Pain Management – Ayurvedic Way

According to Ayurveda a holistic way of living, chronic pain is caused by doshic imbalances and is influenced by many factors like diet, digestion, toxin accumulation, stress, exercise levels and daily routine

1) Removing the Buildup of Toxins and Impurities

Ayurvedic herbalized oil massages helps in loosening impurities that are embedded in tissues and helps liquefy them for easy absorption into the circulation and eventual elimination of pain.

2) Proper Nutrition

Ayurveda advises a easy to digest and a satisfying and nourishing dietary approach that improves the digestion along with ayurvedic herbal formulas which helps in restoring balance to the specific functioning modes whose malfunctioning causes the chronic pain.

3) Creating Strong Digestion

Incompletely digested foods create toxins and impurities that are eventually absorbed, travel throughout the physiology, localize in tissues and disrupt their functioning leading to a chronic pain which is treated by a proper use of spices and cooking oils, by favouring digestion-enhancing foods, by reducing digestion-depressing foods.

4) Balancing Nervous System Activity

Vata imbalance is an underlying cause of the painful condition and is reversed by specific diets, herbs, cleansing programs, meditation, yoga asanas and yoga breathing exercises.

5) Stress Management

Excessive mental, emotional and physical stress can worsen the symptoms of many chronic pain. Ayurveda treats it by massage and heat treatments by yoga asana postures

6) Lifestyle and Daily Routine

One of the most important factors for maintaining healthy functioning is to have a lifestyle that does not disturb natural bodily rhythms. Ayurveda reviews and creates a daily schedule that will increase balance in your physiology and aid in healing your body.

7) Exercise and Flexibility Education

Ayurveda advises proper stretching and flexibility exercises as it has a very positive effect on circulation, nervous system function, the body’s healing response thereby treats many chronic pains.

Thus ayurveda manages the chronic pain by approaching it in the above integrated manner and its results speak for themselves.

Dr Rajesh Nair is the consultant of world’s largest online ayurvedic store http://www.ayurvedaforall.com Please check his favourite Ayurvedic medicines and herbal medicines.

Alternative Treatments for Parkinsons

Parkinsons disease, or PD, is a degenerative disorder that wreaks havoc on the central nervous system. This leads to decreased speech and motor skills, and can also lead to death. Although there is no known cure for the disease, there are still alternative treatments for Parkinsons Disease available.

One of the popular alternative treatments for Parkinsons is the use of Ayurvedic medicine, which can be traced back to India five thousand years ago. In general, Ayurvedic medicine covers a special diet, designed exercises for certain limbs and joints, meditation practices, special massages, and the use of certain herbs. For instance, an herb that has grown popular in recent years is Mucuna puriens, which can mimic the laboratory-produced Parkinsons medication Levidopa.

Another one of emerging alternative treatments for Parkinsons is the use of broad beans, which researchers in Australia have found to produce the raw materials of Levidopa. If consumed whole, broad beans provide the body with good amounts of Levidopa. Also promising is the use of St. John’s Wort, a herb that heightens the mood of Parkinsons sufferers. Depression is common in Parkinsons disease.

Also used as a vitamin supplement, co-enzyme Q10 is now gaining popularity as one of the alternative treatments for Parkinsons disease. How co-enzyme Q10 achieves this is still unclear. Moreover, people suffering from Parkinsons may need as much as over a thousand milligrams of the vitamin a day, about a hundred milligrams over the recommended dose.

These are only a few alternative treatments for Parkinsons [http://parkinsons-disease-treatment.blogspot.com/2007/09/parkinsons-alternative-treatment.html] Disease. If you are interested in any of them, you can talk to your doctor for more information.

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Charlene J. Nuble is a healthcare professional who loves writing about women’s issues, parenting and other health related stuffs. To learn more about Alternative Treatments for Parkinsons [http://parkinsons-disease-treatment.blogspot.com/2007/09/parkinsons-alternative-treatment.html] … Click Here [http://parkinsons-disease-treatment.blogspot.com/2007/09/parkinsons-alternative-treatment.html]

Dandruff – Ayurvedic Concept

According to Ayurveda, dandruff is a condition of the skin where shiny, silvery scales separate from the scalp and collect amidst the hair. It is then categorized in “shodra roga”. It is named as “darunak” which appears due to an imbalance of all three doshas. The primary doshas involved are pitta and vata.

The primary doshas involved are pitta and vata. Pitta is an Ayurvedic humor which symbolize heat or fire and vata is dry and rough in nature. The increase of Vata and Pitta in the body leads to destruction of Raktadhatu thus giving rise to impurities in the blood. This in turn leads to poor nourishment of the scalp

In an aggravated state, both doshas cause production of specific impurities. These impurities are dry and heating in nature. These impurities accumulate in the deep tissues of the scalp and cause contamination of these tissues. Contamination of the deep tissues and aggravated vata-pitta dosha cause itching and patches on scalp. Due to these factors, the scalp sheds larger than normal amounts of dead epidermal cells, which leads to the dandruff problem.

Vata associated dandruff has pain as a symptom, while the Pitta associated dandruff has a burning sensation in the scalp hence the line of treatment is to generally pacify both pitta and vata.

** The main causes of dandruff are impairment of general health, development of a toxic condition mainly due to taking of wrong foods, constipation, and a low vitality due to infectious diseases. Other factors contributing to this disorder are emotional tension, harsh shampoos, and exposure to cold and general exhaustion. One should take care to avoid all these mentioned above.

** Ayurvedic herbal preparations like Karanj (Pongamia pinnata), Backuchi (Psoralia coryfolia), Tulsi (Ocimum snctum), Giloya (Tinospora cordifolia), Neem (Azadirachta indica) are recommended.

** Cobra (Bhujanga Asana) and Vajrasana are the recommended yogic practices which go a long way in treating emotional imbalance thereby preventing dandruff.

http://www.ayurvedaforall.com/index.php/cPath/130_286/hair-falling.html

Types of Headache and their Treatment with Ayurveda

Headache is known as Shiro Roga in Ayurveda. Literally it means ‘disease of the head’. Headache is not a single type of disorder; but it is a name given to several problems of the head. There are 11 types of headache in Ayurveda. They can be caused due to a various number of causes. Some of them are:-
- Trauma

- Inflammation of the meninges

- Encephalitis

- Cerebral abscess

- Migraine

- Hypertension

- Cerebral hemorrhage

- Vasodilator drugs

- Alcohol hangover

Apart from these there are several other factors such as fevers, metabolic disorders and diseases of the eye, ear and nose which can cause headaches.

Though pain is predominantly vitiation of the vata dosha, vitiation of the pitta and kapha doshas can also cause headaches. The chief symptoms of the three different doshic types of headaches are:-

1. Vata type of Headache – The pain is intermittent, i.e. of a hammering type. There is constipation, insomnia and depression. These pains are compounded by mental tensions.

2. Pitta type of Headache – The pain is usually felt on half of the head. It is accompanied by a burning sensation and wateriness in the eyes. The person is generally scared of light.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Headache

1. Betel (Piper betle)

The leaves of the betel have analgesic and cooling properties. When a paste of them is applied to the center of the headache, then immediate relief is obtained.

2. Bishop’s Weed (Trachyspermum ammi)

Bishop’s weed can keep severe headaches away. It is most effective in headaches that occur due to migraine. The fumes of the lighted bishop’s weed seeds are used for the treatment. These fumes are smoked or the seeds are sniffed directly.

3. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum)

The aroma of the clove has a headache-allaying effect. It can soothe the nerves and bring it back to a pacified state.

4. Garlic (Allium sativum)

Garlic has almost miraculous properties in relieving headaches, of whatever type they are. Their juice slowly permeates the head region and acts as a painkiller.

5. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Ginger has painkilling properties. Due to this property, it is used as an external application on the affected head region. This gives relief from the headache.

6. Henna (Lawsonia inermis)

Henna flowers have the capacity to reduce headaches if they are caused by excessive heat. The henna flowers are applied externally on the head with vinegar to get the desired results.

(2) Dietary Treatments for Headache

Sweet and mild tastes are better in relieving headaches than other tastes. When there is a headache, consuming a sweet preparation or even a spoonful of sugar helps.

Milk and ghee are also beneficial in headaches. Preferably, the milk of a cow should be warmed and had when there is a headache.

Rice is the preferred carbohydrate to be taken in times of headache. The water left after cooking the rice should be had when it is warm, with a dash of ghee added in it.

Spicy and fried foods must be avoided when there is a headache.

(3) Ayurvedic Treatment for Headache

Since there are many different types of headaches, there are different treatments for them in Ayurveda. Ayurveda does not treat all headaches with uniformity. The following are the different treatments prescribed:-

1. If the headache is of vata type, then Triphala choorna is first prescribed to clear the digestive system. Then Shirashooladivajra rasa must be taken, or Mahavata Vidhwansana rasa must be taken twice a day in dosages of 125 milligrams in warm water.

2. If the headache is of pitta type, then amalaki is prescribed, or Triphala which contains amalaki can also be given. Half a gram of Shatavari is to be taken twice a day for a month.

3. If the headache is of kapha type, then anu taila is applied first to clear the nostrils. Then medicines such as Shoola Gajakesari rasa are given in dosages of 125 milligrams thrice or four times a day.

(4) Home Medications

a. A paste of clove and salt crystals is prepared in milk. The main curative ingredient in this is salt, which, being hygroscopic, absorbs the fluids in the head and decreases the tension.

b. Early morning after waking up dab an apple with salt and eat it. After that, drink some warm water or milk. Continuing this for ten days will reduce the problem of continuous headaches.

c. Peel a piece of garlic. Put it in the mouth and chew it slightly. Let its juices spread around the mouth region and upwards into the head. Keep on chewing the garlic mildly and allow the juices to spread. Within some minutes the headache would disappear. This treatment works even for the most persistent of headaches.

d. For headaches that are caused due to common colds, drinking a decoction of coriander and sugar helps tremendously. One more method to clear common cold related headaches is to place both feet in warm water for about half an hour.

e. For headaches that are caused due to excessive gas in the stomach, drinking a glass of warm water with a fresh lemon squeezed in it brings the headache as well as the gas problem down.

f. Grind some cinnamon and make it into a paste with water. Apply this on the head. This reduces headaches.

g. Soak some almonds in water overnight. In the morning, grind them into a paste and warm them slightly in ghee. Mix this in water and drink. This helps in treating headaches that have been going on since a long time.

h. Drinking a glass of water in which jaggery has been mixed helps in reducing headaches.

Read More on headache cure and headache home remedies by Ayurveda at http://www.ayushveda.com
Read more about Ayurveda at World’s Largest Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Remedies: Ayushveda.com – The Free Ayurvedic Encyclopedia

Ayurvedic Remedy For Excessive Sweating

If you have an excessive sweating problem then chances are your number one priority is to find a Ayurvedic remedy for excessive sweating. This type of remedy doesn’t come with the potentially harmful side-effects that most western medicine does. There are plenty of healthy natural methods for stopping your problem. But before you go about looking for a remedy, you will first want to gain a better understanding of why this occurs in the first place. The medical term for your condition is known as hyperhidrosis and there are many different potential causes of it, ranging from an overactive thyroid to obesity. Whatever the cause of your condition, there is a Ayurvedic treatment for you.

You probably already have the ingredients you need to make such a recipe for a treatment to your condition. Household items such as vinegar can act as a powerful agent that can help the body heal and become more balanced and healthy. It helps to close up the pores of the body preventing excessive amounts of sweat from getting through and soaking into your clothes causing untold embarrassment in social situations. All you must do it wet a cloth with a small amount of vinegar and apply it to your underarm for around twenty minutes. Your underarms are one of the most sensitive areas as far as sweat goes and the most sweat glands are in that area of the body.

Wheat grass is another good Ayurvedic remedy for excessive sweating. Chances are you have probably heard of wheat grass, but if you haven’t then it is just a mixture which is very high in vitamin B which is very good for you. Vitamin B can do everything from help treating depression to causing a better overall improvement in health and neurological problems as well. By giving your body high doses of Vitamin B you are also helping to regulate the amount of sweat your body produces by evening out the amount of vitamins currently in your body. Vitamin B can do amazing things for you and all forms of it are recommended for various health problems, including Vitamin B6, B12, and B1.

To discover the secret that put an end to my excessive sweating forever visit this website: Stop Sweating Now [http://www.stop-sweating-now.org].

Herbal and Ayurvedic Home Remedies For Eye Care

The importance of the eyes to the human beings need not be emphasized. Eyes provide us sight, without which life would lose most of its meaning. But at the same time, eyes are constantly exposed to the external environment. Almost everyone in the world overworks their eyes, due to which several eye problems occur. The list of problems that occur with the eyes is almost endless. But even then, are we taking adequate care of our eyes? This article provides some valuable tips on care of the eyes.

Some common eye problems are:- § Cataract § Conjunctivitis § Glaucoma § Myopia § Stye

Let us see how Ayurveda helps in the prevention and treatment of these eye problems.

Useful Herbs for Eye Care

- Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum) Aniseed is especially beneficial in the treatment of cataract. The powder of its seeds is taken in a tablespoon quantity every morning and evening.

- Babul (Acacia arabica) Babul can treat conjunctivitis. A paste of the babul leaves must be applied on the eyes before going to sleep at night. It will lessen the itchiness, wateriness and the redness of the sore eyes.

- Carrot (Daucus carota) Carrot is so beneficial in eye care that its virtues are taught to school students also. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which is the precursor of vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is responsible for strengthening the eyes and protecting them from night blindness.

- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) A decoction prepared from coriander can be used as an eyewash for people with conjunctivitis. There will be immediate reduction in the burning, redness and swelling of the eyes.

- Indian Gooseberry (Emblica officinalis) The Indian gooseberry, known as amalaki, is exceptional in treating ocular problems. It can bring relief in both conjunctivitis and glaucoma. Its juice is taken with honey for better effects.

- Indian Sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) The Indian Sorrel has exceptional properties in the treatment of several eye problems. A few drops of the juice of its leaves must be put in the eyes everyday to keep them free from strain. They can also be a good prevention for cataract.

- Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Marigold is taken as a cold infusion for washing eyes that are stressed. This brings a cooling effect to the eyes. It is also effective in cases of conjunctivitis.

- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) The raw juice of parsley is effective for eye care. It can relieve the eyes of problems such as corneal ulcers, cataracts, weak eyes, conjunctivitis, opthalmia and sluggishness of the pupils.

Dietary Tips for Eye Care

Vitamin A is directly responsible for the strength and power of the eyes. Hence, foods that are rich in vitamin A must be taken. Vitamin A is contained in all orange and yellow colored vegetables such as carrots, oranges and pumpkins and in fruits like mangoes, papayas and oranges. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, coriander and colocasia also contain vitamin A. Among non-vegetarian foods, fish, liver and eggs contain vitamin A. Dairy products also have a fair amount of vitamin A in them.

The risk of cataracts is reduced by including vitamin C in the diet. Foods containing vitamin C such as Indian gooseberry, guava, orange, lemon and tomato, capsicum, cabbage, etc. must be included in the diet.

Ayurvedic Treatments for Eye Problems

The triphala lotion is generally prescribed in case of eye problems. Triphala is a mixture of the two myroblans – belleric and chebula – and the Indian gooseberry. The choorna is soaked in water for half an hour to get the lotion. This lotion is used as an eye-wash three or four times in a day. Triphala lotion has potency to treat eye problems such as cataract and conjunctivitis. Washing the eyes regularly with triphala also keeps them moist and healthy.

Chandrodaya vati is another important Ayurvedic preparation used in eye care. It is made into a paste in water and then applied externally over the eyes. Chandrodaya vati is beneficial in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis and cataract.

Home Remedies for Common Eye Problems

- Prepare a mixture of equal proportions of aniseed powder and coriander seed powder. Mix it with an equal weight of unrefined sugar. Take it in doses of 12 grams every morning and evening. It is beneficial for people with cataract.

- For people with weak eyesight, taking a mixture of the juices of raw parsley and carrots in a glassful amount everyday will provide great benefits.

- Mix one part of sugar with three parts of coriander. Grind them into a fine powder and put this mixture in boiling water. Keep it covered for one hour. Then filter it with a clean cloth. Use the filtrate as eye drops. This is an effective treatment for conjunctivitis.

- Immerse almonds in milk and keep them overnight. In the morning, mix this milk with sandalwood. Apply this on the eyelids. This reduces redness of the eyes due to exertion.

- Inhaling the odors of sesame mixed in honey reduces the excessive wateriness of the eyes.

- Take two small pieces of cardamom. Grind them and dissolve the powder in milk. Boil the milk and drink it at night. This makes the eyes healthier.

Read More on Eye Care by Ayurveda and Home Remedies for Eye Care at http://www.ayushveda.com
Also read more about Ayurveda at World’s Largest Portal on Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Remedies: Ayushveda.com – The Free Ayurvedic Encyclopedia

Ayurvedic Nutrition: Let Your Food Be Your Medicine

It is ironic how something as obvious as nutrition has become overlooked in the modern health care system, and how in the name of convenience our fast paced society has given way to fast foods, microwaves, quick fix medicines, and eating on the run. Fortunately, there is a growing focus in the important role that nutrition plays in maintaining good health. In Ayurveda, India’s ancient science of life, health and longevity, food plays a prominent role in promoting health and is therefore considered medicine.

Dating back over five thousand years, Ayurveda is still a highly respected form of health care in India today. According to this holistic system, everyone has a unique constitution or prakruti–an individual combination of physical, mental and emotional characteristics determined by many factors surrounding the time of conception and birth. Disturbance of this balance due to emotional and physical stress, trauma, improper food combination and choices, as well as seasonal and weather changes may lead to imbalance and eventually to disease. If we understand how such factors affect us we can take appropriate actions to minimize their effect and eliminate the causes of imbalance. In this sense, the path toward health is always individual. There is no single approach that is right for everyone, whether it relates to diet, lifestyle, exercise or the use of medicinal herbs.

According to Samkhya, the philosophical foundation of Ayurveda, creation expresses itself through the five elements–ether or space, air, fire, water and earth. These elements manifest in the body as the three governing principles or humors called doshas: vata, pitta and kapha. Everyone has all three of these doshas to varying degrees, although one and sometimes two tend to be predominant and the other(s) secondary. In balance, the doshas promote the normal functions of the body and maintain overall health. Out of balance, they create mental, emotional and physical ailments.

Vata is the subtle energy associated with movement and is made up of the air and ether. By nature it has dry, light, mobile and cold qualities. When aggravated, it can cause flatulence, constipation, tremors, spasms, asthma, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, as well many neurological problems.

Pitta represents the fire and water elements of the body. It has mainly hot sharp and oily qualities. Pitta disorders include hyperacidity, ulcers, skin eruptions, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, colitis, gout and numerous inflammatory disorders.

Kapha is made up of earth and water, and is associated with heavy, cold, damp and static qualities. Out of balance, kapha can cause obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, edema, asthma, tumors and a variety of congestive problems.

Aggravation of the doshas can affect the digestion and can create toxins, or ama from poorly digested food. As ama accumulates in the tissues and channels of the body it slowly but surely affects the flow of prana (vital energy), immunity (ojas) and the cellular metabolism (tejas), eventually resulting in disease.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, one of the main keys to maintaining optimal health as well as to support the healing process is to help the body eliminate toxins and to reestablish constitutional balance. To achieve this, Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of proper nutrition through proper food choices, food combining and cooking methods, as well as herbal nutrition, all based on the specific needs of the individual and any current imbalance of the doshas.

Ayurvedic nutrition is a vast topic that takes into account the individual constitution, the medicinal value of culinary spices, the theory of shad rasa (or six tastes, which should all be present for a meal to be balanced), and more. As I mentioned before, in Ayurveda food is considered medicine. Likewise, herbs are also used for their nutritional and nourishing qualities, or to counteract any doshic imbalance and toxin formation as a result of poor digestion.

For optimum nutrition, care should be taken to insure that food be organic, fresh and whenever possible locally grown. In Ayurveda food, drinks, and spices are categorized according to their taste (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent), the energetic effect they have on the doshas, as well as their post-digestive effect on the tissues. This is why when choosing foods it is important to understand our original constitution so as to eat foods that have the opposite qualities to those that are already predominant in the constitution. Furthermore, understanding the current state of the doshas is also crucial for making the right food choices.

Vata types tend to more deficient by nature and have light body frames, variable digestion and often have a tendency towards gas and constipation. Therefore, they do best eating warm, nourishing, unctuous and primarily cooked foods, and should avoid dried, cold, frozen and excess intake of raw foods. Also, they should avoid pinto, garbanzo or black beans, which are hard to digest and tend to increase intestinal gas. Vata is balanced by sweet, sour and salty tasting foods.

Pitta types tend to have strong appetites and good digestion, but have a tendency toward hyperacidity and inflammatory disorders. So they should avoid eating greasy, hot spicy, salty and fermented foods, as well as sour and acidic fruits. Pitta is balanced by bitter, sweet and astringent tastes.

Kapha types are large framed with a tendency toward weight gain, obesity, sluggish digestion, lethargy and congestive disorders. They do best on a light, reducing diet low in carbohydrates and avoiding dairy, cold food and drinks, poor quality oils and sweet treats. Kapha is decreased with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.

Before talking about the use of spices in Ayurvedic cooking I should point out that although Ayurvedic food is traditionally Indian cuisine, it is not by any means limited to it. Also, by the same token, not all Indian food is Ayurvedic. In fact, Indian restaurant food is often overly spicy and drenched in poor quality cooking oils. What makes food truly Ayurvedic is the fact that it is selected and cooked according to the specific needs of the individual, or that it is balanced for all doshas.

Many of the spices used in Ayurvedic cooking such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, fenugreek, coriander and cardamom, amongst others, are also medicinal herbs used in Ayurvedic herbology. Cooking daily with those spices can greatly enhance digestion, absorption and assimilation of food, improve one’s appetite and elimination, nourish the internal organs and prevent doshic imbalance. Spices also provide a harmonious blend of the six tastes. Taste is medicinal and is the first form of nourishment. A meal containing a balanced blend of the six tastes, aside from being more appealing to the tongue, is also more digestible at a deep cellular level.

Modern research is now validating the benefits of many of the herbs and spices used in Ayurvedic cooking. Turmeric for instance, is highly effective in the treatment of type two diabetes, skin diseases, infections and hepatic and inflammatory disorders. Cumin, coriander, fennel, nutmeg and cardamom are extremely helpful in the treatment of a wide variety of digestive complaints, as is ginger for the treatment of respiratory congestion, fevers and colds. There are literally thousands of medicinal uses to such spices. Even today in much of rural India the wisest doctors are often the mothers and grandmothers who know the uses of their “kitchen pharmacies.”

Another vital aspect of Ayurvedic nutrition is proper food combining. In Ayurveda not all foods are compatible. Certain foods when eaten of cooked together can disturb the normal function of the digestive fire and promote the accumulation of ama (toxins) in the body. Various factors, such as the tastes, qualities, and energies of certain foods, as well as how long they take to digest, affect how well certain foods will combine. Heavy foods such whole grains, dairy, meats and starches don’t combine well with light foods such as fruit, which digest quicker. Another example, when sour and acidic fruits are combined with milk, which is sweet and cooling, this causes the milk to curdle and become heavy in the intestines. Ayurveda places great emphasis on the art of food combining.

Ayurveda encourages us to take responsibility for our health as much as possible by making appropriate changes in diet and lifestyle. What we eat and how we live on a daily basis can be our strongest allies in restoring and maintaining health. All other therapeutic measures will be strongly supported by this daily effort.

Along with a balanced diet, incorporating other healthy habits into a daily routine can prevent imbalance at its very root. A lifestyle that integrates regular eating and sleeping habits will bring discipline and help maintain the harmony of the doshas, thus promoting overall good health. An Ayurvedic clinician can provide dietary and lifestyle guidelines, as well as herbal nutrition, more specific to the individual constitution, doshic imbalance and situation of each person.

Vishnu Dass, NTS, LMT, CAyu, is an Ayurvedic practitioner and educator and the Director of Blue Lotus Ayurveda – Natural Health & Rejuvenation – an Ayurvedic clinic in Asheville, NC, that offers holistic health care, panchakarma (for deep detox and rejuvenation), rejuvenating therapies, diet and lifestyle counseling, yoga and yoga therapy, therapeutic massage & bodywork, workshops, and more. For more information, articles and products, visit: http://www.bluelotusayurveda.com and http://ayurvedayogashop.com

Recurrent Common Cold – Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

The common cold is supposed to be one of the most trivial of ailments, and yet is responsible for significant absences from work and school, both for adults as well as children. While it is common for adults to be affected about 2 – 4 times a year, and for children, about 5 – 10 times a year, there are many who have recurrent common cold, almost daily or every few weeks. Depending upon the severity of symptoms, this affliction may make life miserable for such people.

The common cold is termed as “Pratishyaya” in Ayurveda. I shall now discuss the different types of common cold , and their Ayurvedic treatment. The first type of cold is called as “Vataj Pratishyaya”, or simply put, the common cold resulting from the disturbed “Vata” Dosha. Common symptoms are: sudden, severe bouts of sneezing; thin watery discharge, severe bodyache and headache. These symptoms are similar to the symptoms of “allergic rhinitis”, or common cold caused due to any allergy. Local application of medicated oils, e.g. Vacha (Acorus calamus) oil, may help some patients and give dramatic relief. However, all patients do not respond to this treatment, in fact, this may cause an aggravation in a few patients. Medicated ghee and milk prepared from Pippali (Piper longum), Sunthi (Zinziber officinale) and Dashmool are useful for internal use.

The second type of common cold is “Pittaj Pratishyaya”, or common cold resulting from the disturbed “Pitta” Dosha. Symptoms include fever, redness of nose, burning sensation in the nose and head, and yellow or green nasal discharge. These symptoms are more indicative of infection as a cause. The third type is “Raktaj Pratishyaya”, in which the symptoms are the same as those for Pittaj Pratishyaya, only more pronounced, and accompanied by nasal bleeding. Medicated oils and ghee prepared from Manuka ( Vitis vinifera – dried grapes ), Vasa ( Adathoda vasika ) , Durva ( Cynodon dactylon ) and Yashtimadhu (Glycerrhiza glabra) are useful in these types ,both for local application and internal use.

The fourth type of common cold is “Kaphaj Pratishyaya”, or common cold resulting from the disturbed “Kapha” Dosha. Common symptoms are: heaviness in the head; overall drowsiness; thick, white or yellowish discharge from the nose, and prolonged duration of symptoms. These symptoms point to a chronic infection, or sinus inflammation. Local use of Vacha powder as (inhaled) snuff is very useful in this type of common cold.

The fifth type of common cold is “Sannipataj Pratishyaya” and is caused by a combination of all the three Doshas. The symptoms too, are a combination of the vataj, pittaj and kaphaj types and indicate severity of disease. Treatment has to be done according to the predominance of doshas and resulting symptoms.

Oral use of Tribhuvankirti, Sanjivani vati , Sitopaladi powder and several single and combination herbs are useful in all types of common cold. However, a detailed history for the symptoms, and in recurrent cases, a detailed study of the constitutional framework of the patient is essential in deciding the ideal combination of medicines for each patient, so as to get maximum results.

To prevent or reduce the frequency of recurrence, herbal medicines and compounds containing Haldi (Curcuma longa) and Amla (Emblica officinalis) are useful, mainly to increase immunity. In addition, avoidance of known allergens, breathing exercises like Yogic Pranayam, and special procedures like the Yogic Neti, are also very useful.

“Nasya” is a special procedure, a part of the Ayurvedic Panchkarma, which is useful in treating the common cold and preventing recurrence. The simplest form of nasya is called “Pratimarsha Nasya” and consists of just daily use of 1 – 2 drops (even local application will do) of mild medicated oils like Anu Tel or Panchendriya Vardhan Tel. This nasya is more suitable for preventive purpose. This strengthens the nasal mucosa, and is also reported to improve the capacity of all the sense organs. “Marsha Nasya” is a more elaborate procedure, involving higher dosage of drops, and consists of first giving local fomentation in the area surrounding the nose, putting the drops in the patient in a reclining position, again followed by fomentation, and ending with gargles with warm, medicated water. This type of nasya is used more for curative purpose.

This is, thus, in short, a description of the different types of common cold according to Ayurveda, and the Ayurvedic treatment, both for the acute stage and for recurrence.

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 and can be contacted at info@ayurvedaphysician.com Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, B.A.M.S., is a practicing Ayurvedic physician since the last 22 years. He is a graduate of R. A. Podar Medical (Ayurvedic ) College, Worli, Mumbai, India. During this period of 22 years, he has obtained considerable experience in the clinical treatment of a vast array of patients.

Dr. Mundewadi has studied and experienced extensively all the principles of Ayurveda , involving a healthy life-style, diet regimes, body-cleansing through panch-karma procedures, and treatment with herbal and herbo-mineral compounds.

Dr. Mundewadi has also studied the therapeutic effects of Reiki( he is a 3rd degree Reiki Master), Acupuncture ( he has done a basic and an advanced course in Acupuncture), Hypnotherapy and Magnetotherapy. His current style of clinical practice is a culmination of his experience with all these different treatment modalities.

Dr. Mundewadi has been doing clinical research work since the last 9 years. He has published his findings of herbal treatment of HIV / AIDS in 55 patients in the Bombay Hospital Journal, Mumbai, India, July 2005 issue . He has also successfully completed a clinical trial of herbal extract medicines in Schizophrenia compared to modern anti-psychotics, in 200 patients (See http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00483964). He has also conducted preliminary studies of Ayurvedic herbal extracts in the treatment of Bipolar Disorder, Vascular Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism, Mental Retardation, and Tobacco and Alcohol Dependence. He also has a special interest in the herbal treatment of Age Related Macular Degeneration and different types of Cancer.

Ayurveda Medicines, Ayurvedic Herbs and Ayurvedic Treatments

Ayurveda is not just only about treating diseases. Ayurveda is just about leading a healthy life in a physical, mental and divine level. The food items we eat, the air we breathe, the freshness of nature we experience, the fragrance we smell, the good sights we enjoy, all have potential medicinal values.

This is best illustrated by the story of Jeevaka’s test. It is the final test assigned by Jeevaka’s Acharya (teacher) Athreya.

Jeevaka (Jivaka), like other disciples of Atreya had to bring a herb or a leaf with no medicinal value. Jivaka, could not find such a plant or a herb. However, it was only a manifestation of superior knowledge he had on the value of plants, herbs and all elements of nature.

Jivaka explained that whatever plant he saw had some medicinal property, which can be used under optimum conditions for best results. He said even the slanting sunrays, cool breeze, the sound of water flowing through a rivulet, the singing of birds too have medicinal properties. Some have medicinal qualities to treat physical ailments while others have powers to cure mental disturbances.

One should look at Ayurveda medicines in this light. Nothing on the earth is without a reason. Every leaf, flower, root and stem has medicinal qualities under specific conditions.

Have a look at Ayurvedic medicines prepared by Ayurvedic herbs for different Ayurvedic treatments. Ayurvedic medicines are prepared by a combination of selected roots, leaves or stems of Ayurvedic medicinal herbs. These herbs form part of Ayurvedic massage oil, Ayurvedic herbal decoctions called kashaya, Ayurvedic jam called Rasayana, Ayurvedic Ghee called ghrita etc.

According to Ayurveda, diseases can occur when there is a slight imbalance in the basic humors of human body – vata, pitta and kapha, which collectively is known as tridosha or three doshas.

Ayurvedic treatment is a method of restoring balance of human system through proper application of medicine by drinking, eating or application by massaging.

Preparations of medicines are under controlled conditions. Slight variations from standard condition can spoil the medicine.

There are also quality standards for the medicinal herbs collected for Ayurveda medicine preparation.

Dev Sri provides insider information about Ayurvedic herbal medicine practices and Ayurveda in Kerala. Find more about Ayurvedic medicines at http://www.KeralaAyurvedics.com/.

Ginger Herb – Dosage and Useful Properties-herbal Medicines

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