Articles by Ryan

Are there ways to help one stay young? Ancient mythology credited food as one of the keys to anti-ageing. Greek gods consumed ambrosia, a food which conferred immortality.

Youthfulness comes from good health and physical attractiveness. Hence, delaying ageing also means deferring degenerative diseases and ensuring effective functioning of all body systems. Instead of anti-ageing or preventive ageing, one should aim for healthy-ageing or living longer and healthier.

Says Raksha Changappa, principal consultant, Nutrewise, Bangalore, “The mantra for healthy-ageing is called the defensive nutrition paradigm. This stresses on making food choices that maintain a healthy level of body fat and weight, maximise support for organ systems and prevent chronic diseases. This paradigm, coupled with regular physical activity, is the 21st century ambrosia.”

She states, “Have foods rich in phytonutrients, omega-3-fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, fibre and probiotics. Also, legumes, lean meats, low-fat dairy and fermented foods.”

As Sadguru Yogiraj Sri Sri Mangeshda says, “Today, science has proved that an individual, by practising certain scientific methods like kriya yoga, can arrest decay in the body.”

Dr Jamuna Pai, Mumbai-based cosmetic physician, recommends at least 10 minutes of exercise daily, keeping busy, thinking positive and a good night’s sleep.“Sleep on your back to avoid wrinkles,” she says, “Abandon sugar. Substitute coffee with green tea, drink eight to 10 glasses of water a day and stop smoking.”

Can ageing be slowed down? Ayurveda helps. Maintains Dr Rajeev Warrior, director, AVN Arogya Spa & Clinic, Mumbai, “Excessive or under-utilisation of the senses and of the body, unwholesome diet and lack of mental peace accelerate ageing. Periodic detoxification (panchakarma), natural supplements (rasayanams) and anti-degenerative therapeutic procedures retard ageing.”

Dr Pai explains, “Apples, strawberries, grapes and raspberries have anti-ageing properties. Both bell and chilli peppers contain antioxidants and have much Vitamin C. Have a handful of nuts everyday. Sprouts are a great source of protein and Vitamin C. The healthy bacteria in yoghurt aids immune function and its calcium content helps burn fat.”

Adds Prue Rajan, cosmetologist and hair stylist, “Squalene, found in olive oil, is rich in Vitamin A and C. Vitamin A weakens age spots and reduces environmental damage. Vitamin C protects skin from sun, pollution and water.” With the right focus, you can feel young forever!

Age gracefully

- Fashionably young: Fashionistas are often seen dictating what is and isn’t in for the ageing generation. Many say that anything below the knee is not meant for women above 40 and how cut sleeves should be avoided. Says fashion designer Sunita Chauhan, “Older women should not have a streak of rebellion in their fashion sense. They can show their sensuality with luxe fabrics (silk, cashmere) and rich colours (wine, chocolate, plum, champagne). They should not go for overdone or fussy styles.” Designer Payal Jain warns, “Make your own fashion statement and don’t go overboard with excess sequined work or patterned jeans.” Once in a while, flaunt your ‘greys’ happily, maybe with a new hairstyle.

- Keep a social diary: Don’t live life in isolation. “Having an active social life is a sure shot way to combat stress,” advises psychologist Varsha Pathak. Maintaining a diary can be an interesting activity. Someday, just pick it up and flip through old pages.

- Connect to your higher energy: Learn to connect with yourself and your higher energy. Says psychologist Seema Hingorrany, “It’s important to connect to positive energies around you. Listen to the Gayatri Mantra or music of your choice, which can have a calming effect.”

- Take a break: Go on a long exotic vacation with people you love or simply revisit places that hold good memories; relax and get suntanned.

- Ageing is sexy: Someone rightly said ‘if you feel old, you will look old’, so live it up with style. As 50-something theatre personality Lushin Dubey puts it, “I feel sexy even today. The word ‘sexy’ has different connotations. For me, my old age charm is my sex appeal. I view myself as someone with spunk, lots of energy and internal joy.”

