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Ritucharya

Ritu means Season and Charya means discipline or following.
Seasons and environment affect our health as like food.
Doshas changes according to season
Ayurveda recommend diet and lifestyle pattern throughout the year.
Seasons are based according to the movement of sun.

A] UTTARAYAN- Sun moves towards North, Sunrays and wind are very hot and dry moisture rapid.

B] DAKSHINAYAN- Sun Moves towards the South, Sunrays and wind are neither hot nor dry.

Due to environment, food and medicinal preparation acquire smoothness increase physical strength in our body.

VARSHA :- Mid July – Mid September (Rainy)
SHARAD :- Mid September – Mid November (Autumn)
HEMANT :- Mid November – Mid January (winter)
SHISHIR:- Mid January – Mid March (Late Winter)
VASANT :-Mid March – Mid May (Spring)
GRISHM :- Mid May – Mid July (Summer)

VARSHA(RAIN)

The agni (Digestive activity) weakens further and gets vitiated by Vata. Lack of sunshine and cloudy atmosphere are uncongenial to health. Hence all methods to mitigate doshas and measures to enhance digestive activity should be adopted.

DIET	LIFESTYLE
Easily digestible food to be taken.	Perfumes can be used.
Pulses, meat juices, soups, old grains and mstu (thin water of yoghurt) can be taken in food.	Avoid sleep in the day.
Ginger, black pepper and lemon juice may be taken to reinforce appetite.	Avoid exertion and too much exposure to sunlight.
Leafy vegetables should be taken sparingly.	Avoid bathing in rivers.
Foods should be hot and light with ghee, curd and honey.	Wear a bit warmer clothes due to cold winds.
River water is avoided for drinking.

SHARAD (AUTUMN)

The dry and Hot atmosphere aggravates Pitta. Sudden exposure to sunlight after the rains and cool atmosphere increases Pitta.

DIET	LIFESTYLE
Ghee processed with bitter herbs can be taken.	Udavartana with chandan.
Bitter, astringent and sweet taste can be induced in food.	Bath with warm water.
Take easily digestible food like rice, green gram, aamala, honey and sugar.	Pearls give soothing effects from aggravated pitta.
Avoid heavy food, curd, oil,strong liquors.	Avoid breeze, liquor and sleep during day.

HEMANT (WINTER)

In this season digestive activity more powerful. VAYU is Accentuated and needs to be satisfied by a heavy diet.

DIET	LIFESTYLE
Intake of sweet, sour and salty taste foods helps reducing the Vata.	Massage with oil followed by steam bath.
Wheat/gram flour products, milk products, sugarcane products and corn/edible oils can be taken as a part of food.	Udavartana with fine paste / powder of kumkum (keshar)
Carrots, tomatoes, figs, dates, sugarcane, nuts can be taken.	Exercise (vyayam)
Warm water should be taken as it aids digestion and also increases life span.	Clothing should be of leather, silk and wool.
Bitter, astringent and pungent food must be avoided.	Exposure to sunlight and fire to keep yourself warm.
Under feeding / reducing quantities should be avoided.

SHISHIR (LATE WINTER)

In Shishir ritu, the diet and regimen of Hemanta ritu is to be followed.

VASANT (SPRING)

In this season, increased kapha is liquefied by the sun and comes out of its receptacle and spread all over the body. This causes diminished agni ( digestive activity ) causing disease of kapha origin like cold, cough, heaviness and fluid accumulation in the joints, increased phlegm in the lungs, etc.

DIET	LIFESTYLE
Easily digestible food.	Physical exercise.
Barley, honey, roasted meat, mango juice can be taken as food.	Dry massage.
Avoid foods are hard to digest, cold, sour, sweet and fatty.	Nasal medication can be done after massage and bath with karpura / chandan / kumkum.
Such food increases kapha and genesis of disease.	Avoid sleep during day.

GRISHM (SUMMER)

Grishma ritu is the season of dehydration, exhaustion, lack of energy and lethargy. During summer there decrease of Kapha due to heat of sun and dryness in the air. Hence the Kapha which increase in vasant is pacified in Grishma. At the same time, there occurs mild increase of Vata dosha due to the dryness of atmosphere.

DIET	LIFESTYLE
Sweet, light, fatty and liquid food can be taken.	Anoint body with chandan paste and take bath with cold water.
Wine should not be taken as it can cause burning sensation and even debility.	Stay in cool places.
Boiled rice, meat, corn flour, curd (yoghurt) can be taken in food.	Wear loose and light cotton dresses to keep the body temperature cool.
Drink cold water from mud pot.	Sleep during day is permitted as nights are short.
Fresh juices and juicy fruits, salads, buttermilk can be taken abundance.	Too much exertion and sunshine should be avoided.

RITU SANDHI AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

Sandhi means conjunction.
Here ritu Sandhi is the period of the last 7 days of the present ritu and the first 7 days of the subsequent ritu. For instance, it is Vasant ritu during Vaishakha month, after which it will be Grishma ritu during Jyeshta month. So Ritu Sandhi will be the last 7 days of Vaishakha and the first 7 days of Jyeshta.
During Ritu Sandhi the diet and regimen that is being followed should be stopped gradually and that of the subsequent ritu be followed.

Dincharya

The daily regimen that Ayurveda prescribes is described as Dincharya.

Behavior patterns and food habits during the day and night time.

Routine for 24 hours

Wake up
Exercise
Cooking
Working
Meals
Sleep
Study
Sex

Wake Up –

2 Hours before sunrise.
There is a peace, freshness, happiness.
Providing mental peace and joy.
Wake up early gives adequate time for all routine.
Planning out routine before leaving the bed ensure all work in time.

Washing Face –

Washing face with fresh cool water after leaving bed clear dirt from eyes, nose, mouth and face.
Relieves early morning dullness.
In winter lukewarm water can be used.

Ablution / Excretion –

Early morning clearing bowel is must.
Early rush to evacuate is necessary for regular bowel and ensure the proper digestion.

Cleaning Teeth –

Teeth Should be cleaned with twigs that have bitter, pungent or astringent taste.
The movement of brushing should be from top to bottom and vice versa.
The tongue should be cleaned after teeth.

Gargling –

Regularly gargling after brushing is necessary.
Substance with bitter essence boiled in water are excellent for gargling.
It also helps drying of throat and chapping of lips.
It helps teeth, improves voice, smoothing skin of face, boost taste and appetite.

Oiling Head –

Head should be oiled with sesame or coconut oil.
It prevent hair fall, graying hairs, headache, drying scalp, improves sensory organs.

Oil Massage –

Massage helps body stronger and smoothen the skin.
It destroys premature ageing, fatigue, wrinkles, roughness and dryness.
It clears vision, strengthens body and smoothen skin.
Relief body odor, dirt, itches, sweat, heaviness.

Exercise –

Physical activities leading to tiring is exercise.
During winter and spring it should be done in half body strength.
Exercise leads strength and stability of body.

Yoga –

Choose according to body, type and imbalance.
Take precautions for special position and breathing
Follow the rules of Yoga to get maximum benefits.

Body Pastes –

Massaging body with medicated powders and pastes.
It’s helpful before bathing.
It destroys dirt, odor and cleaning pores and smoothen the skin.

Face Packs –

Face pack should be used to avoid wrinkles, blackheads and increase softness, glow and uniformity and shine.
Paste is removed until wet, if it dries it cause wrinkles.

Bathing –

Bathing daily is must for cleaning and refreshing body.
Bathing rejuvenates body.
Nose, ear, feet should be cleaned specifically during bath.
Bathing is avoided immediate after eating. an suffering from illness of eyes, mouth and ear, diarrhea, cold, indigestion.
Warm water for body, normal (room temperature) water for head.

Clothing –

Clean clothes worn after bathing.
Good clean and appropriate clothes worn as season.
White or light colored, thin clothes in summer and dark, heavy, thick clothes in winter.

Perfumes –

Body can be adorned with seasonal flowers and perfumes.
It improves the quality of life leading to its prolonging.

Ornaments and Gemstone –

Similar to performs wearing gems of gold, silver add attractiveness leading to glow on face, increased life span.
It resolves the fear and vice versa.

Chewing fragrance substances –

To keep mouth fresh nutmeg, betel nut, cardamom, clove, betel leaves should be chewed.
It increase taste perception and provide protection against oral disease.

Footwear –

Footwear protects against heat, thorns insects and germs and provide comfort to the feet.
It protects the skin healthy and aid maintaining motion.
Footwear should be selected according to the season.

Nail and Hair care –

Trimming the hair and nail should be regular habit.
Nails are accumulated with dirt and germs.
It ensure hygiene beauty and freshness.

Kohl Application –

Eyes should be nourishes with kohl or eye drops.
It makes the eyes watering cleaning process.

Diet –

Diet is crucial for maintaining health.
It should be taken in adequate quantity at appropriate time.
Light, easily digestible food according to season should be used.
Eat your lunch around 11 am and dinner around 6-7 pm.
Avoid going to bed immediately after dinner.
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, Shadrasatmak (Include all 6 taste), Satwik food.
Eat food slowly, don’t eat in hurry.
Don’t eat before previous food is digested.

Ratricharya –

Pattern of behavior and food habits at night.
12 hours of day light plus 12 hours of darkness together referred to one day.
Sleep is the described first for primary activity.

Sleep –

To maintain good health and spirits sound adequate sleep is necessary.
Night time is most conductive for sleep.
Physical fatigue caused by hard work, mental peace will enjoy by sound sleep.
Who can’t sleep, suffer from several mental and physical disorders.

Day time sleep –

Sleeping during the day is harmful for health as it increase KAPHA and PITTA .
Problems like Jaundice, headache, heaviness, body ache, swelling, loss of appetite, nauseous feeling, migraine, boils, itching, languor, cough, blockage of weakness etc.

EXCEPTIONS –

Due to loss of water and shorter nights, during summer sleeping during the day is not harmful.
Suffering from weakness, fatigue, thirst, diarrhea, asthma, hiccups.
During childhood, old age, pregnant women, after delivery.

Eating Dinner –

Digestion of food and sleep are inextricably linked.
Two hour gap between dinner and sleep is a must.
Only light and easily digestible food should be eaten.
walking around 50-60 meter after dinner is recommended as it improves digestion aid sleep.

SEXUAL ACTIVITY –

Ayurveda place certain limits on sexual activity.
It is avoided during Menstruation or when suffering from infection or disease, if she is pregnant or soon after delivery.
Without eating or overeating.
Do sexual contacts only at night.
Don’t intercourse by avoiding defecation or urination.
During winter keep intercourse as per your ability but during Rainy season keep the distance of 3-4 days in subsequent intercourse and during Summer keep intercourse after every 2 weeks.
Sexual intercourse with other than sexual organs is prohibited.

The Tridoshas

The Tridoshas (Tri means 3 & Doshas being the basic physical energies) are the primary and essential factors of the human body, that govern our entire physical structure and function. Derived from the Panchamahabhutas, each dosha – which like the elements cannot be detected with our senses but their qualities can be – is a combination of any two of the five bhutas with the predominance of one, Called Vat, Pitta, Kaph in Sanskrit, these three are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind – dynamic forces that determine growth and decay.

Doshas	Derived from Mahabhutas	Qualities
Vat	Air & Space	Light ,Cold, Dry, Rough, Subtle, Mobile, Clear, Dispersing, Erratic, Astringent
Pitta	Fire & Water	Light, Hot, Dry, Sharp, Liquid, Sour, Pungent
Kaph	Water & Earth	Heavy, Cold, Oily, Slow, Slimy, Dense, Soft

Each dosha thus shares a quality with another ( although there remain slight differences in the nature of shared quality), the third having just the opposite quality. Also each has an inherent ability to regulate and balance itself , coming from antagonistic qualities that arises from the doshas constituent elements.

When the doshas are in balance i.e. in a state of equilibrium, we remain healthy. It is only when that there is imbalance within the three that disease is caused.

It is equally important to understand that the three doshas within any person keep changing constantly, due to the doshic qualities of specific lifestyle and environment such as time and season.

And that these three are not separate energies but different aspects of the same energy, present together in an infinite variety of combinations, wherein their qualities overlap and interrelate.

The Malas

Malas are the various waste products of the dhatus produced during normal metabolic process.

Three primary malas being –
purish (Faeces)
Mutr (Urine)
Swed (Sweat)

The Dhatus

The Sapt (seven) Dhatus (tissue) elements form the pillars of the body that form the means of nourishment and growth while providing support to the body as well as the mind.

i) Ras Dhatu – Derived from digested food, it nourishes each and every tissue of the body.

ii) Rakt Dhatu – Regarded as the basic of life. It not only nourishes the body tissues but provide physical strength also.

iii) Mans Dhatu – The muscle tissue, its main function is to provide physical strength and support to body.

iv) Med Dhatu – Consist of adipose tissue providing support to asthi dhatu. It also lubricates the body.

v) Asthi Dhatu – Comprising of bone tissues, including cartilage, its main function is to give support to the Majja Dhatu and provide support to Mans Dhatu.

vi) Majja Dhatu– Denoting the yellow and red bone marrow tissue.

vii) Shukr Dhatu– The main aim of this tissue is to help reproduction and strengthen the body.

Since the dhatus support and derive energy from each other. Affecting one can influence others. For instance, interference in the manufacture of the plasma affects the quality of the blood. Which turn effects the muscles. Each tissue type has its own agni. Which determines metabolic changes in the tissues. And forms by-products, which are either used in the body or excreted through the body. E.g. Menstrual periods are by-product of Rasa Dhatu. The tissues are also governed by the three doshas, and any imbalance in them also causes imbalances in dhatus.

The Agni

Being the biological fire that governs metabolism, agni encompasses all the changes in the body and mind from dense to the more subtle. Such changes include the digestion and absorption of food, cellular transformations, assimilation of sensory perceptions and mental, emotional experiences.

Agni therefore covers the whole sequences of chemical interactions and changes in the body and mind. Digestive abilities being related to strength of agni.

Agni and Pitta are closely connected. While both are hot and light, agni is subtle and dry. The heat energy to help digestion contained by Pitta is Agni. Pitta is therefore the container and Agni the content. Agni is acidic in nature and stimulates digestion. It is subtly related to the movement of Vat. In every tissue and cell agni is present and is necessary for maintaining the nutrition and auto-immune mechanism. By destroying micro-organism, foreign bacteria and toxins in the stomach and the intestines.

A balanced agni therefore is vital for health. Disturbances to agni are the chief causes of disease.

As per Ayurveda there are thirteen types of Agni in the body and mind according to the conversion and transformation made.

The most important of them is the Jatharagni , the gastric fire, responsible for digestion of food.

The Trigun

Just as the doshas are the essential components of the body, the three Gunas- Satwa, Raja and Tamas – are the three essential components or energies of the mind. Ayurveda provides a distinct description of people on the basis of their manas (Psychological) Prakruti (constitution).

While all the individuals have mixed amount of the three, the predominant Guna determines an individual’s manas prakruti. In equilibrium, the three Gunas preserve the mind (and indirectly the body), maintaining it in a healthy state. Any disturbance in this equilibrium results in various types of mental disorders.

The Panchmahabhutas

Acording to Ayurveda everything in world is composed of the

panchamahabhutas –

Aakash (Space)
Vayu (Air)
Jal (Water)
Agani (Fire)
Prithvi (Earth)

Omnipresent, they are mixed in an infinite variety of relative proportions such that each form of matter is distinctly unique.

The Panchamahabhutas serve as the foundation of all diagnosis & treatments modalities in Ayurveda and has served as a most valuable theory for physicians to detect and treat illness of the body & mind successfully.