Ayurvedic Treatment of Fibromyalgia [CFS]

Fibromyalgia is a recently recognized disorder that is regarded as a chronic condition associated with the experience of non-inflammatory pain and tenderness in muscles, ligaments , joints and fatigue. Fibromyalgia is a relatively common condition, estimated to affect about four percent of the general population.
It is very similar to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS); Only point of difference is presence of musculoskeletal pain in fibromyalgia and that of fatigue in CFS. Low level of Serotonin is considered to be most important biochemical criteria. The primary treatment goals should include raise serotonin levels, improve sleep quality, and assure adequate magnesium levels.
"Symptoms :
Generalized aches or stiffness at many sites for more than three months.
Generalized fatigue
Chronic headache including migraines
Sleep disorder, particularly timings of cycles
Neuronal and psychological complaints
Swelling
Numbness/ tingling sensations
Ayurvedic View : It can be described as 'Mansa Dhatugat and Mansavrut Vata' Fibromyalgia is perceived as a Vata imbalance. Vata is the main imbalance and Aggravated Vata destabilizes the nervous system and can create hypersensitivity leading to pain and tenderness. Accumulation of Ama (toxins) and shrotorodha are also contributory factors.
Ayurvedic Approach of Fibromyalgia and CFS Treatment : The aggravation of Vata dosha and accumulation of Ama (toxins) are the primary causes and should be treated mainly. Associated weak digestion, constipation, and effects of chronic stress should also be tackled.
Panchakarma Therapy : Pre-purification Measures namely 'snehan' and 'swedan are very useful to balance 'Vata' and to loosen the toxins. Snehan is the Herbalized Oil Massage. This oil is applied to the entire body with a particular type of massage. Swedan is sudation or sweating and is given immediately following the snehan. An herbal concoction may be added to the steam to further enhancement of effect.
Daily herbalized oil massage also provides a deeply soothing and balancing effect to the entire nervous system. The motion of massage creates heat and friction which enhances circulation and helps cleanse the areas of chemical impurities that could be aggravating and hypersensitizing nerve tissues.
Diet and Nutrition :Following is the diet suggested for the patients suffering form Fibromyalgia and CFS
Vegetable juices and soups
Coconut water and Coconut milk
Juice of carrot, Cucumber, Beetroot
Cooked vegetables
Spices like cumin, coriander, ginger asafetida.
Green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt
Khichadi The patient of Fibromyalgia and CFS should avoid the following:
Eating hot, spicy and fried foods.
Too much tea, coffee, alcohol.
Sleeping during the day and staying up late at night
Mental tensions
Yoga for Stress Management and Improved Mental and Emotional Function: It is well documented that fibromyalgia is often worsened by heightened stress, anxiety and mental fatigue. Meditation,Yoga, Pranayama and studying of spiritual philosophy are all recommended for supporting personal healing and relaxation of the mind.Efforts should be made to increase the Sattvic quality of mind.Yogasana : Various stretching exercises are known to have a positive effect on fibromyalgia. Yogic breathing practices will also create a state of restful alertness in mind and body. Progressive deep relaxation, i.e., shavasana is recomended
Lifestyle and Daily Routine : Regularity in our daily routine is effective in reducing Vata imbalances.
Ayurvedic Herbs:
Decoction of the roots of ten herbs 'Dashamularishtam' is useful
Daily use of the Ayurvedic compound 'Triphala choorna' is recommended to cleanse the colon.
Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with warm water helps to reduce pain and inflammation in Fibromyalgia.
Garlic is useful for detoxification and to enhance immune system function.
Guggul is a very helpful herb for relief of pain.
Licorice root supports the glandular system and acts in the body like cortisone. Use with caution.
Ginger Tea. Ginger is a good alternative to aspirin to relieve minor aches and pains.
Generic preparations available in market such as Dashamularishtam , Triphala guggul, Maharasnadi quath , Vata Vidhwans Rasa etc. can be taken under the guidance of a ayurvedic physician

Common Cold and Cough

Causes: This is a very common problem and is caused by aggravation of Kapha. It is also caused by weak digestion. When the food we eat is not fully digested it changes into ama. This mucus or ama reaches the respiratory system and causes cold or cough. Other causes are exposure to cold or humid conditions or cold air.

Remedies:
body should be kept warm especially feet, chest, throat and head. Sweating is very helpful. The simplest way to do it is drink hot spice tea or some other hot drink and lie down on the bed .Take some warm cover like blanket and let the body sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.
a glass of warm water mixed with one tea spoon of lemon juice and one tea spoon of honey can be taken 2-3 times a day.

case of dry cough especially if it trouble is during the night, take cardamom, dry ginger, black pepper and cinnamon in equal quantity, say 10 gms. each. Take white sugar or rock candy equal to the total weight that is 40 gms. Grind them and make a fine powder. From this take half a tea spoon ( about 3 gms.) twice a day with honey or warm water after meals.
case of sore throat a clove or two cardamoms or rock candy or a few raisins can be chewed. Gargling with warm salty water is also beneficial. This can be done two to three times a day.
For hacking cough and Laryngitis : Equal parts of honey and juice of baked lemon,( i.e. sour citrusfruit) or 10 -15 drops of betel leaf juice with honey three times a day. Diet and Regimen:
Cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, fried foods, milk products like cheese, creams, yogurt etc. should not be taken. Hot milk without fat can be taken if boiled with a piece of crushed ginger. Half tea spoon of turmeric powder is good to mix with the milk.

you should avoid tomatoes, eggplant and bananas.

