Yoga and Health
by
Swami Adhyatmananda

  PROBLEM AND SOLUTION - 5 

There is an inquiry from California “After my first delivery I used to feel normal but after the second delivery I registered higher blood pressure, what could be the reason? Pressure is regularized by medicine but that is not the solution. Please guide.”

In the answer it is to be stated that even though every thing may be normal, weight may be more than required, salt intake through pickles etc. may also be O.K., yet use of contraceptives medicines can increase blood pressure of the ladies. In the beginning blood pressure rises and then the obesity will also increase. A general survey of ladies consuming pills for contraception reveals that regular con­sumption of these pills makes very undesirable effects on the body it is therefore not proper to consume such pills. There are many methods available for contraception; you may kindly consult your family physician in the matter.

We have already discussed the subject of blood pressure in full details. It was considered to close this discussion but there is a new saying “All houses have similar microwaves” and accordingly during the past 15 days young and old have expressed their anxiety through letters about the same subject. Thank you heartily for your Diwali greetings. I pray Almighty to shower multiple welfare on all.

The main conclusion from the various questions that can be taken out is that all friends will feel obliged if they are told about what can be done other than medicines by way of Asanas, Pranayama, meditation, proper food and some nature cure to effect the necessary control.

In the Ayurvedic form of treatment one medicine named Sarpagandha is prescribed for its effects on reduction of blood pressure. The importance that penicillin holds in the allopathic pharmacopoeia is similar to the place of Sarpangandha medicine in Ayurvedic system. There is an element named serpin in the herbal preparations of Sarpagandha, which gradually reduces blood pressure and makes it normal. The pharmacists of east as well as west are producing many medicines by mixing this serpine in medicines. One feels sorry to learn that in spite of these medicines the effect on the disease of heart is not felt to a satisfactory degree and cases of myocardial infarction due to blood pressure have increased to a very great extent. When myocardial infarction occurs the artery leading to heart gets a blockage and that part is not supplied with required blood, thus making that part inactive as a result of which there are all possibilities of heart attack. That is the reason why along with the control of high blood pressure and blood circulation, the other arrangements and condition of the body requires necessary and invariable examination.

Purification of the body has been given a very important place in the nature cure system. Blood pressure can definitely be controlled by internal purification of the body the most important and essential step is the control of digestive system of the patient. The old collected stools in the big intestine of the patient goes on rotting and the nutritive elements of the body are thereby absorbed. The blood vessels do not thereby get the nutrition of the type and proportion that is required. This makes the walls of the arteries rough and stiff. The elasticity of the arteries reduces; this becomes a hin­drance to the blood transport. This looks to be small matter but it is very important. Shruti and saints ordain “Prabhate karadarshanam.” They tell to start working from the morning, use your hands, do not be lazy Because “Pranuzdo nitya nrityuh Bhagawan brahmanasutah.

It is said in the Sanat Sujatiya that laziness is the entrance to ‘death. Still the principal and absolutely indis­pensable requirement is “Prabhate maladarshanam “. It is of prime importance that stools should be cleared no sooner one gets up. The diaphragm is interposed between the stomach and the heart. If a man is constipate it does not allow the gas formed in the stomach to go down and thereby causes pressure under the heart. Ordinary healthy people may be afraid of getting an heart attack but the weak willed person may even have their heart stopped from working. It is therefore very essential to see that the food is properly digested. Everyday in the morning, regularly, stool gets cleared. If there is trouble in clearing the bowels then it is more advisable to use a nature cure of an enema instead of weakening the intestine by use of medicines, pills or powders.

General mass of people understand that as a result of long duration of illness if enema were applied, intestines would get weakened but really this is not a fact. So long as the intestines are not capable of throwing out the stools, the patient will not feel hungry or may feel less of hunger, he may feel restless and uneasy in such a condition it is very helpful to make use of enema to clean the bowels. For ordinary constipation enema of one or two glasses of tepid water can be taken. If this much water can be retained for about ten minutes the digestive system gets good help in the long run. One can even take such enema twice a day this will be found very helpful. If the constipation is chronic one can take enema by adding limejuice in lukewarm water. The name given to Yaugic process of enema is basti. Rushi­munis of yore used to keep their bodies free of toxins by regularly using Basti process, which is one of the six cleansing processes.

To preserve elasticity of veins and arteries, to increase movement of blood, steam bath is one very important aid recognized Nature cure. So many toxins and poisons are removed by steam bath. Steam bath is known as a panacea. Obese people can use steam bath to a maximum degree. If administered properly and by right method each steam bath is likely to affect reduction of one pound of weight.

After- such a water vapor bath the patient should take a sponge bath by a wet towel drenched in cold water. While undergoing steam bath, it is necessary to wrap the head in a wet towel. One should have steam bath for ten minutes in summer season and in winter, period be extended to fifteen or twenty minutes. After steam bath one should use a cold-water tub bath covering the body unto the waist. Steam bath makes the bather perspire profusely Waist deep cold-water bath makes the body light. This process has a great influence in regularizing and controlling high blood pressure.

For controlling blood pressure massage has also proven utility. The root of word massage (Malish) is Mardan in Sanskrit. Mardan specifies that body be applied friction with very light pressure. By such light handed friction enough blood flows to those parts of the body where blood flow is less than necessary. In India massage is an old time remedy Maharshi Bharadwajaji has described in his legendary tale before Yajnavalkyaji the massage treatment rendered to soldiers of army of Bharat when they were tired. This entry appears in Valmiki Ramayana. In his book “Kamsootra” Mud Vatsyayana has recognized massage as a skilled method. Brahma-parva of Bhavishya-purana considers proficiency ‘in science of massage by a wife is an additional qualification for service of the husband.

A patient of blood pressure, when in a condition of very high blood pressure, should be given very light massage over his body As a result he may not fall asleep but at least the blood pressure will be very much controlled. This massage is not the type wrestlers employ the massage should be as light as the touch with a feather of a peacock. Modern physiological science says that the activity that a body maintains is the measure of circulation of the blood through the body Historians declare that massage in a pure science. In the olden times, about 3000 years B.C., Chinese people used to employ massage for care of various ailments. Not only for the blood pressure but also for creating deep influence or parasympathetic treated nervous system of a mentally ill person, massage is a very beneficial remedy

The rule for massage dictates that the hand used for massaging may be applied on any part of the body but the direction that hand moves in must be directed from the concerned part towards the heart. Leg should be massaged from lower side to upper side towards the heart, direction for hand should be from wrist towards the shoulder, the belly be massaged in a circulatory movement around the navel, for buttocks massage from inside to outside, but for waist massage from waist towards the neck, whereas for the back move from neck to waist and for spinal-column move from center line of spine towards both the sides, for chest from neck to navel and for the chest, up on the chest and all around the chest, move in a circulatory movement.

Practice of massage purifies the blood and gives new life, activeness and vitality to the body while massaging, one should remember to rest for fifteen to twenty minutes, and then perform Shavasana. Thereafter hipbath in 50 to 65 F should be had for ten to fifteen minutes. After hipbath dries out the body properly, put on clothes quickly and have a walk in fresh air for ten to twenty minutes. If, as a result of obese body or due to any other reasons, one cannot go for a walk, sleep for half an hour under a blanket so that coolness of body is driven out and body feels warm. It is necessary to have a shower bath one hour after hipbath.

Hipbath is not only practiced for high blood pressure it is also a treatment for several diseases under nature cure system. Hipbath has a place of prestige in cure of kidney diseases, constipation, flatulence, and obesity. Pelvic inflamma­tion, blood in stools, piles, and urinary troubles suffered by children, chronic diseases of the uterus, loss of virility, debility in semen, impotence, infertility and weakness of large intestine and blood pressure problems. Charak opines that clearing of bowels executes digestive system thereby all the natural activities of the body quickly get organized and active; that is why senses, mind and intellect remains satisfied and strong as well as power increases. If none of the above could be practiced, at least minor Shankh­prakshalana can be undertaken. Kunjal process can be employed.

In the early morning, after brushing, before bathing, drink seven to ten glasses of water of normal temperature very speedily, on empty stomach. It is better if you drink tepid water In ordinary Kunjal process a little salt is added to water Patients of blood pressure should not add salt to water Without wasting anytime, drink full quota quickly Lean forward so that belly gets squeezed, immediately all the water will be thrown out in a torrent. If this does not happen, take all four fingers of right hand and move them over the root of the tongue as if you were cleaning the tongue, all water will be belched out. Do not try to drink two or three glasses and make a hubbub of vomiting out. A minimum of seven glasses of water must be drunk. Then only water will be forced out in the speed. Kunjal means an elephant. The process of taking out water as is done by an elephant is called Kunjal-kriya. This performance is also known as Vaman Dhoti or Gaja-karani process. By this action throat is cleared, food pipe is cleared, hyper-acidity, sputum and biles gets treated. Gaja-karni purifies the blood, which results in clean body; blood purification is attained and a great influence is made on high blood pressure. . On comple­tion of Gaja-karni or Kunjal process one should neither eat nor drink anything till one hour elapses. One can take bath also after one hour

In this very process if one performs Tadasana, Tiryak­tadasana, Katichakrasana, Ashvasanchalan Kriya and Udar­akarshana Kriya, each Asana being interposed by two glasses of water after each of the above Asana immediately per­formed, Shankha-prakshalana will be achieved when eight to ten glasses are drunk and stools are fully cleared. This process is known as “Laghu Shankha-prakshalana”. After Laghu Shankha-prakshalana perform Shavasana, at least for half an hour. If Kunjal  Kriya is also to be performed, do this in proper order; that is perform Kunjal after Prakshalana.

These exercises perform a major tasks of purification of the body, making body very light and full blown.

1.    A patient of blood pressure should make it a rule to drink juices of sweet lime (mosambi) and oranges.

2.    Consume very little quantum of protein in food.

3.   Meat and all preparations of maida, and nitrogenous food increase blood pressure hence they are prohibited.

4.   Control of food helps us control all diseases. It is believed that, “Langhanam paramam aushadham.” Hence remember: ‘Hita-bhuk’ and ‘Mita-bhuk’. Keep food intake as little as possible, covering only items which are useful to the Body

5.   Curd is better than milk. Bacteria produced in curds helps reduce cholesterol, hence remain aware to use curds prepared from skimmed milk.

OM SHANTIH!

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