Ayurveda News

Ayurveda & Alzheimers

2006-11-07T15:27:00.000-08:00

Zee News - Alzheimer's cure in Ayurveda!

London, Nov 05: A team of British and Indian scientists have been testing the 5,000 year-old traditional healing medicine Ayurveda in the search for a cure for Alzheimer's disease, and researchers have already announced that Ayurveda can be as effective as prescription drugs in boosting the mental agility of patients.

Ayurvedic medicine uses a variety of everyday herbs and spices, such as aloe vera, basil, garlic, ginger and turmeric, as well as yoga exercises, and this mix has proved to be beneficial to many people in the treatment of both physical and psychological problems.

The researchers studied five of the plants used in the production of Ayurvedic medicine, but, as one of the British members of the team, Professor of Pharmacognosy at King's College London, Peter Houghton, pointed out: "The work is still at the lab stage and nothing has been tested on humans as yet. No clinical studies have been done and just because we get interesting results from the lab doesn't mean people will be cured."

Nevertheless, the scientists, including experts from Jadavpur University in Kolkata, have found that the five plants they concentrated on helped prevent the breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain, so improving the memory and concentration of people suffering from Alzheimer's.

The next stage is for the scientists to identify the chemical compounds in the plants. Once they have achieved that aim, and it is an aim that, sadly, could take years, then it should be possible to develop effective drugs incorporating those chemical compounds.

If those innovative drugs can be developed, then, at last, there will be real hope of a lasting cure for a disease that afflicts an ever-growing number of people across the world.

Until that happens, the usual therapies, as well as a selection of existing drugs, will continue to be used in the treatment of the disease to try and stimulate the patient. These range from simply encouraging people to reminisce about their past in order to reduce their depression, to art therapy and music therapy.

Meanwhile, the team of British and Indian scientists will continue with their quest, possibly, along with a cure for cancer, the holy grail of medical research.

Herbal couture

2006-06-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Herbal couture Chandan' saris, `Indigo' shirts, `Khus khus' purdahs — Thiruvalluvar Handlooms unfolds a vibrant herbal couture at its Thumpodu outlet in downtown Thiruvananthapuram. The seeds of this herbal couture — `ayur vastra' — revolution were sown more than a decade ago, when a few youngsters got together to root out the exploitation of weavers in the nearby handloom hub of Balaramapuram.

The Handloom Weavers Development Society was formed soon after and among its members were a few from the Kuzhivila family. One of their forefathers, C.R. Ayyappan Vaidyar, was the court physician to Sree Moolam Tirunal of the erstwhile princely State of Travancore. He was a weaver too and provided the royal family clothes dyed in herbs.

"The family tradition was dying and we wanted to revive it. Moreover, herbs seemed a bright alternative to synthetic dyes," says K. Rajan, chief technician at the society's dyeing unit. "With the little knowledge I had of this tradition, we experimented a lot. We initially displayed the clothes at exhibitions and it caught the fancy of quite a few." The clientele kept growing and about nine years ago, the Thumpodu shop was opened. The society got a boost three years ago, when a Rs 19-lakh Japanese grant came almost like a windfall. It set up its own dye house and bought a few machines.

Organic process

"The entire process is organic. The cloth is bleached with cow's urine, which has high medicinal value. The dyeing gum too is herbal. It does not pollute like synthetic dye. And the waste is used as bio manure and to generate bio gas."

Roots, flowers, leaves, seeds and bark of around 200 herbs go into the making of the dyes. The material worked on is mostly cotton and silk; there are a few sample pieces in wool and jute as well.

Health benefits

"The clothes sell not just because of the `green' label. Herbal clothes have proven good for the body. Indigo is good for the skin, khus khus helps fight asthma and so on," says Satheesh, a society member. The medicinal quality will last longer, if natural oil soaps are used for washing, he adds.

Last year, the State Coir Department conducted a six-month clinical trial at Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram. Four rooms were set aside for treating rheumatism, allergy, hypertension, diabetes, psoriasis and other skin ailments. The clothes, bed linen and mattresses for patients were dyed in herbs and the walls, ceiling and floor lined with medicated coir.

"We treated around 40 people. And the response was remarkably good, especially in cases of arthritis and skin ailments," says Dr Vishwanathan, former head of the Drug Research Department of the college.

"It was all herbs in the air — clothes, linen and wall lining. It effected a rejuvenation of sorts. In the last 7-8 years, my sugar levels had never fallen so low. And now, it does not shoot to dangerous levels as before. Of course, I am on ayurveda medicines as follow-up," says G.V. Das, who was part of the clinical trial.

Growing demand

Herbal mattresses, especially those filled with khus khus, are priced Rs 2,000 each and have become popular."Khus Khus keeps the body really cool. There is a lot of demand from Ayurveda hospitals and heritage resorts," says Satheesh.

`Chandan' and `khus khus' saris with thin `zari' border are moving really well. "It feels great to wear the essence of herbs. It breathes in positive vibes," says Jayashree, a bank employee.

Herbal reams from Thumpodu are reaching foreign shores as well, although the society is not into direct exports. "There is a lot of demand from Italy, Germany, France, the US and Gulf. They mainly buy dress material, bed linen and furnishing," says Rajan. The society members feel that the khus khus purdahs will be a big hit in Saudi Arabia. Decking up houseboat interiors with medicated coir is next on their agenda.

"So much effort has gone into making ayur vastra that we want to preserve our rights," says Dr Ravi, who was advisor to the Government in charge of sustainable development and offered all help for this experiment.

A scientific validation study is under way at the Regional Research Laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram.

Once it is over, the society's patent dreams may just go green.

The Rising Nepal

2006-06-12T23:04:00.000-07:00

Ayurvedic Treatment An Alternative Therapy
By Uttam Maharjan
Ayurvedic medicine is an alternative therapy. It is claimed to be a traditional medicine of India. The word Ayurveda derives from Sanskrit. Ayur means life and veda means knowledge or science.
Ayurvedic treatment dates from 5,000 BC. Deepak Chopra, an internal medical practitioner and endocrinologist from India, has made a great contribution by propagating the marvels of Ayurveda abroad.

Supporters of Ayurvedic medicine purport that the therapeutic system has its origin in ancient times. Like other traditional medicines, much of it had already been lost. However, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi rediscovered it in the early 1980s. Its origin is attributed to the four Vedas. As per the Vedas, most diseases attack people owing to the demons, devils and the influence of the stars and planets.

