Ayurveda for Children

Childhood is probably the most important stage of one’s life. Ayurveda has a lot to offer for appropriate physical and psychological development of children. It not only helps healthy kids to remain healthy but also has great potential to help sick children.

Ayurveda makes elaborate recommendations on how daily schedule, food habits should be managed for a baby. If the mother is breastfeeding, she needs to follow certain guidelines to prevent any suffering of infants. (Ayurveda believes that breast milk can be a source of good nutrition, it can also be a source of disease development). In the first few weeks of life newborns can suffer from several different conditions such as infection at the cord, colicky pain, and constipation. An ayurvedic practitioner can guide you on how to use home remedies in mothers so that the effect is conveyed to the baby through the breast milk. Infant does not need to be given any supplements. According to conventional medicines, in any situation, infants are given either antibiotics (if they develop any infection) or a fever reducing agent such as Tylenol/Motrin (if they have fever). But there are several other conditions for which there are no recommended medicines but we can see that the baby is suffering and the situation definitely needs some action other than just watching the baby crying.

Firstly, Ayurveda describes specific guidelines regarding infant wellbeing. Breastfeeding is an essential part of newborn care. The benefits of breastfeeding are widely known. Sometimes mothers health is not optimally maintained, her breast milk supply may be diminishing. Ayurveda believes that vitiated dosha are carried to the baby via breast milk and in that care Ayurveda can help by recommending supplements and home-remedies that have been proved to increase breast milk production in women for centuries.

Teething and walking are the two important developments in the first year of life. Most babies fall sick and lose a lot of weight when they are teething. They get symptoms such as dysentery, constipation, cold, cough, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, etc. When babies start walking, they loose a lot if energy.  If they are not fed well during this period they loose weight, their immunity compromises and they get prone to different diseases. They start getting frequent ear/throat infection and related symptoms. Some babies may even get childhood asthma. Ayurveda recognizes that this age is particularly dominated by Kapha Dosha (water + earth elements). If the infant’s diet is managed based on guidelines to keep the Kapha balanced, a lot of these troubles can be significantly reduced.

It is evident that most kids at this age are very susceptible to contagious infections. It is important to try to keep each and every child healthy. As we often hear, one child in a childcare facility falls sick and eventually most family members of each child going to that facility suffer from that infection. The only way to keep kids healthy is to increase their immunity by appropriate diet and daily regime.   

Seasonal Guide: Summer

We have been experiencing severe heat with a fair amount of humidity for past few weeks in Texas. Some very general guidelines based on principles of Ayurveda can help us all to better cope up with this extreme weather.As happens in the nature, the heat pumps out the water content of the body. Hence plenty of fluids are necessary to the body. Those can be taken in the form of plain water, fruit juices (better if made fresh at home). A simple combination of water, salt and sugar provides a good alternative to a ready made energy drink. Again is it important to take just enough fluids and not too much more that your body needs. Too much fluid can hamper the digestive power and subsequently the appetite. It is a good idea to process water with a few grains of cumin and coriander seeds by boiling these together. The processed water works really well to satisfy the thirst and keep the skin cooler. If you are peeing 7-8 times a day (or the no of times you would normally do in spring/fall) and you are not seeing dark yellowing coloration of urine, you are probably drinking enough. Eating fresh vegetable such as cabbage, tomatoes, or fresh fruits such as apple, orange, peach, nectarine, watermelon, cantaloupe also helps to keep the water content of the body maintained.

Ayurveda recommends eating less spicy, less hot food during summer. Food that is easy to digest is advisable. One should eat fresh fruits, and vegetable, mild and milk derivatives such as buttermilk, butter. Food items such as carrots, squash, cucumber, cabbage should be consumed. Alcohol intake should be kept to minimum in this weather.

We all know to keep ourselves off the sun whenever possible during summer time. I am sure most of us know about use of sunscreen to protect the skin. If you still need to go out during the day and if you are prone to sun-burns, here is an easy solution. Take a cotton pad and soak it in milk. Apply that pad over your eyes or sun-burned skin. You can also use this as a protective measure before you go out for water activities. This helps keep it cool and moist, reduces the burning sensation and later helps rejuvenation of the harmed skin cells.  


For more information and services, visit Ojal Ayurveda