Speaking of Ayurveda for Women

Introduction

This book Speaking of Ayurveda for Women is meant for today's Indian woman. In this so called civilized world, women in our country and all over the world are being put through a lot of stress and strain, with increasing mental anxiety and tension. As a result they suffer from many diseases and disorders.

In this book an earnest attempt has been made, in keeping with the Ayurveda principles and methods, to examine the complaints and sufferings of women step by step, so that women can live happy and healthy lives.

This world, that is prakriti, has been compared to a woman. Just as this world is madcap of the panchamahabhutas, so also is a woman. The food she consumes, the water she drinks and the air she inhales are panchabhutic. She is a copy of nature. She is the microcosm of the macrocosm of the universe. Any changes in the environment will have definite repercussions on her mind and body. Ayurveda advocates to first A attend to Mother Nature and then to attend to a woman's mind and body in order for her to be healthy and live a long and happy life.

Ayurveda is as old as the Vedas. It is the upaveda, of atharvanveda. It is more than 6000 to 7000 years old. Even during those days Ayurveda had a specialised branch for treating women; that is, the specialty of gynaecology. All various methods and procedures by which a woman's health can be taken care of have been addressed by the Ayurveda vaidyas. The development from a baby to a girl and then later to a woman, have all been vividly represented in the texts of Ayurveda, that is stree-roga or gynaecology.

Keeping these in mind, I have featured in this book the major problems and difficulties that women face today. I have tried to provide them with a guide as well as remedies to their difficulties so that they can use this knowledge to better their everyday lives.

The management of women during puberty, during menses, post marriage, during pregnancy, during the growth and development of the foetus, the dietary management of pregnant woman, management of women during after delivery are all highlighted in this book. The diseases arising due to menstruation, like, menorrhagia and metrorrhagia, are also well discussed with suitable suggestions on how to prevent and to combat such diseases. Syndromes arising due to menopause in women can also be managed properly using Ayurveda without side effects, both prophylactically and curatively.

Most of these disorders or conditions are caused due to an improper lifestyle, consumption of adulterated food items, irregular and unhealthy food intake, inhalation of polluted I air and drinking of polluted water, etc. Ayurveda contains both prophylactic, measures as well as curative measures for all diseases, and these have been adequately highlighted in this book.

I hope my women readers will benefit from this work.

Back of the Book

Ayurveda, the Indian art of healing, is believed to be as old as the Vedas.

Ayurveda is based on the principle of keeping the body in tune with nature. Women are sensitive to the rhythms and cycles of nature and so naturally find Ayurveda suitable to their health needs.

In this book an attempt has been made, in keeping with Ayurvedic principles and methods, to examine the complaints and sufferings of women, so that they can live happy and healthy lives.

The book features the major problems and difficulties that women face in today’s stressful work environment. It also discusses the changes that take place in a woman’s body during pregnancy and provides guidelines on the basics of childcare. This book presents women with a guide as well as remedies to their difficulties so that they can use this knowledge to better their every-day lives.

Prof. Dr. T.L. Devaraj is the first National Award winner for his yeoman service to Ayurveda. He is the first Kannadiga to get this coveted award. He is also the recipient of several awards and honours including the International Award for his outstanding contribution to Ayurveda. He is the author of more than 40 books on Ayurveda. His books are exported all over the world and translated into many languages. He is the first professor to write Panchakarma, Health and Family Welfare and Handbook of Ayurveda Medicine in three languages - English, Hindi and Kannada. His books are praised by eminent people from the field of Ayurveda and also by the public. He worked as Professor and Principal of Government Ayurveda Medical College, Bangalore and retired as Deputy Director of AYUSH.