Health Tips : Pujya Gurudev

Your Health: Guidelines from Ayurved

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

In case of Jaundice: Use of oil, ghee and other fatty substances and yellow colored eatables is prohibited for those suffering from this liver ailment. Even milk is restricted, so are rice, chilly and other spices. Chapatis of barley, wheat, fresh butter-milk, curd, boiled vegetables like green gourd, ridged gourd, boiled lentil of green gram with substantial water and similar light, oil-free food-items constitute healthy food in this case. 

In case of Hypothyroidism: It is caused due to deficiency of thyroxin hormone. The foods suitable for generally good health are also recommended here. Sour substances including raw mango (dried or fresh), curd, lemon, tomato, pickles, tart or acidic fruits etc should not be eaten. Cauliflower and artificially ripened fruits should be avoided. Naturally ripened (on the tree) sweet fruits like mango, papaya may be eaten. Iodine-rich fruits, vegetables are beneficial. Chapati prepared from mixed flour of wheat, gram and soya-bean is good. Kachanara (mountain ebony) is considered as most effective natural remedy against this hormonal disorder. Those suffering from hypothyroidism should keep a small, cleaned piece of the bark-skin of the kachanar tree in the mouth and suck it as long as possible every day. 

In case of Obesity: Overweight of the body is the root cause of many other diseases and disorders. Strict diet restraints should be followed in general. In particular, use of sweet, fried and fatty substances should be stopped. Light, but nutritious food (as described under generally good category) devoid of sweets and fats should be taken with large proportions of green leafy vegetables, fibers, etc; balanced amounts of cream-free cow-milk may also be taken. Drinking lukewarm water in the morning, physical exercises (especially morning and evening walk) and taking medicines as per the doctors advice help in getting rid of obesity in general. 

What should be always avoided by everyone desirous of a naturally healthy life?Tea, coffee, cold-drinks, ice-creams, tobacco, gutaka, paanmasala, wine (liquor/alcohol), synthetic food and confectionery, fruits that are ripened artificially (e.g. using carbide). Ayurveda also warns against eating food-items preserved under cold storage and eggs, meat, breads prepared from maida (fine white wheat flour), etc. 

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Health Tips : Pujya Gurudev

Your Health: Guidelines from Ayurved

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

In case of Diabetes: Eating thin chapatis of wheat flour mixed with soya bean and gram flours along with vegetables like bitter gourd, soya bean and blackberry seeds are supposed to be beneficial for the patients having this disease in acute state. They should also eat few leafs of margosa (neem) or drink its juice. Blackberry is also the best fruit for them. If the blood sugar level is not so high, they may also eat guava, apple, sweet lime, pomegranate and Indian papaya. The diabetic patients should refrain from eating sweet substances (including fruits like ripened banana, mango etc), rice, potato and other carbohydrates. 

In case of Piles: The items listed as edible for generally good health would suit the patients of piles. Extra care should be taken not to have chilly or spicy and deep- fried eatables. Raw mangos, brinjal etc should also be avoided. They should also pay attention to eat well before sleep and have substantial water throughout the day. This would minimize the chances of constipation as well. 
In case of Cardiac Diseases: In this case also, the easily digestible, light food as listed under the generally good category is suitable; the proportion of fresh green vegetables, fibers and sprouts should be more. Intake of salt and fatty substances should be minimized. Apple, papaya and juices of orange, sweet lime and other fruits are also supposed to be good for those suffering from heart related problems. Cows milk without cream is very good; small quantity of Isapgol (an Ayruvedic medicine) may be taken mixed in milk occasionally. Drinking the powder of the herb Arjun chhala (bark skin of the Arjun tree; Terminalia arjuna Bedd) boiled in milk is a useful remedy as well as a preventive medicine against blood pressure related problems. (Countinue)

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Health Tips : Pujya Gurudev

Health Tips :

Your Health: Guidelines from Ayurved

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Prevention and Cure by Diet Restraints : Ayurvedic treatment emphasizes more on fasting and diet restraint rather than on consuming medicines to fight out the diseases. Ayurveda asserts that half the disease is cured simply by appropriate diet control. As the principles of diagnostics and therapeutics under Ayurveda are based on the identification of the level of tridoshas vata, pitta and kapha, so are the disciplines of fasting and diet. Let us first look at the recommended diet for the maintenance of generally good health. Followed by this are some common guidelines for major classes of diseases and disorders due to the three doshas. 

