The means and methods to living a healthy life are called Svastha-Vratta. Many modern
authors have tried to explain complete health and healthy person, but none could
give the definition so precisely as our ancient Acharyas.
While explaining health, Susruta says in the definition, in which physical, mental
and spiritual health has been explained. Health here does not mean only the absence
of disease but it means that mind and spirit should also be Prasanna (happy). Complete
psycho-somatic equilibrium is the key to Svasthya (health).
- Means of Achieving
For achieving sound and perfect health both psyche and physique should be in their
normal form and also in condition of equilibrium. For maintaining physical health,
Ayurveda has laid stress on proper living during day (Dinacharya), night (Ratricharya)
and season (Ritucharya).
For perfect mental health, Sadachara is to be practiced. Social hygiene occupies
an important position in life. The cultivation of civic sense is necessary for the
development of the village, city and the whole of the country.
This comprises of the do’s and don’ts during the day time i.e. starting from the
time of getting up from bed to the time of going to bed.
- Time of Getting
It is advisable to get up early in the morning before sunrise in Brahma Muhurta.
This practice is rewarding as it avoids dreams which generally appear in the morning
when a man is in a condition of half awaking and half sleep (Tandra) and the discharge
of semen which generally takes place in the morning and it provides the time when
mind is clear and body losses repaired.
- Drinking Water
A draught of water taken at the time of getting up causes a free passage of motion
- Excretion (Mala
& Mutra Tyaga)
It is very necessary to inculcate the habit of easing in the morning. A tendency
to suppress the natural urges (Vega Vidharana) is the root cause of many diseases.
- Cleaning the Teeth
Cleaning the teeth, tongue and the mouth every morning should be ensured. Teeth
may be cleaned by Babbula stick or any good powder which is antiseptic and astringent
so that the accumulation of dirt, tartar etc. on the teeth could be removed. If
there is some disease of the teeth or the gums, an oil massage on the teeth and
the gums is necessary.
Accumulation of Mala on the tongue should be scraped by a washed tongue cleaner
whose edges should neither be very sharp or blunt. Before and after cleaning, the
cleaner should be properly washed. After cleaning the teeth and the tongue gargle
with salt water should be done.
- Oil Massage
It is necessary to massage the whole body with oil. For massaging Tila taila (gingelly
oil), Sarsapa Taila (mustard oil) or Narikela (coconut) can be used. But generally
speaking Sarsapa Tail (Mustard oil) is the best. Medicated oils may also be used.
Oil massage ensures
Softness and unctuousness of the skin thereby eliminating chances of infection,
Free movement of joints and muscles
(iv) Speedy movement of metabolic waste products through skin, and
- Maintenance of perfect health. In some measures it also serves as an exercise.
Regular exercise is essential for perfect health. It brings up stamina and resistance
against disease, clears the channels of the body (Srotas), and increases the blood
circulation and efficiency of lungs. Indigenous, Yogic and western type of exercises
may be undertaken.
Broadly speaking, an exercise should lead to appearance of sweat on the forehead.
However, one should be careful in selection and extent of exercise when he is suffering
from a disease like cough (Kasa), tuberculosis (Ksaya), heart disease etc.
Generally one should take bath with warm water at the place protected from draught.
Head should be washed with water having the temperature of the body. Bath increases
Jatharagni, clears the pores of the skin and the skin becomes clear.
Diet should be regulated taking into account the Desa, Kala (season) and habit.
Diet should be planned to include all six Rasa (taste) i.e. sweet, saltish, acid,
bitter .acrid and astringent. Diet should be balanced and the quantity should be
according to one’s digestive capacity.
- Tips on diet
Fresh ginger should be taken with a small amount of salt 10 to 15 minutes before
The diet especially hard substances should be properly chewed.
Wherever possible the intake of curd and whey should follow food.
The food should be tasty, fresh and good in appearance.
It should neither be hot, nor absolutely cold.
Water should be avoided at least 15 minutes before food. The quantity of water after
food should be small. Let it be drunk often.
Heavy (Guru) food should be taken in a limited quantity.
Heavy food should not be taken at night. The proper time of night meal is two to
three hours before going to bed. After night food, it is better to go for a short
walk, of say hundred steps.
Heavy work or exercise should be avoided after food.
- After meals, heavy mental or physical work should be avoided. Some rest is advisable
for proper digestion of food.
Sleep is most important for maintenance of health and longevity for the human beings.
