World

World Sleep Day: Take the “New Mantra” to Good Health!!

Awareness of Health & Sleep-related Issues

Happiness is waking up, looking at the clock & finding that you still have the last 10 more minutes to snooze off to sleep. Yes, I know that feeling. What would be the best day to talk about our favorite hobby ‘Sleeping to dream’ rather than World Sleep Day?

World Sleep Day is an annual event celebrated on Friday, yes, it is Friday as it comes close to a weekend, how better it could be? Jokes apart, it falls before the Spring Equinox each year. The motive of celebrating ‘World Sleep Day’ is to raise awareness of the importance of sleep and to promote better sleep habits and practices. The event was first organized in 2008 by the World Sleep Society, a non-profit organization that aims to advance sleep health worldwide. I think it could have been such a great thing to do. With so many people talking about wanting to sleep well but not being able to do so, this day has come out like a winner for all. Sleep issues have been a global problem now, earlier, it was an issue of old age and is now a problem for small children to even adolescent kids. Though all have reasons for not being able to fall asleep, still the problem needs to be assessed and emphasized to promote good sleep habits which can be sustainable & relatable. 

With this aim in mind just like each year, World Sleep Day has a different theme this year too which focuses on a specific aspect related to sleep health. The themes in previous years have included “Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet”, “Sleep Soundly, Nurture Life”, and “Sleep Well, Grow Healthy”. The theme for World Sleep Day 2023 is “Sleep is essential for good health”, which emphasizes how consistent sleep is essential for maintaining good & optimal health for all.  A global solution for a global problem.

So, World Sleep Day is celebrated around the world with events, seminars, and workshops conducted on sleep health and how it is the most important aspect of great health. Sleep experts and health professionals are emphasizing the benefits of sleep, the effects of sleep disorders, and tips for improving sleep quality. The goal of these events is to educate everyone about the importance of sleep and to provide the knowledge and tools to get better & harmonious sleep.

On World Sleep Day, let’s just relax and sleep like a baby if you want to have great health today, tomorrow, and forever. Sleeping well is the new mantra to good health, so just keep sleeping!!

Author -

Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni

Research & Product Domain Expert

(Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.)

Chief Nutrition Counseller (Germany)

 

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Save your Vision !!

The sensory organs are needed to create more liveliness in humans and other animals’ lives. They provide information about the surrounding environment to behave accordingly and may make an alert. During and after the pandemic, vision has been affected more than any other sensory organ.

All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) studies and observes these changes. ‘Prevent Blindness’ is one of the organizations that declares March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to provide Sight-Saving Resources to employees and their employers to improve Eye Wellness and Eye Health conditions at the Workplace.

During the pandemic, everyone adapted to the lockdown and shifted their daily routine of regular work and academics to online mode. This involved the use of laptops, desktops, and mobile phones, which increased screen time more than the pre-pandemic situation for all age groups.

These new norms give rise to stress and strain on the eyes leading to various eye issues like excess dryness, eye redness, and burning sensation of the eyes that may result in chronic eye disorders. 

To reduce the effect of more screen time on eyesight and also to prevent further damage, the Prevent Blindness organization has advised numerous ways to overcome this. They are Eye exercise, using eye safety gear, ergonomics, nutrition, nutritional supplements, etc.

How does visual perception occur?

The eyes are wonderful and special sensory organs. Eyes can visualize all sorts of things – big or small, near or far, smooth or textured, colors and dimensions. The eyes have many parts – all of which must function to see properly, such as the retina, optic nerve, eye muscles, eyelids, and cornea.

Vision perception occurs through the retina and travels from the eye to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain combines these two images it receives to get a complete picture.

What are the visual complications among children?

Children are more vulnerable as they are in the developmental stage. Eye muscles are not that strong enough to adjust to the rapidly changing, harsh, and intense light from the screen. 

To further add to this, their meals are not balanced. Thus eye tissues are not properly nourished, and it may lead to numerous eye disorders like night blindness, lazy eye, ptosis, farsightedness, etc.

What are the visual complications among adults and old age?

In adulthood, compared to old age, adults have fewer complications. On the other hand, in old age, people have weakened their eye muscles, and cellular integrity, thereby naturally they may have poor eyesight.

Food habits and lifestyle plays an important role in adults as exposure to screen is more. Continuous gazing causes excessive dryness, which invites many other visual complications. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are major complications during early adulthood. 

As age advances due to muscular degeneration and the presence of other comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension, there is a higher chance of getting affected eyesight.         

Glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are major visual complications with advancing age.

Unfortunately, eyesight cannot be improved naturally and there is no way to change a refractive error, such as myopia, hyperopia, or presbyopia. These types of visual conditions can be treated with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.

However, there can be other reasons for diminished eyesight. Macular degeneration causes diminished eyesight but can respond favorably to nutritional changes. In that instance, there are foods that may improve eyesight without glasses.

How can one take care of nourishment for healthy eyesight?

Aging is irreversible and no one can escape it. But eating the right foods can protect your vision and keep you healthy. Research says that foods rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids help to keep eyes healthy.

But what does this nutrient-rich diet look like? Let’s break it down:

Vitamin C: Foods with lots of vitamin c are oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, strawberries, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and broccoli.

Vitamin E: Healthy sources of vitamin E include almonds, sunflower seeds, olive oil, and avocados.

Zinc: Legumes (beans and lentils), seeds, meat/seafood, dairy, and eggs are all good sources of zinc.

Lutein and zeaxanthin: Both of these nutrients are found naturally in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. This is why boosting your diet with lutein and zeaxanthin is a win for your eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin—often found. 

● Together with many foods like leafy green vegetables, kale, spinach, and swiss chard. Broccoli, asparagus, and colorful fruits like raspberries, papaya, peaches, and mangoes are also chock-full of eye-healthy carotenoids.

Vitamin A: egg yolk, fish, nuts, milk, and meat are sources of Retinol. Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, green leafy vegetables, beetroot, apricot, mango, and peach are sources of carotenoids.

Antioxidant-rich foods: A diet rich in foods with antioxidants is helpful for healthy eyesight. Foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E, carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and selenium (pasta, bread, and grains) are packed with antioxidants.

Omega 3 and Omega 6-rich foods: These foods help in the lubrication of the eyes. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish (like salmon, trout, and sardines). Nuts and oils like walnuts and sunflower oil are great natural sources of omega-6 fatty acids.

Ayurveda perspective on eye health:

According to Ayurveda, the eye has domination of fire element and pitta dosha. Thus, eye disorders are mainly caused by the aggravation of pitta dosha.

Ancient texts in Ayurveda have mentioned various causes of eye disorders such as getting exposed to the heat of the Sun for a longer duration, physical, mental, and eye strain, excess grief, excess anger, excess weeping, excessive smoking, eye injury, constant viewing of minute objects, etc.

Ayurveda common remedies for eye health:

1. Massage of the eyes with a wet palm immediately after having food will protect vision from harmful effects.

2. One should neither induce natural urges forcefully nor suppress them (suppression of tears, vomiting, etc.) as it may lead to eye diseases.

3. Pouring warm water over the body bestows strength, but the same overhead makes for the loss of strength of hairs and eyes.

4. It is good to apply Anjana (Collyrium) for eye health.

5. One should regularly consume Ghee, Barley, Wheat, Shastika shali (old rice), Saidhava Lavana, Draksha (black raisins), Dadima (pomegranate), use of Shatavari (Asparagus officinalis), Green Gram.  

6. Padabhyanga (oil massage of the foot), use of footwear, and application of medicated Lepa (paste) to the Pada (foot) are useful to protect vision.

Yoga for eyes:

There are many yoga postures and eye exercises to keep your eyes healthy and improve your vision. They are Trataka, Bhastrika pranayam, Kapalbhati pranayam, Bahya pranayam, Anulom-Vilom Paranayam and Shavasan. These poses should be done under expert advice.

Thus we can conclude –

The eye is the jewel of the body and it’s important to take care of eye health as Your eyes show off the strength of your soul.


Author –

Vaidya Shilpa Venkatesh Jamdarkhana

(Certified Ayurveda Wellness Coach)

Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.


Archana Amol Patil

(Nutrition Wellness Coach)

Atreya Innovations Pvt. Ltd.

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Nadi Pariksha to find out prognosis of cancer.

Cancer, one of the most challenging and spreading diseases of the 21st century, which has now officially become the most dangerous killer in the world according to the World Health Organization.

No one can deny the fact that cancer is related to modernization and an unhealthy and stressful lifestyle. Scientists are making their best efforts to fight against this disease; however, the sure-shot cure is still awaited.
In ayurveda, the concept of cancer is discussed by Charaka and Sushruta as Arbud and Granthi (inflammatory and non-inflammatory swelling) in our body.
Vata, Pitta Kapha are 3 critical forces which maintain our healthy status.

In cancer these 3 forces are completely disturbed causing tissue damage (dhatu vitiation), metabolic disaster and signs and symptoms of cancer.
Granthi can be considered benign tumours , Arbuda resembling malignant tumours.
Granthi along with all ३ dosha in association with mansa, meda, asthi dhatu forming defined capsulated swelling, palpable, more painful if vata dominated, burning if pitta, and dull or no pain heaviness if kapha dominated.
In Arbuda- malignant tumours, similar to granthi pathogenesis but dominated by pitta dosha and rasa, rakta dhatu, causing severe inflammatory and tissue damaging and rapid body wide spread. This Makes it challenging to treat and even difficult to control its spread in the body.
Imbalanced all 3 dosha loses coordination with all dhatu (body tissues), deterioration of normal body system function expressing wide range of signs and symptoms with loss of appetite, sudden weight loss (Cachexia), pain, disturbed body system functioning, reassembling with other normal disorders, this is making cancer challenging to detect in early stages.
Diagnosis through ashtavidha pariksha, mainly nadi pariksha can be done with experts in Ayurveda.
Nadi, which is durbal, Kathin, gambhir shows above symptoms of cancer. Also, as per predominance of dosha nadi properties are observed.
Prognosis in different stages of cancer and its severity can be diagnosed with Nadi pariksha. Sukhasadhya, kashtasadhya or asadhya.
To avoid and as preventative care, everyone should follow a healthy lifestyle and stress-free mind. Consult an Ayurveda physician to diagnose cancer in an early stage to gain a healthy and peaceful life.

Vaidya. Tejaswini Sameer Bhale
Ayurvedacharya, PGPP, MBA, DYA
Prakruti Ayurveda and Panchakarma Clinic, Pune
Nadi Pariksha domain expertise
Nadi Tarangini, Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd. Pune

 

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Importance of Data in Ayurveda

Ayurveda is one of the oldest known medical systems in human history. Prediction and Prevention are the core strengths of Ayurveda which differentiates it from other streams of medical sciences such as Allopathy.
Ayurveda always emphasizes a personalized and holistic approach of diagnosis. Person needs to be benchmarked first (Prakruti). Later the current state of the person (Vikruti) is assessed by capturing various inputs such as Nadi (Pulse), Tongue, Face etc. The properties of these inputs are then linked to various tags (Guna, Dosha, Dhatu etc). The interdependence of these parameters in the context of that person (from benchmarked information) is then derived to conclude on the diagnostic part.

Ayurveda and Data Science .. a Perfect Marriage

Do the above ideas sound familiar? Welcome to the world of Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence!! On the face of it, this sounds bizarre. Why and how do these two uncorrelated fields go hand in hand? If you think carefully, Ayurveda based diagnosis is a data hungry process. 

In fact, I’d say the pioneers of Ayurveda were the best data scientists of all the time. They have monitored, assessed thousands of patients manually and established correlation with respect to the symptoms in their mind. This formed the base template of diagnosis. It got better and better over generations with more and more patient assessments. This is exactly what any machine algorithm does after digesting input data.
Now just imagine what can be achieved if this process of data analytics is implemented with the help of modern-day compute technologies and algorithms.
That’s what we are doing at Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd. I am proud to say, we are pioneers and front runners when it comes to modernizing and digitizing the Ayurveda space with the help of data science.

Potential at a Glance …

Ancient knowledge of Ayurveda can be objectified and quantified with this data driven approach. There are great benefits of this step. Let’s have look at some of these,

  1. Technology adaptation of Ayurveda will make last mile delivery possible, thus benefiting the last person in the remotest corner of the world.
  2. Other streams of medical sciences such as allelopathy will become more complimentary and not competitive methods of diagnostics. 
  3. Open new avenues of Research and Innovative product/service ideas.

Exciting Time is Here!!

We have witnessed many technology revolutions brought by Data science in the last decade. It has transformed our life. I strongly feel Ayurveda is just the next natural candidate awaiting for this transformation with the help of data science. Once achieved, the Ayurveda story will be rewritten in modern day language and that will take Ayurveda to the world stage.

We, at Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd are committed to this transformation of Ayurveda and help it achieve the much deserved recognition at the world forum!!

Author- Parag Kulkarni,
M. Tech, IIT Bombay
Co-Founder and CTO,
Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd.

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