Stroke (Paralysis) – Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment
Stroke is a medical emergency which results when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off or greatly reduced. An ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke, occurring about 80 – 85 % of the time, and is due to a blood vessel in the brain getting blocked because of cholesterol deposits called atherosclerosis, or because of blood clots called emboli. A hemorrhagic stroke, resulting from a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, while not so commonly seen, is definitely more serious.
Depending upon what part of the brain and how much of the brain tissue is affected, stroke can cause symptoms like weakness or paralysis of the limbs, paralysis of the muscles of the face, difficulty in speaking, coordination problems, dizziness, vision problems, sudden headache, and loss of consciousness. This can result in monoplegia (paralysis of one limb), hemiplegia (paralysis of upper and lower limb in one side of the body), and paraplegia (paralysis of lower limbs).
Stroke is known in Ayurveda as “Pakshaghaat”. Ayurveda has mentioned facial paralysis as a separate disease entity called “Ardita”. Acute stroke is a full-fledged medical emergency where immediate hospitalization and specialized medical care of the patient can be life saving and can minimize permanent disability. After a patient is discharged from hospital, it is imperative to start Ayurvedic treatment at the earliest possible, to get maximum benefit.
The ancient Ayurvedic texts mention mild purgation as a special form of treatment for stroke. This treatment modality is, surprisingly, not recommended in Ayurveda for any other neurological condition resulting from a disturbed “Vata” dosha. It is believed that this treatment helps to reverse the pathology in stroke, by normalizing the “Prana Vayu” (which regulates the functions of the brain) and bringing about normal functioning of the blood vessels, muscles and tendons. Castor oil, and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula), treated with castor oil, are recommended for this purpose.
Massage of the entire body using medicated oils, followed by steam fomentation, is considered an important part of the treatment for stroke. Bala (Sida cordifolia) oil and Narayan (Asparagus racemosus) oil are commonly used for massage, while a decoction of Nirgundi( Vitex negundo), Dashmool (Ten roots), or Erandmool (Root of Ricinus communis) is used for medicated steam fomentation.
“Basti” or medicated enema is also a unique part of Ayurvedic treatment for stroke. Both the “Niruh” and “Anuvaasan” types of enemas are used in an alternating fashion. Dashmool decoction is usually recommended for Niruh Basti, and Til oil (Oil of Sesame) is recommended for Anuvaasan Basti.
Medicated nasal drops are used to stimulate and bring about early recovery of the special sense organs. This therapy is known as “Nasya”. Anu Tel (oil), Shadbindu Tel, Panchendriya Vardhan Tel and medicated ghee are used for this purpose.
Traditional Ayurvedic formulations used in the treatment of stroke are: Yograj Guggulu, Mahayograj Guggulu, Vata Vidhvansa Ras, Tapyadi Loha, Sameerpannag Ras, Vata Gajankusha Ras, Ekangveer Ras and Bruhat Vata Chintamani. Herbal medicines useful in this condition are: Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina), Rasna (Pluchea lanceolata), Dashmool, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Bala, Maash (Phaseolus mungo) and Nirgundi.
Results with treatment depend upon the amount of permanent damage resulting from stroke, the time of commencement of treatment, the presence of other complications like high blood pressure and diabetes, and the overall physical and mental conditioning of the patient.
Dr. A. A. Mundewadi is Chief Ayurvedic Physician at Mundewadi Ayurvedic Clinic based at Thane, Maharashtra, India. He is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com
The online clinic offers Ayurvedic treatment for all chronic and refractory health problems. Dr. A. A. Mundewadi uses high quality herbal extracts in tablet form, which are easy to take, effective and safe for long-term use.
Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, B.A.M.S., has clinical experience of 23 years and clinical research experience of 9 years. He has conducted extensive research in HIV infection, Schizophrenia and many other chronic diseases.
Hair Loss Remedies – Simple Ayurvedic Treatments
July 11, 2010 by Ayurvedic
Filed under Advice, Ayurvedic Treatment for Hair Loss
Hair loss is one of the most embarrassing problem facing most men and women in the world today. It is a common notion that hair loss occurs normally with advancing age, and nothing can be done about that. But that is a wrong belief. There are several effective ways in which hair loss and other hair related problems can be nipped in the bud. The following are some of the most effective home remedies in which this can be achieved.
Treatment with Simple Home Remedies
Remedy # 1
This remedy works if your hair are continuously breaking off and falling. Extract the juice of a single lemon. Finely grind the powder of the root of a banyan tree and mix thoroughly in the lemon juice. Wash your hair with this solution. When done, dry your hair with a drier and then apply more than the normal amount of coconut oil on the scalp. Do this regularly. Within a few days you will find the quality of your hair improving.
Remedy # 2
Prepare the fine powder of the amalaki (Indian Gooseberry) and soak it in water. Keep this overnight. In the morning, squash the powder in the water and let it exude thoroughly into the water. You will get a mild pasty consistency. Then squeeze the juice of a lemon or two. Use this vitamin C rich solution to wash your hair. The solution will foam. Work your hands into the roots of the hair till the foam is profuse. After fifteen minutes of this treatment, you can wash it off. This kind of treatment will not only treat hair loss, but it will also make the hair blacker, denser, longer and softer. A month of this treatment on a daily basis will show you the positive results.
Remedy # 3
Boil some udad daal (lentils) in water. When boiled enough, let them cool. Then mash the daal and apply it vigorously on the hair, working at the roots. This treatment provides proteins to your hair, which is very necessary for their proper growth. Within a few days of this continuous treatment, your hair loss problems will begin to dwindle.
Remedy # 4
This treatment works for alopecia, i.e. baldness or thinness of hair. Take a dry ripe amalaki fruit and grind it to a powder. Put this powder in coconut oil or chameli (Jasminum grandiflorum, Spanish Jasmine) oil. Use this oil to massage the scalp. Then put this solution in water and wash the hair thoroughly. Continue this for a month to observe benefits. You must also chew on the dry amalaki fruit several times a day.
Remedy # 5
If your hair is thinning out, then the following remedy can help. Prepare a mixture of the powders of the seeds, leaves and peel of a pomegranate. Add this to mustard oil. Keep it on a flame. The powders will begin to get cooked. When the powders seem cooked enough, then strain the oil through a cloth and collect the filtrate in a bottle. Cork this bottle. Apply this oil twice or thrice on the scalp in a day. Within a few days, hair loss will stop and new hair will begin growing.
Remedy # 6
Grind some green coriander and extract the juices from it. Use these juices to massage onto the scalp. This will make your hair soft and black and stop hair loss. This remedy is simple but it is so effective that it can even make hair grow back on the scalp. Hence it is looked upon as a treatment for alopecia.
Remedy # 7
This is not a specific remedy, but it is a general method to care for your hair to stop hair loss in the future. Collect one tablespoon of powder of shikakai (Acacia concinna, acacia) and ritha (Sapindus mukorossi, soapnut). Add this powder to half pint of water and boil it. When the boiling has taken place properly, then cool it, strain it, and use the filtrate as you would use a regular shampoo. This is the best natural shampoo in the world, and perhaps the world’s oldest pH balanced shampoo. Daily using this shampoo will keep all hair loss problems at bay.
Treatment with Special Ayurvedic Methods
Bhringaraja is the drug of choice for hair problems. It is either taken orally or is used for massaging the scalp on a daily basis in the form of Maha Bhringaraja taila or Nilibhringadi taila. The general mode of using it is to massage on the scalp thoroughly and then to have a bath one hour later. But it must be remembered that Bhringaraja will first remove the weak hair from the scalp. Hence it may appear that the hair is thinning more in the beginning. This is temporary though; the new hair that will grow will be healthier and stronger.
Hair loss (and in fact, all problems relating to hair) are kapha problems. They happen when the kapha dosha is vitiated. Hence, kapha must not be allowed to accumulate in the body. This happens when there is a common cold. For this reason, common colds must be treated quickly. The same can be said about sinusitis.
Read more about Hair Loss Remedy. Also find Home Remedies at http://www.ayurvediccure.com – World’s Finest Portal on Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies
Ayurvedic Treatment For Gluten Allergy
Ayurvedic medicine which is an Indian origin enables one to lead a graceful, harmonious and vigorous life free of any disorders including gluten allergy. It is a condition of the digestive system resulting in the poor absorption of certain nutrients. Individuals who are intolerant to gluten, a protein, which is mostly found in wheat related products are mostly affected by this allergy. It believes that pitta dosha vitiation is also one of the main reason and hence provides herbal medicines for pacifying it.
Some of the suggested medicines are as below :
Commonly used medicines are Chiruvilwadi qwath, Chithragrandyadi qwath, Chitrakadi qwath, Kalyana gulam, Agasthaya rasayan, Kooshmanda rasayan etc., These medicines increase the digestive quality and toxins are not produced after the digestion of gluten diet. The medicines will subside the allergic reactions in due course. Strict diet restrictions should be followed during the medication. Regular internal purification process advised by a qualified Ayurvedic doctor should be performed in regular intervals.
Tripala acts as an alkalyzer and if taken regularly helps to balance the vitiated pitta which is an acid base disorder. But it has to be accompanied by the gluten free diet and lifestyle during the treatment period. Best detoxifying ayurvedic medicine is a balanced infusion of organic herbs and spice like rosemary, ginger, oregano, turmeric, aloe vera and lime.
Panchakola ( herbal combination )when added with the gluten free soups along with black pepper is excellent remedy. It also recommends parpati kalpa which along with a strict gluten free diet is very helpful. Buttermilk is the best appetizer and can be taken in any quantity aids in fast recovery of the disease. In order to make the digestive agni stronger one has to take a dose of ghee mixed with appetizing ayurvedic herbal formulations.
Ayurvedic medicine recommends focusing on stress reduction and do detoxification according to ones body constitution and lead an easy life free of tension.
Dr Rajesh Nair is a Web writer and ayurvedic researcher. Check out his favorite sources for ayurvedic medicines and herbal gluten allergy ayurveda medicines
Kidney Stones – Its Natural Remedies and Ayurvedic Treatment
Kidney stones or renal calculi are solid concretion or crystal aggregations formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Renal colic can be associated with nausea and vomiting. Kidney stones may contain various chemicals. There are several types of kidney stone based on the type of crystals of which they consists. The majority are calcium oxalate stones, followed by calcium phosphate stones. More rarely, struvite stones are produce by urea-splitting bacteria in people with urinary tract infections, and people with certain metabolic abnormalities may produce uric acid stones or cystine stones.
Urolithiasis is the medical term used to describe stones occurring in the urinary tract. Men are three times more likely than women to have kidney stones form within the urinary tract.
Causes and Risk factor:
There is no consensus as to why kidney stones form.
Heredity: Some people are more susceptible to forming kidney stones, and heredity may play a role. The majority of kidney stones are made of calcium and high levels of calcium in the urine is a risk factor. The predisposition to high levels of calcium in the urine may be passed on from generation to generation. Some rare hereditary diseases also predispose some people to form kidney stones.
Geographical location: Increasing global temperatures will lead to greater future prevalence of kidney stones. The hot climate and poor fluid intake may cause people to be relatively dehydrated, with their urine becoming more concentrated and allowing chemicals to come in closer contact to form the nidus, or becoming, of a stones.
Medications: People taking diuretics and those who consume excess calcium-containing antacids can increase the amount of calcium in their urine and potentially increase the risk of forming stones. Taking excess amounts of vitamins A and D are also associated with higher levels of calcium in the urine. Other commonly prescribed medications associated with stone formation include dilantin and antibiotics.
Several factors increase the risk for developing kidney stones, including inadequate fluid intake and dehydration, reduced urinary volume, certain chemical levels in the urine that are too high or too low, and several medical conditions such as reflux, medullary sponge kidney, renal tubular acidosis and urinary tract infections. Anything that blocks or reduces the flow of urine also increases the risk.
Chemical risk factors include high levels of the following in the urine: calcium, cystine, oxalate, uric acid and sodium. A low level of citrate is also a risk factor for stones.
The following medical conditions are also risk factors for kidney stone disease: Arthritis, Colitis, Gout, High blood pressure, Hyperparathyroidism, Medullary sponge kidney, Renal tubular acidosis, Urinary tract infections, Intestinal disorder that causes chronic diarrhea, dehydration, and low citrate, and urinary tract infections.
Symptoms:
Many kidney stones do not move and are too small to cause any symptoms. However, if a kidney stone causes a blockage, or moves into the ureter, one may have severe pain or ache on one or both sides of the back, get sudden spasms of excruciating pain – usually starts in the back below ribs, before radiating around abdomen, and sometimes to the groin or genital, have bloody or cloudy urine, feel sick or vomit, feel a frequent urge to urinate, or burning sensation during urination, and get fever and chills.
The pain of kidney stones – referred to as ‘renal colic’ – can be very severe. It begins as soon as the stones becomes stuck in the ureter and tends to come in waves. It is not usually associated with the size of the kidney stone – sometimes small stones can cause more pain than very large ones.
Sometimes, symptoms such as difficulty urinating, urinary urgency, penile pain, or testicular pain may occur due to kidney stones.
Home remedies:
Small stones can be dissolved and passed out through urine by administration of certain home remedies coupled with some Ayurvedic remedies. The followings are the home remedies for kidney stones,
- Water: Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water a day.
- Citric Acid: This natural acid has been known to dissolve hard materials, including kidney stones. A great citric acid fruit to choose is a lemon. Lemon juice can be mixed with water, honey, or sugar.
- Citrates: Citrates will reduce the amount of uric acid and eliminate the build-up of calcium salts which cause the formation of kidney stones. A good tip for getting enough citrates is to drink fruit and vegetable juice such as carrot, grape and orange juice.
- Boil 2 figs with water, and drink this every morning for a month.
- Make one cup of juice made with radish leaves and drink twice a day.
- Drink one glass of fresh tomato juice with a hint of salt and pepper for flavor every morning.
- Basil (tulsi) leaves: Take 4-5 basil leaves, extract its juice and mix in a tablespoon of honey. Take this mixture every morning for 4-6 months.
- Coconut water is a good home remedy for burning urination and scanty urine. Regular intake also flushes out small particles or dissolves stones through urination,
- Barley water can also be used for this purpose,
- Water melon is nutritive as well as a safe diuretic to be used in this condition.
- Onion decoction: Make the decoction by adding water to some bulbs of onion. Sugar should be added to it and taken.
- The decoction prepared with Kulathi Dal is very useful.
- Soda water is also very useful if taken thrice daily after meals.
Other natural measures that may help prevent kidney stones include:
- Avoid foods and beverages that contain high fructose corn syrup.
- Reduce daily salt intake.
- Avoid calcium-containing antacids.
- Limit intake of beef, pork, and poultry to less than 4 to 6 ounces a day.
- Eat moderate amount of dairy products.
- Limit the amount of pasta you eat,
- Avoid high-oxalate foods, such as dark green vegetables, nuts and chocolate.
Ayurvedic medicine:
- Rencare Capsule: This medicine helps urine flow, and cools the membranes of the urinary tract. It also helps stop bleeding within the urinary tract, and helps break up and remove stones. Also, it helps relax the bladder, relieve irritation, and improve urinary flow.
Herbs included in this capsule are Gokshuru, Pashaan Bheda, Dhania Leaves, Cornsilk and Usher.
- Patherina tablet is the specific ayurvedic remedy for stones. 1 tablet twice a day along with a glass of water ensures good relief.
- Cystone tablet (Himalaya Drugs): 1 to 2 tablets twice daily for 6 to 8 weeks.
- Calcury tablet (Charak): 1 to 2 tablets twice or thrice daily for 6 to 8 weeks.
- Ber Patthar Bhasma is the drug of choice.
- Chander Prabha vati is also very useful in burning micturition. 1 tablet twice daily.
Diet:
- Hot water bath and hot fomentation over the back give relief.
- Yoga: certain asanas, which stimulate kidneys can be practice. These are Pavana Mukta Asana, Uttana Padasana.
for more information contact Dr. Vikram Chauhan at http://www.planetayurveda.com
