Abstract

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY DISORDERS IN BALYAVASTHA ACCORDING TO AYURVEDA

Dr. Ajay Kumar Goswami*, Dr. Bijita Majumder and Dr. Abhisekh Shah

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Abstract

Ayurveda, the age old science of longevity has its own unique approach in dealing with childhood nutritional disorders. The signs and symptoms of karshya mentioned in Ayurveda (wasted muscles over buttocks, abdomen and neck, prominent veins, bony prominences, loose skin folds, etc.) has close proximity with the signs and symptoms of undernourished children. The cause of karshya is explained as the excess intake of dry food items (biscuits, rusks, namkeen, bread etc.), less intake of food, fasting, psychological causes like anger, fear, grief etc. Malnutrition generally refers both to under nutrition and over nutrition diseases. Nutritional deficiency disorders are described in various Ayurvedic texts which can be correlated with Apatarpanajanya Vyadhis. Various Acharya of Ayurveda described diseases such as Phakka, Parigarbhika, Balashosha, Karshya etc in different Samhitas can also correlated to nutritional deficiency disorders. A critical review of these disorders provides different aspects of malnutrition and proper understanding of pathogenesis in terms of Dosha - Dushya which will give a valuable key for their effective management. This paper highlights the Ayurvedic review of nutritional deficiency related disorders in children.

Keywords: Ayurveda, Malnutrition, karshya, Vyadhis, Phakka, Parigarbhika, Balashosha, Karshya.