Living Healthy with Ayurveda in a Modern World
- Madhukar Dama
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Ayurveda is not a broken system. It is a complete way of living that grew in a different time and a different world. Today it often fails — not because its ideas are wrong, but because we have broken the way it must be used in daily life.
This article explains, in plain language, where things go wrong for individuals and how to bring Ayurveda back to life. It is about small steps, honest change, and steady patience.
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1. What Ayurveda really is
At its heart Ayurveda is practical common sense plus deep observation. It asks one simple question: what keeps a person balanced and healthy?
Four things form the foundation: 𝐚𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫, 𝐯𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 and 𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐡.
𝐚𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫 — food. Not only what you eat, but when and how you eat. Food is medicine when chosen correctly.
𝐯𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐫 — daily habits and behaviour. This includes sleep, work–rest rhythm, relationships and exposure to stress.
𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 — movement, breath, and simple practices to calm mind and body.
𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐡 — medicines and therapies given at the right time, for the right person.
Ayurveda is not one of these alone. It is the use of all four together, tuned to each person.
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2. Common reasons Ayurveda does not work for people today
Medicines lost their purity. Mass production and shortcuts make many products weak or contaminated.
Quick-fix culture. People want pills for immediate relief and skip the habits that actually heal.
Commercialisation. Ayurveda is often reduced to packaged products instead of a lifestyle.
Mismatch with modern life. New stressors and processed food are not addressed unless one makes conscious changes.
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3. The single clear truth: Ayurveda works only as a package
If you try to use Ayurvedic herbs without changing your food, sleep or habits, you will see small, short, or no benefit. The four pillars are not optional. They are the method.
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4. A simple plan to make Ayurveda work for you
Phase 1 — 0–30 days: stop the obvious damage (habit reset)
Fix sleep: wake up and sleep within a 60–90 minute window every day if possible.
Regular meals: aim for three simple meals at roughly the same time daily. Avoid late heavy dinners.
Remove junk and harmful foods:
Sugar → replace with organic jaggery.
Milk → stop; use daily buttermilk instead.
Maida → quit fully (no alternative).
White rice → replace with positive millets like jowar, ragi, bajra, foxtail millet.
Wheat → replace with millets.
Refined oils → replace with cold-pressed oils.
Alcohol and tobacco → quit completely.
Begin Simarouba kashaya daily. This is an excellent aushadh for most modern diseases, supporting the healing process from the very beginning.
Start using authentic castor oil for a full-body massage once a week. This nourishes the skin and joints and gently cleanses the digestive system when used under proper guidance.
Walking for 30 minutes daily + simple yogasana.
Begin 5–10 minutes of simple breath work each morning.
Phase 2 — 31–60 days: strengthen daily routine (habit build)
Increase morning practice to 15 minutes: simple asana and breath (surya namaskar or gentle stretching + deep breaths).
Eat seasonal, local foods. Learn what suits your body type (prakriti).
Add weekly oil self-massage (abhyanga) with authentic castor oil if comfortable, or sesame oil otherwise.
Continue Simarouba kashaya daily to maintain steady healing alongside lifestyle changes.
If under a practitioner’s guidance, start short, mild herbal corrections, not heavy prescriptions.
Phase 3 — 61–90 days: medicine and deeper work (consolidate)
Review your own progress and, if guided by a practitioner, adjust medicines.
Add a structured yoga class or guided breathwork 2–3 times a week if possible.
Consider therapeutic cleanses or panchakarma only with a trusted centre.
Start a simple rasayana (rejuvenation) plan under supervision if needed.
Keep Simarouba kashaya as a core aushadh for long-term balance.
Lifelong: Even after healing, Simarouba kashaya can be continued in lower doses to maintain immunity, digestion, and overall health. And don't forget the full body castor oil massage on Purnima and Amavasya.
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5. A short checklist you can use today
Quit junk: sugar, milk, maida, white rice, wheat, refined oil, alcohol, tobacco. ✅
Replace with jaggery, buttermilk, millets, cold-pressed oil. ✅
Sleep in a consistent window. ✅
Three regular, whole-food meals. ✅
10–15 minutes morning movement + breath. ✅
Walking daily + simple yogasana. ✅
Weekly oil self-massage (preferably with authentic castor oil). ✅
Daily Simarouba kashaya for healing and prevention. ✅
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Final word — patience and honesty
Ayurveda rewards patience. It asks for honest effort: change food, change habits, practice simple yoga and breath, and then use medicine as guidance and support. When you do these four things together, Ayurveda works.
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Authentic sources
For those who wish to begin with authentic castor oil for massage and cleansing, and Simarouba kashaya (to be taken daily for healing and lifelong in lower doses), both are available with Dr. Madhukar Dama (WhatsApp on 8722170016).
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