Heal yourself

Steaming pizzas, crispy fries, fizzy coke, wish you had them for the next meal? It is quite natural to yield to your tantalizing taste buds. I love my food and an eclectic menu entices me. I am an epicurean to my colleagues. Can loving food be wrong? No, not all! But just happened to realize that I did not know about the nature and constituent of the food that I was allured to. My only criterion for consumption was it at to be edible and I could relish any genre of food. Little did I know that each ingredient had its own effect on my body! Like every human being, etched distinctly on earth so are the various different herbs, plants and animals. I pursued on a mission to know my body better, to understand the nuances of its physical functioning. Today, I am better enlightened on my body, thanks to Ayurveda, the earliest science of life.

According to Ayurveda, every person requires a tailored treatment, and there is no concept of universal remedy. What is a disease? From the very word, it clearly implies, ‘one is not at ease’. What causes a person not to be at ease? Imbalance. Our body is balanced by three humors; vata (air in space - wind), pitta (fire in water -bile) and kapha (water in earth -phlegm). Find your Dosha here. Any imbalance to any one of these humors causes a discomfort. Each human possesses a unique combination of Doshas and hence the tailored treatment. Unlike the modern day medicine that focuses on alleviating pain, Ayurveda focuses on the cause, the imbalance.

How does one strike a balance among the three doshas? Intriguing simple – what you intake primarily regulates the balance. The food you eat can play on your mind as well, disturbing the balance. As a first step, one should know what their Dosha is, and become aware of the self. The realization of the self is a utopian feeling, believe me once you are here, you will know what to eat and what not to. The food by itself is the medicine. It is deplorable that in this modern world, we have lost to connect with our age old practice that inevitably makes these our way of living. If you remember your grandma instructing you to gulp Castrol oil fortnightly, or your mother preparing decoctions, yes they were all done with a purpose. Like any machine, our body needs overhauling too. It is not too late, if you crave for healthy and sound living, get conscious of what you intake. It is just not enough to go on diet for 30 odd days and then get back to savaging every meal. Imbibe it in your lifestyle; it has to be the way you live and not for what you live.

Tulsi, means “the incomparable one”. Tulsi is an antioxidant and adaptogen. It is used as remedy for fever, common cold, coughs, sore throat, respiratory disorder, reproductive ailments, skin disorder, and mouth infections; regulate blood sugar, insect bites among the many. It purifies the blood and can extend the lifespan of individuals. Can you believe that a small shrub could have so much of healing power? No wonder this plant is being revered in India. Tulsi is considered to be the only plant that releases Ozone along with oxygen in the early photosynthesis stage, a reason for its place in the center of every household. It purifies the surrounding environment and keep insects (mosquitoes, bedbugs etc) away. Bingo! I found a solution to mosquito menace in Chennai. 5-6 leaves of Tulsi a day can keep the doctor away.

Discover the constituents of your food and rediscover your body to give yourself the much deserved – A healthy living.