Health Care During Winter- An Ayurvedic approach

Ayurveda not only deals with the treatment of diseases but also provide invaluable and useful guidelines for better way of healthy living through its various scientific principles. One of such principle is adopting different measures like diet and regimen as per the need of different seasons. Winter season is considered as healthy season in a manner that during this season a person has good digestive system (tivra jathragni) and is full of strength, vigour and energy but on the contrary a person is much prone to suffer from the diseases like Common cold, Sinusitis, Bronchitis, Asthma, Paralysis especially facial paralysis and other neuronal disorders, High blood pressure, Ischaemic heart disease, Skin fissuring etc. The condition of the patient having one of such disease may also get aggravated due ti the innate nature of the Winter season. Therfore, it is essential to properly plan oneself according to the innate nature of the winter season according to the principles described in different ayurvedic classics.

As far as diet is concerned, it should have characteristics like sweet, hot, heavy and unctuous. For cooking of different food stuffs, use of cow's clarified butter (ghee) and refined sesame oil is recommended during winter months. Use of Milk, Wheat and Wheat products, Rice especially Shali variety, Vegetables like Pumpkin, Spinach, Fenugreek and Carrot, Pulses like black gram or Kidney bean, all varieties of meat, Sauce made up of Ginger and garlic, Dry fruits, Ladoo made up of Gum, and Fenugreek are beneficial whereas foods with light, cold, non unctuous and spicy in nature shold be discarded as they may prove detrimental for health. One should also evade from incompatible diets like eating curd and cucumber simultaneously or drinking water just after eating Groundnut or maize or eating Guava empty stomach.

As far as regimen is considered one should daily massage with Sesame oil, do only physical exercises by means of Aerobic or Yoga but in close room free from cold air, bath with lukewarm water, wear dark coloured heavy woolen clothes with hands and feet covered with woolen gloves and socks and ears covered by a woolen cap or turban, take sunbath with one's back facing the sun but one should avoid sleeping during the day time, direct exposure to cold wavws and journey during the thick fog.

All the measures described in different Ayurvedic classics as mentioned above are for the persons who are healthy and want to prevent themselves from diseases that are supposed to occur during winter season. The persons suffering from any ailment should follow the diet and regimen according to the innate nature of the disease under the supervision of a qualified Ayurvedic physician. Thus it is prudent to adopt ourselves according to the principles of mother nature fir living a healthy and longer life free from any ailment which was also the aim designed by our ancient saints and sages.