Grishm Ritu or Summer season

Ayurveda divides the year in to six seasons based on the revolution of earth. Three seasons are observed during the period when the sunrise seems to have shifted towards north or “Uttrayan” which are “Shishir”, “Basant” and “Grishm”. These three seasons combined are also called as “Aadaan Kaal” and the other half when the sunrise seems to have shifted towards south is called “Visarg Kaal”. “Visarg Kaal” consists of “Varsha”, “Sharad” and “Hemant”. Entire “Aadaan Kaal” experiences dry air whereas “Visarg  Kaal” experiences moist air.

It’s said that humans are relatively weaker during “Grishm”/ summers and “Varsha”/ rainy seasons.

During “Grishm Ritu” (Mid May - Mid July) or summer season hot rays of the sun dries up the fluid from earth. So the “Kapha” from human body is also lost which results in increased “Vaat” dosha.

Food preferences:

 1) Cool and sweet drinks.

 2) Unctuous and easily digestible food stuff should be consumed. Unctuous is heavy to digest but if taken in small quantity is still light.

 3) “Sattu” or roasted gram flour mixed with sugar.

 4) Meat of dry forest animal and birds.

 5) Rice with milk or clarified butter (Ghee). Or rice with soup of dry land animals meat. Again the meat soup should not be thick.

6) Panchsaar is a drink prepared with honey, dates, raisin (munnaka), grewia asiatica (Phalsa), sugar candy and water. The entire ingredient are crushed and mixed in water.

7) Buffalo’s milk mixed with sugar candy is allowed in summers. Night is the best time for milk. Milk can be exposed to moonlight.

Donts:

1)   No liquors and if you must have to, then mix more water than usual. Too much of alcohol can cause swollen body.

2)   Salty, sour, bitter and foods hot in potency; should be avoided else it will aggravate “Vata”.

3)   No exercise or half of your strength exercise.

4)   Least exposure to sunlight.

Lifestyle tips:

1)   Sleep in cool places during day time.

2)   Night sleep should be enjoyed in open terrace under the moonlight. One can apply sandal paste on body during sleep.

3)   Mating should also be reduced to once in fortnight.

Note: “Vata”, “Pitta” and “Kapha” are three doshas of body mentioned in ayurveda which in balanced state keeps the person healthy.

“Vata” is gas or air in your body. If aggravated, it causes joints pain and gas trouble.

“Pitta” is acid and heat in the body. If aggravated, it  causes burning sensation, thirst, over hunger etc.

“Kapha” is cough or lubrication which lubricates the body.

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Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a condition which every couple wait for. Despite of all the care and precautions, unfortunate things happen due to lack of knowledge. Ayurveda suggests food, practices and routine which can ensure a healthy child. When a mother suffers from a disease during pregnancy or is on medicine for any condition, it is going to impact the child.

Precautions:  A pregnant lady should never be treated with medicines of high potency or very strong medicine.

She should avoid food or medicine which causes vomit/diarrhoea. She can’t be given Leech Therapy. After 8^th month, she can be made to vomit if it really requires.

Conditions with solutions:
If periods appear after 2 to 3 months of carrying, then it can be concluded that pregnancy will be lost.

 If a pregnant mother experiences periods in her 4^th or 5^th month of pregnancy due to anger, sorrow, jealous, fear, tragedy, mating, physical labour, suppression of natural calls or hunger or thirst, then womb installation method is suggested as below.

Mother should take a very comfortable bed to sleep which should be slightly high at the leg side. Mulhatti (Liquorice) and clarified butter (Ghee) should be mixed and cooled. A piece of cotton should be dipped in it and kept at the vaginal entrance. Apply 100 times water washed clarified butter on the area below navel. Apply the below navel area with cow’s milk or cool soup of “Mulethi” (Liquorice). Soak a cloth in the juice of leaves of trees like banyan, peepal, Ficus glomerata Roxb(Gular) or Blue Berries and place it on the pelvis part. Clarified Butter proven with new leaves of banyan, peepal or Ficus Glomerata Roxb(Gular) should be soaked in cotton and placed at vaginal entrance. 46 gms(4 Tola) of same clarified butter or just clarified butter should be consumed orally. Pollen of lotus flower mixed with honey should be given to the mother. Bullnut or water chestnut (Singhara), Lotus seed and Scirpus Grosus(Kaseru) should be fed. Sugar Candy, Root bulb of Indian blue water lilly, unripe fruit of Ficus glomerata Roxb(Gular) and new leaves of banyan should be grinded together and taken with goat milk. “Bala” (Sida Cordifolia), Atibala(Abutilon Indicum), Shali(Oryza sativa), Sugracane root and kakoli (Tuberous Root) should be proven in milk. This proven milk mixed with cooked red rice, honey and sugar should be given to the mother. Flesh of quail, deer family, rabbit etc. should be fed. Mother should avoid anger, sorrow, labor, mating and work out. Should spend time happily. The above practices stabilize the womb.

