Author Archives: AyurvedicOils

Ayurveda For Memory Loss: 3 Ways To Stimulate Your Brain Power

Posted on by

‘Wondering whether you have locked your home?’ after stepping into your office. Thinking whether you turned off the stove while you are half asleep? Made your little one wear his/her sports dress on a ‘strictly uniform’ demanding Monday morning? Trust me, then you are travelling on the not-so-smooth road of memory loss. It’s not only you but many of us suffer from memory loss. Pharmaceutical drugs can help you temporarily but very soon you may be affected by perilous side-effects. The best and the natural way to treat memory loss is by following the paths of our ancestors, who have gifted us with Ayurveda, the mother of all healing sciences.

What is memory loss? The best function of the human brain is the power of recollecting and retaining information and that is known as memory power. This is assisted by neurotransmitters or brain chemicals, the imbalance of which causes memory problems. Memory loss is the loss of ability to remember things or events that may be recent or from memories of the past or both together. It is also known as amnesia, loss of memory, forgetfulness, amnestic syndrome and impaired memory. Loss of memory can be permanent or transient depending upon an individual and his environment.

What causes loss of memory? Thousands of reasons could be attributed to this unusual forgetfulness but the predominant ones being aging, stress, depression and other psychological disorders. Few other causes of memory loss are alcoholism, drug addiction, weakened immunity, brain disorders, exposure to chemical or toxic substances, lack of nutrition or imbalanced diet, genetics, accidents or other traumatic disorders, cancer treatments like chemotherapy and brain radiation and certain other nervous disorders.

Ayurveda and memory loss: The Sanskrit term for memory loss in Ayurveda is Smriti Naasha. It generally occurs due to vitiation of vata dosha or kapha dosha. Increased vata can end up in “in one ear, out the other” syndrome. Balanced vata is imperative for all the functions vested with the nervous system, whereas pitta balance is responsible for sharp mind, focused thinking and clarity of mind. Balance in kapha dosha fosters movement and carries the information to the brain through nerve impulses and helps to save it on the brain tissue. The 3 trusted Ayurvedic remedies for treating loss of memory and enhancing brain power are:

Ayurvedic essential oils: Essential oils are natural extracts from plants. The immemorial essential oil to treat memory loss is Rosemary essential oil as it is said to have a positive effect on the cognitive function and boosts brain power. This is why the celebrated English Herbalist Nicholas Culpeper rightly said that Rosemary “Helps a weak memory and quickens the senses. The chymical [essential] oil drawn from the leaves and flowers, is a sovereign help…touch the temples and nostrils with two or three drops.”  This essential oil is also proved to sharpen the mental faculties while improving the cognitive performance.

Calamus essential oil contains terpenoids with sedative effect, trusted to empower the nervous system. Famous Botanist M. Daniel from the M.S. University strongly says that Calamus is effective in treating mental disorders, memory loss and augments memory power and intellect. The other effective essential oils for enhancing memory power are Basil essential oil, Thyme essential oil, Clary Sage essential oil, Roman Chamomile essential oil, Ginger essential oil, Lemon essential oil and Grapefruit essential oil.

Ayurvedic herbs: Intake of Ayurvedic herbs like Brahmi, Gotu Kola, Acorus Calamus, Ashwagandha, Celastrus paniculata, Nardostachys, Convolvus Pluricaulis and few other herbs have been proven effective in treating memory loss problems. Brahmi is known as an excellent brain and nerve tonic that is used to perk up the intellect, support learning and treat memory disorders and cognitive impairment. The famous ‘Phytotherapy Research’ of the A&M University, Texas has proved that Brahmi herb protects against Alzheimer’s disease.

Herbalist Penelope Ody says that Gotu Kola is an endurance tonic that reduces stress, anxiety, high blood pressure and enhances the memory power while invigorating the brain and central nervous system. In her popular book ‘The Holistic Herbal Directory’, she suggests the use of Acorus Calamus to augment mental awareness and memory power.

Ayurveda recommends the use of Convolvus Pluricaulis for memory problems as it is an exceptional tonic for revitalizing the functions of the brain and stimulate the nerves. Celastrus paniculata is also known as the intellect tree with its neuro-protective, anti-depressant, sedative and stimulant properties. The oil extracted from the seeds of this plant is used as a brain tonic for treating memory loss by Ayurvedic practitioners.

Yoga and Meditation: Regular meditation improves the power of concentration and aids in self-realization, paving way for mental wellness mainly due to the positive changes created in the brain wave patterns. Practicing Pranayama, the Yogic breathing method helps in attaining inner peace along with enhanced spiritual skills, high concentration and memory power. Other effective Yogasanas for treating memory loss problems are Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand), which revitalizes and invigorates the entire body, Balasana (Child pose) that helps in normalizing the circulation after performing the head stand, treats nervous irritability, anxiety and fatigue.

Along with these Ayurvedic remedies, light and cleansing diet including fresh fruits, organic vegetables, nuts, ghee etc, will boost your insight and aid in strengthening your memory power. No more worries and only sweet and strong memories, undoubtedly with Ayurveda.

Thought for the day:

[Memory is] a man’s real possession…In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor.                                                   –Alexander Smith

Suggested Reading:

  1. Ayurveda and the Mind: The Healing of Consciousness By Dr. David Frawley
  2. Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization By Dr. David Frawley
  3. Life’s a Smelling Success: Using Scent to Empower Your Memory and Learning By Alan Hirsch

Reference links:

  1. Memory loss by MedlinePlus (A Service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  2. A Clear Mind and Good Memory With Ayurveda by Namaskarhealing
  3. Rosemary boosts brain power! By Robert Tisserand

The Goals of Ayurveda: The Ultimate Wisdom For Life

Posted on by

Every single task in this world has a purpose or a determined goal behind its sustenance. When this applies to simple things, then think of Ayurveda the noble science. Yes! The Ayurvedic goal has 4 prominent facets for life and each of them constitutes a vital part and parcel of our daily lives. These goals act as a point of connection between nature and mankind as it basically focuses on assuaging human torments.

The constitution of the human body is known as Prakriti and it is solely based upon the unique combination of Doshas also known as Ayurvedic body types namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha. This helps us in hitting perfect balance between our physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental lives while pacifying the mind, body and soul. According to Ayurveda, a person can be called healthy only when he/she undergoes the positive conditions of finest robustness, sense of balance, tranquility and natural bliss.

The Ayurvedic Acumen: The ancient wisdom gifted by our ancestors has brilliantly talked about the 4 goals of human life, each of which is practical without any kind of embellishment. None of these goals reflect egocentricity or narcissism but apparently guides us to live happily by accepting ourselves and others also. With these goals, Ayurveda always aims at bringing back the right balance in the constitution of the human body. This common sense science wants human beings to understand their physical and mental set up along with the environmental factors that affect their health. This is where Ayurveda lays the foundation for treating illness first and preventing it in the future as well. Such sensible goals of realism are:

1. Dharma, the genuine purpose of life: The first goal of life according to Ayurveda is called as Dharma, which is a determined path of righteousness and the law of living right. It suggests you to be yourself and live originally without any imitation to be a better person to the world.

You can never a imagine a ‘tiger’ to be soft and feeble as a ‘deer’ and being ferocious is the Dharma of a tiger for which it cannot be cursed or blamed as it is created in such a way. Imitating like a deer will deteriorate the trust, respect and actual personality attributed to a tiger. ‘It is better to be yourself imperfectly than be like someone else perfectly’ says Bhagavad Gita, the most respected sacred book of the Indians. It also clearly explains about the eternal duties of a person, the benefits of performing them and the adverse effects of failing to carry out your duties in the third chapter, Karma Yoga.

Each and every individual is unique and has an exclusive trait or a specific set of attributes. It is that inborn and natural quality of you that decides who you are? And what are the roles you need to play in the society just be being ‘YOU’. Practicing a predetermined code of conduct will help an individual to lead a disciplined life and be a successful personality of his/her family and society through which he/she can do justice for his creation.

2. Artha, the scale of security: To live a closely controlled life of values, you basically need money or wealth but for which you might fail in rendering your duties to your family and your society. Understanding this important inference has made Ayurveda to indicate Artha as the second goal of life.

This doesn’t mean to accumulate wealth illegally and live a posh life but to lead a contented and meaningful life that helps in the progress of your culture as a whole. Failing to attain this goal of life means failing to earn enough for accomplishing your basic needs like food and shelter, which will increase your dependency, make you depressed and deprived of your needs, ending up in abandoning Dharma, the noble rationale behind your life.

3. Kama, the delight or decisive pleasure: Life cannot be mechanical and human beings are not just machines but social animals, who need some kind of pleasure or eternal joy to attain perpetual happiness. Such an enduring joy can be conquered only when there is a perfect balance of amusement and delight in the midst of a complicated life that he/she runs to reach Artha while abiding by Dharma simultaneously.

To be clear, Kama is not just the pleasure attained from mere sex as many of them mistakenly understand the term. Ayurveda insists that recreation, enjoyment, amusement and other things that contribute to cheerfulness including sex should be enjoyed and experienced at a healthy level. Too much of which would affect your physical and emotional well-being and when a comparatively lower level of pleasure will make you crave for things and feel depressed about not getting it.

4. Moksha, the lasting liberation: After passing through all the three goals of life, every individual prefers to attain Moksha or the ultimate freedom. Every religion in this world for that matter has a strong trust that their soul would reach their Creator in the world after.  Moksha or the final goal of life is the spiritual liberation where your mind, body or spirit is no more bound by any of the social or environmental factors.

At this stage an individual would have completed all his duties and would start realizing the divinity, sacred love and the reason behind his creation in an unambiguous manner. He/she would arrive at the everlasting bliss of their life and get ready to reach the next world where he would be rewarded for his life on earth. This can also be called as stage of surrender, where an individual completely admits himself to God, thanking Him and showing his gratitude for all the gifts He has given through all the stages of one’s life. Yoga and Meditation act as the influential part of attaining Moksha.

Remembering these goals and following them without any digression can certainly help you live a balanced life, free of diseases, filled with wisdom and fruitful for the entire society granting complete peace of mind.

Thought for the day:

Every goal, every action, every thought, every feeling one experiences, whether it be consciously or unconsciously known, is an attempt to increase one’s level of peace of mind. By Sydney Madwed

Suggested Reading:

  1. Ayurveda: Life, Health, and Longevity by Robert E. Svoboda B.A.M.S
  2. Textbook of Ayurveda, Volume One: Fundamental Principles
    By Vasant Lad
  3. Tao and Dharma: Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda
    By Robert Svoboda, Arnie Lade

Reference Links:

  1. Dharma by Wikipedia
  2. Karma Yoga by Bhagavad Gita
  3. The Wisdom of Ayurveda: The 4 Goals of Life by Jonathan Glass, LAc, MAc

The Ayurvedic Routine

Posted on by

Health is not a one day activity instead it is a never-ending and continuous mission until your soul departs your body. To stay healthy is to stay on par with the flow of nature without interrupting the natural temperament of your system and Dean Ornish rightly said that ‘Health is not something that you need to get; it’s something you already have if you don’t disturb it’. That is what the ancient remedial science known as Ayurveda suggests mankind to simply tag along the cadence of nature. A daily systematic life that strikes perfect balance with the natural pace of Mother Nature needs no cure or meets no disastrous diseases. Such an inspiring Ayurvedic Routine is popularly termed as ‘Dinacharya’ and seasonal routine is known as Ritucharya.   

Ayurveda strongly states that there is a time for everything with a natural meaning in it. If things are done at the right time, you are striking balance with nature and your body functions perfectly and in close connection with your mind. This natural tempo controls our predominant natural urges like food, sleep and sex, also known as the three pillars of life. Today’s modern living has sickened our lives and has forced us to lead it as blindly as a lost kitten in the middle of the forest. Only when we practice certain vital things on a scheduled time, we can live in harmony without the compulsion of any other external factors misleading our lives. To remember it easily, I have listed the daily Ayurvedic routine as 11 simple points to follow as per the Ayurvedic body types. They are:

  1. Wake up early in the morning before sunrise. For Vata it is just about 6 AM, Pitta it is approximately 5:30 AM and for Kapha it is around 4:30 AM. This aids your senses to rise above and ascend along with the sunrise.
  2. Gargle your mouth and drink a cup of warm water with few drops of fresh lemon juice and one teaspoon of raw honey. This supports your body’s normal bowel movement in the morning and helps the digestive system to function properly. Regular bowel movement will aid in eliminating the toxin from your body and make you feel refreshed without carrying the toxins of the previous day’s food.
  3. Brush your teeth twice daily early in the morning and before going to bed. Scrape and rub your tongue thoroughly in the morning to clear away toxins or the poisonous particles sticking on your tongue from the remaining of the previous day’s food items known as ama in Ayurveda. You can either use a good tongue scraper or a stainless steel spoon to clean your tongue front to back. Clean your nasal passages, ears and eyes regularly.
  4. Go for a brisk walk for about 15 to 20 minutes. This helps in improving your blood circulation and aids you in enjoying the healthy rays of the sun fully filled with Vitamin D and other essential nutrients required to boost the functions of your brain and uplift your skin from within. Vitamin D deficiency might end up in skin cancer, rickets, cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in elderly people, muscular weakness and much more.
  5. It’s time to caress, pamper and massage your skin with Abhyanga, the Ayurvedic massage therapy with the use of Ayurvedic essential oils all through your body and your head. Leave it at least for 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, you can practice the life saving skill nothing but the great sibling of Ayurveda, popularly known as Yoga. This grants you strength, endurance, resistance and the potential to enhance the functionality of your entire system.
  7. It’s time for a revivifying bath with few drops of energizing Ayurvedic essential oils like lavender essential oil, bergamot essential oil, rose essential oil, jasmine oil, sandalwood oil, grapefruit essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, orange essential oil and few other citrus essential oils to give a right start to your day.
  8. Offer prayers to the Almighty and a calm meditation for about 5 minutes will give you all the energy that your mind needs for accomplishing your challenging tasks all through the day. A powerful meditation influences self-realization and mental strength.
  9. Eating right is very important than just filling your stomach. Taste your food, like it and chew it well as it promotes quicker digestion and absorption of essential energy required by your body. Ensure that you take up a rich and nutritious breakfast between 7:00 to 8:00 AM in the morning.
  10. Have your lunch in between 12:00 to 1:00 PM. Let the not-so-easy to digest food items find a place in your lunch rather than during any other meals of the day because there is enormous time to digest and the Agni or the digestive fire is very active during this time. If possible, go for a small walk after lunch to help easy digestion.
  11. Ensure that your dinner is taken before 8:00 PM and you floss and brush your teeth before going to bed to keep away from harmful germs. Go to bed by 10:00 PM at night making certain that you have enough rest after working throughout the entire day and for gifting a dynamic start to the day ahead. Spend 5 minutes before sleeping to recollect all that you’ve done for the day. Think whether you have accomplished all that is required or have something left behind to finish? This will keep you informed about where you are and direct you towards where you want to go. Utter a small prayer and thank the Creator for all He has given you and sleep peacefully with the hope of being in a new day at dawn.

This might appear as a huge or an impossible list to many but you’ll certainly feel its simplicity and its greater benefits on your healthy and harmonized living once you start practicing it as the celebrated adage ‘Practice makes a man perfect’ appropriately fits in this context and a regular following of these Ayurvedic routine in your life will indeed make you perfect, peaceful and proficient. Start with one and its positive impact will naturally influence you in choosing the whole lot.

Best wishes for your methodical living in the pink.

Thought for the day:

The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they’ll ease
Your will they’ll mend
And charge you not a shilling.

-Nursery rhyme, What the River Knows, 1990, quoted by Wayne Fields

Suggested Reading:

  1. Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide, Revised and Updated Edition by MD Deepak Chopra
  2. Yoga for your Type: An Ayurvedic Approach to Your Asana Practice by Dr. David Frawley, Sandra Summerfield Kozak
  3. Dhanwantari: A Complete Guide to the Ayurvedic Life by Harish Johari

Reference Links:

  1. Dinacharya by Ayurveda Alchemy
  2. Vitamin D Deficiency by WebMD
  3. Agni(Ayurveda) by Wikipedia