Basic Dogma of Ayurvedic Geriatrics

Ayurveda has been in an unbroken tradition of professional practice for thousands of years and is flourishing even today in India and several other South East Asian Countries. Its unique holistic pro nature approach and its safe and cost effective green pharmaceutical processings. Currently Ayurveda is one of the official systems of Medicine and is essentially being the science of life and longevity, geriatric health care is its prime concern which reflects well in its Rasayana branch  which is one of the eight branches of Astanga Ayurveda.

Ayurveda has survived to the present times down the ages through two sets of texta authored by three sets of  specialized practitioners –charak,sushruta and vagbhata called brihatrayee and madhava kara,sharangdhara and Bhavmishra called laghutrayee.

Aging is natural

The life is a time-bound phenomenon. The man is born, grows to adulthood,

passes to senility and ultimately dies. Still a long healthy life is the most

cherished wish of man for which ancient Indian scripture Vedas  pray "Jivema Ïaradaí Ïatam,Pashyema sharadah shatam" and so on. The standard human life span as contemplated in scriptures is of 100 years, after which the body becomes senile and decayed to cease; although the jeeva (barring physical body) is immortaland transmigrates from one body to another.

This process of Aging is the very nature of the living body. Beside this there can be a range of environmental factors which accelerate aging process such as nutritional deficits, stress, climatic factors,free radical injury, immune disorder and endocrinal factors etc. The aging is a continued process of involution overwhelming the evolutionary processes which initially set-in to allow the growth and development of the body-mind system. This involution is marked with a range of biologicalchanges which can be identified in relation to Dosha,Dhatu,Ojas, and Agni

Diagram showing the Tri-triangular Ecogenetic Model of Holism in Ayurveda, the

round circle depicting the inherent power of harmony in the nature.

 Phases of Life and sequential Biological changes.

Scholers of latter stages like Vagbhata and sharangdhara has described the 10-Phasic sequential biological changes taking place  during 1st to 10th decades of life which may be restored up to the workable extent by adopting  age specific Rasayanas.

Sl.No.                Aging Decades                                 Inherent Biolosses

1                         0-10                                                  Balya – Corpulence/strong

2                         11-20                                                Vriddhi –Growth/elongation

3                         21-30                                                Chhabi – Lusture/ coquette

4                         31-40                                                Medha – Intellect/comprehension                                 

5                         41-50                                                Twaka – Skin quality

6                         51-60                                                Drishti – Vision Locomotion

7                         61-70                                                Shukra – Virility

8                         71-80                                                Vikrama – Physical Strength

9                         81-90                                                Buddhi – Thinking

10                       91-100                                              Karmendriya-locomotion

Geriatric Svasthavritta and Sadvritta

Codes of healthy living, i.e.Svasthavritta and Sadvritta denoting personal hygiene and mental hygiene respectively in great detail. The Svasthavritta Catuska chapters of Charaka Samhita present a classic account on this aspect of the subject (CS. Su. 5-8).

Dinacharya or daily routine of right living is designed as means of promotive

and preventive health care. The prescribed time to wake up in the morning is

Brahma Muhurta or Amrit bela  approximately between 4-5 AM. This should be followed by cleansing the teeth, tongue and mouth with suitable fresh tooth brushes of prescribed wooden sticks(Datun) like Khadira, Karañja, Neem and Babbula or  any similar having  bitter and astringent in taste with antiseptic property. This should be followed by drinking water,bowel evacuation, oil massage and bath,vyayama and ahara as prescribed.

Ritucharya or seasonal regimen is another important component of Svasthavritta

prescribed in terms planning diet,life style and seasonal Saamshodhana

(biopurification) in consideration of Tridoshika rhythms of Dosas - Vata, Pitta,

Kapha and their Sanchaya(Accumulation), Prakopa(Virullance) and Prashama(Subsidance).

Sadvritta, Achara, Vega Vidharana:

Ayurveda emphasises on psycho-social factors of good living

and describe in detail the ethics and code of conduct conducive to good mental

and social health.

Sadvritta, Achara (CS. Chi 1) and Vega Niyamana     provides comprehensive

Psycho-social and spiritual code of conduct which can be suitably tailored and

updated to suit the present condition as a social and mental health promotion

regimen. Such practices render the life stress free promote health, longevity

and immune strength.

Reference

Singh R.H. Basic tenets of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic

geriatrics :Manual of geriatric Health Care: Department of AYUSH, Ministry of Health and FamilyWelfare, Govt. of India, New Delhi, India

And

Faculty of Ayurveda, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi,

India