Ayush Aahaar

Context:

Recently, the Ministry of Ayush made a new beginning by making ‘Ayush Aahaar’ available at its canteen at Ayush Bhawan (Delhi).

What is Ayush Aahaar?

• The Minsitry of Ayush is promoting Ayush based diet & lifestyle and is working in convergence with the Ministry of Women & Child Development in the Poshan Abhiyan to realize the ultimate goal of ‘Suposhit Bharat’.
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in convergence with Ministry of Ayush has also released draft guidelines on Ayush Aahar, which will facilitate standardized Ayush based Aahar.
• The project aims to promote healthy living through nutritious diet.
• The healthy diet that includes kokum drink, gajar ka halwa, bhajani vada and vegetable poha.
• These dishes are rich in nutrition and are very popular among the public. Also, they are easily digestible.

Meaning of ‘Ayush’:

• Traditional & Non-Conventional Systems of Health Care and Healing which Include Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy etc.
  • The positive features of the Indian systems of medicine namely their diversity and flexibility; accessibility; affordability, a broad acceptance by a large section of the general public; comparatively lesser cost and growing economic value, have great potential to make them providers of healthcare that the large sections of our people need.

What are future plans?

The Ayush Aahaar is being launched as a test. Forms will be issued to people taking the dishes. Feedbacks are to be collected. Based on the feedback, a new diet is to be regularised. This is a precursor to promote Ayush Lifestyle. The ministry has plans to spread awareness about Ayush lifestyle.

Important Lifestyle Diseases

• Obesity: The easiest way to find whether a person is under obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI). If it is higher than 25, then an individual is in the obese category. The main reason for obesity is unhealthy eating habits, reduced physical activity and stressful lifestyle. Everyone who is overweight likely to suffer from blood pressure, breathing issues, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases etc. 
• Diabetes: It develops due to poor eating habits and poor lifestyle choices. India has the largest number of diabetics in the world, with type II at 40.9 million. This number is increasing at a very high rate. Diabetes reduces the immune system of the body and invites other diseases.  
• Arteriosclerosis: It occurs when the arterial blood vessel loses elasticity and wall thickening. This usually causes chest pain, blood circulation disorders and heart attacks. 
• Heart diseases: Any irregularity which affects the blood vessel walls and the heart muscle can be referred to as heart disease. High cholesterol, smoking and diabetes contribute to its development in the body. India has the largest number of cardio patients, with 50 million suffering heart health issues.
• High blood pressure: High blood pressure is caused due to unhealthy eating habits, obesity, stress etc. In India, around 100 million people in India suffer from high blood pressure. 
• Sleep Disorders – Any disorder that disrupts, affects or involves sleep may be called as a sleep disorder. This may be caused to long working, stressful life and less sleeping.  
• Swimmer’s ear: Use headphones constantly with loud music for a long period may lead to swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear causes irritation, inflammation or infection in the ear canal or the outer ear. Constant exposure to noise may permanently damage the hearing capacity of an individual.
• Cancer: Due to the stressful lifestyle and poor living habits, the immune system of the body is decreasing, and this may lead to the attack of the virus on the body which may cause cancer. In this disease, there may be irregular cell growth, which can be concluded as cancer. 
• Stroke: Blockage in the supply of blood to the brain leads to the stroke.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: It is caused by air pollution. 
• Kidney and Liver Disease – Regular use of alcohol may lead to kidney and liver disease. This may later convert to severe disorders like Cirrhosis or Nephritis.

Reasons for the increase in the Lifestyle Diseases

• Unhealthily Diet – The use of fast food in regular life is on the rise, and this may invite many lifestyle diseases.  
• Use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs – In today lifestyle addition of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs are on the rise, which may lead to many lifestyle diseases at a later stage.  
• Fatigue – it is a subjective feeling of tiredness which is caused by various reasons like lack of good night sleep, etc. It may lead to stress and can invite many lifestyle diseases. 
• Poor physical fitness – Lack of physical activity may lead to poor physical fitness, which in later stage may lead to lifestyle diseases.
• Poor health habits – alcohol, smoking, drug etc. are very harmful to health and may lead to lifestyle diseases.
• Delay in early detection – Many a time the lifestyle diseases are not detected in an earlier stage, and hence its cure becomes more painful at a later stage. 
• Poor medical infrastructure – Most of the people in India do not have access to a good medical facility, and hence the treatment to the disease got delayed. 

Healthy lifestyle

• A healthy lifestyle is meant to keep and improve one’s health and well-being. 
• A healthy lifestyle has a lifelong effect on every aspect of an individual. 
• A healthy lifestyle includes healthy eating habits, regular physical activities, proper sleep, stress management, weight management and regular checkups. 
• A healthy lifestyle does not have any place for fast food, alcohol, smoking, drugs, tobacco etc.

Some Initiatives of the Ayush Ministry:

• National Ayush Mission:
  • Government is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Mission through States/UTs for development and promotion of Ayush system of medicine.
  • The government has decided to continue till 2026.

• Aahaar Kranti Mission:
  • The mission is dedicated to spreading awareness about nutrition.

• New Portals on Ayush Sector:
  • Five new portals on Ayush Sector have been launched – CTRI (Clinical Trial Registry of India), RMIS (Research Management Information System), SAHI (Showcase of Ayurveda Historical Imprints), AMAR (Ayush Manuscripts Advanced Repository), and e-Medha (electronic Medical Heritage Accession).

• ACCR Portal and Ayush Sanjivani App:
  • Ayush Clinical Case Repository Portal: To portray the strengths of Ayush systems for treatment of various disease conditions.
  • AYUSH Sanjivani App Third Version: It will facilitate a significant study and documentation regarding the efficacy of selected Ayush interventions, including Ayush 64 and Kabasura Kudineer medicines in the management of asymptomatic and mild to moderate Covid-19 patients.

The solution of the Lifestyle Diseases

• Healthy food habits – Healthy food is the key to good health. Fast food, chips, packed and oily food are to be avoided.
• Regular exercise – Regular exercise keeps the blood circulation in the body and increases the immune system of the body. It makes the body strong and fit. 
• Sufficient rest/sleep – Proper rest is must for a healthy body and mind. 
• Adoption of good habits – A routine life with good habits always helps in maintaining a healthy body and mind. 
• Regular checkup – Everyone should make regular health checkup habits at least in a year for early detection and cure of any disease if any. 
• Remember, precaution is always better than cure. 

Growth Potential of AYUSH in India

The AYUSH market in India is 10 billion USD. It is predicted to increase by 50% in the next five years. There are no FDI limits for AYUSH. India is the second largest exporter of alternate medicines in the world. Yoga and acupuncture are gaining popularity in developed countries. The major AYUSH partners of India are Japan, Russia, UAE and USA. India is pushing AYUSH largely through National Ayush Misssion. The mission was launched in 2014 to promote cost effective AYUSH medicines, cultivate medicinal plants, increase institutional capacities and to provide cost effective medical services.

Source: PIB

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