Nutritional Spiritual

Food and Nutrition

Lifestyle and Nutrition – Ayurvedic Perspective

Dr. Priyanka Bhusari Oka B.A.M.S., PGDHM, PG Integrative Dietetics The fast-paced lifestyle of today’s urban population has led to various health conditions due to poor lifestyles and dietary choices. Ayurveda as well as Modern Medicine have described diseases that arise because of living an unhealthy, sedentary life. The onset of disorders ranging from Obesity, Insulin Resistance, High Cholesterol levels, Hypertension to Infertility, Skin diseases, etc. have become very common, especially in the young adults of the age group 30-35 years. These diseases have two main causes, poor nutritional intake, and lack of physical activity. There is a dire need for nutritional intervention to prevent and reverse such lifestyle disorders. Interestingly, Ayurveda, an age-old medical science emphasizes prevention being the best choice over therapeutic measures. Some common lifestyle disorders: Obesity Diabetes Type 2 Insulin Resistance  Cardiovascular issues Thyroid disorders Hyperacidity  Skin diseases Hair and scalp diseases Sleep disturbances  Fatty liver Ayurveda and Lifestyle Disorders Ayurveda mentions all the lifestyle disorders which are prevalent in recent times are a result of misuse of Santarpana, which is over nutrition. Overnutrition ends up increasing Kapha Dosha and as a result, increases Kleda, which vitiates the normal functioning of Dhatus especially Rasa, Rakta, Mansa, and Meda. This imbalance causes blockage in the regular functioning of the Agni and channels of microcirculation and results in Vyadhi or disease. An action plan that improves the functioning of Agni and thereby all the Dhatus and Doshas effectively reverses diseases. Ayurvedic Nutrition: Ayurveda believes that if the diet is wrong, medicines will not be useful and if the diet is perfect then there is no need for medicines. This is a strong and powerful statement that is applicable to today’s lifestyle. Poor diet and lifestyle practices are the leading cause of a plethora of diseases. Ayurveda recommends eating a balanced and nutritious meal. Meals should consist of six tastes or Shad-Rasa, namely, Madhura - Sweet Amla - Sour Lavana - Salty Katu - Hot, Spicy Tikta - bitter Kashaya - Astringent All types of foods can be categorized based on these six tastes. Each taste denotes a specific type of food group which can be corelated with modern nutrition. A holistic and integrative approach of personalizing the diet based on an individual’s age, BMI, Prakriti, digestion capacity, and current health condition is ideal. Only Ayurvedic nutrition can cater to the wholesome health of an individual. There are certain rules for eating and lifestyle mentioned in Ayurveda and following those helps in improving digestive fire known as Agni and effectively, absorption. Eat only when there is a true sense of hunger Eat only when the previous meal is digested Do not eat stale, under-cooked food Meals should always be fresh and warm. No reheating Drink water only when there is a true sense of thirst Do not lie down immediately after meals Make lunch the biggest meal of the day Do not stay up late at night unnecessarily Exercise daily as per half your capacity Ayurvedic nutrition is a customized dietary guideline that by itself acts in a therapeutic way. Including Ayurvedic nutrition along with medicinal intervention goes a long way to reverse any lifestyle disease. Even after the medicines are stopped, following this sustainable dietary practice becomes a part of the lifestyle. Read More► Monsoon Diet And Precautions For Pregnant Women
Ayurveda News

