Health Topics
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Healthy Living
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| Lasting Inner and Outer Beauty |
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Dr T R Karthik
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Beauty is a subjective term. Different individuals and cultures have different benchmarks for defining what is beautiful and what is not. |
The characterization of a person as “beautiful†is often based on some combination of inner beauty, which includes factors such as personality, intelligence, grace, charm, and elegance, and outer beauty, which includes physical factors, such as health, youthfulness, symmetry, and complexion.
A good deal of physical beauty depends not only on the features that we have been genetically blessed with, but also on one’s health. Beauty manifests itself in the form of good hair, glowing skin, bright eyes, healthy pink lips, and good muscle tone. It is hard to call an individual who exudes health and vitality ugly, no matter how unsightly his or her facial features may be. Mental health also plays a significant role in determining how beautiful or handsome a person is perceived to be. When a person is mentally healthy, he or she exudes an aura of inner calm and confidence that is impossible to ignore. |
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The three pillars of beauty
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Ayurveda considers beauty to be a blessing from God. It seeks to preserve this beauty in all human beings by ensuring perfect physical and mental health. Ayurveda brings our physical beauty to the fore by freeing the body from toxins and balancing the three doshas, namely, vata, pitta, and kapha that are the part of the physical makeup of every individual.
Ayurveda not only helps to keep one physically healthy and preserve physical beauty, it also recognizes the importance of mental health, and sets down some basic principles that allow the individual to attain a state of self realization. The principles of Ayurveda state that beauty should be supported by the three pillars of beauty: outer beauty, inner beauty, and lasting beauty. In this manner, Ayurveda provides a holistic and integrated approach to a complete state of beauty that endures.
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Outer beauty
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Some of the factors that are used to judge beauty include the condition of the body, skin, hair, nails, and teeth. These are more than mere indicators of beauty. They are also indicators of health. Outer beauty, in fact, is a direct manifestation of physical health. Physical health is influenced by factors such as the strength of your digestive system, metabolism, diet, and purity of blood. In order to ensure good physical health and outer beauty, Ayurveda offers some valuable advice that can help ensure good skin, lustrous hair, and beautiful nails.
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Diet
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You are what you eat. In order to ensure proper physical health, a person has to partake of a nutritious diet. These Ayurvedic diet recommendations will ensure that your skin and hair glow with good health. Lipoprotein is a nutritional element that helps to ensure healthy hair and skin. A deficiency of lipoproteins in the diet can lead to dull, dry skin and hair. Vegetarians need to be especially careful to ensure that they partake of an adequate amount of protein.
Protein rich foods such as soya beans, sprouts, cheese, milk, grains, peas and beans play an important role in ensuring healthy skin and hair. Food should be eaten when freshly cooked and warm. An intake of spicy, fried, pungent or junk food should be avoided. It is also important to eat food in the right portions and avoid overeating. Fat intake should be curtailed. Fibre in the form of fruits and vegetables should be regularly consumed.
Water is an excellent cleanser and large quantities of water, liquids, or juices should be taken to prevent dryness of the intestines and promote excretion of waste through urine. Adequate fluid intake also prevents skin disorders and makes it glow. Fruit juices such as grape or lemon juice are also highly recommended.
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