According to the ethics of Ayurveda, a Vaidya(Ayurveda physician) should not charge for medical advice but only for medicines. I personally believe that no sick person should be forced to pay for medical advice. If you opt for free consultation, please go through the following steps –
REMOVE THE CAUSE
According to Ayurveda, without removing the root cause of the diseases, you can never reach a permanent cure. Most of the time wrong diet, lifestyle habits and stress is the cause.
Here are some steps that can help you to remove most of the root causes. I request you to implement the advice given in the free resource as a first step towards Ayurvedic treatment. More than 80% of your health problems will disappear once the recommended Ayurvedic daily and seasonal routine is already in place.
In some places, I have recommended fruits, ghee and organic food. However, even if you are not able to afford them, it is perfectly fine. Please practice mindful eating in whatever you eat, because energy that comes from vigyanamaya kosha (seat of wisdom) or anandamaya kosha (seat of bliss) is what keeps us alive and you can be healthy without any fancy food.
In fact, not eating can make you healthier. Fasting has most amazing benefits, including cancer prevention.
Correct The Diet
Try to eat only when hungry, unless you are very weak, or thin. This is a crucial advice for patients of all lifestyle disorders like diabetes, hypertension etc. For detailed explanation –
Go dinnerless (on the days when you are not fasting). This method works miracles in all kinds of Kapha related disorders like rhinitis, common cold, cough, sinusitis, tonsilitis etc. I personally practice this and it has helped me improve my health
Ayurvedic treatment is not same for all people with same disease. For example, different variety of cloth absorbs different amount of the same dye and produce different shades of the same colour. In the same way, same treatment will have different effects on diffeeren individuals. This is the reason why Ayurveda treatment is always personalized.
Ayurveda treatment is based on following factors. Even if
you are looking for some home remedies, you should first consider the following
points. Otherwise, there is only the luck factor that can help you get cured by
a home remedy.
Prakrati
The first factor is prakrati. Prakrati is the body type that
is distinct for each and every individual. Based on the 3 dosha, you can
broadly have 3 tpyes of body types or prakrati – vata dominant, pitta dominant
or kapha dominant. There are combination prakrati types as well. however that level
of information is better applied by a qualified ayurvedic physician only.
There are many online tests for finding out your prakrati.
Once you know your prakrati, you will have a fair idea what you have to treat!
Type of disorder
As mentioned in the earlier blog, you can find the type of
aruchi you have , depending on the kind of symptoms that you exhibit. There can
a confusing combination of symptoms sometimes. In that case, it is better to
consult a qualified Ayurveda physician.
Physical strength
This is an important factor because it shows the length of lease that you have to experiment with the herbal remedies. If you are very healthy and otherwise physically strong, you can try the following herbal remedies. However, if you have a chronic anorexia , with a very weak body, it is time for you to visit hospital.
Ayurvedic remedies for aruchi
Having said all this, now we present you some of the most
easily implementable and classical Ayurvedic remedies that can be safely
practiced at home.
Mental plane
According to Ayurveda, mind is the harbor for all kinds of disorders. It is esp. important to target mental state in case of aruchi. A person suffering from anorexia must ensure peaceful and cheerful environment around him. He should try to get rid of stress, anxiety, fear and any other negative emotions that he might be suffering from.
Psychotherapy and individual counselling also can be very helpful in elimination of anorexia. In fact, there is enough evidence to believe that many people suffering from severe aruchi can be treated solely by effective psychotherapy.
Force feeding or compelling patient to eat something by being angry with him, shouting at him or scaring him will have severely debilitating effects in future. This is a condition very commonly seen in young children. Children force-fed in their early years have a huge tendency to develop bhaktadvesha (aversion to food) in their later years.
Physical plane
Shodhana chikitsa or detox treatment is the best option to initiate Ayurvedic treatment for aruchi. Now shodhana chikitsa or Ayurvedic detox treatment normally implies complicated and time taking procedures like panchkarma.
Fasting
The simplest method of detox in Ayurveda is fasting. Fasting
helps to release the alimentary canal ,from the daily work-load of digestion
for some time. This break helps the body to repair and rejuvenate the digestive
system. In this time, the digestive system might be able to clear the excess
mucus (as in the case of kaphaj aruchi), or pacify inflammation in the body (in
pittaj aruchi) or relieve pain in the body (as in the case of vataj aruchi).
Fasting is a method that does not require anything. It is also the safest of all detox methods. In case of aruchi, there can be different kinds of fasting according to the body type, body strength and intensity of the disorder. Now vataj (vata dominated) aruchi can severely aggravate if hunger is curbed forcefully. In fact fasting should be done only till the extent it is able to stimulate natural hunger and desire to eat something, and not cause any side effects.
With the help of simple no food fasting, this aim can be
achieved very easily in the case of temporary aruchi. However, in more
complicated forms of aruchi, it can be dangerous to rely only on fasting. It is
required to consult a qualified Ayurveda physician for advice in such cases.