It is appropriately called ‘Jagaddhatri’ because of its mechanism of overcoming
wear and tear of the body due to physical work and mental stress and tissue loss.
- Tips on sleep
One should sleep with head to the east or north.
The bed room should be absolutely clean, well ventilated and away from noise and
The bed must be neat, clean and free from bugs.
The bed room should be free from draught.
One should avoid sleep when the brain is excited e.g. after reading, thinking and
The mind should be absolutely free from worldly affairs and worries while going
to bed. This may be achieved by praying to God at the time of going to bed.
Sleeping late at night leads to ill health.
A minimum of 7 hours sleep is required in 24 hours to repair the wear and tear of
Sleep during the day should be avoided as far as possible. However if one keeps
awake at night, he can take some sleep during day time. Day-sleep is not contraindicated
in the summer. But in winter, the day-sleep increases Kapha, thereby causing respiratory
and digestive troubles.
- It is advisable to massage the head, soles and palm before going to bed. By massage,
dreams can be controlled.
- Sexual Act
For all creatures, sexual act is a natural urge. Sexual act is also essential for
the procreation of the species. Even animals of lower form practice some form of
restrictions but human beings are prone to over indulgence or abuse of sexual act.
Some regulation on this activity is essential.
- Tips on sexual
- Over indulgence in sexual act us harmful for the body; it may lead to debilitating
diseases even Ksaya (tuberculosis).
- Sexual act should be performed during night time, preferably first quarter of the
night so that after performance of sexual act, one can take rest for the whole night.
- Though different Asanas have been shown in Kama-Sastra, the one in lithotomy position
is the best.
- Masturbation, sodomy are injurious to health.
- Ladies suffering from any venereal diseases should be avoided so that the diseases
may not be contacted.
- After sexual act, at least one glass i.e. about 250 ml. of milk should be taken
to promote health and energy.
- During the course of disease or in convalescence sexual act should not be performed
otherwise debility will be increased and resistance will be lowered.
- Adharniya Vega
There are thirteen natural urges. These urges should never be suppressed because
suppression of natural urges leads to many diseases. These urges are desire to pass
Some of the diseases
produced by suppression of these natural urges are given
below. Suppression of urine leads to
Suppression of stool leads
Difficulty in passing urine,
atony of bladder and
- inflammation of urinary tract.
Suppression of flatus leads to
pain in abdomen,
gas in abdomen,
Suppression of semen:
pain in the abdomen,
constipation or diarrhoea and
When semen is about to be ejaculated if it is suppressed
then it may produce
Suppression of vomiting:
a stone (spermolith), (
pain in testes
- difficulty in intercourse.
When food is not digested, the body tries to expel
it out. If it is suppressed the undigested matter is circulated in the body , thereby
producing different types of ailment like urticaria, giddiness, anaemia, hyperacidity,
skin diseases and fever.
Suppression of sneezing:
This phenomenon is meant for getting rid of foreign
matter from the nose thereby clearing the nasal passage. If this is suppressed the
foreign matter in the nose may produce rhinitis, chronic cold, headache, sinusitis
and diseases of respiratory system.
Suppression of eructation:
suppression of eructation leads to hiccough, pain
in chest, cough, anorexia and loss of appetite.
Suppression of yawning:
Suppression of yawning leads to diseases of eye,
nose, ear and throat.
Suppression of hunger and thirst:
Desire to take food and drink water are
suggestive of requirements of nutrition and replenishment of the loss. By suppression
i.e. by keeping hungry and thirsty nutritional disorders and debility are produced.
The body resistance and immunity against infection are lowered; thereby susceptibility
towards diseases is increased. In the same way, hunger pain, dehydration etc are
Suppression of tears:
In emotional condition like pleasure and grief, the
tears come down from the eyes and if suppressed, mental disorders, pain in chest,
giddiness and digestive disorders are produced.
Suppression of respiration:
Pranayam is an important Yogic exercise and one
should gradually practice this breathing exercise. Sudden holding of breath may
cause suffocation, respiratory disorders, heart diseases and even death.
Suppression of sleep:
This is also a natural urge. When the brain gets tired,
the sense and motor organs get tired, rest is required. The rest is in the form
of sleep. By keeping forcefully awaking, the diseases like insomnia, mental disorders,
digestive disorders and diseases of sense organs are caused.
- Sadachara or
Tips on Sadachara
Everybody works for his happiness. Happiness should be shared with others. One should
strive to bring happiness to all. This attitude is termed as Hitaya, which is characteristic
of our cultures.
One should love his neighbors, well wishers and to remain away from enemies, vagabonds
One should keep away from sins viz. bodily, speech and mental. Bodily sins are theft,
injury to others and Vyabhichara, rape etc. Speech sins are telling lies, harsh
words, to open secret of others and irrelevant talk. Mental sins are jealousy, bad
One should help the needy, handicapped and crippled as best as possible.
One should respect the intellectuals and the educated, elderly persons, physicians
or Vaidya, guests and cows.
One should practice living with humanity.
One should help even the unhelpful enemies in times of their need.
One should help balanced mind. Avoid arrogance when rich, and grief and envy when
One should ponder on the cause and not on the effect.
One should not talk irrelevantly.
Enmity and insult should not be disclosed.
One should exercise control over sense organs.
Actions should be planned in such a way that all the three achievements viz. Dharma
(religion), Artha (money) and Karma are achieved.
One should never stick (Asakti) to one thing-be moderate.
One should shave regularly or clean beard daily.
One should take bath regularly and put on clean clothes but never the clothes which
should be considered as a loafer’s dress.
One should keep handkerchief around the nostrils and mouth while sneezing or yawning
to avoid spread of infection.
One should stop work before one is excessively tired.
One should not sleep under a tree at night.
One should neither drink or sell wine Vyasana (bad habits) are injurious are to
health and should be avoided.
One should not serve the low or those with low morals.
One should not take eating, intercourse, sleeping and study etc. in the twilight.
One should consign house refuse to its proper place.
One should keep pace with the time. Wise public opinion is the best preceptor.
- One should keep a diary of all that happens during the day and change the patterns
of living if existing habits are found harmful.
- Social hygiene
Man is a social animal and one has to work in the society in a manner which is conducive
to better hygiene and sanitation of his community. This can only be achieved by
individual’s own efforts as well as his cooperation with the concerned authorities
of the state e.g.
the house refuse should not be thrown at random, it should be consigned to its proper
the gutters of drainage system should not be blocked,
latrines and urinals should be kept properly cleaned,
- water and water-pots be properly cleaned.
The most important point to be kept in mind is that as soon as a case of infectious
disease is seen, the same should be reported to the proper authorities, so that
they can take proper steps to check the spread of the disease and we may take such
steps so as to help the authorities in their efforts.
Not only the behaviour of a person is responsible for causation of disease but seasonal
changes also bring about disease. Our vast country from Kanya-Kumari to Kashmir
and Kutch to Bengal possesses variety of seasons. The seasons are mainly classified
by the movement of the sun, i.e. Dakshinayana and Uttarayana, and according to heat,
cold and rains.
But the main classification is that there are six seasons viz. Shishira, Vasanta,
Grishma, Varsha, sharada and Hemanta. Hemanta and Shishira are cold seasons, Grishma
is hot season, and Varsha is a season of the rains. Sharada and Vasanta are moderate
that is to say the days are moderately hot and nights are cold and pleasant.
- Seasonal variation
of the Dosha
There are three variation of the Dosha viz.
Prakopa (spread or excitement) and
- Prasama (normalcy).
These variations of Dosha take place in the body by the seasonal variations over
which there is no human control. But it is possible to keep the variations of Dosha
to the minimum by changing the mode of living. The seasonal variations of Dosha
have been shown in Table 1.
Hemanta is the only season when not a single Dosha is accumulated or spread. While
in other seasons the Dosha are in a state of derangement. Hence it can be inferred
that Hemanta is the season most suited for building-up of the body and increasing
the resistance to diseases. In Grishma due to the scorching heat of the sun, the
body becomes weak, the perspiration is excessive leading to fluid loss, impaired
digestion and skin diseases also take place.
Due to humidity in weather, the digestion is impaired in Varsha Rtu. Sharada is
very pleasant season but due to sudden climatic changes incidence of many diseases
is high i.e. Vishama Jwara, Visucika etc. The Ahara, Vihara and the measure of Pancha
Karma to be followed in the seasons has been tabulated below in Table 2.
The principles laid down in the Svasthavrtta like Dincharya, Rtu Charya etc. have
been described here in brief. These measures are for preventing the diseases and
for promoting the health. Proper following of these principles leads to the perfect
bodily and mental health, and one can live longer without any disease.