Ayurveda Rejuvenation in India
¤ Age-Old Science of Medicines
‘Harmony is health’, is what Ayurveda preaches. This is
India’s age-old science of medicine which illumined many, like
the early Greeks and Arabs who were so awed that they went ahead and
borrowed from it.
According to World Health Organization, Health is not only physical
well being or absence of disease, it is rather physical and metal well
being. And Ayurveda deals with mental, physical and social well being
of an individual; making it different from other form of medicinal
therapies. Derived from the Sanskrit word, Ayurveda is divided into
two words - 'Ayur' which means life and Veda - which means knowledge.
Ayurveda in India was at its glorious best in the age of rishis
(Hindu ascetics) and rajas (kings). Our ancient masters and physicians
knew exactly how to be hale and hearty till a ripe age, which would be
nothing less than a century! Traces of the science have filtered down
the centuries, and are being revived in a big way these days. But most
people tend to think of Ayurveda as an alternative system of medicine,
which it is not. It is a way of life.
We tend to ignore that the human body does react to nature’s
ever-changing moods and that human life is but only a link in the
great web of Life. Medication today has been reduced to curative or
system-regulating medicines; preventive medicine has hardly made much
progress except for a handful of vaccines. Ayurveda or ‘the
knowledge of life’ will tell you that there’s much more to ‘medication’
than that. Ayurveda is based on sound observational concepts which
have stood the test of time for thousands of years.
Quick bytes
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Ayurveda :
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Science of Life.
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Ayurvedic Treatments : |
Pizhichil, Sirodhara, Udwarthanam, Tarpanam,
Abhyangasnanam, Dhanyamaladhara. |
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Ayurveda Principle : |
Rejuvneation of mind, body and soul. |
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Ideal Destination in
India : |
Kanjany, Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram,
Palakkad, Kovalam, Kumarakom. |
¤ Ayurveda - An Extension of
Atharva
Ayurveda in India is an extension of the Atharva Veda
one of the early Vedic compositions dealing with science, art and
philosophy. Charaka’s (the grand old man of medicine) treatise is
the oldest known ayurvedic text. It is a holistic science, looking at
all things which make for a bouncy life, where life means the body,
mind and spirit.
The starting point of Ayurveda in India is the theory of the three
doshas (humours) – vata (wind), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm).
From this evolves the concept of the doshas (controlling forces) which
act on the dhatus (tissues), giving rise to the various malas
(metabolic products or wastes).
The character of these are governed by what we eat, when we eat, how
we live and in which environment, and our mental state, of course. and
so, even a slight change in any of these can make us ‘unwell’,
not necessarily diseased. As an extension, if we remain unwell for too
long our tissues can lose their strength and become susceptible to
diseases.
¤ Treatment Based On Herbs and Minerals
In case of an illness, Ayurveda has remedies based on herbs, minerals
and other therapeutic procedures like yoga (path to self realization)
and panchakarma.
The panchakarma are the five internal cleansing procedures –
vamana (vomiting), virechana (purgation), vasti (enema), nasya
(application of herbal preparations through the nostrils), and rakta
moksha (therapeutic release of toxic blood). But the vaid (Ayurvedic
doctor) will not suggest the same remedy for everyone.
Ayurveda in India recognizes each individual as genetically different
from the other, of a very specific prakriti (constitution) and with a
very individual way of interacting with the environment. The science
also gives the framework in which we can modify our lifestyles to
optimize our bodily functions, in what is described as ritucharya
(seasonal behaviour) and dinacharya (daily behaviour). A healthy diet
and digestion are important factors here.
Ayurveda in India has eight branches – Internal Medicine,
Paediatrics and Gynaecology, Surgery, ENT (ear, nose and throat),
Toxicology, Rejuvination, Study of Sexual Function and Reproduction
and Psychiatry. The basic understanding of this whole systematic body
of knowledge is restoring ‘life’ to the body.
Given the steady environmental changes (read slow disasters),
lifestyle and stresses of the present day, the need of the hour is to
eliminate the gap between modern medicine and other systems such as
Ayurveda. Because, true to its name, Ayurveda is the means to vitality
in a fast paced world.
¤ Ayurveda & its therapies.
Panchakarma
This therapy is a traditional way of detoxification. The therapy
dates hundred of years back. Panchkarma is a good way of cleansing and
servicing your body. The therapy is specially advantageous as it helps
in preventing disease which occurs due to the accumulation of doshas
or toxins.
Pizhichil
Pizhichil is a treatment which involves application of luke warm
herbal oils in the body. The treatment is quite benefecial for
Rheumatic diseases like Arthiritis, Parlysis, Hemiplegia,
Paralysis-Agitanus, Sexual Weakness, Nervous Wakness and Nervous
disorders etc. Pizhichil is one of the special massages for
rejuvenating the whole body. The prescribed oil is first applied on
the head. Then the whole body is smeared with this medicated oil. This
requires a specific posture and bench; the person is made to lie on a
droni (a wooden bed specially designed for the purpose). Then pieces
of linen dipped in warm medicated oil is squeezed over on to the
patient’s body while massaging the body with the hand all the
time.
The massage is very slow and light without exerting much pressure.
Apart from being a lavish treatment, it also protects from illnesses
by building immunity for a bouncy life. and that’s not all;
Pizhichil is also a panacea for rheumatic diseases, blood pressure,
pain in the joints and diabetes.
Njavarkizhi
In this method, the entire body is made to perspire by the
application of certain medical pudding. The medical puddings are used
externally in the form of blouses and are tied up in a muslin bag.
 Sirodhara
In this therapy, highly medicated oil is poured as an even stream on
the forehead continuously to make effect on central nervous system.
Sirodhra will help you to tune up the brain and will also increase
your memory. The method is a good way of preventing and curing
diseases like paralysis, senile dementia and other neurological
ailments.
¤ The Kerala School of
Ayurveda
While Ayurveda barely managed to keep its head above water in most of
India, it thrived in robust health down in Kerala. It is primarily
because of two reasons:
1) Kerala boasts two
monsoons in a year (May-June and August-September), and provides an
ideal climate for the treatments it has preserved so well.
2) Kerala is also the land of Vagbhatta, the last and
well-known students of Charaka (the grand old man of medicine), who is
supposed to have taught his chosen 18 students here. The descendants
of three or four of these students practice the science till today.
You will be pleasantly surprised at the unique ‘treatment’
the Kerala School offers. A heavenly oil massage called snehana
is given. In fact, feudal lords in Kerala
are known to have indulged in it to keep themselves fighting fit. The
oils are ayurvedic and work wonders for the entire body functioning.
The oils are formulated as per the body constitution, age, symptoms
of ailment and the prevalent climatic condition. This is what sets
apart Ayurveda from other medical sciences: in recognizing each person’s
unique make up. As such there are more than 1500 formulations of
medicated oils for the treatment of various ailments.
Imagine going for a weight-losing programme with just herbal oil
massages and Ayurvedic medicines and no exercises or even dieting!
This kind of treatment is especially effective for arthritis,
spondylitis, paralysis, obesity, sinusitis, migraine, hysteria,
premature aging and other psychosomatic ailments.
¤ Ayurvedic centres
Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala at Kottakkal, Malappuram.
Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resort at Palakkad.
Surya Ayurvedics Ltd. at Kanjany, Thrissur.
Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Ideal Ayurvedic Center at Chowara Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Ayushya Ayurvedic Center at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Major Tour Packages For Ayurveda
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