorodh( obstruction of the metabolic pathways) & agnimandya( dyspepsia).

Loss of sleep results in bodyache ,heaviness of the body ,drawsiness, yawning,inertia, futigue,giddiness, indigestion,laziness and other diseases.

Hence,in the night one should take complete sleep of 7 hrs is the right time & duration for practice.

Sleep in sitting posture is neither Ruksha nor abhishyandi.so  NEP of sleep for few time at day is benificial for body

According to season also how should be the sleep pattern is described in Ayurveda;

In Grishma rutu( summer season), which is a period of extraction,short nights and long days ,in that day time sleep is recommended also early should go to bed and wake up early in the morning this pattern one should apply.

A good sleep works equivalent to healthy food so it has same wattage like healthy diet.Good quality and enough quantity  of good sleep plays important role in health Preservation as well as mental and spiritual health of mind.

Those who are suffer from loss of sleep should practice intake of milk( buffelow milk is spescially recommend in Ayurveda which is heavy to digest and sleep inducing also.); beverages,meat soup,curd, Abhyanga ( oil embrocation),udvartana( upword powder massage),snana( bathing) shirovasti( retention of oil on scalp), karnatarpana( installation y oily ear drops) & akshitarpana( retention of medicated ghee in eyes).

Warm embrace of the beloved,bliss, contentment and those are pleasing to the mind would provide sound sleep.

In this way  Ayurveda emphasized the role of good ( Nidra)sleep in maintaining a healthy life.And it is one of the Trayopstanbhas( pillars) of life,has a significant place in preventative medicine.

Nidra is considered as a brimhankar i.e. nourishes, promotes physical and mental health ,& enhances immunity.

Third pillar explains ads " Bramhacharya" 

Celibacy/ control of senses. A state of continence and chestity abstaining from sexual  relation and experience. Avoidance of sexual act physically, mentally and verbally all ways under any circumstances, control over genital organs which leads to Pleasant mind and helpful to attain knowledge about Bramha( the supreme God).

Contraindicated or prohibited factors for sexual intercourse are described in detail in Ayurved classics:

With Menstruating woman,in odd position,not lovable who has indisposed customs ,with unhygienic & abnormality,too obese or emaciated, postnatal woman,pregnent woman,woman other than one's wife,animals,teachers abode,place of worships,royal palace, monastery,burial ground,gallows courtyard,water reservoirs,& cross roads, should be selected for coitus.

Also copulation in full moon or no moon days,during day time is restricted,practices such as sexual perversions & thrashing the head & heart during copulation is unwholesome.

One who have eaten too much food,coward( Adhrutidurmana),one who is hungery,one who is awakened position ( painful organs),who is thirsty,young children,the aged,one who has other urges to satisfy the sick are restricted from sexual intercourse.

As per seasons recommendation of sexual coitus:in Hemanta ( early winter) & Shishir( extreme winter)  are preferable, on the other hand vasanta( spring),sharad( autumn) seasons once in  three days,in varsha rutu( rainy)& Grishma( summer) once in 15 days is recommended.

Sexual intercourse in undesirable ways ( contrary to the aforesaid) can lead to bhrama( giddiness),klama( fatigue),urusaad( weakness of thighs),decrease in strength,virility, weakness of sense organs, early death.

One who indulge in sexual intercourse in controlled manner remain young for a long time ,with high memory power, intellectual ability,long life,health, nourishment,high perceptive power of senses ,fame & strength.

Taking bath, anointing the body ( with good soups), exposure to cool breeze, eating sweets, drinking cold water, milk meat soup, green gram soup, beverages, such as sura ( bear)& prasanna( supernatant portion of toddy) can be had after sex. Thereafter sleep can also be had.This helps in regaining the vitality instantly.( Astang Hriday 7/69-76).

By the wisdom of well regulated support of these three pillars one can achieve body with strength, good complexion and proper  growth and this continues throughout life , provided person does not get involved in regimens which are determental for health.

It restores vigour, inner strength  and ooja( prime extract part of all tissues or 7dhatus)which promotes immunity and vitality band automatically longevity of life.

So practically these 3: components should be restored with all efforts which are the root cause of every diseases and unhealthy conditions.

These three pillars makes basic foundation of a healthy body.

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