The Biggest Enemy

Fear is the root cause of most diseases, writes Dr KK Aggarwal.

According to the (ancient Indian scripture), the biggest thing one can get rid off is the fear and biggest thing one can give to somebody is to make him fearless.

Fear is the root cause of most diseases. Fear in Ayurveda is related to Vata imbalance. People with Vata dosha personality have predominant air and space elements out of the five basic elements of nature namely air, space, fire, earth and space.

Vata persons are thin built with tendencies towards fear, anxiety, constipation, chest pain and palpitation. According to Ayurveda fear (mental) and constipation (physical) are the root causes of diseases in over 80% of situations. Most diseases can be prevented if one attain a regular bowl habit and take fear out of his mind.

The worries of the past and the fear of the future is what bow the seeds of illness in an individual. The "present" reflects the past actions and the future will reflect the result of the present actions. Fear of the future is therefore a useless imagination and a waste of energy. It only creates waves of pain, which exist only in the mind.

The fear can be multifold like fear of not been able to perform better, fear of inferiority complex, fear of death or fear of possible failure. If one learns to live with the present one can get rid of the fear in no time.

One gets what one deserves and not what one desires. With attaching one self to the actions and detaching from the results one can learn to live in the present. Fear is never for the known but for the unknown.

During an episode of fear or during recall of fear, the body generates chemicals, which can cause rise in blood pressure, pulse rate and precipitate diarrhea and even a heart attack in susceptible individuals.

It is easy to say do not fear but the most difficult thing is to do it practically. According to the Bhagvad Gita the best way to take the fear out is to concentrate on the present. To attach to the actions and detach to its results. According to Yoga Sutras of Patanjali to take out negative thoughts one should build up or cultivate opposite thoughts. The opposite of fear is love. One should cultivate the habit of loving others.

According to Upanishads one should adopt to the path of truthfulness. Doubt, expectation and denial are also the obstacles to success in day-to-day life. They are also indirectly responsible for creation of fear in the mind.

According to Deepak Chopra the site for fear is in the first chakra, which lies in the base of the spine. One can learn the exercises of bringing one's awareness at the level of the first chakra with an intention to take the fear out of mind. The simple way is to insert the sentence - "I let go my fear for…

The site for the love is in the heart charka. After each letting go exercise in the first chakra one can then focus or divert his attention focusing on the heart chakra (in the centre of the chest, in the area of thymus gland) and with an intention to spread the message of love one can pass on love to others. These types of subtle exercises practiced over a period of time can get rid of the fear.

Fear can also be removed by doing Primordial Sound Meditation or any other form of meditation twice daily for 20 to 30 minutes each time. It takes one from a disturbed state of mind to an undisturbed state. Once that is experienced the fear automatically goes away.

Denial is another form of fear and is an important cause of development of disease and also for its progression. Quite often people try to deny presence of any symptoms or diseases in the body for an unknown fear of coming to know of an illness which they do not want to suffer. Quite often they miss an opportunity to get a disease detected at its infancy when it is curable.

According to Ayurveda, food with excess of bitter, astringent and pungent taste increase vata dosha. Vata imbalance in turn increases tendencies for fear and anxiety. All such individuals should avoid food with these tastes. Foods, which are cold, dry and light, also causes vata imbalance. Consuming warm/hot, heavy, watery, juicy or oily items help such individuals. Foods with sweet, sour and salt taste reduces Vata dosha.

Til oil, should be freely used in cooking, for body massage and for inhalations as it pacifies Vat. Other useful preferences are including blue or green colour in daily routine, listening to slow traditional Indian music (Ragas), adapting to regularity in life (eating, sleeping and getting up etc.), observing silence for half to one hour a day.

(The writer is a senior Physician, Head Department of Cardiology and Deputy Dean Board of Medical Education-Moolchand Hospital, President-Heart Care Foundation of India, President, Delhi Medical Association and Member-Delhi Medical Council.)