AYURVEDA may be 5000 years old, but it is proving to be as relevant for health today as it was all those millennia ago. The Indian holistic healing system has been described as “one of the world’s most ancient and venerated healing and lifestyle modalities”.

Its popularity is growing in SA, in the wake of the launch of the SanAquam Urban Sanctuary day spa in Durban North last year headed by an orthodox-trained medical doctor, Dr Rajen Cooppan, who is also a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine.

The aim was to combine traditional healing wisdom with the best of modern, western medical science.

Cooppan has since returned to his general practice emphasising Ayurvedic herbal medicine, and continuing to draw on his background in orthodox medicine.

And while Ayurveda involves feel-good massage treatments and therapies, it is about much more than pampering sessions you may expect to receive at a spa.

To get the most out of Ayurveda, the experts say you need to integrate it into your daily life, in and out of the office.

There are many books on the subject that can show you how to do just that. The latest is The Ayur Veda Handbook by Lisa Fromsdorf with Marie Opperman (Oshun Books).

The book is aimed at South African readers and sets out the principles of Ayurveda simply and clearly. It dispels some of the myths (Ayurveda is not a religion and you don’t have to meditate, chant mantras or be a vegetarian to benefit from it), as well as apparent inconsistencies.

For example, Ayurveda suggests that you drink warm, clarified butter (known as ghee in Indian cooking) first thing in the morning to detox your body, says Fromsdorf.

The very thought of that can be enough to make you feel ill, never mind actually having to drink it.

Taken out of context, it can seem like a counter-productive thing to do — drinking an oily, fatty substance to rid your body of all the impurities you may have accumulated from all the oily, fatty foods you often eat.

But there is method in the apparent ancient madness.

Fromsdorf will tell you that many people in the east and the west have been able to cleanse their bodies effectively, by doing that, and have gone on to enjoy improved health and vitality.

But just what is Ayurveda? It is made up of two Sanskrit words, Ayur, meaning life or lifespan, and Veda, knowledge or science. It can be used as one word or two, and it stands for the science of life.

It is aptly named, writes Fromsdorf, as it covers the full range of life from paediatrics, to geriatrics, from pathology to herbology, surgery, pharmacology, psychology and physiology.

At its heart, Ayurveda is about getting the body back into balance naturally and safely, without having to resort to invasive surgery or pharmaceutical medications that carry serious side effects, Fromsdorf says.

It is also about never having to go on another punishing eating regimen to improve your health and lose weight. Ayurveda lays significant stress on optimum eating for health and longevity.

Before you can eat properly, though, you need to know your “dosha”. It’s an important part of Ayurveda, an intricate mind/ body concept that involves aspects of your physical and mental make up, Fromsdorf says.

Working out your dosha is not as difficult as it may sound at first.

The book contains a detailed questionnaire to help you determine your dosha. Thereafter, you will be in a better position to plan not just your meals, but your whole lifestyle, according to your type, for improved health in body and mind.

Ayurveda aims to help you get back on a healthy and balanced track.

In effect, it can offer you a “practical, detailed operating manual on how to achieve a balanced life”, writes Fromsdorf. It is only when you are balanced in body and mind that you can achieve your true potential, she says.

This is especially true of the times we live in, which ancient Indian wisdom refers to as the age of “Kali yuga”.

Kali yuga is the shortest, most difficult part of the human lifespan, so the ancient theory goes. It is a particularly turbulent time both in politics and nature, says Fromsdorf.

“In this yuga, mankind abuses the earth, and … people behave erratically and are not aware of the consequences of their actions.”

Ayurveda teaches a way for people to live according to the laws and rhythms of nature, and their natural body type, not according to manmade laws and unnatural customs, she says.

It particularly involves detoxifying the body effectively and safely, through “pancha karma”, an in-depth method done once or twice a year, and eating foods that keep the doshas in balance.

Fromsdorf quotes from ancient Ayurvedic proverbs:

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

“What you eat becomes your mind; as is the food, so is your mind.”

Although food is an important part of the book, Fromsdorf makes it clear that the principles of Ayurveda are about much more than what you put into your mouth at each mealtime.

The book covers the power of correct breathing, effective stress and time management, and exercise regimens. These are based on your body type and aim to boost rather than drain your body of energy and vitality.

Healthy eating

Tips for healthy eating from The Ayur Veda Handbook by Lisa Fromsdorf with Marie Opperman

Eat freshly cooked food and don’t use a microwave for cooking.

Only eat when you are hungry. If your digestive fire is too weak, irregular or too strong, food won’t digest and toxins will form.

If you have to eat when you are not hungry, take a slice of raw ginger, put some salt on it, eat it and drink water . It can help your digestion by acting like a fire lighter on a fire.

Eat in a calm environment, with no TV, newspapers or music in the background.

Don’t eat or prepare food when you are emotionally upset.

Jola Chudy

* Last Updated: October 04. 2009 3:09PM UAE / October 4. 2009 11:09AM GMT

Rujuta Diwekar's book is rooted in Ayurvedic and yogic principles, and traditional Indian food. Paulo Vecina / The National

A small bunch of grapes is thrust at me with a smile. The Bollywood nutritionist to the stars, Rujuta Diwekar, is running a few minutes late for our interview and by way of apology offers me the fruit from an outstretched hand before sliding into a plump sofa and gratefully accepting an ice-cold bottle of water. A cornerstone of her book is that we must all eat more often – panacea to many half-starved dieters whose stubborn extra pounds refuse to budge.

A heavy cardboard box filled with her new book, Don’t Lose your Mind, Lose your Weight, is set down behind her with a thud. A Greek salad in a plastic bowl – my hastily ordered lunch – is set down before me. Famished, I nibble at it as slowly as I can, conscious of wolfing my on-the-go food in front of India’s self-styled celebrity fitness guru.

In Dubai to promote her best-selling new diet book, the 31-year-old author, sports, fitness and nutrition expert is perhaps largely unknown outside India’s Bollywood-orbiting media. There, her fame might be compared to that of the trainer Tracy Anderson, whose workouts and eating plans gave Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna their famously toned physiques and Anderson a stellar career path as an A-list fitness expert.

Rujuta’s Indian conquest looks set to go global since the February publication of her book – one that has taken India’s weight-watching community by storm.

“The thing with India is that it is such a land of contrasting realities,” explains Diweker. “On the one hand, you have people starving for good nutrition and around the corner are people overeating on junk and processed food. A lot of simple knowledge about food has been forgotten.”

The key question is whether her book, which is rooted in Ayurvedic and yogic principles and talks extensively about a typically Indian diet, will translate to a western audience.

“Well, it’s selling on Amazon and it has received reviews from non-Indian reviewers. Apart from some more obscure Indian dishes which not everyone might know, there is no reason why a western or UAE reader cannot follow the advice in the book.”

In India, Diweker has become a go-to source for weight-loss and fitness advice since graduating in sports science and nutrition and taking on some of India’s most high-profile stars as her clients. Her training of the Bollywood megastar Kareena Kapoor caused a media furore when the actress revealed a size-zero physique for her latest film, and arguably, her A-list clientele, which includes the actor Saif Ali Khan and the billionaire businessman Anil Ambani, has made Diweker a household name. Diweker is convinced that her health advice is accessible for the average working person in the UAE.

“When Kareena Kapoor did my programme the press went berserk, which was maddening, because she didn’t just do it for the association or publicity, she did it because she believes in it and believes in what I talk about. And she found the programme very easy. It has to be simple, do-able and sustainable. If there is one place we need to be simple, it is with food.”

Espousing a holistic approach that is less about counting calories and more about eating natural nutritious food, Diweker’s down-to-earth writing centres around re-establishing a connection with our bodies. She also spends time addressing all-important issues of emotional well-being and physical fitness.

“Fad diets don’t work. As the title says, the book is about not losing your mind when it comes to feeding yourself. Instead, it aims to show how to change your own habits. It’s not about how much weight you can lose. I think food is beyond a number, whether it’s how many calories you’ve consumed or burned.”

Instead, Diweker looks at the overall well-being of her client and looks for improvements.

For UAE residents used to an eating-out culture, weight control can be a difficult task to master, especially with so much abundance in our cuisine. Portion control is difficult at best in restaurants and the confusion of a melting pot of global cuisine can result in people choosing food that is unsuitable for their lifestyles and bodies.

Diweker says that Indians, who may be physically smaller than average westerners, should eat according to their size – two hands cupped together is a guide for the right meal size for your body.

“Dubai has the best of East and West and people are spoiled for choice, but the portion sizes can be wrong for different people. I’ve never seen so many different brands of milk, yoghurt or even water in one supermarket.

“So it’s easy to get confused about food. What’s important for the people of the UAE is to eat a little before they go out to a restaurant. I also see people leaving for work and only having a cup of coffee. If they have a morning meeting they might not eat for five hours. That is too long between meals.”

Like many nutritionists, Diweker advocates eating more frequently with smaller portions. She suggests having a modest portion up to seven times a day.

This avoids hunger pangs that lead to overeating, while stabilising the metabolism.

The metabolism, or “digestive fire”, is a key part of Diweker’s re-education programme and it’s interesting for a western reader to see how the eastern approach to diet and wellness differs in its basic philosophy. There is more importance attached to spirituality, for a start. The yogic and Ayurvedic approaches are part and parcel of Diweker’s book and of her heritage.

She explains that reigniting the digestive fire, a chakra point at the stomach, is one of the most important things to tackle when addressing weight issues, much more than counting calories.

“In yoga there are seven chakras and we believe there is a fire that burns which helps digest food. This fire leads to sharper senses and the brighter it burns the better you digest your food and the better you are able to live your life. It becomes duller when you are not active or when you are not doing things that lead to inner fulfilment. It becomes duller when you’re not getting the nourishment you need and when you don’t exercise, your posture suffers and the fire is stifled because you don’t have the energy to sit up straight.”

She tells me about ghee, a traditional Indian kitchen staple, which many younger generations Indians have given up in favour of westernised “low-fat” products.

“But then they see their parents and grandparents have lived long lives and aren’t overweight, and yet their generation is getting fatter. Food isn’t just about the calories, it is about the nutrients and it is about what you do after you have eaten something.

In traditional preparation of ghee, which is also a spiritual process, there are many vitamins, Omega 3 and nutrients which are present, and these are important for the joints and for the spine.”

Despite Diweker’s A-list clientele, she wants not just to transform her wealthy, glamorous clients, but to offer a fresh perspective on how people think about food. Most of us have a hang-up or two about the fridge; either we’ll starve ourselves and then take guilty midnight trips (because eating standing up doesn’t count), or we’ll comfort eat for emotional reasons.

Many of us fail to cook fresh produce at home, preferring the ease of processed foods whose nutrients have been lost in the packaging process.

“The act of eating needs to be looked at differently. What I would really like to see is basic education about food and nutrition in schools. If we have fit children we will have fit adults.”

If this sounds like a Jamie Oliver-style call to change kids’ eating habits, Diweker is emphatic that it needs to be done in this region.

“I would never do a one-on-one with a child as it’s too traumatic for the child, but I do approach schools and ask them to have regular talks with the kids. A child is dependent on all of us; we need schools, government and parents all working together to improve nutritional education”.

When I ask her about her own background, she says it was a big influence.

“I come from a family that is quite unusual in India. The women all look after themselves physically and are very academic.

“When I started working in 1999, as a personal trainer and nutritionist, I found it quite hard to find my niche initially, because other women in this field were dieticians because they hadn’t got enough points for medicine, or they were doing it as stop-gap.

The health and nutrition industry in India was still very nascent.”

Having worked in the industry for 10 years now, Diweker says that things have changed. More people are becoming aware of the need to balance eating patterns and exercise to fit hectic lifestyles. She reminds many of her clients that sleep and rest are just as important.

“A lot of my celebrity clients were already exercising but I had to give them tips on what else to do to achieve that dream body. Celebrities tend to overdo the exercise part and underdo the nourishment. I tell them to rest more; sleep is often overlooked. If you’re not sleeping, it negates all the benefits of exercise.”

Dieting, in any case, is a bad word, and looking only to lose weight is never going to achieve long-term results unless your mind is equally committed to a healthy lifestyle. Diweker, who has seen clients come to her bedridden from not eating anything except chewing gum and coffee.

“Keep your stomach half-full and half-empty, because if you’re too hungry or full your brain won’t work as well. Too full and you feel dull and sleepy. To find that balance you need to re-establish that connection with your stomach that has been lost.”

For Diweker, trekking in the Himalayas, a lifelong passion is where she reconnects with herself.

“The Himalayas have a lot to contribute. When I lived in an ashram for an entire month was when things started changing. When you’re in the Himalayas your senses feel at peace.

“You need much more food because you’re walking and you’re eating without obsessing over it. You stop fussing. If we started doing that in our daily lives, we’d find it easier to lose weight because we’re no longer obsessing.

NAGPUR: First signal that the chanting of the mantras and prayers at the Dhanwantari puja at Baidyanath Bhavan on Thursday evening that the audience got was that it was a traditional religious programme and all those standing there with folded hands were believers of tradition.

But as the proceedings unfolded, gradually it turned out to be a gathering of some extremely knowledgeable teachers, researchers, practitioners, scientists, conservationists and experts of Ayurveda. These were experts and veterans in their own fields even at young ages. And that was the reason why Baidyanath was felicitating them.

One of them was a writer and publisher, the other a researcher, the third a retired government medical officer, fourth a government college teacher and the fifth a hardcore practitioner. But all of them are making a sizeable contribution in their own way to Ayurveda.

"Ayurveda Amratanam", believes B P Tamrakar, a professor of Ayurveda from Bhilai. He says that Ayurvedic medicines are like amrit or - and cure a disease completely by treating the root cause of the disease. Diseases like sickle cell, thalassemia, hepatitis B and E and even cancer, which remain a challenge for the Allopathic doctors, too can be treated and managed well with Ayurveda. Tamrakar says, "Ayurveda can cure sickle cell to about 90%, turn hepatitis B and E positive patients to negative and prolong the duration between blood transfusions required by a thalassemia patient. But this is possible with right integration of modern medicine with Ayurveda." He has treated 150 sickle cell patients, 70 hepatitis infections and is conducting research with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Delhi.

Tamrakar has no hesitation in admitting that modern diagnostic sciences like pathology and other investigative testing can be used to diagnose the disease. "I use Allopathy to diagnose the disease rightly, Ayurvedic medicine to treat the patient and selected diet to prevent diseases," he says.

Brahmanand Nayak, an MD in Ayurveda from Bangalore, has been bringing out a research journal, first and only one of its kind published from 12 countries simultaneously. "Medicine is a science and so is Ayurveda. But we have not been able to share this fact with the world. Though research in Ayurveda may be in infancy stage, evidence is fast pouring in on how the plant-based medicines work at molecular levels. I do the job of taking this evidence to the world," Nayak said.

Rajshree Kulkarni from Nashik is trying to prove in her own way that there is a science behind 'Garbha Sanskar'. She has authored a book on the subject and treats a pregnant woman from the first month to the delivery through Ayurveda. "We tell the would-be parents to talk to the child in the womb daily. It helps the baby's growth in right direction," she claims.

Rajesh Shukla, a retired medical officer from Sagar, strongly believes that medicinal plants should be preserved and grown in their natural environment without using any chemicals like fertilisers. This prevents the plant from absorbing any heavy metals.

Govind Asati, a teacher at government Ayurved College in city, holds the Ayurvedic practitioners and researchers responsible for the delay in required recognition to Ayurveda as a national system of medicine. "We have failed to take this science to even our own people in the right way," he says.