Memory & Health Enhancement and for kids in ayurveda
To ensure that your child maintains an optimum mental health till adulthood, you need to start early with the right diet and inculcate the right habits.
By Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director, Jiva Ayurveda
Wondering how to help your child achieve mental focus, concentration and clarity? Today, the world is full of distractions, because there are so many things to do, listen, eat, play, learn and experience. If an adult can’t handle the onslaught of distractions, how can you expect a little child to be untouched?
Although today’s kids are lucky to have the best of technology to make learning a fun experience, their mental state hangs in a precarious balance. Now they have the internet, mobile phones, video games and a plethora of gadgets that vie for their attention every moment when they are awake.
Their problems are again compounded by the types of foods and beverages that they take. Cold foods and beverages such as ice creams, cold drinks and dairy products increase vata in the body. In Ayurveda an aggravated state of vata leads to memory loss, which is one of the reasons why a child doesn’t tend to remember his/her lessons.
To improve your child’s memory both vata and kapha should be balanced. A balance state of vata and kapha helps in enhancing memory while a balanced pitta dosha plays a major role in improving mental sharpness and IQ.
Your child should avoid these things to maintain optimum mental health:
Excessive intake of ice-creams, chocolates, cold drinks, dairy products and other cold foods.
Items such as chips, cookies, junk food, processed and canned foods.
Foods that lack prana or life force such as meat, stale food or food that is not freshly cooked.
Waking up late and playing games or watching TV late into the night.
Excessive loud music and stimulating beverages like tea, coffee and hot chocolates.
Ayurveda and your child’s memory
Ayurveda provides a safe and lasting impact on your child’s mental health by improving memory and mental performance. Psychological health or a healthy state of mind depends on the sense organs and their functions such as awareness, attention, concentration, assimilation, retention and recall. In Ayurveda there could be many causes for poor memory and IQ, the primary ones being malnutrition and chemical imbalances in the brain functions, which could be physiological or influenced by drugs and antibodies. A vitiated kapha dosha is responsible for memory problems because it leads to a dull mind and disinterest in things. Also, vitiated vata dosha can lead to stress and confusion, leading to the obstruction of knowledge and memory since vata is responsible for all nervous functions and memory.
To ensure that your child maintains an optimum mental health till adulthood, you need to start early with the right diet and inculcate the right habits in him/her.
Ayurvedic herbs to improve memory
Brahmi: From down the ages, Brahmi has been considered a tonic for the brain. It improves brain power and helps to make the memory sharp and clear. In ancient Ayurvedic literature, Brahmi was used by scholars and students to help with memorising lengthy Vedic texts. Due to its calming and nurturing properties, Brahmi is also very useful for highly stressful work or study environments. It is an ideal herb for students and people who are involved in research and academic work.
Shankhpushpi: This herb provides enormous benefits to the brain and helps in cognitive functions. Shankhpushpi falls under the category of ‘medhya rasayana‘ in Ayurveda, which means it is effective in boosting memory. This fact has been accepted by modern science as well that the herb improves memory, concentration and cognitive function. Students can use this herb for enhancing memory and relieving exam stress.
Kushmand (White Gourd): Kushmand acts as a brain tonic and is effective in improving memory. This medicinal plant is also used as a vegetable and acts as a tranquiliser and therefore useful in schizophrenia, debility and memory loss.
Vacha: Vacha is a herb, which is believed to enhance intelligence according to Ayurveda. It is believed to improve blood circulation in the brain and supply substantial amount of oxygen to the brain, thereby improving brain and mind functions.
Ayurvedic tips to enhance your child’s memory
Make your child eat fresh homemade food as much as possible.
Use ghee or clarified butter for cooking or use it for seasoning.
Massage your child’s whole body and head with sesame oil (til tel).
Use spices such as ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and mustard seeds in your dishes.
Let him drink warm water or herbal tea. Add honey as a sweetener.
Ask your child to do some meditation for at least 10-15 minutes every day.
Let them practice ‘shavasana’ or dead pose to relax their mind and body.
Take one teaspoonful of licorice powder with warm water or milk once a day.
Soak seven almonds overnight. Next morning, remove the skin and let your child eat it.
Ensures they go to bed early and gets a sound sleep for at least eight-nine hours.
(The writer is Director, Jiva Ayurveda and an author, public speaker, TV personality and Ayurved Acharya.)
