Ask the ved

Prof Dr GG Gangadharan is an Ayurvedacharya and director at Ramaiah Indic Specialty Ayurveda Restoration Hospital. He addresses queries on how Ayurveda could help.

What is your advice for improving visual acuity? – Mahesh
Ayurveda has a good number of local therapies like tarpana, putapaka, Seka etc which helps improve visual acuity. Also, there are internal medicines which can strengthen the eye. Diet also plays an important role in improving eyesight.

I am diagnosed as prediabetic with HBA1c 6.5. Could you advise on the diet I should follow to control my blood sugar. – Rajaram S
Regular intake of ladies finger, bitter gourd, millets in appropriate proportion, green leafy vegetables, barley will help. Reduce anything that’s white such as sugar, maida etc. Regular brisk walking and exercises are important.

How often should one do an eye check-up? What are the general precautions to take to keep healthy vision? – Ranjini
A healthy individual can get it done once a year, if needed. But diabetics, and hypertensives have to compulsorily get tested every year. Those already using spectacles also have to get tested every year. Things that aid healthy vision are: A regular healthy and balanced diet, reduced intake of fried, fermented food, avoiding bakery stuff, curds at night, reducing the exposure to digital gadgets and over involving in micro art.

I am an IT professional and have to put in long working hours. I am experiencing frequent headaches off late. Does it have something to do with my eyes? – N. Keerthi
Dry eye is a common manifestation in IT professionals. Eye strain can induce headache. Get your eyes tested to rule out any possibilities of dryness or power issues.

I am diabetic for 15 years. My case was diagnosed as an early stage of retinopathy. Can this be managed by Ayurveda treatments? – Manjunath Bhat
Diabetes for over 10 years can result in retinopathy. Early stages of this condition are reversible and Ayurveda has very good treatment principles that can help in reversing the pathology as well control it from progressing. Contact an Ayurveda eye specialist and get their suggestions immediately.