Dr. Rangnaikulu our Ayurved expert says,' Live in the Light, Die in Delight'. A profound statement that means if you are healthy during your young years you can easily sail through in your old age. As we move ahead in life various structural, functional, and psychological changes take place in our bodies, that affect health in myriad ways. Therefore, Ayurveda added vayopariksha (examining age) is added to the principles of diagnosis.
Ayurveda reckons childhood as the first stage of life from birth up to 30 years of age. Ensuing 30 years of active life, up to the age of 60, is considered as middle age. Old age or advanced age starts from 60 up to one hundred years or natural death. There is another school in Ayurveda that calculates childhood as the stage between 0 to 16 years, middle age from 16 to 70, and old age starting from 70.
Ayurveda identified that the humor Kapha is predominant in childhood, humor pitta is predominant in middle age and humor Vata dominates old age. Accordingly, diseases affect the human body. The sensory organs too are declined in sensory perception.
let's now focus on health problems in old age (geriatric diseases), particularly digestive and circulatory systems, that affect senior citizens and explore what remedies Ayurveda recommends to live a full life without succumbing to a hospital bed.
- Difficulty in swallowing, delayed digestion, decreased appetite, burning sensation in the stomach (acidity), constipation, and diarrhoea are the common digestive complaints. There are several solutions to address these health problems in old age.
- Always eat freshly prepared and warm food.
- One teaspoon cow ghee may be taken at least one hour before lunch.
- Preferably drink lukewarm water.
- Take 5 gm of Hingvastaka churna with 100 ml of lukewarm water to improve digestion.
- Take 5 gms of Dadimastaka churna with 100 ml of buttermilk in case of diarrhoea.
- For constipation take, 10 gm of Triphala churna or Panchasakara churna with warm water at bedtime.
- Take 5 gms of Amalaki churna with water to boost immunity for 1 to 3 months.
- The share of Cardiovascular problems is increasing these days among senior citizens. Irregular heartbeats (palpitations), chest pain, anaemia, coronary artery disease, and plaques in the blood vessels are common complaints.
- Take 5 gm Arjuna churna with lukewarm milk every day or Arjuna rasayana.
- Take 10 gm Chyawanaprasha lehya every morning for three months.
Also read : Lifestyle Tweaks May Lessen Cognitive Decline In Older Adults
However, get the following tests periodically to foresee any health problem.
- Check blood pressure once a month, though not hypertensive.
- Fecal occult blood testing.
- Sigmoidoscopy once in 5 years, colonoscopy once in 10 years.
- ECG once every six months.
Regular physical exercise, yoga and any positive habit like reading, arts, social service will aid longevity and life to years.
