“?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????” “???? ????????? ????????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????????? ? ????????? ??????????????? ??????:?” There is no shadow, no shelter, no protector like a mother.There is no life giver in...
“?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????” “???? ????????? ????????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????????? ? ????????? ??????????????? ??????:?”
There is no shadow, no shelter, no protector like a mother.
There is no life giver in this world like a mother.
Source
Skanda Purana Mo. Ch. 6.103-104
India has always worshiped woman & given her an important position in the society at various levels. We, Indians even call our Country BharatMatha, the Earth is also call Bhudevi or BhuMatha. But over a period of time, with the extreme urbanization and adaptation of foreign culture & traditions, somewhere the celebration of womanhood & motherhood has got restricted to only woman’s day or Mother’s day only. As we celebrate & honor our woman colleagues & friends & family, it is also important that we can create & encourage a safe journey for all women wishing to embark on the journey of motherhood in their and believe me it is one of the most enjoyable & memorable journey but without proper care & support it can become one of the most difficult, painful & unmemorable as well.
A woman faces numerable physical, physiological and emotional conditions during her fertile years–be it menarche, PMS, PCOD, difficulty in conceiving, pregnancy, delivery or post delivery condition, menopause & so on.Ayurveda has dedicated a large part of the science for the maintenance of health and wellness of the woman & child thereby ensuring fit & fine future generations of mankind.
As a kid, the health & life of a girl is similar to a boy but as she grows older, and nears menarche, there are various changes happening leading to physical, physiological and emotional changes as well. Then comes the fertile years of the woman’s life. Here she may face conditions related to her menstrual cycle (pain, irregularity, heavy or light flow etc) or conditions related to her reproductive system (fibroid, ovarian cysts, blocked Fallopian tubes etc) or conditions of being not able to conceive etc. These problems act a s huge barrier in the woman’s journey towards the blissful motherhood. Then comes the pregnancy and delivery. Here also she faces many conditions and complications. Be it normal delivery or c-section, the woman’s body undergoes a major overhaul Then comes the amazing period of motherhood. Post- partum period & lactation months, the woman basically lays the foundation for the healthy child and future generation. The woman experiences not only physical & physiological changes but also emotional imbalances. If not cared for and maintained properly, it definitely effects the health and wellness and thereby the duty as mother as well.
Ayurveda believes that woman is similar to Mother Earth. Just imagine you have a piece of land which you plan to start cultivating with profitable & beneficial produce. What all do we do? What are the procedures followed? Firstly we have to make sure that the land is clear, flat and free from unwanted weeds and stones. Then the land is tilled & prepared, for planting seeds or seedlings. Then after planting, the seeds sprout-new life begins. Now the land has to irrigated with water and nutrients appropriately. If any pests or diseases are observed then required medicines & preventive measures are taken. Then comes the harvesting, again proper process at right time, the produce needs to be harvested, cleaned, packed and stored.
‘Dhruvam Chaturnam Sannidhyatgarbhah Syadvidhipurvakam !
Rutukshetrambubijanam Samagryat Ankuro Yatha !’-(Su.Sam, SS 2/33)
Sushruthacharya describes that there are 04 main important factors that have to be taken care of for healthy pregnancy and child growth. Tutu, Kshetra, Ambu, and Bija are the 04 constituents. Rutu–is the time-the right or the appropriate time-it indicates the mature age, the right season & time of the day, and also the fertile period in the woman’s cycle. The modern lifestyle and diet have a huge onus on the woman’s health leading to irregular periods, late marriages, hormonal imbalances due to the use of contraceptives etc. All these can be addressed effectively with various therapies and treatments in Ayurveda.
The next aspect is the Kshetra -it refers to the female’s body especially the reproductive organs with special reference to the uterus. A functional healthy reproductive system in a well-nourished healthy female is the best area for the implantation and growth of the embryo into a healthy offspring. Due to stressful lifestyle, immense pressure, and unhealthy diet regimens, the reproductive system is affected by various defects and hormonal imbalances. This leads to variations in the menstrual cycles or difficulty in conceiving or frequent abortions and so on. Most of these conditions can be successfully treated through Ayurveda. The Panchakarma treatments and the specific fertility medications aide in balancing the various organs and ensuring proper conception and pregnancy as well.
Now coming to the aspect of ‘Ambu’-the nourishment. When we say nourishment- it does not just mean nourishment during pregnancy but it also means nourishment of the couple before conception and post delivery as well. A balanced diet along with diet according to one’s body type is very important for maintaining fertility and conception. Even during pregnancy nutritious and balanced diet is important because both the mother and child need to be healthy. The embryo gets nourished in the uterus through the placenta and proper nutrition to the placenta is possible only with proper nutrition and diet for the woman who is pregnant. Later post-delivery the woman requires balanced nutrition, as the infant is solely dependent on the milk and that helps in the strong growth and development of the child. Ayurveda provides detailed diet and lifestyle regimens that make sure that the woman, embryo, and infant receive adequate and balanced nourishment. Ayurveda also advises therapies, treatments, and medicines that heal the different deficiencies and conditions thereby ensuring proper nourishment for both the mother and child.
The final important factor is the Beeja–or the sperm and ovum. The human body is a very complicated system of chemicals and elements which help in the production and communication of various systems for specified functions. Hormones are one such group of chemicals that play a huge role in the production of healthy sperm and ova both qualitatively and quantitively. Modern-day stress and lifestyle have a very huge impact on hormone levels leading to problems or defects in the quality, quantity, or function of the sperm or ova. Ayurveda provides treatments and therapies which not only help to heal and balance the hormones and the systems but also help to rejuvenate and rebalance the doshas of the body. The health and wellness of the body are important for the systems to work to their best.
As we have seen, the woman goes through various phases in her life in her journey of motherhood. It is very very important that the physical, physiological & psychological health of the woman is completely taken care of so that the future generation which is protected, nurtured and cared for by her is healthy and safe.
But just taking care of her during her fertile years is not enough. A mother who works all day as a housewife or a colleague or a friend or a wife reaches a stage known as menopause. At this stage, her body and mind further undergo severe changes. Sometimes the changes are minute and pass of easily. But for some the stage can be painful and stressful physically, physiologically and psychologically. It is utmost important for us to remember that just celebrating Mother’s day or women’s day is not enough, we have to be there as support to our mothers physically & emotionally so that she can lead a healthy and stress free life.
Along with celebrating and taking care of our mothers and women around us, it is also important that we take care of our Mother Earth as well. Urbanization, industrialization and overuse of natural resources along with carelessness and pollution creation, we have ignored our Mother Earth. It is high time now that we start coming up with environmental friendly ideas in all fields of our lifestyle and thereby rejuvenate & support our dear Mother Earth…because ultimately guys we have no other place to GO!!!!!!!!
#staysafe #stayhealthy