Ayurvedic principles

The basic theory of Ayurveda is that the physical functions of the human body are regulated by three irreducible physiological principles called doshas, whose Sanskritic terms are vata, pitta, and kapha. These terms are used to classify patients by body types, which are determined by proportions of these doshas.
These doshas are believed to regulate mind-body harmony. Diseases are considered to arise due to imbalance in the doshas. Ayurvedic treatment is believed to restore harmony to the mind-body system. Vata (air) allegedly regulates all movements in the mind and body and must be kept in balance. Too much vata leads to anxiety, insomnia, cramps and constipation. It controls blood flow, elimination of waste, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind.

It also controls the other two principles pitta and kapha. Pitta (fire) is alleged to control all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls digestion, sensory perceptions and discrimination between right and wrong. It must be kept in balance, too. Too much pitta can lead to anger, criticism, ulcers, rashes and thinning of the hair.

Kapha (water) joins together the elements in the body, providing the material for physical constitution. It maintains body resistance, lubricates the joints, provides moisture to the skin, helps to heal wounds, fills the spaces in the body, gives biological vigour and stability, supports memory retention, gives energy to the heart and lungs and maintains immunity. It is responsible for emotions of attachment, greed and envy. It is also expressed in tendencies toward calmness, forgiveness and love. Too much kapha leads to lethargy and weight gain as well as congestion and allergies.

Ayurveda is the oldest healing system in the world in vogue. It is considered the first holistic system of healthcare based on lifestyles, diets and herbs. Under this system, patients take responsibility for their care. It may be noted that the taste of a herb can determine its action: cleansing, balancing or rejuvenating. Generally, bitter herbs act as cleansing agents, whereas sweet herbs act as nourishing agents.

The mechanism of Ayurveda is based on the belief that bodily imbalances must be rectified before they grow into diseases. It is similar to modern preventive medicine as it applies several processes to maintaining good health. They are detoxification and cleansing; increasing the effectiveness of the immune system; coping with stress with the help of adaptogenic herbs; and protecting the body with antioxidants and restoratives.
When imbalances occur, it is imperative to rectify them. Rectification is done by using immuno-modulators that not only prevent inflammation but also boost the body�s natural defence system. Immuno-modulators form a basic constituent of biomedicine (herbal medicine) that supports the body�s immune system to deal with allergies. It may be noted that suppression of the immune response may result in further recurring symptoms.

The concept of detoxification is based on the fact that many ailments and diseases are a product of impurities not being properly eliminated by the body system. Toxins are created in the body system through eating in excess of one�s ability to digest and assimilate nutrients. Lack of digestion tends to overload the liver and emunctory system. The body reacts to undigested food like any other toxin. In Ayurvedic treatment, herbs that facilitate digestion and proper assimilation are used to nourish the body.

Free radicals present in the environment are cytotoxic, inducing degenerative diseases. Antioxidants reduce the effects of such free radicals. The Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia lists some of the most powerful antioxidant herbs, like the Indian gooseberry, that are used to fight degenerative diseases.

Adaptogenic herbs are used to cope with environmental and psychological stress by acting as a biological response modifier. Adaptogens found in herbs like the Indian snakeroot facilitate adrenal functions by supporting the endocrine system. They can energise all major systems and regulate their functions.

Allopathy

Ayurvedic texts include sections on anti-aging. The rasayanas are believed to be restoratives that rejuvenate the cells, thus, helping reverse aging by toning up all the functions of the body and helping the body work effectively and optimally. Traditional medicine would use herbal tonics as a part of a daily health regimen. It would encapsulate all the concepts of detoxification, antioxidants, immuno-modulation and adaptogenicity and focus on development of a specific lifestyle targeted at proper diets and exercise.

The importance of Ayurvedic medicine cannot be over-emphasised in the present-day world. Allopathy is not the be-all in the medical field. What should be kept in mind is that alternative therapies like Ayurveda must be given due recognition for the betterment of human health.

Ayurveda gets gene tech advantage

2006-02-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda gets gene tech advantage What happens when a millennia-old medical system meets cutting-edge technology? You get Genoma Ayurveda — which, in layman’s terms, amounts to deciphering the principles of the ancient Indian system of medicine using gene-mapping technology.

Georges St Laurent Jr, founder-director of Celera Genomics and a key participant in the Human Genome Project, is in India these days to sell this embryonic idea. “We are trying to integrate the empirical foundations of ayurveda with the scientific principles of genetics. It will help us specifically pinpoint the ingredient that is responsible for the cure, besides building new potential drug libraries for chronic diseases,” he says.

St Laurent’s team has already held talks with Union minister for science and technology Kapil Sibal, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, besides IIT, Delhi.

And keeping them company are the Kanwars of Apollo Tyres, who have recently forayed into the healthcare business. In their proposed 10-year plan, the Kanwars have envisaged a R&D institution for alternative systems of medicine.

In a proposal to the government, St Laurent has suggested the formation of a nodal agency that will licence out plants for research by pharma companies against royalty. “This will help protect IPRs and prevent controversies like those on neem. Besides, the royalty can be used to give everyone access to such treatment,” he says.

Recognising Ayurveda

2006-02-14T21:48:00.000-08:00

Article in The Hindu pointing out that foreigners are still experiencing major problems recognising genuine ayurveda from resort massages or straight quackery and this is undermining its acceptance within medical tourism

more at The Hindu here

Ayurveda drug offers hope for osteo-arthritis

2006-02-01T23:34:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda drug offers hope for osteo-arthritis

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Pune, January 31: Decks have been cleared and ethical approvals taken for the final phase of the multi-centric trial to test an ayurvedic drug formulation for the treatment of osteo-arthritis (OA). This unique trial is sponsored by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)s ambitious New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) project.

This purely herbal ayurvedic drug formulation, which does not use metals, is being tested at four places— Centre for Rheumatic Diseases (CRD) Pune, KEM Hospital and Swami Prakash Anand Ayurved Research Centre at Mumbai, Nizamuddin Institute for Medical Sciences (NIMS) Hyderabad and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

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‘‘The CSIR had launched the project that aimed at supporting innovation-centred scientific and technological developments as a vehicle to attain for the country a global leadership position at least in some selected niche areas,’’ says Dr Bhushan Patwardhan, Director, School of Health Sciences, University of Pune and one of the project coordinators.

Ayurveda is one such niche area that needs to be developed in the modern context of evidence based medicinal system, says Dr Arvind Chopra, Director of CRD and one of the principal investigators of the multi-centric trial. The CSIR has allocated Rs 3.5 crore for NMITLI’s ayurveda project.

Wide-ranging and widespread national consultations, followed by stringent and rigorous system of screening, expert evaluation and assessment has identified herbal-based preparations for degenerative metabolic disorders as one of the NMITLI projects. A detailed project on ‘arthritis’ was evolved involving several national institutions and pharma industries.

The project was launched in 2002. A total of 450 patients will be screened. At Pune, some 30 patients with painful knee j"

Elephant experts, mahouts to be honoured .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper

2006-01-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

Elephant experts, mahouts to be honoured .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper: "Elephant experts, mahouts to be honoured
Kochi: Five leading elephant experts and 100 mahouts in Kerala will be honoured for the first time - and the latter will also get free insurance.

Balakrishna Shenoy, vice president of Elephant Care, an NGO, told IANS: 'The function is unique because this is being jointly organised by the Kerala forest department, the Elephant Owners Welfare Association and us.'

The event will take place Saturday.

'For the first time we are giving free insurance cover of Rs.100,000 to 100 mahouts,' Shenoy said.

The experts who will he honoured are Radhakrishna Kaimal, K.C. Panicker, Muraleedharan Nair, Jacob V. Cheeran and Vaidyan Maheswaran Namboodiripadu. All of them will get the title 'Palakappya'.

Palakappya is an ancient sage who wrote the ayurveda text known as 'Hasthi Ayurveda', which literally translates into Ayurveda of Elephants.

Four of the experts are leading veterinarians specialising in elephant care, while Namboodiripadu is an ayurveda expert in treating elephants.

Elephant Care is collating information for a survey of captive elephants in Kerala. Kerala reportedly has more than 700 captive elephants. "

Ayurveda may help cure IBS

2006-01-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda may help cure IBS - World News - Webindia123.com

Washington | January 25, 2006 5:00:00 PM IST

A systematic review of clinical studies has found that Indian, Chinese and Tibetan traditional herbal medicines may improve symptoms of abdominal pain, disturbed bowel movements, and/or bloating and distension caused by Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Prof Jianping Liu, lead review author, said that researchers conducted 75 different randomised trials, and that some of the traditional medicines did improve the global symptoms of IBS.

"Many of the trials were small, so it is premature to recommend herbal medicines for routine use in IBS, but there is evidence that some of the medicines did improve the global symptoms of IBS," he said.

Medicines that showed promise included the Indian Ayurvedic formula of two herbs and the Chinese herbal medicine Tongxie Yaofang that showed a statistically significant effect on global symptoms. Chinese herbal formulation and individualised herbal formulation; STW 5; SW 5_ii; as well as Tibetan herbal formula Padma Lax were also found to be effective.

Though six small trials reported that combining conventional and herbal medicines produced greater benefits than using conventional therapies alone, the Authors have urged people to be cautious, and said that larger trials are needed to confirm this finding.

"There is a great need for further rigorously conducted trials that look to see whether it is possible to replicate these positive effects," Liu added.

The findings are published in the latest update of The Cochrane Library. (ANI)

Ayurveda no lifestyle therapy

2006-01-23T23:45:00.000-08:00

DNA - Inbox - Ayurveda no lifestyle therapy
Monday, January 23, 2006 22:50 IST

This is with reference to ‘Chew on an alternative lifestyle’ by RR Kasliwal (January 22). As an ayurvedic practitioner, I must explain that ayurveda can’t be equated with other alternative systems of medicine. It not only treats an illness, but also sustains health, and prevents recurrence, not just by medicines, but lifestyle changes. Medicines are a complementary part of therapy along with dos and don’ts called Pathya. According to the author, ‘animal and human products… have no medicinal value at all.’ Gomutra, extensively used, is an animal product and has definitely proven its efficacy. No human products are used in ayurvedic medicines; allopathy contains more human products, derived from blood, cells, and plasma.

Categorising medicines as vegetarian or non-vegetarian is now a non issue with stem cell research. The only bone powder mentioned in the samhitas is ajasthi bhasm derived from the bones of goats, though this too is obsolete. If used, it should definitely be mentioned on labels. Most medicines are made with parts of plants, herbs and/or minerals or metals, and some do contain animal products derived in non-violent ways like gomutra, shankh, egg shells, corals. As for the statement ‘alternative medicines fire in dark’, if taken under proper guidance, ayurveda is as safe as allopathy. It is a misconception that ayurvedic medicines are safe OTC drugs. Thanks to this notion, anything goes by the name of ayurveda. All in all, The Brinda Karat-Swami Ramdev controversy has opened up the varied misrepresentations. Quality control and standardisation is definitely a big issue. Ayurveda is grossly misunderstood as beauty therapy."

A blend of ayurveda and heritage - Express TravelWorld

2006-01-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

A blend of ayurveda and heritage - Express TravelWorld

Poomully Mana is home to one of the oldest Nambuthiri families in Kerala. Mana means traditional house of Nambuthiri families. With a history of over 500 years, the family members of Poomully Mana were experts in Ayurveda, Kalaripayattu (martial arts), Yoga and also performing arts.

The late Poomully Neelakandan Namputhiripadu, popularly known as Aram Thampuran (the sixth lord) was an expert in all walks of life. Because of his profound understanding of various subjects, he was also known as Arivinte Thampuran, meaning 'Lord of Knowledge'. Neelakandan Namputhiripadu was an acclaimed authority on Ayurveda. His works at the Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam in Shoranur, where a research facility for treating diabetes and infertility was established, became a great success. Decades ago, when no modern facilities existed in the field of toxicology, Neelakandan Nambuthiripadu turned out to be a solace for the patients, who looked forward to his outstanding curative powers. Taking care of elephants the Ayurvedic way was yet another speciality of Neelakandan Nambuthiripadu. Adding to his repertoire of knowledge was his mastery over Kalaripayattu, the unique martial art form of Kerala, and the sublime art of physical and mental well-being - Yoga.

After the passing away of Neelakandan Nambuthiripadu in 1997 a trust was formed in his name, and the subsequent efforts of the trust led to the establishment of Poomully Aramthampuran's Ayurveda Mana, which has become a heritage center for Ayurveda, Kalari, Yoga and other traditional art forms with facilities to meet with the needs of its visitors. Among the facilities are twelve beautifully furnished bedrooms, displaying classical features of heritage rooms. The rooms are equipped with telephones, Internet connection, hot water facilities and natural organic water for toilets.

The center has a library with a sizeable collection of books and manuscripts dealing on a wide range of topics like Ayurveda, Hasthi Ayurveda, Visha Chikilsa, Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Ithihasas, Dharmasasthras, Jyotisha, Ganitha, Kosha, Vyakarana, Chandas, Shilpa and Vasthu Sasthra, Thantras, Manthras, Sthothras, Music etc. It also houses a museum with displays of a rare collection of items once used in Kerala. These include rare bronze and brass vessels, pottery, old musical equipments, coins, ivory carvings, martial art equipments etc.

Besides an authentic center for undergoing Ayurveda treatment, special workshops and training programmes in classical art forms, martial arts, Panchakarma, Yoga and meditation are also offered at the Poomully Mana. The center also has a private herbal garden, which consists of rich vegetation of herbs and medicinal plants.

For those with an interest in traditional architecture, the design and style of the Poomully Aramthampuran's Mana would be an added attraction.

Ayurveda's global trends being discussed

2006-01-18T15:24:00.000-08:00

Chennai Online News Service - View News

A five-day international conference and expo on Ayurveda began at Mamallapuram, about 100 kms from here today, having 'Ayurveda-where science meets consciousness' as the main theme.

Educating the Indian Ayurveda community about the global trends and motivating the students and practitioners to learn and apply Ayurveda in its authentic totality, formed part of discussions on the opening day.

Sheela Rani Chunkath, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare department of Tamil Nadu government inaugurated the conference.

Nearly 600 participants from all over India and abroad are attending the conference when Ayurveda was 'in danger of dilution and distortion.'

Punarnava Ayurveda, a Coimbatore-based authentic Ayurveda services and consulting company is hosting the conference in which several experts including Dr Deepak Chopra, Dr Hari Sharma, and Dr Robert Svoboda are attending.

Ayurveda Medical Association of India, All India Ayurveda Congress and International Ayurveda Foundation, are jointly organising the meet. (Our Correspondent)"

Brinda as major embarrassment to Left brigade

2006-01-18T00:21:00.000-08:00

Brinda as major embarrassment to Left brigade

By S.R. Ramanujan

Alternative medicine used to be, once upon a time, the last resort of those seeking cure for various ailments. There was a craze for allopathic tablets, and more so, for the ‘pricks’ for it was thought by the gullible patients that an ‘injection’ gives a miracle cure. Even the grandmas would advice the children, even for colds and fever, to have an injection. Only when they failed to get cured by antibiotics and IM or IV injections, patients would go in search of homeopathy or Ayurved or Unani.

Thanks to a number of health columns in the newspapers and magazines wherein patients started discussing the side-effects of “Angrezi dava”, people started taking a call on the alternative indigenous system. Even for serious ailments people were advised to consult Ayurvedic doctor or homeopath. The government also recognised the importance of alternative system, and as a result, there was a mushroom growth of Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and Unani colleges issuing degrees and diplomas to the students. These came quite handy for the practitioners of alternative system to reach out to rural areas since Allopaths were reluctant to take up rural service. Even in the cities and metros, it would be quite a scene to watch patients waiting for hours together at the clinics of Homeo and Ayurvedic physicians.

The Bathina Goud family of Hyderabad has been distributing medicines for the last 160 years to hundreds and thousands of asthma patients on a particular day in a year. It is claimed to be a herbal paste inserted in the mouth of a small murrel fish and slipped down the patient’s throat. The Goud family is not revealing the ingredients of the paste as they say the formula was given by a spiritual leader some 160 years ago.

The late President K.R. Narayanan was a great votary of Ayurvedic system and there are many VVIPs, Governors and Ministers who would like to get rejuvenated in Kerala Ayurvedic centres, which are no longer confined to Kerala, and in Nature Cure hospitals. This phenomenon did have an impact on the general public for whom these VVIPs are role models. This is the time when many Yoga acharyas also descended on the scene preaching Yoga for health and indigenous medicines for ailments. With their saffron clothes and flowing beards they presented themselves as symbols of Hindu tradition. Combination of faith, yoga for physical well being, Ayurved for ailments, and spiritual counseling, came as a ‘manna’ for the already disillusioned and stressed people. Even the much-touted health tourism started driving foreign tourists to the ashrams of the Gurus or Kerala rejuvenation clinics.

Karats and their ilk are the ones who came out with an astonishing theory that Ramayana and Mahabharata serials on Doordarshan years ago, were responsible for revivalism in the country.

This is not a very happy situation for the pharmaceutical industry in general and MNCs in particular. The first shot was fired when it was reported that Ayurvedic drugs have a high metal content and some of the countries imposed restrictions on the import of Ayurvedic drugs. Interestingly, when K.R. Narayanan passed away when he was in his nineties, the death was attributed to his use of Ayurvedic medicine having high metallic ingredient. Conversely, can we not say that it was his penchant for Ayurved that made him live till he reached his nineties? This may be a relatively insignificant point. But what should be noted is that a campaign began in right earnest against indigenous system by interested parties in collaboration with the local left-leaning NGOs who frown on anything that has the mark of Indian tradition.

This phenomenon did have an impact on the general public for whom these VVIPs are role models. This is the time when many Yoga acharyas also descended on the scene preaching Yoga for health and indigenous medicines for ailments.

The first “war” against indigenous system began some two years ago with a row over the “fish medicine” for asthma patients in Hyderabad. The Bathina Goud family of Hyderabad has been distributing medicines for the last 160 years to hundreds and thousands of asthma patients on a particular day in a year. It is claimed to be a herbal paste inserted in the mouth of a small murrel fish and slipped down the patient’s throat. The Goud family is not revealing the ingredients of the paste as they say the formula was given by a spiritual leader some 160 years ago. Patients cutting across caste, creed or religion are thronging the Hyderabad city in lakhs in the month of June every year. The unprecedented response was something that the rationalists and allopaths could not digest. The physical appearance of Goud brothers with yellow clothes traditionally worn by Hindus on auspicious occasions with religious marks on the forehead, must have been a red rag for the rationalists and Hindu baiters. Jana Vignana Vedika, a Left-oriented outfit, alleged that the herbal paste contained steroids and that could be the reason for temporary relief for the asthmatics. It was quite laughable because administration of steroids in such a small dosage on one day of the year will not give any relief. God knows what sort of “rationalism” is this? The astonishing fact is that the Indian Medical Assocation also joined the fray as the huge response for a herbal medicine hurt their ego and the business as well. Ultimately, tests in government labs proved that the paste did not contain steroids.

Swami Ramdev controversy has to be viewed in this context. His appeal also cuts across castes and religions with himself a picture of Hindu symbol with saffron clothes and uncut hair and preaching traditional values of the country. There were also threats to him from jehadis as he is a big draw even among the Muslims. We can’t also dismiss the fact that there are sinister designs against all those popular gurus like Sri Sri Ravishankar, Mata Amritanandamayi for they are able to appeal to the youth. Since their popularity can be partly attributed to faith channels there are already suggestions from interested quarters that these channels should be banned as they might only trigger communal unrest.

With only Prakash Karat to support CPM takes a hasty retreat.

This is the stage when Brinda Karat entered the scene to take on Swami Ramdev whose following runs into millions across the country. Karats and their ilk are the ones who came out with an astonishing theory that Ramayana and Mahabharata serials on Doordarshan years ago, were responsible for revivalism in the country. So, Ramdevs are perceived to be a threat to Communism, or whatever left of it in the country. It may be just a coincidence that the interests of both the MNCs and the Indian Communists had a rare convergence. Swami Ramdev is not correct when he accuses Brinda Karat of acting at the behest of MNCs. As an activist of the Left that has no respect for anything that has the mark of Indian tradition, she has a different agenda. Retrenchment of employees in Swami’s Divya Yog Dispensary is just an excuse to politicise the issue and tarnish his image. If her interest is to ensure that Ayurvedia drugs are not adulterated, she must have begun the exercise in her husband’s home state which has an Ayurvedic dispensary in every street corner. She knew that she would encounter protests from her own party’s rank and file. Therefore, soft targets can only be Hindu spiritual leaders.

Leisure Opportunities - Daily jobs, news,training and property.

2006-01-17T15:22:00.000-08:00

Leisure Opportunities - Daily jobs, news,training and property.: "
Saj Group to open ayurveda-based luxury spa

India-based Saj Group, which specialises in building eco-friendly resorts, is to open the ayurveda-based Saj Earth Resort at Nedumbassery, Kerala, in 2007.

The 1,800sq ft (167sq m) spa will focus on rejuvenation and relaxation programmes lasting from 14 to 45 days.

The spa, situated near Cochin International Airport, will boast four treatment rooms and two consultation rooms with a separate rest area for pre- or post-treatment relaxation.

Therapies will include Panchakarma, skin and hair care and treatments focusing on easing arthritis, depression, obesity and anxiety.

Other facilities will include a swimming pool, restaurant, a sauna and spa pool.

Saj Earth Resort is the third property to be opened by Saj Group, which plans to open a total of six spa resorts by 2010. The two other spas it operates are the Vagamon Hide Out and Jungle Village in the Idukki district and Thekkady."

Ayurveda hospital to launch packages for new-age ailments .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper

2006-01-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

Ayurveda hospital to launch packages for new-age ailments .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper
Thiruvananthapuram: An ayurvedic hospital in Kerala says it will soon offer packages for treatment of what it calls new-age ailments.

Somatheeram Ayurvedic Hospital and Beach Resort near Kovalam, overlooking the Arabian Sea, will start offering treatment for ailments like fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) from February.

Somatheeram chief Poly Mathew said Monday: "The hospital has been promoting ayurveda treatments among foreign tourists from the late 1990."

C.S. Vinod, tourism consultant to Somatheeram, who is based in Germany, said: "The hospital has been working on these exclusive packages for the past four years. These packages will be of three or four week duration.

"The three-week package will cost 2,500 euros, while the four-week will cost 3,800 euros."

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome mostly prevalent in cold countries and causes fatigue, sleeplessness and nervous breakdowns. The syndrome is a widespread musculoskeletal pain for which the cause is still unknown.

Raji Pradeep, who will oversee the new treatment, said: "In our general ayurvedic packages, we treat ailments like sleeplessness and nervous breakdown, but this package will use specially prepared ayurvedic oils to help people suffering from Fibromyalgia."

Another new package for anti-ageing regeneration programme will be launched simultaneously.

CTS is a common source of hand numbness and pain and occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist.

To tackle CTS, the hospital will use special medicated oils (dhara).

American woman says she is ayurveda ambassador .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper

2006-01-10T14:13:00.000-08:00

American woman says she is ayurveda ambassador: American woman says she is ayurveda ambassador

By Mohammed Shafeeq, Hyderabad

A Caucasian American who calls herself a "blue-eyed Hindu" says her life's mission is to take ayurveda to global masses.

The US-born Marielle Holman Barnes, who was here at the fourth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, told IANS: "This is the third diaspora meet I am attending as a freelance ambassador of ayurveda.

"I am working to make ayurveda recognised all over the world as a system of medicine. I have met the minister for overseas Indian affairs and other senior officials here with a request to work for the globalisation of ayurveda."

Working at the Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions near Bangalore for the last five years, she said: "Ayurveda is India's asset, and if this country fails to make use of it, China and the US might do it."

A native of San Francisco, Barnes toured Europe last year to spread her message that ayurveda could be a serious and credible alternative to allopathic medicines.

She also believes that ayurveda alone could take a lead in research for cure of HIV/AIDS.

She said: "With over 5,000 years of history and more than 100,000 medical manuscripts, ayurveda is a system of healthcare with answers to a number of issues that conventional allopathic medicine can't address."

Barnes, a graduate in international economics from Georgetown University, who worked for a law firm for eight years, was attracted towards ayurveda after her personal experience with the therapy, which worked wonders for her.

Barnes said: "I had health problems after a car accident and after trying all allopathic medicines and procedures I came to India in 1999 and underwent ayurvedic treatment in Coimbatore."

Barnes, who is also chief advisor (ayurveda initiatives) at Mumbai's Somaiya Trust, feels that the allegation that yoga guru Swami Remdev's pharmacy produced ayurvedic drugs lacked with human and animal remains would not hit ayurveda.

Yogi And The Profane Laws By Ram Puniyani

2006-01-10T14:08:00.000-08:00

Yogi And The Profane Laws By Ram Puniyani:

10 January, 2006
Countercurrents.org

It is not for the first time that the followers of God-men rampaged when their Guru was asked questions or doubts on the grounds of laws of the land. Brinda Karat, CPI (M) leader and MP pointed out (Jan 04, 2006) that the medicines produced in Baba Ramdeo's factory in Haridwar contained animal and human parts. She stated this on the basis of the version of the workers sacked from the factory. In response hell was let loose and the supporters of Ramdeo attacked the office of CPI (M) leading to the skirmish between the followers of CPI (M) and Ramdeo.

Ramdeo said that CPI (M) is not nationalist, that it is a ploy of multinationals and that he is being defamed. His strong support came from the Sangh Parivar followers, the hooligans of VHP and Bajarang dal joined the attack on the office of CPM, while the BJP leaders came out strongly to condemn CPI (M) for its insult of India's culture. One of them went to the extent of saying that whenever Indian (read Brahminic Hinduism) culture is gaining prominence CPI (M) feels threatened. Many leaders from other parties kept quiet or 'supported' Ramdeo.

The story, which has been undermined in the din of hysteria, began with factory owned by Ramdeo where many a women employees were exploited heavily and 133 women were sacked for demanding the implementation of work norms in the factory. That's how Brinda Karat, who wanted to defend the rights of women employees, got to know about the factory and got the samples analyzed. The issue was raised by her as a citizen and as an MP. According the prevalent laws the Ayurvedic medicines cannot put any human or animal extract in the medicines. The basic issue of workers right and the ethics of production of Ayurvedic medicines both have been swamped by the emotions roused because the owner of the factory has the halo of a God-man, conducting shows of Yoga on TV.

The cover of Baba-dom is the best to hide the things or to avoid following the laws relating to business and industry. It is not too far back in the time that one Narendra Maharaj was not allowed to violate the norms of security of air travel, as he was prevented from carrying his dandam (Holy staff) along with him while traveling. The whole hell was let loose; his followers were on the streets, rampage and the usual venting of ire. It is touted that the God-men teach religious values of tolerance, peace and non violence! Most of the occasions these followers go on rampage when their Guru is not allowed to flout the laws with impunity, or an uncomfortable question is raised about their activities. It is no different in other religions. Once Asghar Ali Engineer, human rights activist of great repute, questioned the delay in the flight due to late coming of Bohra High Priest Syedna, this mild questioning was followed by the ransacking of his house and office and he himself was beaten up mercilessly.

While nobody in the political circles is picking up courage to raise the question regarding Ramdeo, can one presume that those in the electoral politics believe that there are two sets of laws, one for the ordinary mortals and another for the 'divinely ordained'. The association of saffron God-men with Hindu right is close and overt/subtle, both at the same time. Recently Ramdeo attended the annual convention of Rashtra Sevika Samiti a subordinate organistion of RSS (incidentally RSS does not permit women to be its members). When Shankaracharya was arrested in the Shankar Raman murder case, Vajpayee and Aasaram Bapu rubbed shoulders, to protest against the arrest of the 'holy seer'. The argument put forward was that Shankaracharya represents Hindus and is revered by Hindus, so he should be treated differently.

One has some general observations about the God-men. During last several years they have been flourishing at exponential rate. Most of them have done very well by the profane standards of accumulation of wealth, chain of plush Ashrams, lakhs of devotees, infinite money, foreign junkets and all the luxuries possible. You renounce the world to get the best of it! Their prefixes also are very diverse and keep on getting better and better with time. They do choose their prefixes and suffixes. While other God men do it in their own way, Rajneesh had an interesting trajectory of these. He began as Acharya, went on to become Bhagwan (God!) and finally gave himself the title of Osho before he left this planet. All of them have different strengths (! weaknesses), some one is more for diamonds, someone likes cars and expensive clothes and yet another one prefers videos of dubious distinction.

While many other politicians are bowing to the popular pressure and defending Ramdeo, Sangh Parivar regards them as the representatives of Hindu culture. What is Hindu about their culture needs another investigation. One has seen the spartan life of Buddha, Kabir, Nanak and Gandhi. Budhha in fact renounced his palace to take to jungle and merge with all and sundry in their deprivations. The many from the current genre, which in fact is a blot on the humane traditions of saints, are also close to centers of power, Dhirendra Brahmachari, Satya Sai Baba, Chandraswami and Jayendra Saraswati being some notorious examples.

Ayurveda is being linked to Indian Traditions. As such the development of the Ayurveda was halted, mainly by Brahminical dictates. Ayurveda has lot of elements, which can be put on the scientific foundations to make it more suitable to the human kind. The proper research where critical reason is employed to make it better is not employed in the Ayurveda as it is
strongly linked to faith. No doubt multinationals may have their own axe to grind in the whole story, but we need to look at the proper investigation of facts and laws before the medicines produced by any Baba, Acharya and Mahant, can be put to public use. Karat has just raised a simple question, why is Ramdeo's factory violating eh laws of the land? It is a simple matter to investigate and set right. But since here the factory owner has the hallow of God-man, radiating in the reflected glory of God almighty how dare we the mortals raise such questions. The God-men are above the law is the premise of their followers and supporters, whoever they be! So in a single stroke Brinda Karat and her party are dubbed anti Hindu (Anti National, against Hindu Nation) so how is nationalism defined? If you blindly submit to the self proclaimed God-men, you are a nationalist else! Is one against the indigenous system of practices? No way. The only demand is for ethical and rational implementation of the therapies to avoid any one coming up and putting in market medicines or methods which can be injurious to the health. Social scrutiny of any thing and everything is called for. The cloak of Holiness does not exempt one from the laws of the land and being subject to the critical questioning of peers and others from raising questions about the composition and techniques being put forward. The claims related to the efficacy of the medicines and techniques have to be evaluated on the basis of the criterion already developed by rational techniques. Subjecting traditional systems to these rigorous methods will only make them more effective, meaningful and will prune out the grain from the chaff. It will make them above the subjective claims of those promoting it.

If Ramdeo has done no wrong, why this emotional outburst and the misuse of label anti National against Karat? If he has things to hide than this angry outburst is understandable, as it will harm the proliferating business built up with such a meticulous mix of some knowledge sprinkled with generous helping of emotions and faith which are wonderful smokescreen for hiding one's wrongs. This 'faith' can surely act as an opium, the frenzied followers of Baba's rampaging shows that time and over again!

The aura of Ayurveda- The Times of India

2006-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

The aura of Ayurveda- The Times of India
The clash between science and religion is legendary and the recent controversy surrounding spiritual guru Baba Ramdev and CPM leader Brinda Karat simply reinforces the eternal divide.

Baba Ramdev continues to deny that his company violated licensing and labelling provisions by manufacturing medicines containing animal parts and human bones as alleged by Karat.

This controversy apart, Mumbaiites, it seems, are increasingly embracing Ayurveda and an alternate way of life.

'Ayurveda' is literally translated as the 'Knowledge of Life.' Says actor Tulip Joshi, who's part of a spiritual cleansing outfit called Kimaya incorporating Ayurvedic principles, "The controversy can't shake the foundations of one of our oldest systems of health care, dating back to the Vedic era."

'Ayurveda' is literally translated as the 'Knowledge of Life.' Says actor Tulip Joshi, who's part of a spiritual cleansing outfit called Kimaya incorporating Ayurvedic principles, 'The controversy can't shake the foundations of one of our oldest systems of health care, dating back to the Vedic era.'

Captain Vinod Nair, Kimaya's founder, feels, "As in Ayurveda, we too encourage a four-level detoxifiction process involving one's physical, spiritual, mental and emotional states to purify one's system. The Ramdev incident hasn't affected the purpose of our organisation."

Be it the divas of the West, like singer Madonna or actor Kate Winslet, or Mumbai celebs Rhea Pillai and Yash and Avanti Birla - spirituality is certainly the cornerstone in their frenzied lives.

So is their faith likely to be deterred by such spats? "Not at all," firmly states Avanti, who along with her husband Yash is an ardent follower of the Krishna Consciousness cult and the Art of Living.

The 'power' of yoga too is all-encompassing. Having completed a course at the Bihar School of Yoga, legendary actor Waheeda Rahman, once stated that it is yoga which 'keeps her agile all day.'

But with tradition acquiring a 'glam' tag, are we beginning to see its dilution?

Opines yoga expert Bharat Thakur, "India lacks qualified practitioners of alternate medicine and a scientific research structure which has led to the emergence of so many God men. There's more to Ayurveda than mere pranayams and kriyas."

India Digitizes Age-Old Wisdom

2006-01-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

Effort Seeks to Keep Westerners From Poaching Folk Remedies

By John Lancaster (Washington Post Foreign Service)
Sunday, January 8, 2006; A22

NEW DELHI -- In a drafty government institute, Nighat Anjum reads from a dog-eared textbook on traditional Indian medicine and acquaints herself with the miracle fruit known as aamla, which is said to be useful in treating heart palpitations, immune disorders, bed-wetting and memory lapses.

Tapping on a computer keyboard, the 27-year-old physician enters its properties in a database that eventually will contain more than 100,000 such traditional remedies -- the collective wisdom of the ancient healing arts known as ayurveda , unani and siddha , the latter based on the teachings of the Hindu god Shiva.

Other entries include powdered nightingale droppings (a skin lightener and laxative), nightingale flesh (an aphrodisiac), ostrich fat (for aches and pains), ostrich blood (for inflammation), charred sea crab (constipation, ulcers, cataracts and dental stains), honey (for improving vision), tumeric (for treating wounds and rashes) and coconut milk (urinary tract infections).

Employing about 150 doctors and technicians, the four-year, $2 million effort is aimed at protecting India's traditional remedies from theft by multinational drug companies in a practice known here as bio-piracy. The database will also include hundreds of yoga poses so that foreigners cannot copyright them as their own.

Though Indian officials can point to just a handful of such intellectual-property cases involving traditional medicine, they say the threat is bound to grow as foreign drug companies seek to cut soaring research-and-development costs by finding new products among natural remedies that have been used in India, China and other developing countries for millennia.

More broadly, the compilation of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library reflects a nationalistic pride in India's ancient scientific heritage as well as its citizens' continuing faith in herbal and other natural treatments that often are viewed with skepticism in the West.

Indian officials say the data-collection effort will promote the commercialization of traditional Indian remedies, help validate their scientific underpinnings and encourage collaboration between Indian and foreign pharmaceutical companies.

In doing so, they say, the project will spur the development of a uniquely Indian health-care industry that blends 21st-century technology with spirituality and the wisdom of ages in the same way that Brahmin traditions of Sanskrit and mathematics helped set the stage for India's information-technology boom.

"India's strength is civilization, and its culture and knowledge," said V.K. Gupta, the director of the National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources in New Delhi, which is overseeing the project. "The moment we revisit that, the power of India is unimaginable."

In a telephone interview from Washington, Mark Grayson, a spokesman for Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, the drug-industry lobbying group, described the Indian project as "a solution in search of a problem." He said "there is no evidence of bio-piracy," noting that most modern drugs are developed from chemicals with the aid of computers, rather than from natural substances.

At the same time, he said, the Indian effort could "inhibit drug development" by discouraging companies from developing new cures from plants whose medicinal uses India now claims as protected intellectual property. The drug industry is opposing India's efforts to amend World Trade Organization rules to protect such ancient remedies.

The most popular traditional medical system in India is ayurveda, which is rooted in Hinduism -- its original Sanskrit formulations were recorded 2,000 years ago on palm leaves -- and aims to restore the "balance" between body and spirit. Despite the growing influence of Western medicine, ayurveda remains the dominant form of treatment in many parts of rural India, where access to conventional care is often limited.

Even in such major cities as New Delhi, which boasts several world-class medical facilities, ayurveda is widely embraced. Pharmacies stock ayurvedic remedies alongside antibiotics and other conventional treatments. Bollywood stars hawk ayurvedic medicines from billboards. And a generation of middle-class children has grown up on morning spoonfuls of Chyvanprasam, a jam-like ayurvedic supplement.

"Ayurvedic medicine has no side effects," said Sheema Rajesh, a 31-year-old soldier's wife from southern India who was seeking treatment for jaundice the other day at an ayurvedic clinic in the capital. "It's made from natural things, and from the time we were small, we've been taking these medicines, so we believe in them."

A politician's charge last week that a line of ayurvedic cures peddled by one of India's most popular television gurus had been adulterated with human bone made the front pages of Indian newspapers -- and sparked an attack by the guru's followers on the politician's Communist Party office in New Delhi.

Besides ayurvedic medicine, the database also is recording remedies from unani, a system that was introduced to the subcontinent 4,000 years ago by the Greeks. Unani is based on the theory that sickness is caused by an imbalance in "the four humors" -- black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm -- that define human temperament, according to Anjum, the unani doctor who was entering the data on the aamla fruit.

The system relies heavily on herbs and is "very effective," she said.

Siddha, which was first practiced in southern India by followers of Lord Shiva, employs medicines made from herbs, animal parts, metals and minerals. "Even though it is coming from supernatural power, so much is scientifically proved," said Muthu Kumar, a Siddha expert who is working for the database project.

Gupta, the project director, said the need for the database became apparent in 1995, when two Indian-born scientists in Mississippi were granted a U.S. patent on the use of tumeric, a common spice, to heal wounds. The move sparked protests from the Indian government, which cited ancient Sanskrit texts describing the use of tumeric for the same purpose. The patent was revoked.

To create the database, Gupta's team since 2001 has been poring over ancient texts in Sanskrit, Urdu, Persian and Arabic in search of traditional formulas. Working in drab cubicles and enduring frequent power cuts, the specialists enter the formulas in alphanumeric code, which is then translated automatically into English, Japanese, French, German and Spanish.

Sometime this year, the complete library will be made available to foreign patent offices on a secure Web site. Indian officials hope the patent offices will use the database in evaluating whether to grant patents on natural remedies.

"This traditional knowledge has been validated in the laboratory of life," Gupta said, with the zeal of a true believer. "It has been nurtured and grown in India for 4,000 years."

Washington Post

Ayurveda and its relevance today

2006-01-08T13:39:00.000-08:00

LIFESTYLE diseases are not communicable, meaning they are not contagious. They are also not triggered by skewed genetics. They only require our frenzied, unhealthy way of life, and our exhausted out-of-shape bodies, to breed in.

The causes of lifestyle diseases are complex and involve both the mind and body. Hence, holistic systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, which treat the mind and body to bring about good health and well-being, have a major role to play in treating disorders that afflict us today.

The benefits of applying holistic methods of treatment as prescribed in Ayurvedic literature in reducing the rates of heart diseases, cancers and diabetes in populations have been well proven in countries such as Finland, Japan and Singapore.

Why Ayurveda makes sense

A man wishing to be healthy throughout his life has to be healthy every day as well. Health depends on how one spends each day. Controlled and guided activities of body and mind are essential for maintaining sound health and prevent diseases.

The ideal way in which a healthy person with a balanced constitution or Sama prakriti should spend his day is described in the texts of Ayurveda. One can modify these according to the constitution or the diseased state of the person.

A healthy lifestyle is very important to maximise the effect of palliative treatment. Ayurveda strongly recommends that the patient adopt a regular sleeping schedule, proper ablution practices such as tongue cleaning, washing, bowel movements and so on, meditation, body massage, regular exercise, including various postures of yoga, proper clothing, balanced dietary intake according to seasons, adequate fluid intake, healthy relationships, avoidance of undue stress or exertion, pleasant, healthy, and socially permissible sex life and continued self education.

Ayurveda advocates regular massage as part of a healthy lifestyle.
In order to maximise the effectiveness of palliative treatment, vyayama (exercise, yoga, stretching), breathing exercises and sunbathing are necessary.

Further, Ayurvedic approaches to the treatment of lifestyle disorders involve a holistic approach of drug, diet and behavioural changes that help to tackle the problems of body and mind to ensure good health and vitality.

The management of illness in Ayurveda primarily consists of four procedures; cleansing (Samshodhana); palliation (Samshamana); rejuvenation (Rasayana); and psychological and spiritual healing (Satvavajaya).

Besides these, dietary and lifestyle management are initiated according to the disturbed doshas and the physical and mental constitution of a person.

For a sampler, here’s how Ayurveda manages diabetes and obesity.

Diabetes mellitus (Madhumeha)

According to Ayurveda, the consideration of a patient’s lifestyle, age, type of work, psychosocial needs and willpower is important in a management plan. The latter includes the necessary panchakarmas (cleansing methods), herbal formulas, a healthy meal plan, and regular blood sugar monitoring. A physician needs to evaluate the plan at each visit and make necessary modifications.

Herbs are selected based on their properties, such as Rasa (taste and physicochemical properties), Veerya (potency), Vipaka (post-digestive effect) and Prabhava (unique action) that are necessary to bring about a balance in doshas.

On the basis of this approach, Charaka Samhita, the classical Ayurvedic text, has prescribed the following palliative treatments specific for dosha conditions.

It is important to note that according to Ayurveda, vigorous exercise is contraindicated in lean and weak patients with severe diabetes. Patients are advised to perform yoga and breathing exercises (pranayama). In fact, certain yoga practices and breathing exercises are believed to stimulate better utilisation and production of insulin by stimulating both the pancreas and muscles.

Other lifestyle changes recommended are regular walking and reducing the consumption of fatty foods such as butter and oils. The use of bitter gourd, pungent and astringent tasting food, asparagus, spinach, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, black pepper, and ginger is encouraged in the diet.

With regards to preventive measures, Ayurveda relies primarily on the adoption of lifestyle and food habits that reduce fat accumulation in the body because 80% of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients are known to be obese. Regular use of Rasayana (rejuvenatives) and herbal formulas that are effective in controlling blood sugar is advocated, particularly for those who have a family history of diabetes.

Obesity (Sthoulya)

When it comes to obesity prevention and management, Ayurveda has much to offer, with daily and seasonal regimens that include healthy foods, yoga exercise, panchakarma and medicines.

For obese patients, according to the symptoms of ama, digestive (dhatwagni deepan) and carminative (pachan) medications are given. Ayurvedic formulations of a guggulu kalpa decoction are also advised with appropriate doses (as per age, sex, severity of obesity) with water or a decoction of triphala.

Gentle oil massage is followed by massage with powders of medicinal plants (turmeric, sandalwood, rose powder, manjistha powder, chickpea flour) along the anti-direction of the length of hairs, reducing perspiration and its smell.

A diet known as sansarjanakrama is advised after elimination therapy and is dependent on the state of digestive fire. It includes rice preparations and soups of meat for successive days.

Further, Ayurveda also prescribes other non-drug modes of treatment such as reasonable fasting with dieting, exercise, and yoga and lifestyle changes and counselling. Diverse formulations and single plants with appropriate individualised dosages are also recommended.

Weight loss is expected to be gradual, long term, and lasting due to integral care rather than drastic weight loss often advocated by crash dieting. Individual constitution or prakruti, aptitude, taste, profession, peer support, motivation, relationships and stage of obesity are carefully looked into for a successful outcome of the therapeutic programme.

Adopting Ayurveda and its lifestyle recommendations to prevent and overcome modern lifestyle diseases provides a healing balance to the mind, body and soul.

The Malaysia Star