The word Prameha has two parts Pra + Meha, Pra means abundant and Meha means to micturate so prameha means passing the urine in large quantity. Prameha is a disease which is described in Ayurvedic texts like Charak Samhita & Sushrut Samhita etc. Prameha is described by Acharya under Ashta MahaGada meaning 8 major diseases.
There is a historical story behind the evolution of Prameha. Virbhadra was born out of anger from Lord Shiva during the Yajna conducted by Daksha Prajapati and it’s believed that Virbhadra was the physical form of lord shiva’s anger. Later Virbhadra got into the living beings as various diseases, this is how diseases are created in humans.
Prameha is a lifestyle disorder. But how does this makeup as a lifestyle disease??
Acharya described the causative factors of Prameha, stating that individuals who embrace a sedentary lifestyle: Preferring extended periods of sleep, prolonged sitting, a lack of interest in exercise, and excessive consumption of sweet and fatty foods are at a significantly higher risk of developing Prameha.
Now we will discuss how all these causative factors manifest disease??
In Ayurveda, there are three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. When an individual consumes food and follows regimens that increase the quantity of Kapha, it plays a crucial role in the manifestation of the pathology of Prameha. Like the previously mentioned causative factors, these practices contribute to an increase in Kapha, thereby playing a significant role in the manifestation of the pathogenesis of Prameha.
Acharya described the premonitory symptoms of Prameha which are excess perspiration, foul smell of body, developed a desire for the comfort of sleeping, sitting, and dreaming, coating of eyes-tongueheart- ears, firm body, dryness of throat and palate, sweetness in the mouth, burning sensation in Palm and soles and urine attracts huge number of ants towards it. Prameha as the name suggests the meaning too as Passing a large quantity of Urine. In Diabetes also, the same happens where we can co-relate both diseases.
There is a Treatment principle given in Samhita to treat Prameha patients. In that, different treatment protocols like Santarpana chikitsa for weak patients and Aptarpana chikitsa for strong patients are described. Basti is the most effective treatment for Prameha patients. A beautifully detailed description is provided for the treatment of Prameha for both wealthy and poor patients.
- Which type of food they can consume:
Barley, Koda millet, Indian barnyard millet, common wheat, rice, chickpea, pigeon pea, mung bean, meat of animal and bird of dry area, goat meat, honey, drumstick, fenugreek, mustard seed oil, Indian gooseberry, rose apple etc.
- Which type of activity they should do:
- Physical exercise
- Aasana: Supta virasana, Adhomuka virasana, Paschimottanasana, Adhomukha Paschimottanasana, Halasana, Vajrasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Ushtrasana, Salamba sirsasana etc.
- Pranayama : Kapalbhati, Bhramari, Bhastrika
- Kusti, Riding on Horse and Elephant, sleeps for 6 to 8 hours.
Don’ts for Patients
- Which type of food they should avoid: Newly harvested grains, black gram, meat of domestic animals, rice pudding, curd, sugarcane juice, gruel, banana, mango, papaya, potato, ghrita, oil, pastry, cake, etc.
- Which type of activity they should avoid: sleeping in the daytime, avoiding physical activities, sitting in a comfortable chair for a long time, long duration sleep, consumption of alcohol, etc.
