Ayurveda & Brain Wellness
Concept of Medha as per Ayurveda
The word Medha is derived from the Sanskrit root “medhsangame” which means “to collect or to meet or to come together”. The yougikaartha of Medha is collecting or totalling all the data of a matter.
Medha has the power of retaining knowledge to have proper correlation and understanding of the knowledge of the existing objects. Without medha, knowledge cannot be understood. Medha is our ability to encode, store, retain and recall information from our past experiences.
It includes –Dhi (intelligence), Dhrti (retention power), Smriti (memory)
Medha Rasayan
The branch of Rasayana or rejuvenation is one of the eight specialized branches of Ayurveda that primarily deals with the maintenance of health drugs, diet and regimens, which promote longevity by delaying aging and preventing diseases, is called Rasayana.
Medhya Rasayanas are group of medicinal plants described in Ayurveda with multi-fold benefits, specifically to improve memory and intellect by Prabhava (specific action).
Medha means intellect and Rasayana means therapeutic procedure or preparation that on regular practice will boost nourishment, health, memory, intellect, immunity and longevity.
Hence Medhya Rasayana promotes medha which co-ordinates sense organs, mind, intellect and motor organs.
The aging process occurs over all the body. The decline in brain weight and volume, degeneration of intracellular organelles, neuronal degeneration as well as significant loss of synapses are the salient features of aging in the brain. Therefore, psychological and neurological manifestations often form the hallmark of senility. Hence, therapeutic measures of Medhya Rasayanas are exclusively needed for elders because they are brain tonics and improve the psychological faculties. It also possesses anti-stress and adaptogenic effect.
As per Charak Samhita, MedhyaRasayana can provide following benefits:
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Increases brain power
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Improves the quality of voice
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Increases life span
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Improves immunity, prevents and treats diseases
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Improves complexion
Natural Nootropic
Cognition refers to ability of high-level brain functions, including the ability to learn and remember information to organize, to plan, to solve to focus, to maintain and shift attention as necessary; to understand and use language; to accurately perceive the environment and perform calculations.
Cognitive disorders
are a category of mental health disorders that primarily affect learning, memory, perception, and problem solving, include amnesia, dementia, and delirium.
Medhya Dravyas
are known for nootropic activity as well as their multi-dimensional utility in various conditions. Most of them have shown their efficacy by acting on different receptors, thought to play a role in the prevention of cognitive. They engender and summon intelligence, memory, mental perception bring nervine and nervous system restorative action.
They help in enhancing longevity, memory and intelligence along with strengthening immunity and decreasing effects of ageing. They Improves three types of mental function: acquisition, retention, and recall.
Improves the junction points or gaps in the step-by-step transformation of the 7 tissues—plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow and reproductive fluid.
Ayurveda can prove to be a very curative approach in neurological disorders as it helps in maintaining a healthy balance for the brain. Ayurveda is very well developed for treating many brain-related disorders It has effective solutions for several Neurological Disorders, also called ‘Vatavyadhi’.
Concept of BALA/ BALYA as per Ayurveda
As per Ayurveda, the word “Bala” has been used to refer to strength and ability of mind, body and its components to cope up with various physical stressors.
Another way to explain is – “Bala” (Strength), is one which prevents the “Roga” (Disease) and one which is “Adhistana” (Prerequisite) for “Arogya” (Being Healthy) and thus, treatment is given for protecting it.
The term is also used as a synonym for those components of the body which have the function of providing strength, protection, nourishment and stability to the other parts of the body.
Bala has been explained in different contexts like –
- Ojas (stands for bioenergy or body component that helps in sustaining of life)
- Prakruta Kapha (responsible for strengthening and lubricating the body)
- Vyadhikshamatva (responsible for immunity and immune system)
- Manasika Bala (stands for mental and emotional strength)
This Bala also has a direct relationship with Vyadhikshamatva or immune response of body and strength. Bala is a characteristic feature of a healthy physical and mental state of the body.
Various activities such as immunomodulator, bulk promoting, nutritional supplements etc. that enhance strength, immunity, bulk of the body, by the use of medicinal or dietary substances are termed in total as Balya dravya in Ayurveda. The term Balya originally stands for all those actions that enhance the “Bala” ( physical and mental strength both )