Utilization of Ancient Knowledge of Ayurveda to Meet Nutritional Requirements

  The application of ancient knowledge of Ayurveda is effective to meet the nutritional requirements as evidenced by various research studies. Ayurveda has a vivid knowledge on various aspects of health and nutrition. Ayurveda lays great emphasis on ensuring holistic nutrition. Health-promoting regime (Pathyavyavastha) is a major salient feature of Ayurvedic therapeutics. Various dietary guidelines specific to individuals are prescribed along with the drugs and therapies for restoration of health. The major steps being taken by the Government to effectively utilize the ancient knowledge pertaining to the use of Ayurveda to meet nutritional requirement of the nation are as under: (i) Brought out a publication “Nutrition Advocacy In Ayurveda and a Pictorial Guide for Awareness About Ayurveda Based Nutritional Principals and benefits.” (ii) Celebrated 6th Ayurveda day in 2021 on the theme “Ayurveda for Poshan” and also      released a short film on “You’re What You Eat- Ayurveda for Poshan”. (iii)  Ministry of Ayush is working closely with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) to promote AYUSH based diet and lifestyle and to achieve the ultimate goal of well nourished India. (iv)Ministry of Ayush has launched a composite nutritional guideline as “Ayush Dietary Advisory for Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” to improve nutritional outcomes in children, pregnant women and lactating mothers with Ayush practices and principles. This guideline has been endorsed by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD). (v) Ministry of Ayush has signed an MoU with Ministry of Women and Child Development on 20.09.2020 to work together on the objective of creating a joint framework for providing holistic nutritional care for women and children. (vi) Ministry of Ayush has participated in the Poshan Maah and Poshan Pakhwada celebration organized by the Ministry of Women and Child Development through the National Institutes/Research Councils under the Ministry and Ayush Departments of all the State/UT Ayush Departments. (vii) The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, an autonomous body under control of Ministry of Ayush has also taken a number of steps regarding use of Ayurveda to meet the nutritional requirement of the nation. The Council has organized “Poshan Maah” in the month of September, 2021 through its 25 Clinical Institutes to promote “Ayush Aahar” in the country. The Council has also developed certain research based formulations to be used as Nutrition Supplement. Further, the Council has undertaken research studies for validation of Ayurveda formulations for the management of Iron Deficiency Anemia. This information was given by Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today. Read More► NMPB and CSIR-CIMAP Lucknow Signed MoU to promote the production of Medicinal Plants  
CoronaVirus Updates

Nutritional crisis during Covid to

Jaipur, Aug 4 (IANS) Addressing a webinar on ‘Fighting nutrition crisis in India during Covid-19, especially for women and children in India', several experts on Wednesday raised concern over the adverse effects of the pandemic which are affecting millions of children and women due to lack of intake of quality food and micronutrients.Speaking on the occasion, Sudhir Bhandari, Principal, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, said, "India initially faced physical challenges during Covid-19. However, over time, we realised how nutrition affected the lives of many. Around 9.3 million children would be affected by 2022 out of which 20-25 per cent might suffer due to stunted growth. "Children experiencing under-nutrition are more likely to suffer from pandemic complications as it may cause more sickness and mortality due to Covid-19 and other infectious and inflammatory diseases, including pneumonia.""In countries with the 1st and 2nd waves of Covid-19, obesity and non-communicable diseases have been associated with the more severe outcome of the virus. Covid-19 has had a severe effect on maternal and young children's nutritional status. We must strengthen the food security and functioning of the food supply chain to the population."Bhandari added that last year, almost 58 million children between the age group of 6 months and 23 months did not develop the right eating habits.D.K. Mangal, advisor, SD Gupta School of Public Health at IIHMR University, said, "India bears a disproportionate burden of malnutrition. Response to the pandemic has disrupted routine nutrition programmes such as the ICDS and the Mid-Day Meal programme. This has adversely affected the nutrition status of millions of children and women." The webinar was organised by the NGO Saksham Sanchar. --IANSarc/arm
Yoga and Fitness

