How should you take Ayurveda decoctions and herbs on your own? DR PARMESHWAR ARORA, senior consultant in Ayurveda at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, gives you some sage advice
There is a myth surrounding ayurveda medicines. People believe that ayurveda medicines heat up the body. At the outset, let me mention that ayurveda is a seasoned medical practice. It does not prescribe medicines that heat up the body for every ailment. Ayurveda prescribes the right herbs for various types of ailments. This includes ailments that might heat up the body while others might produce the opposite effect. When you have an ailment such as pains or a cough and cold, then Ayurveda prescribes heat-producing medicines and herbs to cure the ailment.
Right now, we are in the midst of the corona pandemic. All over the world, people are drinking decoctions and kadhas and eating different spices. Most people have benefited from these decoctions, but some have said that it produced adverse reactions in the body. They complained that drinking a kadha has produced heat in their body.
During this pandemic which has spread so rapidly, it has not been possible for Ayurveda doctors to prescribe tailor-made remedies for each individual. Here we have to look at our own individual body type and then take whatever we think best for its health. We have to check our predominant dosha — whether we are of vata type, pitta type or kapha type.
Look at your body type and constitution and then decide what kind of decoction is good for you. Decide whether a kadha will work best for you or turmeric boiled in milk, or perhaps tulsi leaves boiled in water will work well for you. Ayurveda has given us plenty of combinations and choices and we must decide what suits our individual body type.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who do not believe in this old science and have thrust it aside. Then there are those who believe in it blindly and take excessive action. They insist that Ayurveda can have no harmful action or side-effects and that spices and herbs cannot do any harm.
There is a saying that if you take to praying the whole day, then you will be considered mad. We should know that every action has a time and place that is appropriate. Just like there is a certain time to pray, go to office and to work, or to play with children, similarly we should understand that there is a right dosage and time for everything including Ayurveda decoctions and herbs.
The same applies to spices. If you have four almonds a day it will provide your body with a lot of benefits, but if you have 50 almonds a day, you will certainly be over doing it.
Then the same almonds will make you sick and will make you rush to the loo all the time.
Therefore, don’t harbour the mistaken notion that all ayurveda medicines and herbs provide heat to the body. Your physician will prescribe you the right medicine according to your constitution and dosha. Accordingly, the dosages also will be decided according to your individual constitution so that you benefit from it.
I leave you with this one piece of advice – if you have to take medicines yourself, then always take a minimal amount unless you are sure of what the medicine’s effect will be on your constitution or unless you can consult an Ayurveda physician.
Dr Parmeshwar Arora is a renowned ayurvedic doctor and a lifestyle coach for more than 20 years. Presently he is Senior Consultant at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and heads Ath Ayurdhamah in Gurgaon.
A nice piece of advice for moderation than excess, excess of anything as such creates an imbalance.
Indeed, balance is the master key to a healthy life, as it is addressed in Ayurveda:
विकारो धातुवैषम्यं, साम्यं प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।
सुखसञ्ज्ञकमारोग्यं, विकारो दुःखमेव च ॥
Any disturbance in the equilibrium of Dhatus (Tridosha, body tissues and waste products) is known as disease.The state of their equilibrium is health. Happiness indicates health and pain indicate dis-ease.
Thanks Dr. Arora for these practical tips and advice.