Along with medicine, proper diet, exercise and lifestyle is advised. This is very important, If we are taking a medicine to remove the root cause and at the same time we are eating food which may increase the cause of disease, then we will not get well and will get less relief.
In Sanskrit the daily routine is called the Dinacharya. Ayurveda recommends that in order to be optimally healthy we should tune our bodies to the nature's master cycle, which in turn regulates the various other rhythms.
Everyday two cycles of change pass through us, each bringing a Vata, Pitta, or Kapha predominance.
The approximate times of these cycles are as follows:
First cycle:
6 A.M. to 10 A.M. - Kapha
10 A.M. to 2 P.M. - Pitta
2 P.M. to 6 P.M. - Vata
Second cycle:
6 P.M. to 10 P.M. - Kapha
10 P.M. to 2 A.M. - Pitta
2 A.M to 6 A.M. - Vata
Considering the above cycles the ideal schedule should be like this:
MORNING:
Time to wake up: A healthy person should get up two hours before sunrise. During this hour the Vata element is dominant. Waking up two hours before dawn you utilize the Vata qualities in the nature. Vata is light, subtle and clear and this helps in tuning the body to the delicate messages the nature sends. This is the time when there is the most sattva in the air. It is the most fresh and pure time of the day. Some exceptions to this rule of rising early are the very young, the old, parents with small children, and people with fevers or diarrhea.
Elimination: Drinking a glass or two of warm water helps in the elimination. As soon as possible empty your colon and bladder. If you wait until later in the morning or during the day you are slowly poisoning yourself and creating an opportunity for chronic conditions to arise.
Cleaning of Senses: Wash the eyes with water. Preferably use rose water and Triphala to purify the sight.
Brush the teeth and scrape the tongue with a tongue cleaner to purify your mouth and sense of taste. Ayurveda considers the coating of the tongue as an indicator of 'Ama' or toxins in the colon.
Gargle with warm water or herbal tea to purify your voice and strengthen your teeth.
Finally do Jal neti and put a little medicated oil in your nose (nasya) to purify the sinuses and your sense of smell. The traditional Dinacharya also recommends that you inhale the smoke of medicinal herbs every morning to purify the mind, head, face, neck and lungs. Massage: Abhyanga is the name for oil massage with sesame oil. This is typically a self-massage. It is one of the main ways that Ayurveda keeps us strong and prevents us from aging. This massage need not be long and cumbersome. Massaging the scalp, forehead, temples, hand and feet for about 5 minutes is sufficient.
Exercise: Vyayama is the name for physical exercise. This is usually some Yoga postures and breathing exercises (Pranayam) but it can be anything including a walk, a swim, sun salutes or whatever. This early morning exercise removes stagnation in the body mind, strengthens the digestive fire, reduces fat and gives you an overall feeling of lightness and Joy as it fills your body with good Prana. It is not to be strenuous. In fact, exercising at one fourth to one half of your capacity is recommended. Bath: After exercise useful to bath and remove any excess oil and dirt. Both showers and bathtubs are recommended in the classics. Usually warm water baths are suggested. Put on clean clothing after the bath.
Meditation: For a few minutes to an hour sit down and see who you really are, put your attention towards Awareness. This is the most important aspect of Dinacharya. Simply be quiet, sit in Peace.
NOON:Lunch: It should be taken early between 12 and 1 P.M. this coincides with the peak Pitta period, Pitta is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day. After the meal it is good to take a little walk, a couple hundred steps only, to help the food digest.
Siesta: Anything more than a short nap should be avoided because sleeping in the day is prohibited in Ayurveda.
Study / Work: Do what you do from now until supper.
SUNDOWN:Sundown is a special time of balance between day and night. In this balance it is easier for your mind to stop long enough so that you can see your Self. This is the time for evening prayers and meditations in many cultures around the world.
DINNER: It should be taken around 7 P.M. It should be lighter than the lunch. The dinner should be at least three hours before bedtime as gives the body ample time to digest the food. Sleeping just after the dinner with a heavy stomach is not conducive to a sound sleep.
Walk to aid digestion for about 10-15 minutes.
Ease: From dinner to bedtime just take it easy. Spend time with family, read, and relax.
BEDTIME: Go to sleep around 10 P.M. so that you can get 6 to 7 hours of sleep before 4:30 am. A good practice is to massage the soles of your feet with a calming oil before going to bed. This will calm your system and promote well-being.
And remember to take your Triphala before sleep.
One should try to keep the routine as close to the recommended Dinacharya as possible. The body might resist the change for a first few days but if you do manage to persist then you will be rewarded with a much healthier and satisfying life.
Samprapti: Pathogenesis
Samprapti is the progress of pathology, from the earliest stages of imbalance to the full expression of a particular disease. The study of samprapti includes types of samprapti, stages of samprapti, sanchaya, (accumulation of aggravating factors), prakopa (provocation of imbalance), prasara (spread of aggravating factors), sthana samsraya (deposition and localization of pathology), vyakti (manifestation of disease), bheda (differentiation, full expression of disease symptomlogy), dosha gati (direction, movement and characteristics of pre-pathology) and vyadhi marga (pathways of disease).
Tomatoes are notoriously picky plants. Tomatoes are in the potato family, which makes them susceptible to tens, if not hundreds of pest and disease problems; however, that should not stop any tomato loving gardener from harvesting buckets of healthy tomatoes. The key is to learn how to prevent, diagnose and treat tomato problems.
Tomato Disease Prevention
Disease prevention in tomato plants starts with healthy growing practices. Preparing the soil, watering properly, and feeding appropriately are all keys to tomato disease prevention. Tomatoes like a well draining soil filled with lots of organic matter. Tomato roots penetrate deeply into the soil, helping to stabilize plants and take up water. With well-prepared soil, watering deeply and infrequently?every 4-6 days, will allow the tomato plant to have enough water, without putting the plant at risk of problems of overly ?wet feet.? Always water in the morning, so plant leaves have time to dry during the day. Leaves are a perfect spot for disease incubation, and water ripens those conditions even more. Prune your plants to provide air flow through the leaves and branches, which will also aid drying time. Ensure that your tomato plants receive proper nutrition by conducting a soil test, and treating the soil according to the results. All of these practices will give your plants a good start fighting off diseases and pests.
Diagnosing Tomato Pests and Diseases
If all of your well-intentioned cultivation practices have not stopped your plants from succumbing to a problem, then you must diagnose the problem. Tomatoes can suffer from pest problems, nutrition problems, viral, bacterial and fungal problems.
Pest damage to tomato plants causes visible physical changes. Cutworms actually cut off the plant from its root system, causing the plant to wilt and die. Aphid damage results in sticky residue on the plant. Aside from the damage they inflict, you can often see the pest itself on the plant. Caterpillars bury into fruit and eat it, causing fruit to rot. Whiteflies and spider mites are visible on the leaves. Diagnosing pest problems is easier than other problems because most pests can be observed on the plant.
Nutrition problems in tomato plants manifest in several areas of the plant. Tomatoes absorb a wide variety of nutrients, minerals and trace elements from garden soil. Deficiencies in each nutrient result in specific symptoms in the plant. Excess nitrogen causes deep green, lush, leafy plants with little fruit. Nitrogen deficiency causes yellowing of lower leaves. Calcium deficiency causes blossom end rot, a common problem on tomato fruit characterized by yellow, leathery spots that spread into black, rotting patches on the blossom end of the fruit. (The end away from the stem.) Nutrition problems can be seasonal, or soil related. A soil test helps determine what nutrients are lacking in the soil. If all nutrients are in the soil, factors such as overly wet or cold soil can make it more difficult for plants to absorb nutrients.
Viruses, bacteria and fungus all cause tomato diseases and problems. Wilts, damping off, leaf spots, mildew, fruit rot, cankers, and leaf mosaic problems are all common tomato problems caused by a cocktail of tiny organisms. Each problem shows in the tomato in different ways. Leaf mosaic viruses show up in leaves, causing mosaic-like patterns. Cankers are growths on stems, leaves or fruit. Root rot often shows up in the leaves of the plant, as they shrivel and die from not having enough water. For a comprehensive, pictorial guide on diagnosing tomato plant pests and diseases, consult How to Grow Tasty Juicy Tomatoes (available from www.bestjuicytomatoes.com).
Treating Tomato Pest and Disease Problems
The phrase: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure definitely applies to tomato growing. As earlier related, properly caring for tomato plants and their soil prevents many problems. However, should your plants fall prey to a problem, there are many ways to treat.
First, correctly diagnose the problem. Once diagnosis is certain, follow procedures related to the particular problem. Many plant problems can be alleviated by changing gardening techniques. Plants that are stressed are more susceptible to pest and disease problems. Examine watering, mulching, and feeding practices. If those techniques are in balance, many pest and disease problems will go away. Nutrition deficiencies may be corrected by adding correct nutrients to the soil in easily accessible forms. Some nutrients are best delivered as leaf or soil drenches, while others work well in time-release granular applications. Pest problems can be corrected with beneficial insects, changes in gardening techniques, and insecticides-both synthetic and organic. Viral, bacterial and fungal problems can also be treated with a combination of gardening techniques and soil and plant drenches and sprays. Safety is an important consideration when applying any sort of pesticide. Read the label carefully and follow all directions. More is not better when pesticides are concerned.
While all of this information can seem daunting, tomato growing is a rewarding hobby. Keep a good reference on hand, and whenever your plants are under the weather, open the book and identify the problem. "How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes" is a reference that contains over 260 colored photos of diseases, pests and common nutrition deficiencies, and is a must-have for top-notch tomato growers.
Both Richard A Masla & Annettew are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Richard A Masla has sinced written about articles on various topics from Ayurveda Treatment, Ayurveda and Ayurveda Treatment. By Richard A Masla owner of The Ayurveda Health Retreat. Richard A Masla's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.
Annettew has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Health and Ayurveda Treatment. Annette Welsford is author and publisher of "How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes" Get more information from this world-renowned tomato growing expert at