Sweet fruit juices should also be avoided. Breads, meats, nuts and pastries are not good to take. It is good to take light and warm diet like boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup and fruits which are not juicy like papaya and apple. Spice teas, herbal teas and some other hot drinks are good.

Keep your insides warm with warm spices -- cumin is considered the ace "ama" burner. Stack up your spice rack with "thermogenic" or heat- generating spices like black pepper, coriander, and cumin. Clove, boiled with milk, is excellent too. Life style:
Follow the middle path: don't skip meals or overeat.

Eat fresh, well-cooked food.
Start your day with two glasses of warm water.
Do not fast during winter -- fasting weakens the body's defenses.
Eat a timely lunch and an early dinner for good digestion.
Sleep on time -- not later than 10 p.m. Restful sleep builds essential energy or "ojas", boosting immunity. Excellent winter dessert : Stewed Apple Take one Red Delicious apple, pierced with 4 cloves and boiled. Once done, remove the cloves and savor the clove-warmed, energy-enhancing fruit.

Ayurvedic medicines: Tribhuvankirti. Nagaguti , Ardrakavleha.

Ayurveda For Alzheimer’s

Working for a road of recovery through Ayurvedic treatment
by Dr. Shubhankari P Rao



Those who had seen Mr.’s Wagle in early eighties had picturised her as a lady of Magnetic personality, proud and totally confident - an epitome of a devoted wife and an excellent homemaker. She was a pillar of strength for the functioning of the rest of the household and a wife who would stay night after night with her husband in ill health and praying him back to health with rock bound faith. Today Mrs. Wagle after almost 20Years is unperturbed, unconcerned and undisturbed even on death of her husband. She has sunk into profound memory loss and failed to recognize even her husband --- a disease medically termed as Alzheimer’s (dementia) a brain disorder which is irreversible.
Mrs. Wagle underwent Hysterectomy in mid eighties. Shortly after this she started having problems of short-term memory loss. Forgetfulness is a natural part of menopause and ageing and none of them considered getting an expert evaluation done for her. In two years they noticed that there was a decline in her ability of managing finances or making calculations. She started developing an escapist behavior and would simply shrug from undertaking new activities and complex tasks. These are initial signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
The disease slowly progressed to long-term memory loss. She developed loss of reasoning; difficulty in communicating with others, decreased judgment abilities and found it difficult even in performing daily activities. Initially, precaution had to be taken to ensure safety and comfort because she was prone to wandering and getting lost.
In mid eighties, she sank into moderate degree of dementia. She had profound memory loss that interfered with her daily activities and she needed help from others to complete them. She was in a state of confusion and her judgment power also was severely impaired. Her sleep pattern suffered and there was hostility and verbal outburst in her behavior pattern. Most of the time she had a vacant look in her eyes.
In late nineties Mrs. Wagle was graded as having severe dementia. She developed severe impairment of mind and body. She no longer recognized her spouse and children. She had no sense of time or current location. Verbal communication was decreased to a point of phrases or mere syllables. This was when her husband passed away in the year 2000. Recently her communication degenerated to complete inability to speak. She was in the bed needed help for dressing, bathing, grooming, eating and toileting. Though her heart was ticking she was unaware of her surroundings.
What happens in Alzheimer’s? People with Alzheimer’s experience difficulties in communicating, learning, thinking, and reasoning. These problems are so severe that they could affect the individual’s work, social activities and family life.
Inside the brain are hundreds of billions of nerve cells connected by trillions of fibers called axons and dendrites .The activity between them controls your thoughts, feelings, drives, aspirations, and personality. This control center of all that you do think and feel is very vulnerable to its environment as it floats in a bath of cerebrospinal fluid just like a fish in a tank absorbs whatever is put in the tank. In Alzheimer’s disease many conditions like the reaction to foods drugs, herbs, body activities, lifestyles and sometimes genetic mapping etc create a confused interlacing of these fibers followed by neurotic plaques, granular vascular degeneration, Brain sink age and decreased amount of brain chemicals involved in communication called neuro transmitters. All of these changes impair the function of the brain cells and eventually lead to cellular death. The sad part is unlike other cells the brain is unable to regenerate new neurons.
Ayurveda terms this as smruthi nasha, caused by the depletion of dhatus or tissue elements and upward movement of the excessively accumulated bio energies. Intellect is pure, transparent, sharp, accurate, and subtle. The abode of intellect, which is the carrier of the three types of gunas- satvik, rajasik, tamasik, gets disturbed and their balance is lost. Satvik guna, which represents purity and consciousness, gets visually impaired by rajas, (the attribute of mind which usually represents energy and dynamism) and. Tamaa ,(the attribute of mind representing passivity and ignorance). manovaha srotas channels carrying cyclic impulses principally responsible for memory is kindled by the satva or the intellect.When this is completely evolved in tamaha or darkness the person is effected and there is malfunctioning of the mental activities. It is easier to prevent alzhimer’s then looking for treatment for correcting it.

Allergies and Ayurveda

Allergies occur when a hypersensitive immune system reacts to a common or unusual substance. In some people it is hereditary, but one can also develop an allergy at any time in his or her life. Any substance, whatever its origin, is a possible allergen. Foods, chemicals in foods, medicines, and environmental factors, including pollen, parasites, dust, animal hair, and chemical toxins, for example, can all cause allergic reactions almost anywhere in the body.
Ayurveda sees ama (toxins) and low immunity as the primary causes of most allergies. Ama can settle at the digestive level or in the various tissues, with different symptoms at each level. Ama toxicity aggravates blood and Pitta, or it can aggravate Kapha, with different symptoms.
HAY FEVER
Most of us are familiar with the symptoms of hay fever, or seasonal allergies, whether we have them ourselves or know someone else who does have- runny nose, sneezing, itching eyes, scratchy throat, and itching, swelling, or hives on the skin. Often, people seem to have a cold. With more severe reactions, one might suffer from asthma and other breathing difficulties, aches and pain, gastrointestinal reactions (for example, diarrhea), or rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Seasonal allergies can occur anytime, but they occur most often during spring and early summer, when plants and trees are flowering and producing pollens, the most common allergens. Seasonal allergies are also fairly common in the fall - many people are sensitive to the molds produced by decaying leaves and other plants. Animal feathers, hairs and dust cause similar symptoms.
Ayurveda sees hay fever as a Kapha-Pitta disorder; however, people with a Vata constitution suffer most from it, because it is also due to immune disorder and hypersensitivity of the nervous system:
Symptoms & Dosha predominance-
* Vata aggravation often produces headache, insomnia, and anxiety.
* Pitta aggravation produces yellow nasal discharge, feverish feeling, burning eyes, and skin rashes.
* Kapha aggravation produces whitish sputum and heaviness and dullness in the body. If the sinuses are congested, there may be a dull headache around the region of sinuses.
General Treatment
[A] Home Therapies
In all cases, nasal medication is recommended for controlling and preventing seasonal allergies. Use medicated sesame oil made with licorice, agaru (aquilaria agallocha), bilva (aegle marmalos), kantakari (solanum xanthocarpum), lotus, and nutgrass. Then put one drop in each nostril at bedtime. Use this for 4 weeks.
Medicated oil specialy prepared for Nasya ' Amrut Bindu' is very effective.
[B] Herbs
For Vata & Kapha - Take trikatu (dry ginger, black pepper and long pepper powder in equal amount) 20 mgm.+ basil 250 mgm. + 10 mgm. cloves, camphor, and coriander each. It is advisable to take this mixture 3 times a day with warm water. Start before hay fever season. & take the mixture till the season is over.
[C] Diet
Avoid heavy foods, cold drinks, and dairy products (including cheese and yogurt), that increase Kapha and decrease digestive fire. Also, follow diets that rebalance your own pattern of doshic imbalance.
Vata treatment
Home Therapies
* Follow the " Unit increase/unit decrease "Rasayana treatment described in the section on asthma.
Pitta Treatment
* During an attack with Pitta aggravation, take a tea made with licorice, cardamom, and santalum album. For making tea - take equal proportion of dried herbs + 4 times water. Boil it. Reduce till 1/4th.
For Pitta pacification, bitter herbs & blood cleansing herbs like dandelion, barberry or echinacea should be taken. Take any of these herbs in dose of 1 to 3 gms. a day for 2 weeks.
Home Therapies
* Inhale medicated vapor made with water, basil leaves (holy basil, if possible), and eucalyptus oil.
* Do nasya (nasal medication) with coconut oil 2 times a day. Put 2 –3 drops of oil in the nose at bedtime.
Kapha Treatment
[a] Herbs
* Take 50 mg. of camphor and cloves and 1 gram of basil twice daily for 2 months.
[b] Prepared Medicines
* To ease Kapha aggravation, take 2 tablets of guduchi, three times daily with a tea made from basil, cloves, and camphor for 2 weeks.
[c] From the Ayurvedic Physician
An Ayurvedic physician would recommend medicated therapeutic vomiting to balance Kapha and prevent the recurrence of seasonal allergies.
[d] Yoga and Breath Therapy
It is common for hay fever to start with symptoms that are similar to colds and sinus problems. To prevent symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing and congestion, practice nasal cleansing with water (jala neti) regularly to purify the entire upper respiratory tract and prevent recurrence of allergic attacks. Use a special pot with a spout - a neti pot - available for this purpose, and make nasal cleansing a regular part of your daily hygiene.
Deep breathing or regular practice of [anuloma viloma pranayama] can also prevent attack.
When hay fever allergies are chronic, practice (Kapalabhati) regularly to increase the patient's stamina.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) - Ayurvedic Management

Hypertension is one of the major causes of disability and death all over the world. Hypertension causes heart attacks, strokes, kidney failures and other disorder if it is neglected and remains untreated. In many cases, hypertension does not cause any symptoms until it causes complications such as heart attack and stroke and plays a role of silent killer in the body. So it is important to realize that you may have high blood pressure and only way to find it out that get your blood pressure checked at regular intervals.
Blood pressure is high when arterial blood pressure is elevated above the normal ranges. The normal blood pressure reading is systolic 120 over diastolic 80.
Symptoms of Hypertension:
Pain experienced at the back of the head and neck on waking up, which soon disappears.
Dizziness
Palpitations
Heart pain
Frequent urination
Nervous tension
Fatigue
Difficulty in Breathing
Causes of Hypertension:
Stress and hectic life-style.
Vitiation of vata
Smoking and an excessive intake of intoxicants
Hardening of the arteries
Obesity
Metabolic disorders
Excessive intake of common table salt
Overloading of fast foods
Ayurvedic Approach to Hypertension: According to Ayurveda, high blood pressure involves all the doshas, the heart, and the blood vessels.We can see signs and symptoms of derangement of vata dosha mainly that of 'Vyana vayu' in high blood pressure. The treatment is to correct the balance of vata dosha.Pitta visiation is also seen often and should be trated.People with Pitta and Vata predominante constitution and Pitta and Vata imbalance, are more prone to hypertension than any other. Unprocessed anger, frustration, irritability, anxiety and fear leads to mal-adaptation of the endocrine system, which then leads to conditions like hypertension. Treatment is based on bringing these imbalances back to normal. In the treatment of hypertension; nutrition, exercise, breathing exercises (Pranayama), yoga, meditation, behavioral modification along with various herbs and minerals are prescribed.
Diet:
Avoid meat, eggs and salt
Reduce protein intake
Follow the following vegetarian diet:
Vegetables: Garlic, lemon,parsley,
Fruits: Indian Gooseberry,Grape fruuit, watermelon,
Dairy: Milk,Cottage cheese,clarified butter.
Coffee, which contains caffeine, enhances the action of adrenaline and noradrenaline and both are important in increasing blood pressure levels.
Limit sodium in the diet.
Cigarette smokers tend to have high blood pressure. Nicotine increases the resting heart rate and increases the release of the adrenaline Correct your diet and control your weight. One important thing to do is lose any excess amount of body fat you have. One of the good reasons to be slim (lean) is to keep your blood pressure low, losing body fat will lower the pressure enough that a person need not take medicine to control blood pressure. Either you have normal blood pressure or you have hypertension with high cholesterol levels your diet should definitely of low fat, low saturated fat, and low cholesterol diet.With practice of dietary measures recommended in Ayurveda while elaborating ‘Medoroga Chikitsa’ will definitely beneficial in weight reduction. It will be helpful to minimize the risk of fatty cholesterol deposits and will prevent complication of high blood pressure.
Life Style:If you master the techniques of keeping your blood pressure down, you have much less chance of having hypertension later and you are less likelihood of having fatty -cholesterol deposits in your arteries. Even though you have normal blood pressure, you can benefit yourself with simple adjustment in lifestyle.Regular Exercise is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. Exercise has to be of right kind. A good exercise programme, particularly endurance exercises such as jogging or athletics, will cause the peripheral resistance to decrease. Exercise helps to eliminate body fat, lower total cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol that prevents fatty - cholesterol deposits. According to Ayurveda exercise improves the body, depletes excess fats, brings lightness of the body.Improving your lifestyle by adoption of ethical elements mentioned in 'Achara Rasayana' is must if you really want to stay away from mental and physical stress and from eventual hypertension. It is certain that stress can cause hypertension. Anxiety, secondary to acute stage can cause rise in your blood pressure. Relaxation and removal of stress will help to lower mildly elevated levels of blood pressure.Nurture love and affection. Love and affection and affectionate touch can significantly drop, your blood pressure.Speak truth. Lying has been found to boost blood pressure, because it require a lot of mental exercise. The more you lie, more you add tension, hence you are likely to get more stress, speak gently; don’t get annoyed, speaking loudly and rapidly can significantly raise your blood pressure during conversation. Sudden risk can shoot up your blood pressure higher. Chronic anger produces elevation in blood pressure and it can be a serious risk factor for coronary - heart - disease. So be cool, speak softly and even if it is event of extreme displeasure.Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is as good as relaxation therapy, exercise or other methods used to overcome stress. Study shows that laughter decreases adrenaline and cortisol production. Laughter can help you if you are having high blood pressure. If you are frustrated, unhappy, angry, just laugh and find yourself away from rage. It is of the effective medicine you always have with your, without spending a penny for it.
Yoga and Breath Therapy:For complete tranquillity of mind, meditate in Corpse Pose. First, concentrate on the incoming and outgoing breath, focusing on the temperature of the breath as it flows in and out. You may notice the exhaled air is slightly warmer than the inhaled air. If you focus the mind on the breath for 10 minutes, mental disturbance gets diminished and blood pressure normalizes. Then you can meditate.Research has now shown that regular practice of Corpse Pose controls high blood pressure. Meditating and practicing breathing exercises regularly are essential to establishing a new relaxation response in place of the hypertensive reflex to stress. Chanting the mantra 'OM' or listening to a recording of it in the early morning and evening is also beneficial
Ayurvedic medications :Herbs For hypertensionSarpagandha : For centuries Rauwolfia serpentina has been used to treat hypertensionWe can supply Tablets 'Rasagandha'from our drug store .
Arjuna : Terminalia arjuna produced dose-dependent hypotension in anaesthetized dogs. Action of mechanism for this particular herb is that it acts like a beta-blocker and is a powerful antioxidant, liver protectant and contains cardio-protective, hypolipidemic, anti-angina and anti-atheroma properties. We can supply Tablets of 'Arjuna.' .
Gokshura: Tribulus terrestris(gokshura) is a natural herb used for treating many diseases including hypertension. It has shown to be diuretic and an ACE inhibitor.
Punarnava: Boerhaavia Diffusa has diuretic and Ca2+ channel blocking activity.
Rose : Rose Pattel Jam has calming and mood lifting effects.
Praval Bhasma : Indian Coral Powder provides elemental calcium and magnesium.Home Remedies
Rasona or garlic is most important substance helpful in alleviating vata dosha controlling blood pressure. Garlic lowers cholesterol and triglyceride that have impact on heart disease. A paste made of about 1 gm of garlic should be mixed with a glass of buttermilk. Drink this buttermilk twice a day. It will bring your blood pressure down.We can supply Tablets 'Lashunadi Vati' . from our drugstoreEating 2/3 raw clove of garlic (prior to soaking it in buttermilk) on empty stomach in the morning will correct any vitiation of vata dosha and will help to lower your blood pressure.
Soak 1tsp fenugreek seed in water for a night and munch them early in the morning on empty stomach. It will reduce your cholesterol and excess fats.
Powder of 'Triphala' should be taken regularly at night with warm water. This will help maintain constipation and bowels will remain clean.
Panchakarma: - Niruha basti Chikitsa (non unctuous enema) will be beneficial in hypertension and should be given by experienced physician.Dhara therapy is also helpful in treating obstinate cases of hypertension. Oil processed with bala (sida cordifolia) and milk is allowed to drop in small droplets on the forehead of the patient.
Approach according to dosha predominance in Hypertension:
When Vata predominates, An increase in blood pressure will be followed by worry, strain, overwork, anxiety or insomnia.It frequently associated with nervous system disorders.anxiety, worry, stress, and strain, are usually the main factors, therefore, treat the psychological conditions.Vata Treatment - Take 125 mg.of serpagandha (raulfia serpentina) and jatamansi 3 times daily for 2 – 3 months.Garlic is very good for this condition. Eat an entire crushed clove (with honey) once or twice a week.Take nutmeg or saraswat powder in warm milk.Take Ashwagandha preparations.
When Pitta predominates, anger,nose bleed, Irritability, and Violent headaches Sensitivity to light contribute to high blood pressure.Pitta Treatment - Use tranquilizing herbs that have cold potency. For example, take 250 mg. of gotukola at night. Brahma RasayanaSaraswat powderTo purify Pitta, take 1 gram each of Indian sarsaparilla (sariva) for 15 days.
When Kapha is prominent, there may be dull headache,edema, lethargy with obesity.blood pressure remains continually high. (no fluctuation as in Pitta hypertension.)Kapha Treatment - Avoid dairy, butter, eggs and high fat foods.- 1 gm. of guggulu or arjuna twice daily, or 250 mg. of shilajit 3 times daily for 3 months can be taken.Kapha type of hypertension is almost due to arteriosclerosis (deposition of fat inside the arteries - making their lumen narrow- causing hypertension). All the above herbs remove arteriosclerosis. Optimal mixture is Triphala guggulu 1 gm. daily for 3 months.100 mg. of cardamom and cinnamon 3 times daily is beneficial. Take these mixtures for 3 months. Regularly check blood pressure.

AYURVEDIC WAY TO THE HEART

'Heart Disease'(Hrudroga) is a global phenomenon. It is now becoming a major health problem even in the developing countries. The predisposing factors are heredity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high serum cholesterol and smoking. The way of living and the way of feeling appear to be quite an important factor in its increasing incidence. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences recently held a conference where doctors from around the world discussed the efficacy of Ayurvedic drugs in relation to a 'heart-diseases. The medical fraternity agreed that India's ancient stream of medicine has some miracle cures for cardio-vascular diseases. Cardiovascular problems have been dealt with at length in Ayurveda, which describes 'Hridaya' (heart) as a body organ governing emotions and circulating blood to keep a person alive and healthy.

Pathogenesis of Heart Problems
Cardiac problems arise mainly due to improper diet and stressful life styles. " These lead to thickening of arteries (dhamani praticaya) or hardening of arteries (dhamani kathinaya) resulting in angio-obstruction (vata dosa) and angina (ruja). " High blood pressure that hammers the arterial walls roughens them and causes the arterial wall to thicken. fatty cholesterol particles get deposited under the inner lining of the arteries (i.e. atherosclerosis). The higher the pressure more the deposits will occur. Subsequently these deposits become calcified due to fibrous growth and involved arteries lose their elasticity. It prevents blood from flowing easily and may lead to clotting. The clot formation can suddenly choke off the blood supply and lead to a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure.

What Ayurveda can offer -
Ayurved is very much concerned about conservation of health. Ayurved presumes that improper dietary habits give rise to various disorders. With practice of dietary measures recommended in Ayurveda while elaborating ‘Medoroga Chikitsa’ will definitely beneficial in weight reduction. It will be helpful to minimize the risk of fatty cholesterol deposits and will prevent complication of high blood pressure.

You can improving your lifestyle and remove unnecessary stress by following some simple rules -

Take strict vegetarian low fat diet.
Coffee may increase your blood pressure. Coffee, which contains caffeine, enhances the action of adrenaline and noradrenaline and both are important in increasing blood pressure levels.
Cigarette smokers tend to have high blood pressure. Nicotine increases the resting heart rate and increases the release of the adrenaline substances that tends to increase blood pressure. Cigarette smoking alone significantly increases risk of having heart attack.

Regular Exercise helps to eliminate body fat, lower total cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol that prevents fatty - cholesterol deposits. According to Ayurveda exercise improves the body, depletes excess fats, brings lightness of the body.
Nurture love and affection all over the world. Love and affection and affectionate touch can significantly drop, your blood pressure.

Be cool don’t get annoyed, speaking loudly and rapidly can significantly raise your blood pressure Chronic anger produces elevation in blood pressure and it can be a serious risk factor for coronary - heart - disease. So be cool, speak softly and gently

Laughter is the best medicine:- Laughter is as good as relaxation therapy, exercise or other methods used to overcome stress. Study shows that laughter decreases adrenaline and cortisol production. Laughter can help you if you are having high blood pressure. If you are frustrated, unhappy, angry, just laugh and find yourself away from rage. It is of the effective medicine you always have with your, without spending a penny for it.

Meditation: - Try to ease yourself with meditation and by performing yogic asanas like Shavasana.

Other medications according to Ayurveda -
As mentioned earlier we can see signs and symptoms of derangement of vata dosha and vyana vayu in high blood pressure. The treatment is to correct the balance of vata dosha.

Rasona or garlic is most important substance helpful in alleviating vata dosha controlling blood pressure. A paste made of about 1gm of garlic should be mixed with a glass of buttermilk. Drink this buttermilk twice a day. It will bring your blood pressure down.Garlic lowers cholesterol and triglyceride that have impact on heart disease.

Soak 1tsp fenugreek seed in water for a night and munch them early in the morning on empty stomach. It will reduce your cholesterol and excess fats.You can purchase the 'Lashunadi Vati' Tablets from our online drug store.
A study conducted at the Gujarat Ayurvedic University, drugs such as Terminalia Arjuna and Jaharmohara were administered to heart patients. In 66 percent of the cases the levels of chest pains, palpitation and fatigue came down dramatically and blood pressure and pulse rate came back to normal.

The drug Terminalia Arjuna has been used in Ayurveda for cardiac ailments since ancient times. Arjuna is a dense and tall tree and has long, cone shaped round leaves and white bark used in medicines. This tree is called nadisarjja in Sanskrit and its bark is described as a cardiac tonic. The tree is indigenous to India though it is found also in Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Besides the heart, Terminalia Arjuna is said to be beneficial for internal bleeding, ulcers, asthma, diarrhea and dysentery. You can purchase the 'Arjuna' Tablets or Powder from our online drug store.

Jaharmorha is another Ayurvedic drug used in the treatment of cardio-vascular diseases. It is a yellowish-green soft stone found in the Himalayas. Its powder is processed with rose water and administered to heart patients.
Triphala Guggul is yet another Ayurvedic preparation found useful in reducing cholesterol levels. You can purchase the 'Triphala Guggul' from our online drug store.

SLEEP AND AYURVEDIC

May be you must try time-tested Ayurvedic tips and antidotes to grab some shuteye But your insomnia continues to inflict you every night. May be you must try out some time tested Ayurvedic and house hold tips to grab some sleep. According to Ayurveda, insomnia is a high vata disorder. so cooling the heat by a massage with anti-vata oils like Narayana tailam,Bala tailam can be helpful. Treatments like shirodhara,shirovasti has proved to be very beneficial. Drugs like Ashwagandha,Brahmi and Jatamansi taken after consulting an Ayurvedic physician yields good results in case of sleeplessness. TRY THIS AT HOME 1) Taking a balanced diet cooked with good quantities of onion can be of use. 2) According to Vastuguna Deepika, a paste made from ground leaves of Indain spinach(commonly called Bachalikoora) when applied on the temples has a soothing effect and in turn induces sleep.Indian spinach has similar effects when cooked and consumed. 3) According to Bhavaprakasham, foods cooked with sesame(til) or urad dal(minapa pappu) promotes sleep. 4) Sugarcane juice has also been known to be useful to those suffering from sleep disorders. 5) Consuming fish,lamb meat(mutton) or its soup can promote good sleep. 6) Regular, but moderate intake of adequate diary products- such as milk,butter and curd - have been known to induce sleep. 7) A glass of milk before going to bed. you can burn those extra calories by exercising the next morning. Remember, exercise also helps to reduce insomnia. 8) Avoiding naps in the afternoon or at odd hours. 9) Avoiding tea,coffee or heavy exercise after five pm and going to bed at a regular time. 10) A warm bath before going to bed. 11) Reading or listening to soothing music also puts calms yours nerves and promotes sleep.

Writer ..........Dr G. Sridevi Ayu Kerala Ayurvedic Panchakarma centre Phone : 23375531

Renew Yourself This Spring

Ayurvedic healers highly recommend periodic internal cleansing as a way to maintain good health and prevent disorders from taking root in the physiology. Just like you regularly flush out the plumbing system in your home or change the oil in your automobile engine, periodically helping your body flush toxins out thoroughly is a good maintenance technique that will help organs and systems stay more efficient for a longer period of time. Especially after the age of 40, when your body's own cleansing and rejuvenating capability starts slowing down, supporting it with a cleansing regime is important for ongoing health and vitality.
The Seed and Land Theory of Ayurveda
Proper digestion is crucial for health. When digestion is efficient and complete, all of the food you eat is either converted into nutrient fluids for absorption into the body, or flushed out as wastes. When the digestive process is incomplete or inefficient, partially digested food matter is left behind in the digestive system. This substance, called ama in ayurveda, becomes toxic to the physiology if allowed to stay in the body or build up over time. Ama is not only inherently toxic in itself, it also clogs the channels of the body, further disrupting the flow of digestion and leading to an escalating cycle of toxin build-up. Ama is fertile ground for infections and disorders to germinate, take root and flourish. Ama build-up is considered the first stage of imbalance in the physiology. If not addressed, disorders invariably follow.
The digestive process leaves behind toxins either when you eat foods that are not fresh, natural or suited to your constitution and digestive capability, or when you follow eating routines and practices that are not ideal. Eating processed or artificially flavored foods and foods that are grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers can lead to toxin build-up. Drinking iced water or ice-cold beverages douses the digestive fire and causes ama to be generated. Eating heavier foods after sundown, eating a new meal before the previous one is digested, or eating when stressed or working also impact digestion. For help with choosing foods that are best for you and for ayurvedic digestion guidelines, read our "Eating for Balance" articles.
How to tell if you have ama build-upIt is best to visit an ayurvedic healer and have him or her assess your ama levels. The following are general indications that you may have an accumulation of toxins in your physiology:
1. Your tongue has a white coating in the morning when you wake up.2. You yawn after a main meal and just want to curl up and snooze.3. You feel tired and lethargic all day long, even though you eat well and sleep well.4. Your appetite is poor or you crave junk foods.5. You feel a general lack of motivation or zest for life.6. You feel "spaced out" and your mind is cloudy.7. You experience abdominal bloating and gas, especially after a main meal.8. You feel heavy and congested or constipated.9. You have a general sense of malaise, with vague aches and pains.
If you experience three or more of the above on a regular basis, your physiology would probably benefit from a cleansing regime.
Full-fledged ayurvedic cleansing programs, called Panchakarma, are best done under the supervision of an ayurvedic physician. Harsh sudden purges are also not recommended in ayurveda. A gentle program of cleansing, done over 45-60 days, is least stressful for the physiology, easiest to follow on a regular basis, and adequate for enhancing the digestive fire to burn off simple ama accumulation.
The best time for internal cleansingAyurveda recommends a seasonal routine (ritucharya) as well as daily routine (dinacharya). Each season brings with it its own challenges with respect to your health and needs for balance. The time when the seasons change is the best time to do an at-home cleansing regime, to divest yourself of the earlier season's accumulation of ama and to prepare the physiology for the new season.
Spring, especially, is considered an ideal time to rejuvenate the physiology, in keeping with Nature's own calendar for rejuvenation. With the melting of the snows and the thawing of the ground, the fluids in the body also start flowing more freely, and performing an internal cleansing routine at this time accelerates the flushing of toxins from the physiology.
The "at-home" cleansing routine: diet
The don'ts:Start by eliminating from your diet all foods that can create ama. This includes leftovers, foods with preservatives, additives or chemicals, and foods grown in an environment laced with chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and canned, frozen or processed foods.
Eliminate junk foods from your diet. Avoid heavy desserts, heavy meats and cheeses, deep-fried foods, candy and chocolate, white sugar, carbonated drinks, caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Minimize breads made with yeast and fermented foods.
Avoid raw foods such as uncooked salads, sprouts and cold sandwiches, because raw foods are harder on the digestive system. Avoid yogurt, as it sometimes clogs the channels of the body. If you drink milk, boil it with a pinch of nutmeg for Vata, cardamom for Pitta and a slice of fresh ginger for Kapha to enhance digestibility.
Avoid iced water and cold beverages.
The dos:Pick foods that are best for your constitution and needs for balance, as well as the strength of your digestive agni. Stick to lighter, easier-to-digest foods from the choices you do have.Our food recommendations for Vata, Pitta or Kapha balancing diets is a good starting point.
Eat whole, fresh, natural foods, organic if you can get it. Buy your produce fresh, and consume it quickly.
Eat cooked foods, warm or at room temperature.
Drink lots of warm water through the day. Accompany meals with small sips of warm water as needed. A detoxifying "tea" is even better. Coriander, cumin, fennel and ajwain (carum copticum) are digestion-enhancing spices to choose from. Here are suggestions for detoxifying herbal waters for the three doshas:
Bring two quarts of pure water to a rolling boil. Add the herbs/spices listed below, turn off heat after a couple of minutes and let steep for about 15-20 minutes. Strain and pour the water into a thermos. Drink the tea through the day, especially 15 minutes after a meal. Throw out any that remains after 6.30 pm, and make a fresh batch the next morning.
Vata: 1/2 tsp cumin seed, 1/4 tsp ajwain seed, 1/2 tsp fennel seedPitta: 1/2 tsp cumin seed, 1/2 tsp coriander seed, 2 fresh mint leavesKapha: 1/2 tsp cumin seed, 1 clove, 1-2 slices fresh ginger root
If you can find fresh Tulsi (Holy Basil), add a leaf or two to the water for all doshas. Tulsi is known for its ability to cleanse the physiology of environmental toxins.
Include lots of cleansing fruits and vegetables in your diet. Barley water or rice kanjee, made by cooking a small amount of grain with a large quantity of water (1/2 cup to 10 cups) are also wonderful cleansers of the digestive system and the urinary tract. Greens, daikon radish, bitter gourd, cabbage and celery are examples of cleansing vegetables. Cooked apples and pears are a great way to get elimination going in the morning. Prunes, pineapple, papaya and pomegranate are other fruits that aid digestion and cleansing. Herbs such as cilantro, mint, fresh ginger and lemon are also helpful for cleansing and purifying the digestive system.
Cook with digestion-enhancing, detoxifying spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, clove, ajwain, fenugreek, dried ginger, Chinese cinnamon and fennel. Add the turmeric to foods as they are cooking, and sauté other spices in ghee or olive oil and pour over prepared dishes for the best therapeutic benefit. Digestion-enhancing lassi, made with some of the herbs and spices mentioned in this section, is an excellent choice for a lunchtime beverage.
The "at-home" cleansing routine: lifestyle
Follow ayurvedic guidelines for proper digestion. Eat three meals a day at about the same times, eat lighter in the morning and evening than in the afternoon, and eat in a quiet, pleasant atmosphere.
Get lots of rest. Sleep is important any time of year, but especially during purification, when your body needs the quiet time to cleanse itself and recharge. Go to bed early and rise early.
Meditate everyday. Stress contributes to disrupted digestion, and meditation can help reduce stress levels.
Exercise, done everyday, is important. Exercise early in the morning. Walking is excellent exercise for all body types. Practice deep breathing to draw in oxygen and cleanse the air channels of the body. Avoid napping during the day.
The ayurvedic daily massage, called abhyanga, helps loosen toxins deeply embedded in body tissues for ease of elimination.
If there is a day spa that offers ayurvedic rejuvenation treatments in the area, treat yourself to a shirodhara--a routine where a stream of warm oil is poured steadily on the forehead for 30-45 minutes, followed by a scalp massage. The shirodhara is wonderful for calming the mind and nervous system and recharging the entire physiology.
Regular elimination is important. Empty your bowel and bladder regularly to flush the toxins that have been loosened or released from the tissues, joints and organs out of the body before they get back into circulation.
The "at-home" cleansing routine: herbal rasayanasTriphala and Tulsi together can help cleanse the physiology of internally generated digestive ama as well as toxins drawn in from the environment through less-than-ideal air, water or food.
Triphala Rasayana helps cleanse and tone the entire digestive tract, strengthens the digestion to deter further ama formation and strengthens and purifies the liver. It can be taken by all body types. For cleansing, take 2-4 tablets of AyurBalance Triphala Rasayana with warm water about an hour before bed, for 30 days. For ongoing maintenance, take 1-2 tablets every night all year round.
The ayurvedic herb Tulsi (Holy Basil) helps balance Kapha dosha, which tends to get aggravated in the spring, and helps purify the system of spring-related ama problems as well as environmental toxins. It also helps bolster your natural immunity. Drink Tulsi-infused herbal tea once or twice a day during the Kapha season to stay balanced.
After cleansing: ongoing maintenanceAfter the 30 days of cleansing, you can gradually add back heavier foods and small portions of raw foods into your diet if your constitution and digestive fire permit you to have these foods usually. Continue your diet of fresh, whole, pure foods and continue to drink lots of water through the day. Get plenty of rest, moderate exercise and some relaxation every day. Take maintenance amounts of the Triphala Rasayana and add the Amalaki Rasayana after lunch each day to strengthen digestion and offer nourishment to all the body tissues.
At the next change of seasons, perform the cleansing routine again to keep ama out of the system and to support natural good health and vitality on a long-term basis.

Ayurvedic food supplements for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common condition, affecting the weight bearing joints (e.g. knees, lower back, hips, etc.), often described as "wear and tear" arthritis. In human body the ends of the bones in normal joints are covered with a smooth, slippery tissue called cartilage, which provides protection to our bones. Joints also contain a fluid called synovial fluid, which acts as a cushion or "shock absorber" and lubricates the joint.

In people with osteoarthritis, the synovial fluid becomes thinner and loses its elasticity. The thinner synovial fluid does not provide a good cushion. For this reason, the cartilage covering the ends of the bones begins to break, which leads to pain and stiffness in the joint.

Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disorder, because of degeneration of cartilage covering the ends of the bones.

In Ayurveda this condition is called as Sandhighat Vata. This condition can be a very mild disease or a severe disease that greatly limits everyday activity. For example, if patient has Osteoarthritis of the knee, patient may feel pain and swelling in the knee area and pain gets worse during movement of the knee.

Patient may feel or hear crunching or cracking sounds on movement of joints. X-rays usually confirm diagnosis. Ayurvedic Science is based on the principles of Bio-energy.

There are three types of Bio-energies or Doshas called Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which control metabolism and all other functions of human body.

The equillibrium of the Doshas provide complete health and imbalance of these Doshas lead to various disorders.

Osteoarthritis (Sandhighat Vata) is a Vata disorder in which excessive Vata energy causes dryness in the joints followed by pain, swelling and stiffness of affected joints. Ayurvedic therapy in Osteoarthritis not only prevents further deterioration in the joints but also rejuvenates the damaged cartilages.

In my private practice I have seen Ashwagandha, Guggul and Shilajit, one capsule or tablet each twice a day with large glass of water for six months produce excellent results in Osteoarthritis.

These herbs do not cause any side effect even for long-term use.

As acute pain may not be felt in every case of degeneration, one must think of starting treatment at the very initial stage. Ayurvedic diets and life styles are selected as per constitution of the individual.

One should avoid being overweight, because excess weight increases the load on the joints.

Regular exercises of knee joints help the patient to remain fit.
Dr. Harish K. Verma* * Delhi and author of "Secrets of Ayurveda" published in UK.

The Five Elements & 'Fire' of Digestion in Ayurvedic Food, Nutrition & Cooking

Like Ayurvedic medicine, the foundation of Ayurvedic cooking and nutrition is comprised of the five elements:
Earth
Water
Fire
Air
Space
While the concept of the five elements may seem strange to us, the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda is also mirrored in modern physiology and nutrition.
For example, in Ayurveda, the fire of digestion is known as 'agni.'
Similar to the enzymes that are required for biochemical digestion, agni is essential for proper digestion of the nutrients present in our food.
In fact, many of the famous Indian pickles and chutneys are formulated to stimulate the flow of digestive juices, which include digestive enzymes: - in Ayurveda, this is called - "increasing agni."
Because the fire energy of agni is associated with the warmth of the sun, the best health practice is to eat our main meals during the day when the power of agni is strongest.
In Ayurvedic meal planning, lunch is typically the largest and heaviest meal of the day.
While some foods are seemingly dominated by one element, bear in mind that each food has all five elements and each food often has more than one taste as well.
According to Ayurveda, all matter is made up of these five elements.
But, these are not elements such as those in the Periodic Table of modern chemistry; rather, they are more akin to the states of matter.
Water is the liquid stage of matter
Earth represents the solid state
Air is the gaseous state
Fire is the power to transform states of matter
Space, or Ether, as it is sometimes called, is the most rarified of all, and represents the space in which all matter exists.