“Aam” is a gelatinous substance which gets accumulated in the stomach and intestine due to indigestion of food. If a pregnant mother experiences period due to increased “Aam” then treatment becomes difficult because treatment of “Aam” opposes the treatment of womb stabilization because soft and sweet medicines used for womb stabilization increases “Aam”. Eating food of too hot potency or pungent food can cause periods or fluid discharge from womb which stops the growth of womb. It is called “Upavistak” in Ayurveda. 

Those expecting mother who observe too much of fasts or do not eat nutritious food, who do not consume clarified butter or oils and one who eats food which aggravates “Vata” also experience low or no womb growth because the womb gets drier. The womb becomes still with no movement. It is called “Naagodar” in Ayurveda. In such cases the mother should be fed with “Yush” (watery food) made of animal flesh with clarified butter and one made of radish with cooked red rice. Mother should be given whole body oil massage and warm water bath around the womb, stomach, thighs, waist and back repeatedly.

Mother who experiences gas problem causing indigestion, anxiety in stomach and heart during 8th month should be treated with “Basti”.Left untreated can cause serious damage to womb and mother. “Basti” is enema but Ayurveda never recommends enema with water as it creates dryness in large intestine which aggravates “Vata” further. “Anuvashan Basti” is enema with fats and oils which is not recommended to an 8 month pregnant mother. “Niruh Basti” is recommended which is prepared with roots of “Shali Dhanya” (Paddy which matures in 60 days), “Kush” (A strain of Cannabis indica), sugarcane, “Vetas” (Salix caprea), “Parivyadh” (Streculiaceae) ,and water of “Bhootaak”, “Sariva” (Hemidesmus Indicus), “Gambhari” (Gmelina arborea), “Phalsa” (Grewia asiatica), “Mulethi” (Liquorice), “Kishmish” (Dried Grapes). To prepare the water, two tablespoon of each ingredient is boiled in a glass of water till half or quarter amount of the water is left. Mix milk to half of the water. Then boil the powdered roots in it to prepare “Kwath”. Grind and mix “Piyal” (Buchanania lanzan), flesh of “Bahera” (Terminalia bellirica) and “Til” (Sesame) in the liquid and boil. Make the liquid a bit salty. Slightly warm liquid should be used for enema. After the obstruction clearance, warm water bath is recommended and plain food afterwards.

Practices for healthy pregnancy :

When mother finds that she is pregnant she should start sipping raw milk several times a day. She should eat nutritious and plain food. In second month, milk proven with sweet herbs (like Mulethi) should be taken. In third month, milk should be mixed with “Ghee” (Clarified Butter) and honey.

(Note: Ghee and honey mixed in equal quantities is poisonous)

In the fourth month, milk should be taken with 11 gms (1 Tola) of butter (Makkhan). Fifth month milk with clarified butter should be taken. In the sixth and seventh month, clarified butter proven with sweet herbs should be taken with milk. After seventh month, mother experiences burning sensation which further causes skin irritation and cracks. To treat this, water prepared from Jujube (Ber) leaves should be mixed with butter (Makkhan) proven with sweet herbs and a tablespoon of it should be given to mother after intervals. Sandal paste or paste of “Neem” ( Azadirachta indica), “Ber”(Indian jujube), "Tulsi" (Holy Basil) and  “Majith”( Rubia cordifolia) should be applied on the area between breast and stomach. Massage can be given with oil proven in leaves of Thevetia nerifolia (Kaner). In the 8th month, “Yavagu” prepared in milk mixed with clarified butter should be given. 

“Yavagu” is prepared with cereal and milk/water in 1:6 ratios. In the 9th month, oil proven with sweet herbs should be used for “Anuvashan Basti” (Enema).

Those mothers who follow the above tips properly from 1st to 9th month will experience soft waist and back during pregnancy which results in an easy delivery.

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Honey

Honey is called “Tridosh Nashak” which means honey calms down all the three doshas of the body. It destroys the ailments like hiccups, breathing ailments, intestinal worms, nausea, thirst and toxin. In spite of being cold in potency honey scratches out “Kapha” stuck anywhere in your body.

Honey water is must during rainy season for healthy digestive system. It increases digestive fire and nourishes all the 7 components of the body. It is known for great healing power.

New honey is purgative, unctuous and calms “Kapha”. Old honey is absorbed quickly, dry, fat destroyer and great for obesity.

Types of Honey:

1.   Makshik: It appears like oil in look. This honey is best among all and good for eyes. It is light to digest and has the ability to cure Tubercolosis.

2.   Bhramar: It appears clear like glass. It is heavy to digest and cleans “Pitta” from blood. It reduces the amount of urination.

3.   Chhoudra: It appears golden like sun. It has similar properties like “Makshik” and especially good for diabetes.

4.   Poutic: It appears like oil as well. It is light to digest, “Sangrahi” i.e. helps in dysentery, calms “Kapha” and increases “Vata” and “Pitta”.

5.   Chhatra: It is golden yellow in colour. It is beneficial in every condition.

6.   Ardhya: It exists in white and brown colours. It works best for aliments related to eyes.

7.   Auddalak: It exists in yellow and golden colours. It is good for skin disorders.

8.   Daal: It can have many colours. It adds taste to food.

Dose : 2 to 3 table spoon is suggested in day.

Note: “Vata”, “Pitta” and “Kapha” are three doshas of body mentioned in ayurveda which in balanced state keeps the person healthy.

“Vata” is gas/air or air in your body. If aggravated, it causes joints pain and gas trouble.

“Pitta” is acid and heat in the body. If aggravated, it causes burning sensation, thirst, over hunger etc.

“Kapha” is cough or lubrication which lubricates the body.

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General Habits

Apart from different eating habits for different seasons, ayurveda prescribes day habits (Dincharya) and night time habits (Ratricharya) as well.

·       It is advised to wake up early morning (Brahm muhurta) which is 2 hours prior to sunrise. It is also said that brahm muhurta is “Vata kaal” which means gas/air in the stomach/body is high which helps evacuating the intestine.

·       One should not keep occupied in other works(Reading newspaper, Mobile handling) while attending natural calls. Also one should not force himself/herself for natural calls. Amoristic sentiment, sorrow, fear and anger like emotions should be avoided while attending natural calls.

·       Washing hands and feet after attending natural calls are called healthy for body and especially for eyes.

·       One should brush (Wooden stick is suggested) his teeth facing east or north peacefully in sitting position. Paste of honey, long pepper (Pipali), black pepper (Kali Mirch) and Dried Ginger (sunthi) or paste of rock salt with mustard oil can be used to clean your teeth.

·       Nasya or nasal intake of bitter oils should be done every day. In morning if “Kapha” is in excess, mid-day if “Pitta” is in excess and in evening if “Vata” is in excess in body.

·       One should shave or get hair and nail cut every 5^th day. Do not pluck your nasal hair as it will weaken your eyesight. Hair combing should be done repeatedly for good hair. Looking self-image in mirror is very beneficial.

·       Daily work out should be practiced especially during winters and spring however half of your strength exercise should be practiced during rainy and summer seasons (Mid May to Mid Nov). Its calms down the doshas of the body and increases efficiency with improvement of digestive fire.

·       “Abhyang” or oil massage is recommended daily, particularly the feet, head and ears. Oil massage nourishes all the 7 components of the body. Full body massage before bath is stressed in ayurveda.

·       Using of “Ubtan” which is typically a mixture of gram flour and turmeric clams down the “Kapha” and reduces “Med” (Fat). It softens the skin.

·       Taking bath ignites digestive fire. Morning bath is recommended. Cold water bath calms “Pitta” and warm water bath provides strength to the body and calms “Vata” and “Kapha”. Warm should be used below head only exception given to the patient of “Kapha” and “Vata”. Continuous use of warm water on head effects eyesight and hair. Do not bathe immediately after meal.

·       Ayurveda recommends eating in the morning and evening only. However also mentions that when a person becomes hungry, that is his time to eat. Eating and attending natural calls, both should be done in a place of peace or loneliness.

Refer for utensils to be used: https://muscularayurveda.blogspot.com/2019/03/metals-in-kitchen.html

·       Pomegranate or fruits should be eaten before meal. Banana and Cucumis melo var. flexuosus (Kakadi) should be avoided before meal. Proper meal should start from sweet dishes, salty and sour in the middle and should end with bitter, pungent and astringent. Fruits which should be avoided in morning are Buchanania lanzan(Chironji), Blueberries(Jamun), Indian Jujube(Ber), Cluster fig(Gular), Tamarind(Imli), Asian Palmyra(Taal ka Phal), Dried Ginger(Sunthi), Coconut(Nariyal), Sesame(Til), Mango(Aam), Banana(Kela) and Indian gooseberry(Amla).