What is generally recommended as good or edible? Wheat among the cereals, green kidney-bean pulse (green-gram) among the pulses, and vegetables like green gourd, raw papaya, pointed gourd, round gourd, ridged gourd, bitter gourd, cabbage, spinach, carrot, green fenugreek, sprouted beans, etc cooked with some ginger and / or a little quantity of green chilly, etc are most commonly recommended for people of all age groups. Except for variations in the mode of preparations, these are also suitable as food ingredients for patients as well. Cow-milk and ghee of cow-milks butter, are regarded the best for maintenance of vigorous health.

In case of non-availability of cows milk, it could be replaced by buffalos milk. The generally recommended fruits are naturally ripened apples, papaya, chikku, pomegranate, guava, sweet lime, blackberry, pears, etc. Those in the category of dry fruits are cashew nut, chestnut, dates, figs, small and big resins, chilgoza (pine-tree fruit), dry dates, and fox-nut. 

The lists of edibles and non-edibles in different classes of diseases are as follows. 

The diseases caused by excess of vata dosha: The diseases under this category include gastro problems, arthritis, rheumatism, joint-pains, spondylitis, etc. Vegetables like flower of silk cotton or kidney-bean, flowers and fresh beans of drumsticks, green fenugreeks, cabbage and pointed gourd, prepared in steam with a little amount of ginger, garlic and aniseed are supposed to be excellent in reducing the vata dosha. Avoid taking black gram (horse bean), red gram (masura), dry grams and beans such as chana (black gram), rajama (red kidney bean), rice, cauliflower, potato, green peas, cucumber, tomato, lemon, orange, grapes, and carbide ripened fruits which are usually mango, banana, papaya, etc.

Sour substances like curd, butter-milk, pickles should also be avoided. The patients having bone related ailments due to vata, should not bathe with cold water. Fomentation of the swollen parts of the body (e.g. near the joints), using salt in hot water, helps allaying the pains. 

The diseases caused by excess of pitta dosha: Acidity and related ailments of the digestive system, some kinds of blood related diseases, chronic fever etc, are common manifestation of the disorders due to pitta dosha. Light diets of the eatables listed for generally good health are also beneficial here. Thin chapatis of whole wheat, daliya (meal prepared from coarse wheat-flour), easily digestible boiled vegetables, and oil-free watery pulses prepared from green gram, etc are supposed to be good in reducing the pitta dosha. Coconut water, cold diluted milk, big resin or figs soaked in milk are excellent supplements. While coconut water is good, its cream (core) is harmful in the pitta diseases; so are vegetables like brinjal, green and red chilies and deep fried, oily and spicy eatables. These should be strictly avoided. Use of green chilly, garlic and ginger should also be stopped or kept to a minimum as per the Ayurvedic doctors advice. 

The diseases caused by excess of kapha dosha: Cough, cold, asthma, and other ailments of the respiratory, chest and throat-nose-ear system, etc fall under this category of diseases and disorders. Warm and fresh food prepared using the items listed in common category of edibles is suitable here. Drinking warm milk, which is boiled with small quantities of turmeric and dry-ginger (sauntha) or dates, big resins, dry dates, etc is good antidote for the kapha dosha. Black pepper is also a good remedy; if possible one may just keep one or two of its seeds in the mouth or some pieces of harada (chabulic myrobalans). However, care should be taken that these two things are not suitable in case the patient also has problems of piles or acidity. Chapati prepared from mixed flour of wheat and roasted gram (chana) with bathua saga (vegetable prepared from leafs of white goose - foot plant) is also beneficial. The non-edibles listed for vata problems are usually harmful in case of kapha dosha as well. Butter, oil, ghee and other fatty substances should also be avoided. Mustard or sesamum oil in small quantities could be used for preparing the vegetables. 