Water Detox
Water detox is another very fast, easily available and safe
method of detox for aruchi. Both fasting and the water detox can be clubbed
together to achieve the desired results in a short time. Fasting will relax the
digestive system and water will be able to rapidly facilitate the flushing away
of the undesirable material from the alimentary canal.
It is important to note that water should be used in
different ways for diferent kinds of aruchi. For vataj aruchi, water boiled
with guduchi and saunth will be very beneficial. For pittaj aruchi, a
combnation of green cardamom and turmeric boiled in water, will work wonders.
For kaphaj aruchi, warm water consumed with a pinch of back salt will help to
take apart the sticky phlegm, stuck in different channels of the alimentary
canal.
Once the digestive channel is free from toxins and
impurities (ama), it becomes easier to cure aruchi. Sometimes aruchi gets cured
naturally if the overall system is given a holiday by fasting.
Oral Cleansing
Mouth pulling with medicated herbal decoctions or oils
(example – Irimedadi oil) can be very helpful. Sometimes aruchi is induced by
the excess mucus in the sinus or cavities in the mouth. If the mouth feels free
of excess layer of mucus, we have cleared the first step of aruchi.
Proper tongue cleaning by the use of a metal strip is considered to be very beneficial. Mucus layer deposited on top of the tongue reduce the efficiency of the taste buds and destroys the taste stimulation. When the mouth, tongue and eso-phyreageal cavity is clean, patients experience significant relief in almost 30-40% cases of aruchi.
Digestives as Food
After initial fasting, the patient is given appetizers and
different types digestive foods to remove the effect of ama (undigested toxic
food in the alimentary canal) from the body. These digestives provide immediate
energy to the body starved during fasting. They also help the boost the rate of
metabolism, which in turns help to stimulate the hunger.
These digestives are esp in the way that they are extremely
light to digest. They do not burden a tired digestive system. Instead they act
like ghee in the fire. Some of the simple digestives that can be used in aruchi
are given below with recipes. They can be made easily at home.
Mukhshodahna Leh ( mouth cleansing sauce)
Roasted white jeera (cumin) : 50 gm
Ginger powder : 10 gm
Black pepper powder: 10 gm
Roasted normal cumin: 50 gm
black salt: 10 gm
Currant (kishmish): 50 gm
Mint leaves: 5-6 leaves
Long pepper: 10 gm
Tamarind juice : 10 ml
Take all the ingredient in the given amount and grind them
to a fine paste. Add 100 gm ground sugar to the mixture. You change the
quantity of sugar in this preparation. You can also make small balls of this
mixture and use them as and when necessary.
This remedy is helpful for all kinds of aruchi.
Nimbu pani (Ayurvedic lemonade)
Take a glassfull of water and add 1 tsp of sugar and 5-6
drops of fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch each of powdered clove and black
pepper. Stir the liquid till all the ingredients are well dissolved.
This remedy is esp. very helpful in kaphaj aruchi. It also
works well in vataj aruchi. However, you should try to consume a preparation
that is at a normal temperature and not chilled. Chilled products can severly
aggravate vata and kapha aruchi.
You must avoid this remedy in case of pittaj aruchi, as
lemon is said to have a hot temperament. It
can aggravate pittaj symptoms like inflammation, acidity etc.
Ayurvedic Buttermilk
Take 100 gm of buttermilk derived from a desi A2 type cow.
Mix the following ingerdients, each 10 gm in weight and
grind them into a fine powder
Roasted sarso (mustard seeds)
Roasted jeera (cumin seeds)
Roasted hing (asafoetida)
Saunth (dried ginger powder)
Rock salt (saidha namak)
Add all of this mixture in the buttermilk and mix well.
This preparation is good for all kinds of aruchi. Please
make sure that you do not consume this preparation in the chilled form.
In this blog we have covered some of the basic remedies for different kinds of aruchi. These basic preparations can help you to effectively avoid and cure all kinds of aruchi or anorexia in their primary stage. However, it is best to consult your physician before implementing any of the above remedies.
Hope this information helps all the people in need. We will see you with more easy to use Ayurveda information in the next blog.
Anorexia is a common problems now-a-days esp. in young women and kids. It is as dangerous as obesity itself, only it is on the opposite side of the spectrum. In developed countries like US, Canada, France etc, anorexia is one of the main disorders in adolescent girls.
India is known more for mal-nutrition in children. But recently, the rate of anorexia has increased significantly in Indian children and adults. Let’s lt see what Ayurveda has to say about anorexia.
Anorexia is not a new disorder. It has been mentioned and amply documented in all central Ayurvedic text like Charak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, Ashtang Hridaya etc. some 5000 years ago by the name of aruchi. Anorexia is as several names and varieties according to Ayurveda. Each name has a different meaning that points at a different dimension or type of anorexia.
Aruchi/Arochaka
One of the names of anorexia is “aruchi” in Ayurveda. It is made by adding “a” suffix ((meaning – no) to the main words “ruchi” (meaning – interest). Therefore aruchi means lack of interest. This word is also used as a general Sanskrit and Hindi words. However, in Ayurveda, it denotes to having no interest to eat.
In aruchi, the person experiences hunger. However, even if
the person is hungry and there is delicious food in front of him, he feels no
interest towards the food. Now one can face mild aruchi every now and then. It
can be becuaes of over-eating or some other digestive disorder. The condition
produced due to oer-eating is temporary and gets cured naturally, if we allow a
break to the stomach. Fasting is a natural and the most effective way to
prevent aruchi.
If aruchi happens because of some other disorder, for
example fever or jaundice, it is cured as the base disorder gets cured. The
above 2 types of aruchi are not dangerous and are self-healing most of the
time.
Bhaktadvesha
However, there is a severe form of aruchi called “bhaktadvesha”. This is the
condition that resembles closely with anorexia. The terms is a made with the
union of 2 words – bhakta (feeding, food, to eat) + dvesha(hatred, disgust). In
this condition, any exposure to food can induce a feeling of disgust in the
afflicted individual.
This condition can have different manifestation in different
individuals. However, common symptom is a intense feeling of disgust when –
talked to about food
thinking about food
seeing food
touching food
smelling food
This intense feeling of disgust can also induce nausea in a person. Such is a patient is completely averse to food. Ayurveda suggest both medicinal as well as psychological treatment for such a patient.
Annanabhinandan
This term means “food not welcomed” (anna- food/grains,
anabhinandan- not welcome). Mind is primary essense that runs the body. It is
the interface between the soul and the world. Ayurveda seriously advocates to
have a happy and peaceful mind while taking a meal. The mind set in which the
food is consumed decides the effect that the food might have on the body.
This type of anorexia is defined primarily by the mental
state of an individual. This condition occurs in following conditions –
When the individual is extremely angry
When he is terribly scared
When he is extremely sad (depression)
When full of hatred
Due to some mental disorder like hallucinations, bi-polar disorder, psycosis etc.
Types of Aruchi
According to Ayurveda, there are 2 dimensions where the
diseases can take roots in the body –
physical and mental. Same goes for aruchi.
Physical Reasons
On the physical plane, aruchi can develop primarily because
of the misbalance of the 3 dosha. Dosha
are the metabolic systems of the body that govern the functioning of the
body. They are different in their properties and actions, for example vata is
cold and dry, whereas pitta is hot and clear and kapha is cold and unctuous.
They have multiple other contradictory properties which help them to balance
each other. However, when one of the dosha gets the better of the others, it
can cause imbalance in the natural system of the body and produce disorders.
In this way, aruchi can also be of 4 types
Vataj – caused by increased vata
Pittaj – caused by increased pitta
Kapha – caused by increased kapha
Sannipataja – caused by increase in all the 3 dosha
Aruchi is mostly caused by a combined imbalance of vata and
kapha. These 2 dosha are always involved, even if in small degree, in an
aruchi.
Mental Reasons
Ayurveda says that emotions, feelings and prejudices can
severely affect a person. According to Ayurveda, negative feelings like misery, fear, excessive greed, anger can
disrupt the normal physiology of the body and produce hatred towards the food.
Toddlers and little children also might face anorexia even if their body dosha are completely intact. This condition is mainly induced by the fear, anger and hatred that a child feels when fed forcefully. Therefore , force-feeding is one of the main triggers of anorexia in kids at a later age.
How to know what type of anorexia you have?
Each type of aruchi has a different defining symptom based
on its causal factors. Sometimes, you might see mixed symptoms if more than one
dosha or one causal factor is involved.
Vataj aruchi
Following are the primary symptoms of a vata induced aruchi
Persistent astringent taste in the mouth of the
patient. Astrengent taste (Kashaya rasa) is a indication of increased vata
dosha. Also this taste reduces sensation of the taste buds and dulls the
tasting process.
Sour taste in the mouth.
Pain in the chest region. This can be because of
intestinal gas or muscular spasm induced
by vata.
Pittaj aruchi
The
defining symptoms of a pittaj aruchi are –
Constant sour or bitter taste in the mouth
Oral inflammation
Burnt Foul smell
Inflammation in the chest region
Persistent thirst
Kaphaj aruchi
The most prominent features of a kaphaj aruchi are –
Either salty or sweet taste in the mouth on an
enduring basis
Excess mucus in the mouth
Foul smell
Numbness in the body parts
Heaviness in the body
Excessive slimy secretions on the skin like
sweat, sebum etc.
Pain in swallowing the food
We hope that this information helps the ones in need. In the next blog, we will focus on the dosha related treatment of aruchi based on Ayurvedic herbs and procedures.
Ritucharya 