Today as we mark International Women’s Day amidst mayhem ushered in by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that we initiate a discussion on the holistic wellbeing of all mothers. In the prevailing scenario, while both mental and physical wellness is of paramount importance for everyone, it assumes even more significance for mothers, who are the backbones of any family. This makes us ponder over what all could be done in this regard. At the peril of sounding uncanny, I would say we can start with making Ayurveda a part of our mother’s life. It is believed that Ayurveda, which stems from the ancient Vedic culture, is the oldest healing science. The reason behind Ayurveda surviving the test of time amid ever-evolving technology is its emphasis on an individual’s maintenance of health through a balance in diet, lifestyle, and use of herbs, which in itself is mantra for the upkeep of mind and body.
Now let’s talk about how mothers should adapt Ayurvedic solutions in their day-to-day lives. Women use a number of products for the wellbeing of their skin and hair care, but unfortunately, most of them are laden with harmful chemicals and toxins. There is an urgent need to bid adieu to these and adapt natural and Ayurvedic solutions, and making the fact more assertive is the power held by different Ayurvedic ingredients. For instance, Gotu Kala or Brahmi provide excellent restorative benefits and encourage collagen production to reduce scars and stretch marks while turmeric (its main components curcumin) has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Similar are the virtues of other Ayurvedic ingredients like saffron, sandalwood, lavender oil, Indian gooseberry etc.
Similar are the virtues of Ayurvedic ingredients when it comes to hair care. Ancient ingredients such as Japapushpa, which is packed with antioxidants to hydrate hair, and Dashamoola, which is a concoction of 10 other herbs, make Ayurvedic solutions free from the perils of chemical solutions.
Thankfully, technology has made it possible to bring the power of Ayurveda home in a form that suits the modern lifestyle and is also easily accessible. What Ayurveda does is basically balance as well as heal the body through nutrition supply and by rebooting its own defenses. If you are a mother, you know that you have no bandwidth to take a break, but the least you can do is pamper yourself the right way. And that right way is opting for Ayurvedic solutions for the holistic wellbeing of yourself and your family.
— Dr Himanshu Gandhi, Co-Founder and Director, Mother Sparsh