Relaxation

As you all well know, Go Veda actively promotes simple and natural ways to promote health and wellness through creating a working balance of mind, body and spirit.  It is important that both internally and externally we work to maintain this sense of order to keep connected with the rest of the universe.  Here in the West, we are notorious for overemphasizing one or two aspects of our lives and letting the rest fall to the wayside.  What we find when doing this is a seesaw effect where the universe responds and forces us to act on these other aspects of our lives—again in excess—almost as a response to “catch up” and set the equilibrium back to a natural state. 

An easy example would be to look at those who work 14-16 hours per day, 6 and 7 days per week.  These people are very productive and disciplined in one aspect of their lives.  They will tend to, however, neglect physical health by not exercising, mental health by not resting sufficiently and social health by not communicating with others for the purpose of nurturing relationships.  These same people will also “hit a wall” or “burn out” at some point where the universe simply says, “That’s enough; you’re out of balance.  Time to catch up.”  What happens next could be 2 things: 1) Some who hit burn out, realize the debilitating effects of this both on themselves and those around them and will willfully make a change; 2) Others who hit burn out and think all they have to do is step up and stop complaining will develop physical and/or mental illness or be put through an event (divorce, falling asleep at the wheel, etc.) that makes it impossible to continue on that way.

The point of all this is that life is given to us by a higher power as a gift and an opportunity for growth.  Life was not given to us by our bosses, our mortgage company, our credit card companies or our government.  So why, then, do we live forever indebted to these artificial “fathers” of our existence?  Should we not cherish the gift given to us by our real makers and take advantage of this opportunity to experience and learn?  Express your appreciation for the gift of life by applying yourself 100% to every aspect of your life.  Work hard at your job.  Give your all to your familial and friendly relationships.  Do everything you can to exercise, but also rest sufficiently.  That is the true meaning of living life to the fullest.

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.”

In ayurveda anti aging means primarily maintaining a healthy body into old age and slowing down the processes of aging, wear and tear, and degeneration. The aim of Ayurveda anti-aging is to aspire to a healthy aging process, to keep both body and mind functioning at optimal capacity.

Our life expectancy is increasing all the time, and large numbers of people in our society are becoming more aware of health issues. The concept of anti aging is one of interest to many, because simply growing old is not necessarily a blessing on its own.

Becoming more personally responsible for one’s own health and lifestyle, and treating the body more kindly, are already major steps in the right direction. Just incorporating some of the following Ayurveda teachings into everyday life and reducing the intake of harmful luxury foodstuffs will bring huge benefits.

Skin Health: The Ayurvedic Perspective
According to ayurveda, a number of factors determine anti aging skin care, and these include proper moisture balance effective functioning of the metabolic mechanisms that coordinate all the various chemical and hormonal reactions of the skin and efficient circulation of blood and nutrients to the different layers of the skin.

The health of the following three types of body tissue are especially reflected in the skin: nutritional fluid, blood and muscle. The nutrient fluid "feeds" all of the body's tissues and helps anti aging skin care; blood is associated with liver function and purifies the skin; and muscle provides skin firmness.

Waste products of the body tissues are also involved in Skin Care - Premature Aging of Skin. For instance, sweat, the waste-product of fat production, helps to purify and refine the skin.