Volume 3, Issue 2

Ayurveda is the most ancient science of life. As such it is not concerned only to the cure of diseases but alsoaims to relieve the humanity from all categories of miseries- physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual.Ayurvedic classics give special emphasis on three important values which have been considered as theimportant conducive factors for maintenance of life and health. This important triune consists of Ahara(food), Nidra (Sleep) and Brahmacarya (Good conduct). These three have been considered as Upastambhaor the basis of life and health. Out of the three Upastambhas, Nidra has been given more importance andconsidered to be the best in Ayurveda. This article is an attempt to present information that is discussed inAyurveda text related to Nidra (sleep).

Sedentary life style and stressful mental conditions in the present scenario have invited many distressing diseases. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is described in Ayurveda as Madhumeha/Kshaudrameha, which literally means excessive urine with sweet taste like honey. The number of people suffering from diabetes all over the world is increasing progressively. Acharya Madhava described the term Prameha as repeated (Prakarsha), excessive (Prabhoota) and turbid urination which shows increase in terms of frequency and quantity. Ayurvedic medicine is oriented toward prevention, health maintenance and treatment of diseases. There is large number of drugs of herbal and mineral origin mentioned in ayurvedic texts, regarding the treatment of Madhumeha. Some herbal medications showing antidiabetic effects bring into being varying effects on the blood sugar levels with minimal side effects. The present review article was undertaken to explore the antidiabetic effects of various such herbs in experimental diabetes mellitus.

The modern era is slowly becoming synonymous with sedentary life style. This life style along with changeddiet habits and environmental changes has rendered man to be a victim of many diseases like obesity.Obesity is defined as an excess of adipose tissue when greater quality of energy enter the body than areexpended, the body weight increases. The good aspect about obesity is that it can be prevented and cured atpersonal level care. Ayurveda has got three fold management of all diseases viz., Ahara (diet), Vihara (exercise) and Aushada(drug). Charaka states that we all are outputs of ahara so are the diseases. Therefore, ahara has got primeimportance in prevention and treatment of all diseases. A properly selected diet and diet plan plays acritical importance in disease management of obesity. Presence of the trace elements and the importantpharmacological actions of yava has now turned out to be an effective mean to avoid as well as to controlthe lipidaemic index. The present paper aims at putting forward the importance of yava in obesity from Ayurvedic andcontemporary perspective.

"The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition".The treatment principle in Ayurveda is mainly based on preventive aspect first rather than curative. Aahara (Food) is considered as the first pillar among three (Nidra and Abrahmacharya being other two). Many common health problems can be prevented through a nutritious diet.Food is important as a nutritional source, also with therapeutic value and most importantly it plays an important role during the post treatment period to re-gain the diminished strength due to the harmful effect of the disease.Healthy and nutritional diet is always advisable in order to prevent the affliction of diseases as it is well known that "prevention is better than cure".