Ayurvedic umbrella: A mantra to monsoon well-being

Ayurveda explains that vata dosha (in the body and the environment) accumulated due to the hot summer before the rains, gets excited during monsoon. The fire inside the body is very much like the fire of the sun and since the fire of the sun is at minimum, so is the energy inside the body. In addition to excited vata, the earth heated and scorched by the hot sun in summer, gets wet in the initial rains and sends out hot vapours. This leads to accumulation of pitta dosha in the body too. Ayurveda understands all of this and provides easy preventive remedies at the beginning and throughout the rains to act as a shield and preserve and maintain health.

The foremost protective measure is to always boil drinking water, and as far as possible, to drink it hot. Especially in the rainy season, Ayurveda suggests boiling water until it is half its initial quantity before drinking. The minimum recommendation is to boil water for at least 20 minutes. For added benefit, add a piece of dry ginger (soonth) while boiling. Please note that boiling is a process of culturing the water, not only removing micro-organisms. Even if water has been filtered and purified by other means, boiling it is a must. 

Another important recommendation is an ancient habit or tradition that people had but is lost nowadays - dhoop or smoke therapy. Burning herbal mixtures for smoke can protect the home from common infections and increase the body’s capacity to resist disease. In earlier times, to keep the atmosphere free of the various infective agents, the practice of ‘bhaishajya-yadnya’ or medicinal ‘holy or protective’ smoke was widespread. Nowadays, the practice of performing is yadnya maybe lost, but performing simple dhoop is an easy and effective replacement. Ajwain, vekhand (sweet flag), dry neem leaves, vavding (false black pepper), guggul, myrrh and other herbs together make up the Santulan Purifier dhoop that can be added to hot charcoal in a dhoop pot or dhoop-burning cakes. This is a really simple method and all one has to do is to carry the smoking pot all around the house. If many homes start adopting this practice again, common infections can be kept at bay for entire localities together.

Since digestive fire is naturally low, the desire and appetite to eat tasty, spicy, fried foods like pakoras, samosas and potato wadas increases. Though these might lead to instant gratification, they may also lead to not-so-friendly after effects. While our meals in this season need to be tasty and appetising to fulfil our cravings, they need not be full of junk. Taste can be fulfilled by enhancing vegetables, dal and curry using lemon or kokam. Spices like asafoetida, ginger, turmeric, ajwain, saunf (fennel), cinnamon, cumin can all add to taste and also increase digestive fire. 

Last on today’s list of recommendations is a regular abhyangam (oil massage). This is advised by Ayurveda as beneficial all year round but especially through the rains. It is the best remedy to keep vata dosha in check. In addition, some oil application on the joints, perhaps while watching your favourite TV show, is an easy way to keep them healthy throughout the year. 

To summarise — boil water, use herbal smoke, fulfil taste with spices rather than junk and give yourself regular massages — are all simple, effective and feel-good methods. Such is the greatness of our collective ancient culture.

If we take a moment to recollect, we will realise that our elders followed a lot of these practices as part of their normal daily practices in various seasons. In a time that is not the best for managing health, a few easy practices can help reap immense benefits. Good health is merely a consequence of maintenance. If you keep fit during these grey days, you go into the next season full of energy and vigour, with confidence and a big boost to be able to participate and enjoy a number of celebrations and festivities to the maximum. Ayurveda is a versatile and holistic health system that can help in any and every situation. In the rainy season, it is like an umbrella to keep you dry and able to go about your daily business with ease.

(Concluded)

The author is an authority on Ayurveda and spiritual science and is founder of Atmasantulana Village, a world-renowned holistic healing centre. If you have any query then email it to us on ayurveda@dnaindia.net.