Ayuveda terms old age as “Vardhakya” which begins from the age of sixty. During old age, the process of degeneration begins, and the body succumbs to various diseases. Hence, holistic science suggests that along with medications for combating the diseases, a will power to accept the unpleasant changes in the body also plays a major role in combating diseases. The elderly people require love and affection from their kith and kin in order to remain psychologically fit. Hence [tag]Ayurveda[tag] has suggested various measures for remaining physically and mentally healthy during old age.
From an ayurvedic perspective, vata which is the principle factor for initiating body functions like locomotion, respiration, excretion, metabolism, digestion etc., gets aggravated during old age and hence the normal functions of the body gets disrupted. As a result there is a massive change in the psychological, physiological and pathological aspects in the body. These days most senior citizens are increasingly prone to hypertension, diabetes, [tag]cardiac problems[/tag], [tag]Alzheimer’s[/tag] disease, rheumatic complaints, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
Various factors contribute towards aggravating vata during old age, like, physical stress and strain, irregular food habits, [tag]nutritional imbalances[/tag] and so on. Along with this, there is the natural feeling of insecurity that creeps in during old age. This is due to the rise in the trend of nuclear family system, with elders being neglected, which could lead to depression, anxiety, insecurity and such other psychological problems.
Ayurveda suggests that all physical and psychological problems during old age can be coped through Rasayana therapy, Care and counseling, [tag]Ayurvedic lifestyle[/tag] routine and a balanced diet with plenty of antioxidants.