12 Yoga Poses That Do Wonders to Your Skin Naturally

In our day-to-day beauty regime, psychological peace and spiritual balance play a relevant role. We never think but most of our skin problems are due to various imbalances in our body fluids, blood circulation, no exercise, and stress too. Apart from its innumerable health benefits, Yoga also helps to beautify skin. Practicing yoga daily is beneficial and helps eliminate toxins from your body through sweating, breath-workout, and poses that detoxify the body and increase blood circulation, points out cosmetic surgeon Dr. Geeta Grewal. Here are a few yoga asanas that can help to provide you a firm face and glowing skin:   Increase blood flows to your face Standing forward bend and let your head free or uttanasana and viprita karani. These poses help the blood to rush to your head, reverses the aging effect, and giving your cells a rejuvenating boost of oxygen.   Eliminate wrinkles Yoga also makes your skin tighter and smoother, as you work with muscles of the forehead and around your eyes that helps to erase the effects when you performed. When you practice facial yoga like the lion, the V, and smiling faces, it helps to reduce your forehead wrinkles by increasing circulation, relaxing muscles, and reducing stress.   Glowing skin The downward-facing Mudras like Marichyasana, Dhanurasana, and halasana, reduce dullness and clear the acne, disseminating that amazing young-looking glow and improve your complexion drastically.   Reduce facial fat At one point in time, you will stop liking the chubbiness of your cheeks and facial fat. Yoga pose for cheeks, lips, and jaw can help you to tighten your skin and reduce your facial fat. The cheeks workouts are the easiest workout that you can do anywhere anytime to tone and firm your facial muscles, cheeks, and lips. Some of them are the V, smiling, etc.   Exterminate double chin Yoga poses like chin lift, rolling the neck, lip pull, jaw release, platsyma tone help to get a chiseled jawline and high cheekbone which are in the trend that defines the face.   Get rid of pimples Yoga increases blood flow, removes toxins, and captures free radicals that help you to get rid of pimples. Pimples mainly caused due to stress and hormonal changes. Thus, yoga helps to balance hormones, relax your body, and relieves stress. Various yoga poses like uttanasana, trikonasana, kapalbhati, viparita karani, pavan muktasana can help you fight pimples.   Free from acne and scars Acne and scars are very common these days; seven out of 10 people are facing the problem of scars and acne. This causes mainly due to poor digestion, imbalance hormones, toxication in the liver and kidney, and improper blood circulation. Pranayam breathing, rabbit pose, child pose, spinal twists, adequate sleep help you to get rid of scars and acne.   Remove dark circles The natural way to zap those dark circles away is yoga like hastpadotasan, sambhavi mudras, and Surya namaskar.   Faster Hair Growth Yoga is also highly capable of treating all types of hair and scalp problems. If you have been suffering from the problem of hair loss, you can try various yoga poses for actual results. Some of the best poses of yoga for hair growth that also help to prevent hair loss are Vajrasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Sarvangasan, and Balyam Yoga. (Agency
Nirog Health Tips

5 Misconceptions About Nutritional Foods That Can Ruin Your Health

An unhealthy diet and a shortage of physical activities are leading global risks to health. When it focuses on healthy eating, discovering the correct nutritional foods and products has become a task. With apart people demanding discontiguous things and various shifts in scientific researches, it has become all the more arduous to choose what’s best for us. However, what might come as an higher shock to a lot of people in the matter of fact that most of what you’ve been learned about nutrition up until now is - to a great limit - false and wrong. Therefore, to help you deal with the truth behind such lies and hoaxes, there are five misconceptions about nutritional foods that can ruin your health. Carbs Are Bad For You For many years, carbs have been delated for health problems and weight gain issues. However, the truth of it all is that carbs are the essential root of energy for our bodies. Without them, your body will start breaking down proteins in the muscles to obtain glycogen. Somewhat carbs also mean less amount of fiber in the body which can indicate digestive issues and costiveness.   Eating Fats Can Make You Fat According to a majority of people, a low-fat diet or fat-free diet is the requisite route to weight loss. However, it is a fiction that has been twisted and has its own defects. Having lesser fat products is useful, but to lead a healthy lifestyle, one must have fat in their diet. For example, healthy monosaturated fats are crucial as they help in attracting vital nutrients such as carotenoids.   Vegetable Oils Are Healthy Many have trust that vegetable oils are healthier than ghee and butter. Well, some vegetable oils - like rapeseed oil or olive oil - are best for you, however, others like the canola, corn, and soybean oil found in the majority of procedure foods, are high in Omega-6 fatty acids that reason of swelling. While scientific research has proved that polyunsaturated fats less your risk of heart disorder, it is crucial to understand the many types of polyunsaturated fats - mainly omega-3s and omega-6s.   Gluten-Free Products Will Help You Lose Weight Well, if you’re one of those who trust that gluten-free products will help you lose weight, then think one more time. If you have a celiac disorder or a sensibility to gluten then eating gluten-free products is important. However, if you’re eating it just because you think it will strengthen your weight loss procedure, then it’s totally wrong, as there is normally no proof of such health benefits.   Eggs Increase Your Cholesterol Eggs surely loaded with cholesterol, however, there have been no links so far to join eggs with high blood cholesterol or cardiovascular disorder in healthy people. Therefore, eating foods that sublimate in cholesterol doesn’t enhance cholesterol for most people. Instead, eggs factually help in supplying other nutrients to the body and also helps detract weight.
Nirog Health Tips

Holy Tulsi's Benefits for Immunity,

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) is one of the oldest aromatic herbs of the family Lamiaceae. It is popularly known as "holy basil or sacred basil" and is present in almost every household in the Indian sub-continent due to its medicinal, nutritional, and spiritual properties. Tulsi, It is also known as "the incomparable one, mother of natural medicine and the queen of herbs" to increase the body's resistance, has risen in the global pandemic corona period.  Ayurvedacharya Narendra Ayath of AYUSH Hospital and Research Center informed us that Tulsi is the slope of many illnesses. It plays an important task in keeping our immune system strong. The leaves and flowers contain good nutritional sources of vitamin C, calcium, zinc, and iron as well as citric tartaric and malic acid which maintain our body healthy. Hindus use the seeds or wood of tulsi to make a rosary, which are used beads on strings to help in focusing of mind, meditation, chanting a devotional practice that connects the spirit, body, and mind. This review focuses on the beneficial effects such as the nutritional, spiritual, and medicinal competence of tulsi. Ayurvedic companies use it to make medicines. Ayurvedacharya Narendra Ayath told that tulsi is contemplated an illness-dissipating herb in the age group. It would be no wonder if we can say it ‘one medicine’ for a hundred diseases. This leaves and black pepper elixation proved to be a panacea for espousing a cold sore throat and cold. At the same time, preparing and using the elixation of people during the stopover of coronavirus has been very useful in magnify immunity. He told that in old age, it has been called the queen of perishable herbs. 'Tulsi Panchag (juice) is 90% alkaline (scientific) from the scientific point of view. It forms white blood cells (WBCs) for immunity, which we call immunity or resistivity. He told that in old age, it has been called the queen of perishable herbs. 'Tulsi Panchag (juice) is 90% alkaline (scientific) from the scientific point of view. It forms white blood cells (WBCs) for immunity, which we call immunity or resistivity. He told that when the body becomes saltier,  then the creation of the WBC is reduced,  which known as the mother of all diseases. He said that it implants volatile oil, essential oil. Which has antifungal, antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Which reshuffles the toxicity of all metals in the body and enhances the metabolism of the body. If Tulsi tea is consumed, it reduces the chances of getting cancer, because tulsi control the fractious cells that give rise to cancer to grow and divide and protects the body from cancer. Tulsi is used in Ayurveda. All properties including its stem, leaves, roots are helpful. Tulsi is rich in minerals and vitamins. It is beneficial in all diseases. Along with boosting immunity, it helps in repelling, colic, vata dosha, digestive power, phlegm, fever, and bacterial infection. It helps ease the problem of breathing. Ayurvedacharya says that people whose immunity system is weak are more at risk of the corona. In such a situation, it is important to have a strong immunity system. There are many ways to have a strong immunity system, but it can be extended in a natural way. The decoction is the best option to increase immunity in a natural way. A decoction of black pepper and tulsi will strengthen immunity and the body will be capable to fight corona. Shri Narendra Nath said that it cures fever, cold, breathing disease. It helps the kidneys healthy. The bright volatile oil is found in its leaves, which is very powerful against bacteria and insects. Tulsi is also called Sanjeevani Booti. Its important role is to keep the immune system strong. He said that it also helps with depression and stress. The use of traditional tulsi relieves the problem of conjunctivitis. Its use is beneficial during any type of immunity disease. Choose to use tulsi from now and involve it in your daily routine! It has a superfluity of health benefits and makes your immune more strong and healthy.