Health Tips-III, Pujya Gurudev

Your Health: Guidelines from Ayurved

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Common Modes of Medication in Ayurveda: Ayurvedic medicines are usually available in the forms of vati (tablets), curna (powder of herbs), ras-bhasma (specially grinded, prepared fine powders of processed herbs), syrups and decoctions of different types asava, arishta, kwatha or kadha etc. Apart from these, some herbal oils and ointments are also prescribed for external use. The following are general guidelines for using the different classes of Ayurvedic medicines. 

For vati and churna: These types are usually recommended to be taken around 10-20 minutes after meal. Should be taken with warm water in case of diseases due to vataj-kapha dosha, and with normal water in case of pitta doshas. Unless they taste bitter or pungent, the tablets (vatis) should preferably be chewed rather than gulped down with water. The special tablets like muktadi, madhunashini and kayakalpa vatis are recommended to be taken with fresh water about one hour before meals. Often people use some curnas just because of their taste and soothing effects on digestion. This is not correct, such curnas are also medicinal e.g. for controlling acidity and might cause imbalance in the dosha levels; these should also be taken only as per the doctors advice. 
For rasa and bhasmas: These are usually eaten with honey, fresh cream of milk or with warm water (depending upon the dosha and ailment type) at least half-an-hour before meals. 
For asava and arishta: These are drunk with fresh water (mixed in equal proportion) about 10 to 15 minutes after meals. 

For kwatha (kadha): Kwatha should be best drunk freshly prepared at timings as prescribed by the doctor. It is recommended that nothing should be mixed in it. However, if it is bitter in taste and one just can't bear that bitterness then minimal quantity of honey or sugar-crystals (mishri) could be mixed. 
For kwatha-bathing: At times, depending upon the type and state of disease, bathing or fomenting in the steam of boiling kwatha of specific types are advised. In such cases, the prescribed herbal medicines are to be cooked in a pressure cooker with about 1-1.5 kg water. A tube of appropriate size (and of material that could bear the high temperature) is to be connected at the outlet for steam (where usually a weight-whistle is kept on the cooker). A small piece of cloth is tied on the other end of the cloth; the desired body-part is exposed to this end at a safe distance so that direct spray of steam does not burn the skin. If available, an appropriate steaming device should be used instead of pressure-cooker. After steaming for prescribed duration of time, the desired body part should be fomented by gently bathing it in the medicinal solution (left in the cooker) while the latter is cooled up to a bearable temperature. 
For Massaging (by Ayurvedic oils): Massaging of the particular body-part should always be done gently and at a slow pace. Its direction should always be towards the heart. If the guidelines and disciplines of Ayurvedic medication and preventive care are followed strictly, the patients enjoy fast recovery and natural vigor thereafter. In the succeeding issues we shall look at the therapeutic and other important aspects of Ayurveda.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma