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Ayurveda
is the first medical system of the world to define the word
”Health” as a balanced and coordinated function of
physical, mental and spiritual faculties of any form of life.
It is a Science of Life. We are all part and parcel of nature.
Just as the animals and plants live in harmony with nature and
utilize the Laws of Nature to create health and balance
within their beings, we, too, adhere to these very same
principles. Therefore, it is fair to say that Ayurveda is a
system that helps maintain health in a person by using the
inherent principles of nature to bring the individual back
into equilibrium with their true self. Nature
runs our body in a perfect rhythmic way, but our wrong dietary
habits and life style leads to the accumulation of various
toxins at various sites in the body. This needs detoxification,
from time to time.
In
essence Ayurveda has been in existence since the beginning of
time because nature’s laws have always governed us.
People from different continents and races are now
accepting the holistic approach of Ayurveda. Thus it has
become all the more important to evolve new methods and
techniques, new drugs and formulations based on the Ayurveda
principles and nutraceutical concepts.
As
a celebration of the globalization of Ayurveda, we are
delighted to present to you our new monthly e-feature about
Ayurveda and health. Our web site (http://www.ayurplanet.com/)
has helped millions of people. This newsletter will be loaded
with lots of information, events and happenings related to
Ayurveda including featured articles, details of very useful
herbs, beauty tips and various herbal products and health
supplements. The aim of this Newsletter is to serve humanity
from health aspect by natural means.
FEATURED
HEALTH ARTICLE: HEADACHE
What
is headache?
Headache is a term used to describe aching or pain that occurs
in one or more areas of the head, face, mouth, or neck.
Headache can be chronic, recurrent, or occasional. The pain
can be mild or severe enough to disrupt daily activities.
Headache involves the network of nerve fibers in the tissues,
muscles, and blood vessels located in the head and at the base
of the skull. Headache may occur due to hypertension, acidity,
stress, tension, sinusitis, cervical Spondylitis, disturbed
sleep, vision impairment, PMS, etc.
Why
it affects some people more than others?
The reason why headache affects some people is their body
constitution.Person with vata constitution and
pitta constitution are more prone to suffer from
headaches.Ayurveda considers the balance of three biological
as perfect health.
From
the patients coming to us with the complaint of migraine or
headache can be broadly divided into three types on the basis
of their symptoms. For example: One of the patient
Mr.Rajendra age
45 came with frequent attacks of severe headache more on one
side,nausea,disturbed sleep, irritation and disliking
noise,music.
Ms.Deepa
a student of 23 years had headaches quite often with burning
of eyes and head,nausea,acidity,anorexia,aversion to light..
Another
patient female of 52 years was suffering from migraine with
symptoms like heaviness in head and eyes, stiffness of neck,
recurrent sinusitis, swelling over orbital notch and aversion
to smell etc.
We
are especially focusing on these patients due to their varied
symptoms in the same disease that is due to the imbalance of
particular biological forces i.e.Vata, Pitta and Kapha in
respective patients. So it’s important to assess the dosha
involvement in Migraine before treating it.
What
is Migraine?
Migraine is a type of headache, which occurs when the normal
balance of chemicals in the brain is disrupted, muscles become
tight and tender, blocking the message from the brain to
relax. Ultimately, cranial blood vessels lose their
regulation, swell, become inflamed due to congestion and
exudation, producing the pain mostly localized in half side of
head and termed as Ardhavabhedaka in Ayurveda. Whereas
headache may be due to hypertension, acidity, stress,
sinusitis, cervical Spondylitis etc.
Aggravating factors: Triggers fall into three
categories, foods, environmental factors and physiological
factors.
Food
triggers include: -Cold and chilled items,Curd,Citrus fruits
,Dairy products, Nuts, Coffee,Red wine, Alcohol (especially
for cluster headaches), Preservatives/flavor enhancers/MSG,
Environmental
triggers include: -Loud or repetitive noise, Strong odors
(perfume), certain changes in weather conditions (dry winds,
heat), Altitude changes, Chemicals such as insecticides, Air
pollution ,Flickering lights (computer monitors)
Physiological
triggers include: -Stress, exercise, hormonal changes, birth
control pills, too much or too little sleep, medicines such as
antihistamines, aspirin or diuretics, hypoglycemia and missing
meals
Ayurveda’s
view: Sushruta
explains 11 types of Shiroroga(Headaches).Ayurveda physician
makes the diagnosis based on symptoms,pulse examination and
his experience.The treatment is based on the type of headache
with predominant dosha as described above.
In
headache due to Vata :
Ghee processed with Varunadi and kakolyadi group is
used to give orally. Or he should take (Sesamum) oil or paste
of green gram with milk.
In
headache due to Pitta: Pathyadi kwath(It
is a combination of Guduchi, Triphala, Curcuma, Neem and
Chirayata).
Pathyadi ghan vati is given.
In
headache due to Kapha: Pippali rasayan
Mild
laxative like Trifala,Munnaka should be necessarily given to
all patients.
Some
of the commonly used preparations are :Shirahshuladi vajra
ras,Chandrakant ras,Godanti bhasma,Mahalaxmi shirorog,nardiye
laxmi vilas ras etc.
External
applications are also beneficial in the treatment of headaches
1)
Warm paste of Sarala,Kustha,Devdaru and Rohisha pounded
with alkali water and mixed with a little salt should be
applied on head.
2)
Paste
of sandalwood on forehead .
3)
Paste
obtained by rubbing Nutmeg on stone should be applied on
forehead and around eyes.
Panchkarma
procedures in Management of headaches:-- The
goal of these therapies is to draw out of tissues the chemical
impurities that are imbalancing Vata and clogging circulation.
1.
Indian
head massage- herbalized oil massage on head Ksheer
bala tail,Dashmool Tail
,Jatamansi tail
2.
Nasya with
Anu Tail,Ksheerbala 101 avartit
3.
Shirodhara
with
Brahmi tail,Jatamansi tail
4.
Shirovasti
with
Dashmool tail,Narayan tail.
You
may consult our Ayurveda experts through on
line consultation
or personally.
HERB
OF THE MONTH: JATAMANSI
Nardostachys
jatamansi,is native to the Himalayan foothills at high
altitude. It is used extensively in Ayurveda system. In fact,
this herb may have been adopted into the Chinese tradition
from India, with plants growing in the Western Chinese
provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan (in the mountain regions)
being the same species as the Indian variety. It has
spicy, earthy and musky fragrance and has historically
been considered one of the most precious of incense
substances.
The
properties of Jatamansi as described in Ayurveda texts are
Light and unctuous in nature.It has bitter,astringent and
sweet taste and cold in virlity.Its characteristic feature is
its action in Psychological disorders.
Nardostachys is recommended in the Ayurvedic tradition
for nervous and spasmodic symptoms, such as heart
palpitations, headache, shaking, and convulsions,
hysteria:
it is being examined for its liver protective effects, ability
to increase nerve growth factor, and lipid lowering effects.
In Germany and Japan, some interest in this herb as an
alternative to valerian has been shown, in that preliminary
experiments (in laboratory animals) show that it has an even
lower toxicity than valerian (which already has low toxicity).
According to Oriental Materia Medica , it is traditionally
used for treating pain in the chest and abdomen that results
from stagnation associated with internal cold.
This
drug was used by Sushruta in conditions of insomnia and
restlessness to produce tranquility and sedation. it promotes
the growth and blackness of hair. Infusion prepared from the
fresh roots is employed in the treatment of spasmodic
hysterical states, palpitations and tension headache. It is
also said to be useful in menopausal disturbances and
dysmenorrhoea. Clinical trials were carried out with
jatamansone in essential hypertension. Jatamansone has been
used in febrile delirium and also in delirium tremens.Spikenard
is said to be calming to the nerves and promote awareness and
strengthen the mind.
BEAUTY
TIP – FOR TANNED SKIN
To
remove suntan
Take 4 tsp of sandalwood powder, five tbls of coconut and two
tsp of almond oil. Mix together and apply on the exposed
areas.
To
help remove tan in arms
Massage with sandalwood based cream and apply a paste of
multani mitti (fullers earth) and sandalwood powder mixed
together.
FORTHCOMING
EVENT:
Department
of AYUSH and India Trade Promotion Organization have jointly
been organizing Arogya Exhibition for the last four years.
The objective of the exhibition that has become a regular
annual feature is to project the developments taking place in
AYUSH sector. This time Arogya-2004 is being organized
from 21st to 26th September 2004 in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
with a difference that apart from Indian companies, foreign
companies especially from China are also participating to
exhibit their products. About 6-8 lakhs people are
expected to visit the exhibition. The event is an opportunity
to generate awareness about the range of pharmaceutical
companies and their products available in the country.
There would be a chance for the participants to expose,
interact and gain information on developments in the sphere of
natural medicine.
If interested you may apply in prescribed format to India
Trade Promotion Organization, Pragati Bhavan, Pragati
Maidan, New Delhi-110001 by 12th September 2004.
For more details, you may contact ITPO through email itpo@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in
/ as@itpo-online.com or at phone no.: 011-23371582.
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Herbal
cures need more regulation - UK scientists
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2004-09-06
11:52:29
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England
(Reuters) - All that is natural is not necessarily
beneficial, and herbal medicines in particular need
far closer regulation, scientists said on Monday.
Professor Peter Houghton of Kings' College in London
said people taking herbal cures needed to be aware of
what exactly they were consuming and to be sure it had
not been adulterated either intentionally or by
mistake.
"Nothing in life is completely safe. Life is
spelled RISK," he told the annual meeting of the
British Association for the Advancement of Science.
"There is a myth that because something is
natural it must be safe."
People also had to be sure any herbal cure they were
taking did not react with conventional medicines they
were also on, he added, noting that the
anti-depressant St John's Wort reduced the efficacy of
oral contraceptives for example.
Houghton said up to one quarter of the UK population
took herbal medicines at least once a year.
"We haven't got good models to be able to predict
what the herbal/conventional interaction will
be," he said.
Doctor Elizabeth Williamson of the University of
London, who specialises in the study of Chinese herbal
medicines, said many of them worked very well but
because of the rather haphazard way they were gathered
in the wild, there was little quality control.
"The problems with ethnic medicines are that they
are not regulated," she said. "If we know
they are good quality, they tend to be reasonably
safe. I would be pleased to see them regulated. But
any future legislation needs to be pragmatic".
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Disclaimer:
All details, thoughts and opinions shared by the writers in
this monthly, are their own and does not necessarily reflect
the views of the editor or management of this monthly. This
monthly is meant only for information purpose and it is not
intended to replace the services of a health practitioner
licensed in the diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease.
Any application of the material in this text is at the
reader's discretion and sole responsibility. For all health
concerns you are advised to consult with a duly licensed
health practitioner We do not claim for any authenticity of
the matter.
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