·       Foods when eaten hot, cold or dry destroy body strength. One should not eat very fast or very slow. Food which is sweet contributes to blood, sour contributes to marrow, salty contributes to bones, pungent contributes to fat, bitter contributes to flesh and astringent contributes to sexual hormones.

·       Sip water between two types of food in the middle of the meal. Sipping water in the beginning of meal makes a person weak and sipping at the end makes obese but small amount is allowed at the end called “Anupaan”. “Kapha” in the body increases immediately after eating, “Pitta” during digestion and “Vata” when completely digested. Ayurvedic smoking is permitted after meal to calm down the “Kapha”.

Refer: https://muscularayurveda.blogspot.com/2019/03/AyurvedicSmoking.html

·       Food which gives immediate strength: Fresh flesh, newly harvested grains, milk products, “Ghee” or clarified butter and warm water bath.   Aged Flesh, fresh curd, morning sex and morning sleep destroys strength quick.

·       100 mild steps after food are suggested to settle the food eaten. It relieves your stomach, waist and knees. After walk, one should sleep straight for 8 breaths, and then should turn on right for next 16 breaths and then to left for 32 breaths. Afterwards one can sleep as he/she wants however for good digestion; left side is recommended because “Jatharagni” is located on the left above naval. Woven cot is best for sleeping. Sleeping on hard surface aggravates “Vata”.

·       Things which should be avoided after meal are: Too much sleep, too much sitting, too much of liquid intake, exposure to heat or sun, swimming etc.

·       Day sleeping is allowed only in summer season as it increases “Kapha” in the body. However who is habituated of sleeping during daytime must sleep otherwise their “Vata” will get aggravated. Also people who work out, who mates during night, does field work, tired, who suffers from diarrhea, breathing problems, gas/air trouble, whose “Kapha” is low, whose health is destroyed by liquors, kids or elderly who eats less should sleep in day.

·       One should never accept food offered by your enemy or a prostitute. One should not sleep on a broken bed. One should not sleep in a cave, temple or under a tree alone in night.

·       Five things one should not do in evening: Eating, Mating, Sleeping, Studying and Street walking.

·       Moon light is coolant, quenches thirst and calms “Pitta” and heat in the body. When accompanied with dew, moonlight increases “Vata” and “Kapha” as well.

·       One should not eat heavy food in night and should eat in the early hours of night. Suppressing strong desire of sex can cause diabetes and makes the person obese and lazy. Day mating is only allowed from mid-May to mid-July (Grishm Ritu).

·       Night watching causes dryness in body decreasing “Kapha”. Sleeping well in night keeps the doshas balanced. Drinking water at the end of night i.e. before sunrise has innumerable benefits.

Note: “Vata”, “Pitta” and “Kapha” are three doshas of body mentioned in ayurveda which in balanced state keeps the person healthy.

“Vata” is gas or air in your body. If aggravated, it causes joints pain and gas trouble.

“Pitta” is acid and heat in the body. If aggravated, it  causes burning sensation, thirst, over hunger etc.

“Kapha” is cough or lubrication which lubricates the body.

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Metals in Kitchen

Ayurvedic sages have also studied role of metals in our body and have prescribed the metals and their effect on our food. So there are few metals which can be used in our kitchen to calm our aggravated doshas and benefit from their properties.

1.   Golden utensils : Golden utensils are good for eyes and makes the food easily digestible. They calm down the doshas of the body.

2.   Silver utensils : They are good for eyes too and calms down Pitta dosha. Increase Kapha and Vata.

3.   Bronze utensils : They are good for brain and enhances the taste of food. It also reduces the Pitta in blood.

4.   Brass utensils : It adds up the hot potency to the food, may cause flatulence and dryness. It destroys intestinal worms and Kapha.

5.   Iron and alloy Utensils : Eating in iron utensils gives strength to body and adds up mass to body. It cures anemia and helps in jaundice.

6.   Stone and earthen utensils: It is not prescribed and can cause diseases.

7.   Wooden utensils : Wooden utensils enhances the taste of food and increases Kapha.

8.   Utensils made of leaves: It’s been practiced in many parts of world and is very beneficial. It enhances taste and hunger also destroys toxins in the body.

Water utensils should be of copper or else earthen. Copper is highly reactive metal and suggested for water only. Care should be taken while using it for drinks other than water.

Note: “Vata”, “Pitta” and “Kapha” are three doshas of body mentioned in ayurveda which in balanced state keeps the person healthy.

“Vata” is gas/air or air in your body. If aggravated, it causes joints pain and gas trouble.

“Pitta” is acid and heat in the body. If aggravated, it causes burning sensation, thirst, over hunger etc.

“Kapha” is cough or lubrication which lubricates the body.

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IBS or Grahani

This is a very common disease which is seriously effecting the lives of many. Ayurveda categorises IBS very clearly and mentions the ways to treat it. Person who have suffered or suffering from diarrhea also suffers from low digestive fire. When the person keeps eating what he is not supposed to, even when he has recovered from diarrhea, causes IBS. Ayurveda defines “Grahani” as the place above navel which holds the 6^th “Pitta”. It gets its strength from digestive fire. When aggravated dosh or doshas of body pollutes the “Grahani” , it starts releasing the food undigested, sometimes in form of dry stool and sometimes in form of loose motion.

Initial symptoms: Thirst, laziness, weakness, burning sensation, late digestion of eaten food and heaviness in the body.

Similar to diarrhea ,“Grahani” or IBS can be of five types       

1) “Vataj”2) “Pitaj” 3) “Kaphaj” 4) “Sannipatak”  5) “Amaj”. For symptoms of each please refer:  https://muscularayurveda.blogspot.com/2019/02/diarrhoea-or-atisaar.html

Cure:

1.   “Vataj”:

a)   Dhania(Coriander), Flesh of Wood Apple, Bala (Sida cordifolia), Sunthi (Dried ginger) and  Shaliparni (Desmodium gangeticum) should be cooked in water and liquid should be given to the patient.

b)  Sunthi (Dried Ginger), Ghee or clarified butter (4 times of ginger), Water (4 times of ginger). Cook everything together till the water gets evaporated. This is called “Sunthi Ghrit” and cures IBS due to gas.

2.   “Pitaj”:

a)   Rasna (Alpinia galanga), Atis(Aconitum Heterophyllum),Bark of Korya, Indrajao(Hollarhena pubescens), Sunthi(Dried Ginger) and Flower of Dhay(Downy Grislea) should be powdered and mixed with honey. Taking it after meal and sipping a bit of rice water cures “Pitaj” IBS.(Rasnadichurna)

b)  Flesh of unripe wood apple (Bel), Dried ginger powder(Sunthi) and jaggery in equal quantity should be taken with buttermilk. It cures serious “Pitaj” IBS.

3.   “Kaphaj”:

a)   Kachoor(Curcuma zedoaria), Sunthi(Dried ginger), Marich(Black pepper), Harad(Chebula Termenelia),Sajjikhar(Salsola stocksii), Javakhar(Salt of Barley) and Pipramul(Ganthoda) in equal quantities should be mixed with juice of Bijora Nimbu(Lemon) and given to patient.

b)  Rasna (Alpinia galanga), Harad(Chebula Termenelia), Kachoor(Curcuma zedoaria), Sunthi(Dried Ginger),Pipari(Long Pepper), Marich(Black pepper), Sajjikhar(Salsola stocksii), Javakhar(Salt of Barley), Pipramul(Ganthoda) and five types of salt(Rock Salt, Black Salt,Salt obtained from volcanic areas (ALCL3), Lake Salt(Sambar) and unprocessed Sea Salt)should be powdered and mixed with lemon juice. Taking it after meal with warm water cures “Kaphaj” IBS.

4.   “Sannipatak”(All Doshas):

a)   Sunthi(Dried Ginger), Nagarmotha(Cyperus rotundus), Atis(Aconitum Heterophyllum) and  Guruchi(Tinospora cordifolia) should be taken in equal quantities and cooked to prepare a soup. Filtered soup cures all types of IBS.

b)  Chab(Wild Pepper), Chitrak Mool(Plumbago Zeylanica), Flesh of wood apple and Sunthi(Dried Ginger) in powered form should be mixed together and consumed with buttermilk. It cures even the painful IBS.

    The above formulas which have to be consumed with buttermilk should be used after considering the strength of patient and season. It can be continued for a week, 10 days, half of month or entire month. Buttermilk is hot in potency, hence the patient who is very weak, who feel burning sensation, who is delusional and who feels giddiness should not consume it.

Note: “Vata”,“Pitta” and “Kapha” are three doshas of body mentioned in ayurveda which in balanced state keeps the person healthy.

“Vata” is gas or air in your body. If aggravated, it causes joints pain and gas trouble.

“Pitta” is acid and heat in the body. If aggravated, it  causes burning sensation, thirst, over hunger etc.

“Kapha” is cough or lubrication which lubricates the body.

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