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Environment- II, Pujya Gurudev

The Need of Refined Environment

=Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Lord Krishna choose this very place for the war, because he had a doubt that Arjun, being very sentimental, might refuse to fight with his own kith and kin. Similar incident is narrated about Shravan Kumar. When he was taking his parents in a Kanwar on a holy pilgrimage, he came to a place where he not only threw down the Kanwar but also abused his parents. After crossing that region, he felt deeply remorseful for his unbecoming behaviour. His father consoled him and told him that it was none of his fault. 

That place once belonged to a demon - Maya, who imprisoned his parents and then killed them there. It is a fact that the land too has its subtle vibrations and they can be felt by visiting sacred tanks, temples or graveyards. The soil of Kullu is famous for apples. Such apples cannot be grown elsewhere even by providing best manure, water and conditioning. The oranges of Nagpur and the bananas of Bhusaval are not available elsewhere. Whereas Muzaffarpur is famous for lychees, Lucknow is famous for muskmelon.

The tasty mangoes that are grown in Malihabad and Banaras, are rarely found elsewhere. Sandalwood trees grown in the forests of Mysore have their own special fragrance. A vast difference in the quality of grains is observed due to the variation of environment. The wheat of Punjab is much better as compared to the wheat grown in other parts of India. Cows, giving milk, can be found in the entire country; but there is no match for the cows of Haryana. It is the Azerbaijan region of Russia that is famous for centenarians. Death before 100 years there is considered untimely. 

These are all the effects and qualities of environment. One cannot remain unaffected by them. The same principle applies to the vegetation. The herbs are the same, but when they are grown in different regions, their qualities vary. A significant difference is observed in the properties of Brahmi (a medicinal herb) grown on the bank of the Ganga in the Himalayan region and that grown on the banks of rivers in the plains. The same rule applies to other herbs too. According to the regional peculiarites, the difference is found not only in the human configuration but also in the behaviour. Although, a human being is free and, in principle, he is fully capable of transforming all the traditional pressures with his own will power; but on the practical plain, it has been observed that the regional environment goes on moulding the residents. In spite of giving recognition to originality of a person, it has to be accepted that the majority of the people in society does not live thoughtfully but it lives under the influence of environment.

 The castes and families too have their own peculiarties. The religiousness in Brahmans, bravery in Kshatriyas, economic shrewdness in Vaishyas, artistic skills in sculptors, etc. are more pronounced as compared to others. Some tribes have the habit of theft and pilferage as their inherent traits. Some classes are notorious for cowardice and foolishness. When we search for the causes of these behavioural differences, only one prominent cause that is encountered is that when a person lives in a particular societal environment, he develops the virtues or the vices accordingly.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Environment = Pujya Gurudev

The Need of Refined Environment

=Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya

A sadhak (devotee) should be considered fortunate, if he gets an opportunity to do sadhana under the shade of Himalayas, in the lap of Ganga, in a devotion-filled environment and under powerful protection and guidance. The paramount importance of Sadhana & Upasana is repeatedly stressed in the Indian Philosophy and the scriptures of Yoga. In spite of this, it has been observed that sometimes people following all the prescribed rules and rituals do not get the benefits of Sadhana & Upasana, which have been mentioned in the scriptures. This is due to the negative effects of the environment.

It is true that some Siddha ascetics change the environment with their will power and Tapa Sadhana (penance). But it is also true that the effect of environment is quite significant in the development of human beings. 

As Sadhana & Upasana is related to one's traits and each environment has its own good or bad aspects, the quality of place and environment becomes all the more important for higher level Sadhanas. Many positive and negative examples illustrating the forceful effects of environment may be found in history as well as in daily life.

