6 Comprehensive Ayurveda Preventive Healthcare Tips

Ayurveda emphasizes equally on both preventive and therapeutic aspects of healthcare. In most of the Ayurvedic textbooks, preventive aspects like healthy daily routine, seasonal routine etc are explained first. The disease description, treatment options, medicines etc are usually found in the later chapters. Here is a brief summary of preventive healthcare tips as per Ayurveda. 

Non-suppressible urges

1. Living by The rules of nature, avoiding suppression of physical natural urges – 

This means, we should compulsorily attend to ‘nature calls’ – aka natural urges. These are
Flatus (fart)
Defecation
Urination
Sneezing
Thirst
Hunger – Related article – Why I skipped my breakfast today?
sleep
Cough
Breathing on exertion
Yawning
Tears, weeping
Vomiting
Semen – ejaculation.

As per Ayurveda,these natural urges –
should not be initiated forcefully, when they are not there.
should not be suppressed, when they are there.
Related – Greatest secret of Ayurveda

Reason:
By initiating or avoiding these urges, the natural body rhythm gets upset and the body tends to move away from its natural course of living. This leads to disease.
In Ayurvedic terms, this initially vitiates Vata, which further vitiates Pitta and kapha and leads to sudden onset of diseases. Ayurveda explains in detail about the adverse effect of suppression of each of these natural urges.
Read it in detail here – Preventive Ayurveda healthcare

Suppressible urges

2. Urges that should be suppressed –
Having said that, there are some urges which are better suppressed.
They are –
Greed, envy, jealous, Raga – unlawful, excessive attraction, lust, anger etc.
The definition of health also covers spiritual, mental and social well being. The above advice is to take care the latter aspects of health.

3. Panchakarma treatment

Ayurveda advises Panchakarma treatment even for healthy people. This is because, seasonal variation, food, sleep and lifestyle habits will cause Dosha (toxins, in general sense) to accumulate over a period of time. Hence, it is advised to undergo Panchakarma treatment once in a while to eliminate these toxins, as a preventive measure.

4. Rasayana treatment

After Panchakarma, usually rejuvenation and / or Aphrodisiac treatment is given to promote longevity. This is usually done by advising medicines such as Chyawanprash, Brahma Rasayana, Amla powder etc.

5. Sticking to the advised regimens

Ayurveda advises daily and seasonal regimens. Strictly following the regimen is the surest way to prevent diseases.
Ayurveda daily regimen – exercise, massage, bath, herbal smoking, nasal instillation of drops, betel leaf chewing, good sleep etc.

Ayurvedic Seasonal regimen – We have six seasons, and Ayurveda explains specific routines to be followed in each. This is based on the effect of weather on body and mind.

Other points

6. Avoiding external injuries, maintaining personal hygiene, preventing quarrels, having good control of the senses, prayer, meditation – these are the general guidelines to prevent all types of diseases.