Ageing brings along with it several debilities and this is the time of life when the elders need our support and understanding and it is the duty and the responsibility of the young and the able bodied to look after them. To serve our elders better, we need to have an understanding of their needs and difficulties.
Some common problems of the elderly and Ayurveda solutions:
Constipation: Elimination of waste after digestion is very much essential for maintenance of proper health. The elderly suffer more from this problem because i) the mucosal secretions dry up inside the intestines ii) the weakening or sluggishness of peristaltic movements. Ayurveda provides easy and gentle solution to this problem and the most commonly advocated medication is castor oil based preparations. Gandharvahastadi Eranda taila, Sukumara eranda. Triphala choorna is also useful in this condition. The dose and choice of the medicine varies from person to person.
The best ways to avoid or prevent constipation are:
- Increase fibre intake in the form of good quantity of fruits and vegetables
- Drink adequate quantity of water
- Drink a glassful of milk at bedtime and a glass of warm water early in the morning
- Simple exercises, yogasana and walk also help
Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is the gradual loss of minerals from the bones leading to reduced strength and softening of bones. Bones are the basic support structure of the body. The onset of osteoporosis starts from the age of 40-45 among women, the period when they go into menopause and in males the changes start after 45 years. The most common symptom of this problem is backache and arthritis. When ignored, this can lead to severe problems such as hip joint fracture.
Prevention and treatment: Natural calcium supplements such as Shankha and Pravala bhasmas are useful in this condition. Regular application of medicated oil on the skin is a wonderful preventive practice to reverse the condition of osteoporosis. Regular oil bath keeps the skin healthy and thereby helps in Vitamin D synthesis with the help of sunlight.
The use of milk and small quantity of cow ghee in the diet is very much helpful. These days people start avoiding ghee after they cross 40 years citing the reason that it is cholesterol enriching. Anything in excess is harmful but the same taken in moderation is nectar. Ghee is a rich source of essential fatty acids and for vegetarians it is a must. Ghee is a nutritive tonic to the brain, acts as a lubricant in the intestines, helps stimulate the digestive fire, is good for eyes and the list of its uses are endless. Suffice to say that pure Cow ghee should not be avoided at any cost by the elderly.
Osteoarthritis: This problem is due to wear and tear of the articular cartilage in the joints and the commonly affected joints are Knee, Hip and that of the lower part of the Spine. Pain and difficulty in movements are the major symptoms of this problem and in later stages the joints appear swollen. Early diagnosis and treatment is the best way to address this illness which affects majority of the elderly population. The limp in the gait, preventive collar around the neck and the Lumbosacral belt around the spine are tell tale signs of degeneration in the skeletal system. Apart from these external support system there are good medicines in Ayurveda to treat this problem.
Externally the use of Mahanarayana taila and Ksheerabala taila for gentle massage over the affected joints gives good relief from the pain and swelling.Guggulu based preparations and kseerabala(internal )are some of the medicines used in Ayurveda.
There are wonderful preventive and therapeutic approaches advised in this branch of Ayurveda to help the aged lead a better quality of life. The best time to start taking Rasayana therapy is the middle age i.e. in the mid forties. This will prevent and reduce the severity of the effects of ageing.
Table showing some common problems associated with ageing and their preventive treatments:
| Loss of memory or deficient memory | Brahmi ghritha,Saraswatharishta |
| Vision difficulties
|
Saptamrutha lauha, Triphala ghritha |
| Constipation | Swadishta virechana choorna, Abhayarishta, Eranda taila |
| Arthritis, painful joints | External use of medicated oils such as Mahanarayana taila
Internal use of Guggulu based medicines |
| Tremors, unstable gait | Powder of Mucuna pruriens, Vidaryadi kashayam and Ghritham |
| Hair loss, graying of hair | External use of medicated oils such as Bhringaraja taila and Neelabhrngaraja taila
Internal use of pills of Saptamrutha lauha |
| General debility and loss of stamina | Vidaryadi kwath, Chyawanprash, kushmanda rasayana |