There is a famous story of Mahabharat. In order to select the place for the great war between Kaurvas and Pandavas, Lord Krishna appointed a special adept in the subject. He searched for a suitable battle-field around Hastinapur which had strong vibrations of fratricidal conflict. Upon returning he narrated one incident in which he saw two real brothers fighting in Kurukshetra.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Longevity = Pujya Gurudev

The Secret of Longevity

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Normally, only a few people are blessed with long healthy life. But at some places, it has been found that the average life span of the residents is 85-100 years! This is one such mystery of Nature. Let us see the facts and figures regarding this riddle. The Secret of Longevity In Italy, on top of the mountain range between Sienna and Naples, there is a village named Campodimele. The natural beauty of this village is scenic, heavenly and marvelous. In Europe, this village is also known as "Forever Young" village. All the inhabitants of this village have seen minimum of 85 spring seasons. To unveil the mystery behind the long life of these villagers, a group of European psychologists went to Campodimele and did research on them. They found that the villagers live a peaceful and tension free life. Their eating habits are vegetarian and controlled. 

Their diet is mandated by fresh fruits, green vegetables, milk, sprouts and boiled cereals. They take rest for a while after lunch. Traditionally, they sleep by the dusk and wake up quite early in the morning. They spend their life in the proximity of Mother Nature. Natures similar gift has been given to the people of Symi island of Greece. The average age of the people here is 90 years. All inhabitants use tomato, vegetables and salad in good quantity. Normally they eat raw or less cooked vegetables. Either due to the diet or natures unique gift, these people are found working very hard even at the age of 80-90. Hard work, honesty and goodwill are the foundations of this society. Their family life is bonded with strong threads of mutual love and caring with cooperative and generous nature.

Their way of celebrating festivals is remarkable. They celebrate them with full gusto and enthusiasm. Inhabitants of this island live tension-free and happy life with their families. In the East China Sea, there is a group of 161 islands. 

This island group is known as Okinawa Archipelago. This island is also blessed with people who live long. It has been found that the vegetables like sweet potato, leafy vegetables, and cereals are part of their daily diet. Soya bean also forms an essential part of their diet. According to the physiologists, all these elements contain antioxidants, which stop the harmful effects of aging and growth of cancerous free radical cells. 

The topmost specialty of their food is that it contains minimal salt. It is a known fact that salt increases blood pressure. Hence these people don't have blood pressure and heart related diseases. Even at the age of 80, they can easily do farming. They are very fond of exercises. These include gardening, walking, folk dance and ancient marshal arts. Inhabitants of Okinawa give much importance to meditation. They successfully try to resolve all their problems through meditation.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma

Self-Expression = Pujya Gurudev

Self-Expression Should Be Effective

=Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya

“Ashvina saraghena ma madhunankta subhaspati Yatha varchasvatim vacham avadani janan anu”. - Atharvaveda 9/1/19 O

the gods of light, Ashvini Devas! Endow me with the honey made by honeybees, so that I may speak to the people in a sweet and illuminating tongue. Speech is the chief medium of expression. It reveals the inherent qualities of the personality. Behavioural skill, talent, and inner strengths - all find expression through it. But on the obverse side, the blemishes and weaknesses are also mirrored. For the wise, even a short conversation is sufficient to assess the general qualitative level of a person.

It does not take long for the pettiness of the petty and the goodness of the good to come out through this medium. But although the chief medium, speech is not the only one; there are other agencies too, namely, facial expressions, eye expressions, modes of sitting and standing, gestures, and so on. They are all voices of the personality which many times are able to communicate it fully even if the tongue is silent. 

The buoyancy of self-esteem, the gleam of self-confidence, the listlessness of self-contempt and the hesitations of latent complexes - all these feelings and emotions reveal themselves this way. This expression of self is not an entirely unconscious or involuntary action. It can be improved and refined by the use of will power and by proper training. But for this, we will have to understand and evaluate ourselves afresh, watch our conduct, and resolve to root out the bad habits, which have crept into our characters. Are we ready for this? Ask this question of yourself repeatedly. If the answer is in the affirmative, you can definitely express yourself so effectively as to impress and even overwhelm those whom you meet.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma