Category: Ayurved

Ayurveda has a lot of significance in the history of mankind. It has given the human mind and body a lot of importance. According to Ayurveda, the nature displayed by human beings is called the “Prakriti”. A combination of the three doshas (namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha) defines the Prakriti or the characteristics of the human being.

Doshas are the three energies present in our body governing the physiological activity. In Sanskrit, dosha is anything that contaminates. In simple words, unhealthy and disease-causing factors within the body are called doshas.

Knowing your dosha helps in understanding the basic physical and psychological nature of an individual to create a well-customized diet for a healthy lifestyle. Everyone has a unique dosha as per their biological mechanisms. Understanding your dosha well is often the key to a healthy life.

Every human being has variable degrees of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha in uneven distribution. It’s rare to find someone with an even distribution of the three doshas. But although we have the three doshas, we are ruled by one dominant dosha in our body.

Vata Dosha:

People with Vata dosha show immense physical as well as emotional traits.

• They are very active, restless as well as energetic because of their quick metabolism.
• They are skinny with little muscle development and projected joints.
• Their habits are irregular and erratic, with extreme cravings and desires.
• They are the light sleeper with a quick and irregular pulse and are prone to sleep disorders.
• They are impulsive and very careless about financial matters (which is evident to their restless nature).
• They demonstrate high creative thinking, quick learning abilities, and innovation.
• They are introverts, emotional, shy, and modest, lacking in confidence.

Pitta Dosha:

People with the pitta dosha are mainly aggressive with fiery (Agni) elemental character.

• They are of the medium body type, with good muscular development with soft, warm skin. They are prone to skin diseases, rashes, sunburn, premature greying and hair loss.
• Their desires and needs are robust in nature.
• They are gentle sleeper with a powerful and stable heartbeat.
• They are the extrovert ones and always desire to be the centre of attraction.
• They are good at managing their emotions but sometimes they become irritable and stressed. They are aggressive, bold and determined, and are leaders.
• They are good at handling their finances.
  

Kapha Dosha:

People with a dominant Kapha dosha tend to have a solid or massive build physically.

• They are overweight and have high muscle development with thick and moist skin is thick.
• They have a moderate or low craving for food with slow digestion.
• They are slow and organized, with lots of endurance.
• They are the very sound sleeper with a slow and steady pulse.
• They are good and stable in the financial department.
• They are tolerating and forgiving, with average intelligence.

They are particularly good with people.

A team of scientists at the Duke University conducted extensive review and research on the beneficial aspects of yoga in treatment of diseases, ailments and other disorders. They have published a paper in the highly respected journal, ‘Frontiers in Psychiatry’ on January 24, 2013. The researchers have asserted that yoga is as powerful as psychotherapy or antidepressants, tackling several mental health issues such as depression, stress and attention deficiency. They believe that even extreme conditions like schizophrenia could be controlled by yoga practices.

For majority of psychiatric disorders, medications are the standard prescriptions. However, the review by this team of scientists claim that yoga is highly useful in modulating levels of several key body chemicals such as serotonin as well as cortisol, a stress hormone.

Dr. Meera Balasubramaniam, the leader of the research team informed in a recent interview to Hindustan Times that yoga works very well as a separate standalone remedy for many illnesses, while it works as a very good adjunct to common medications in other diseases or disorders. She added that there is a definite positive group effect when yoga is practiced with a sizable group of afflicted people.

Approximately more than 200 million people practice yoga globally, with more than 100 million people in India alone, while around 16 million people are students of yoga in the United States. Even though medical science has recognized and appreciated the power of yoga in healing physical and mental ailments, there has been considerable skepticism in the potential of yoga in tacking several major illnesses on a specific basis.

The practice of yoga gained global popularity in the middle and later half of the twentieth century. The followers of yoga swelled in several countries after cultural and social icons like the Beatles and several Hollywood actors and stars started subscribing to the practice of yoga as beneficial. This sudden popularity of yoga resulted in strong negative fallout also, with several people proclaiming themselves as great yoga masters and gurus but duping and fraudulently cheating innocent and gullible people, accumulating huge amounts of money in that process. Such fraud gurus earned millions but the yoga methods and practices that they taught were mostly incorrect and even hazardous and counterproductive in many instances.

In India, the birthplace of yoga, a huge population have come to accept yoga as a healthy practice and adopt it as cure for several ailments. Even here, the medical fraternity of India were forced to counter and overcome several potentially misleading and even outlandish claims from a few yoga masters who have become quite popular. One of them, the Haridwar-based yoga guru, Baba Ramdev, claimed that he could cure even one of the most serious diseases that the society has been encountering for the past few decades, namely, HIV-AIDS. Unfortunately, he has not been able to substantiate his claim so far.

The research team of yoga mentioned in their paper on yoga in the journal, ‘Frontiers in Psychiatry’, “Yoga has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has become difficult for physicians and patients to differentiate legitimate claims from hype. Our goal was to examine whether the evidence matched the promise.” They have emphatically affirmed that the evidences match the promises in most cases.

The research review of the Duke University scientists further shows that yoga is quite helpful in controlling serotonin, acetylcholine, and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), the major body chemicals that are the causes for many mental illnesses. Further, the research on performance of yoga showed that it enabled persons suffering from attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to handle many of the difficulties associated with ADHD such as impulsivity and inattention, which lakhs of students are suffering from in India.

Students practising yoga were able to put to better use the techniques of yoga that they learned during the practice in calming themselves whenever they became agitated. Dr. Meera added, “There was also some evidence of improved homework compliance.” According to her, certain evidences suggested that yoga benefited patients suffering from mild depressions even without any medication. However, she stated that cases of serious afflictions like severe depression and ADHD, as well as grave conditions like schizophrenia required combined therapy of prescribed drugs and yoga for maximum effect. She added, “More research to evaluate the benefits of yoga, including its mechanisms, is certainly warranted.”

These conclusions of the Duke University research team has come at a time when the entire global medical fraternity is grappling more and more with growing mental health disorder patients. This condition is even more exacerbated for low income families in many developing countries like India and other under-developed countries where access to correct medication is very poor and irregular. Statistics revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal that more than 350 million people are suffering from depression globally and it is the leading cause of many disabilities in people in the world at present.

Other recent studies have brought out the limitations in the effectiveness of drugs alone as solutions to several mental illnesses. WHO conducted a Primary Care Study and the study showed clearly that around 60% of the patients suffering from depression continued to be tormented by that condition even after being treated for a full year with anti-depressants.

Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a co-author of the Duke University research paper emphasised, “The search for improved treatments, including non-drug based, to meet the holistic needs of patients is of paramount importance and we call for more research into yoga as a priority.”

Dr. Meera concluded, “Yoga in addition to medication for mental health situations is also useful because the cure rates of medicines tend to be variable and yoga may provide a safe and acceptable adjunct.”

The entire Ayurveda medicinal theory is based on the development of a healthy metabolic system, attainment of good digestion, and achievement of proper excretion for vitality, health, and long life. Balance is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle. We should neither control or suppress our natural urges or indulge too much in them. Food intake, sleep, sexual intercourse, physical exercises and activities and emotional matters should always be moderate, neither excessive nor deficient.

Further, Ayurveda stresses that the dividing line between well-being and ill-feeling is very thin. You may have observed yourself that you feel fit and perfectly healthy one moment but immediately develop a feeling of unease within a few seconds or minutes. This change is due to the subtle disharmonies that arise within our body and mind complex. Good health is only an indication of all normal biological processes, when the physical and mental aspects remain balanced and in complete harmony. Any discord or imbalance leads to deterioration of health. As such, the approach of Ayurveda to diagnosis and treatment is completely holistic, addressing all aspects of human life, instead of concentrating on one part or organ of the body that has been affected.

Diagnosis Process in Ayurveda

With the above principles in mind, the approach to diagnosis and treatment of people suffering from various ailments and diseases differs widely in Ayurveda, compared to other branches of medicinal practices like Allopathy, Unani, Homeopathy, etc. According to Charaka Samhita, the Ayurveda doctor should conduct ten basic examinations to ascertain the present physical condition and afflictions of the patient. They are

• Constitution
• Body measurements
• Abnormalities
• Physical fitness
• Age
• Stability
• Essence
• Psychic strength
• Digestive capacity
• Diet suitability

Other practitioners include five more crucial criteria in the process of Ayurveda diagnosis. They are

• Origin of ailment or disease
• Precursory or prodrominal symptoms
• Typical symptoms of the disease at various stages, such as initial, middle, and terminal
• Observation of actual effect of all therapeutic procedures
• Pathological processes

A good Ayurveda doctor uses all five senses to diagnose a patient. Ayurveda lays special emphasis on the study of marman marma or lethal points in the human body and mind. In Ayurveda, physical existence, mental existence and individual personality combine to make a single unit as a human being, with each element influencing the others. Further, personal hygiene is given high importance in Ayurveda, with standard hygienic practices like regular bathing, skin care, eye washing, cleansing of teeth and anointing the body with oil either daily or at least once or twice a week.

Treatment Process in Ayurveda

Ayurveda treatments for physical ailments and diseases are invariably based on plant-based medications but animal products and minerals are also extensively used. They are supplemented by yoga postures, pranayama or breathing exercises, meditation, etc. to bring a balance between body and mind. The pharmacology of Ayurveda is termed as dravyaguna. The medicines used in Ayurveda treatment are synergetic combinations of substances existing in nature. Dravyaguna uses herbs, leaves, barks, roots, fruits and other parts of a single plant or a combination of these products of more than one plant for maximum effectiveness and impact for a particular disease. At the same time, Ayurveda medicinal preparations take adequate care that the materials used for a single medicine are complimentary and supplementary, without any disagreement or inconsistency in their compatibility.

Simultaneously, Ayurveda insists that the practitioners of Ayurveda should use only those plants, herbs, animal products and minerals that are available within their region, since only such products will suit the people living in that region. A herb native to a particular region in India but totally strange to a region in the United States may not provide the same results in that US region as it does in the region in India to which it is native. Charaka emphasises this point clearly when he states, “Yasmin desehi yo jathah tajjam tad aushadham hitham”, meaning “What is born and grows in one’s own country alone is the most suitable and best medicine for people in that country”.

The basic treatment processes of Ayurveda concentrate on factors such as dosha, rasa, vipaka, prabhava and guna, factors related to human body and mind. These factors and their individual characteristics will be discussed in our next article. Our other articles will cover the individual nature and curing ability of each herb or plant and treatment of various disorders. Kindly hold your questions until we finish these series of articles. Still, if you have any specific doubt or question on any aspect of Ayurveda, you can contact us anytime and we will be happy to answer you. Kindly feel free to communicate to us and share your views with us.

Ayurveda dates back to at least 5000 years. According to Hindu religious scriptures its millions of years old, when the present universe was formed, and Svaayambhuva Manu created life in the universe, including human beings. Ayurveda is one of the four Upavedas, namely Ayurveda (Medicine), Dhanurveda (Archery), Gandharvaveda (Music and Dance), and Shastrashastra (Military Science). Ayurveda is associated with Rig Veda, Dhanurveda is associated with Yajur Veda, Gandharvaveda is associated with Sama Veda and Shastrashatra is associated with Atharva Veda. However, certain scriptures associated Ayurveda with Atharva Veda. They also combine Shastrashastra with Dhanurveda and maintain Sthapatyaveda and Shilpa Shastras (Architecture, Arts and Crafts) as the fourth Upaveda.

Ayurveda is a science of life, longevity, and prevention and even modern scientists and medical experts unanimously agree that it is the most holistic and oldest health care system on our planet. The meaning of the word ‘Ayurveda’ is ‘knowledge for long life’. The oldest medical Ayurveda scripture available today is believed to be Atreya Samhita. The sages during the early years of development of Ayurveda envisaged health as an inseparable part of human life. They received knowledge of Ayurveda treatments through meditative cognitions and hence the different treatment methods of Ayurveda, such as prevention, healing, longevity, surgery, etc. were obtained through Divine revelations. Ayurveda stemmed from such revelations and not through testing of medicines on animals or humans.

Ayurveda uses foods, herbs, aromas, colors, gems, mantras, yoga, lifestyle and surgery to prevent, heal and cure all types of ailments and diseases that afflict human beings. It is believed that there are eight major branches of Ayurveda medicine. However, two main schools are prominently accepted. They are the school of physicians following the teachings of Atreya and the school of surgeons complying with the teachings of Dhanvantari. Scholars and medical practitioners from different countries like China, Afghanistan, Persia, Tibet, Greece, Rome, etc. visited India to learn the eternal wisdom of Ayurveda and carried back that knowledge back to their countries. They translated their knowledge in their languages, and many quotations of Ayurveda are found in ancient medicine of all these countries. Eventually, the practices and principles of Ayurveda spread throughout Europe and formed the foundation of the traditional European medicine.

The modern Ayurveda principles and practices are based on three major treatises. The Charaka Samhita is a compilation of Atreya Samhita. The other two are Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya. Ashtanga Hridaya is a concise version of Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita. All these Samhitas are considered to be at least a few thousand years old.

Ayurveda is based on the five elements of Akasa (Ether), Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Jala (Water), and Prithvi (Earth) that combine to compose this universe. The body constituents are divided into seven primary elements or Dhatus, namely rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Maamsa (flesh), Medha (fat), Asthi (bone), Majja (marrow) and Sukra (semen of man or reproductive tissue of woman). The elemental energies or doshas that affect the health of human body are divided into three constituents known as Vata (wind), Pitta (bile) and Kapha (phlegm). Air and space form vata, fire and water constitute pitta and water and earth form kapha. Ayurveda maintains that these three doshas should remain in complete balance for maintenance of good health. When their balance becomes disturbed, and their amounts are not equal, the body becomes unhealthy in different ways. Even though surgery is also part of Ayurveda, the stress is on the development of a healthy metabolism, achieving effective digestion of food and drinks and proper excretion of unwanted wastes from the body for health and vitality. These aspects are supplemented with yoga, exercises, and meditation.

The eight components of Ayurveda are listed below. They are

• Kaaya Chikitsa (internal medicine)
• Kaumarabhrtyam (pediatrics)
• Shalya chikitsa (surgery)
• Saalaakya tantra (eye and ENT)
• Bhuta Vidya (psychiatry)
• Agadatantra (toxicology)
• Rasayana (prevention of diseases, improvement of immunity and rejuvenation)
• Vajikaranam (aphrodisiacs and improvement of health of progeny)

We will be discussing the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and ailments through Ayurveda in our next article. Meanwhile, if you have any questions about the history of Ayurveda, kindly contact us and we will be happy to provide you necessary clarifications.

A painful contraction of the muscle is known as cramps. There are various reasons for cramps like excessive physical exercise/work, taking too much of dry and rough food articles are few of the reason behind cramps. Metabolic waste generated in the body should be discarded from the body as soon as possible, but when it doesn’t get discarded and circulates in the body, it tends to deposit at the end of nerve endings and muscle tissues which is known as ama in Ayurveda, this results in cramps. Cramps might be experienced due to various other diseases in the body too and should be diagnosed by a good doctor if it occurs frequently.

Ayurvedic Treatment: Massage is many times considered as a good therapy to treat cramps. Massaging affected parts along with the whole body with a medicated oil like Mahanarayana Taila is helpful to get rid of cramps quickly. Daily massage by self with a non-medicated oil like gingelly oil before taking a bath is generally advised for the patients who gets frequent cramps.

Note: Massage should be done properly by a professional to get best of it.

Many ayurvedic doctors prescribe Shivananda Guggulu to treat cramps as it helps in cleaning bowl, thereby helping the body to discard unwanted elements gathered in the body causing cramps.4 tablets of Shivananda Guggulu is generally given to the patient with hot milk.

Small amount of Castor oil can be given to the patient in case, Shivananda Guggulu fails to clean bowl effectively. Many times Isabgol is prescribed to the patient which can be taken with a glass of warm water or warm milk. As this is fibrous food, it helps in cleaning bowl effectively.

Diet: Foods like pulses should be avoided as these kinds of food aggravates vayu. Pungent, cold, raw foods are harmful to cramps patients.  Fibrous foods should be given to the patients adequately. Garlic, asafoetida are few of the recommended foods to cramps patients. Take sufficient quantity of clean water.

Light exercise for the patient is recommended. Keep the patient out from cold wind or direct rain. Suppression of natural urges, fasting, remaining awake till late night, worry, anxiety and anger are responsible to aggravating vayu. Try to keep the patient away from all these. Don’t let the patient sleep during day time.

In Ayurveda, this is known as Pashana gardabha. This is an acute infectious disease characterized by swelling of the parotid glands near the ears. Virus attack on the gland is the reason behind this disease.

Initially, patient may feel swelling in the parotid gland which is near ear. After two/three days patient may start feeling feverish and pain in the inflamed region near the ear. Shore throat and shivering come along with this disease.

Ayurvedic Treatment: Daru Haridra is a herb of choice in treating this condition. Honey and ghee are mixed with the powder of its wood and slightly warmed and applied over the affected parts preferably during bed time. Dry hot fomentation can be given to the affected part to aid recovery. Naradiya Lakshmi Vilas  is another medicine which is normally prescribed by the Ayurvedic Doctors for this treatment. This can be given to the patient at a dose of two tablets three times a day mixed with honey.

Suggested Diet: During this time patient might not feel hungry. Liquid foods are preferred to be given to the patient during the course of treatment. Avoid all kinds of fried and sour food. All types of fast foods should be avoided too. Garlic, ginger, black pepper, long pepper etc are very helpful in this condition.

Do not expose the patient to cold wind. A woolen scarf around the neck is suggested during the course of treatment. If proper care is taken in life style and food intake along with proper treatment with Ayurvedic medicines this disease can be cured quickly.

Menorrhagia is nothing but excessive bleeding during menstruation. In Ayurveda terminologies, this condition is known as Rakta Pradara.

It is found that due to hormonal imbalance in the body of the patient excessive bleeding takes place during period. As per Ayurveda, aggravation of Pitta is to be blamed for this disease. Cancer in the uterus can also be one of the reasons for this condition.

During menstruation, patient might feel pain in the abdomen, lumbar region or hips, and excessive bleeding takes place for a long period. This disease exhausts the patient and if not treated may lead to various other complexities like anemia.  Giddiness, headache, restlessness are few symptoms those are complained by the patient. The patient might also feel breathlessness.

Ayurvedic Treatment:

Ashoka is the herb of choice to treat this condition. Lodhra is another herb of choice in Ayurveda to treat this condition. The powder of the barks of these two herbs is administered to the patient either separately or in a compound form. This can be given four times  day with a dose of one teaspoonful.

Ashokarista and Lodhrasava are two popular medicines in Ayurveda which are advised to the patients at a dose of 30 ml twice daily after food with water.

Tender leaves of pomegranate tree are also helpful in this condition. Seven tender leaves and seven grains of rice are mixed together to prepare a paste and given to the patient twice daily for a month.

Pravala(coral) and Mukta(pearl) are used in the acute condition of this disease. The powder form of this medicine commonly known as pishti is given to the patient in the dose of 100 mg four times a day.

Diet:

All kind of hot and spicy food needs to be avoided. Old rice, wheat, moong dal, milk, and ghee can be given to the patient. Pomegranate, sugarcane juice, grapes, banana, jack fruit are useful for the patient.

Avoid any kind of exercise. Take sufficient rest mentally as well as physically. Excessive exposure to sun, vehicle riding, long journey are harmful in this disease.