Murdha thailam.

Murdha thailam refers to the application of oil on the head.There are four ways to apply,they are:
(1)Siroabhyanga:This is a routine for all of us.Here oil is applied over the head.This helps to keep the head cool and cures dandruff,prevents hairfall and soothes the eye.The oil is choosen according to the disease and the prakruthi(nature)of the patient.For Vataprakruthi,Ksirabala,Balaguduchyadi thailam etc are used.For Pittaprakruthi,bringamalakadi thailam,Manjishtadi thailam etc are used.For Kaphaprakruthi,Asanavilwadi thailam,Eladi thailam etc are used.Taking bath after the abhyanga is a must.
(2)Sirodhara:Here the oil is made to flow from a particular height towards the head for a particular time.This is done for the diseases of the head,eyes and ears, also for the mental abnormalities.Instead of oil, takra(buttermilk)or ksira(milk) can be used.
(3)Siropichu:This is mainly done for vata predominant siroroga.Here oil is soaked in a piece of cloth and is spread over the head.When the oil gets absorbed more oil should be poured so that the cloth remains wet . The oil is prescribed according to the disease and the prakruthi of the patient.
(4)Sirovasthi:Here the medicated oil is made to stand on the head for a particular time।This is good for all the vata diseases of the head and neck।The oil used depends on the dosha predominance of the disease.

Monsoon and Broadband!

It's monsoon again. Met Dept. had predicted the oncoming of monsoon by the 26th of May. As we all know, monsoon brings with it a lot of diseases for all of us. Doctors and chemists call it their season (it's an inside secret, though!). But for the first time I realised that there's a lot of other inconveniences monsoon has got in store for us. Oh, no, not the frequent power cuts or the muddy roads, which has a become a familiar thing for us long ago. It's the 'cable fault' for the BSNL broad band! Broad band here is dead for the last two weeks.. thanks to the monsoon and the resultant cable fault.

Now, what are we supposed to do, to ensure that we don't frequently visit the Doctors, either for ourselves or for the kids? They say prevention is better than cure. Kids, they are more prone to common cold, cough, fever etc. as they have a low immunity power. Ayurvedic medicines like Draksharishta, Lohasava improves the immunity power. So without going for an antibiotic for your child you can cure the above said diseases with Ayurveda. It's as simple as that ! (Remember to take it under proper guidance)

Fasting in fast life

Pace of life these days is really very fast. You hardly have any time to take care of yourself, your body, your mind. So, how would you like if you get an easy way to take care of your god-gifted body and soul?

'Ayurveda Sutram' recommends deep breathing and fasting for maintaining good health, and to recover health for those who are sick. When we talk about fasting, we will have to differentiate between fasting and starving. Fasting doesn't mean suppressing hunger or to remain hungry. Fasting will be fasting only with the involvement of one's mind.

Fasting purifies the body by getting rid of the toxins and there is no loss of the vital organs or tissues. There should not be any restriction for water intake during fasting. Soon after fasting one should not go for a heavy meal at once. One should start with fruit juices, tender coconut water, vegetable soups or buttermilk as long as the digestive power remains the same. When you feel hungry you should change to slightly heavier food. This is because during the fast, the digestive organs have very little power to digest and time should be given to recover their digestive capacity.

Bedwetting is not a good habit....

XXXToday a mother and her ten year old daughter came to me. Even before taking her seat she started enquiring whether there was any medicine for stubbornness and laziness.
XXXThen she started narrating her story to me. She has two children, the elder one is a boy and goes to the college, the younger one is this girl. She herself is diabetic and physically weak. This girl doesn't help her mother at home, is very stubborn, don't take care of her things and urinates in the bed at night(Enuresis). She has dedicated all her time watching TV and doing nothing!
XXXEnuresis refers to the bed wetting after the age of three years. It is a psychosomatic problem.
Causes:(1)Psychological cause: When the parents are very strict, the child tends to be emotionally disturbed.
(2)Improper drainage of urine.
(3)Physical factors like thread worm infestations, genitourinary infections.
(4)Anatomical defects.
The diagnosis include a detailed interview with the parent as well as the child to find the aetiology and associated emotional factors. Here a complete physical examination and certain investigations like urine RE, are needed.
Treatment include psychotherapy and training. Too much water intake should be restricted at bedtime. Waking her up once or twice during night is also useful. The fact that she urinates in the bed should not be known to the others except the family. She should not be teased for this. Dry nights should be encouraged. This will help her regain the confidence and wet nights will be reduced.

It's world malaria day

It's world malaria day today. Malaria is found in hotter climates, where the mosquitoes thrive most. Malaria is normally spread by the mosquitoes, of course, the female ones, as the male mosquitoes are known to be 'vegetarians'. The malaria parasite, deposited by the mosquito when it bites a human being, gets multiplied rapidly and starts affecting the Red Blood Cells, thereby weakening the body, and the body develops high temperature. Ayurveda calls this i.e. Malaria as 'Vishama jwara'. Common symptoms of 'Vishama jwara' are known to be fever with shaking chills and headache, tiredness, nausea, muscle pains etc. Since the symptoms are similar to any other common fever, unless properly diagnosed and medical care is taken, things could turn serious.
This 'Vishama jwara' is one which affects the lever too, as the parasite grows there and gets strengthened. Therefore, it is very important to cleanse the system when stricken by malaria. So, what do we do to cleanse the system? Simple. Follow strict regimen of diet, comprising of rice gruel (ganji), boiled (or raw, wherever possible) vegetebles and fruits. Avoid spicy food. The idea is to see that the food taken in is easily digested.
According to Ayurveda, Neem Oil is a good remedy for 'Vishama jwara'. And our own Tulsi. The juice of handful of Tulsi leaves, mixed with 2-3 black pepper can be taken to keep the disease under control.

Hegde Sir met with an accident

XXXOur family friend and my hubby's colleague Hegde Sir met with a small accident the other day. The bike rider, who hit him during his morning walk immediately took him to AJ Hospital. Thank god, it was nothing serious. Small bruises here and there, and a small cut, which had to be stitched.

XXXWhen I heard that the accident happened just near to the SDM Ayurveda Hospital in Bejai, I thought for a while - why was he not taken to SDM? Don't Ayurveda Hospitals entertain accident cases? Are they not equipped for that? Or do the people think that Ayurveda is all about Panchakarma, massages and Kashayas?

XXXThink for a while - ancient India has seen plenty of battles between the umpteen number of countries that existed those days. Who treated all those who were wounded in the battle field or in other accidents, when modern medicine or allopathy was not even heard of ? The picture above shows a surgery being conducted in Ancient India by Shushrutha, who is known as Father of Surgery.

XXXA peep into the 'Shushrutha Samhitha', the oldest known surgical text, should be enough to understand how deeply surgery was discussed in Ayurveda in those days. