Health Tips -2 ; Pujya Gurudev

Pujya Gurudev Pt. ShriRam Sharma Acharya’s Kripa :

Health Tips - Your Health: Guidelines from Ayurveda - IX 

(Akhand Jyoti, Nov.Dec.2004)

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. 

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. 

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. 

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma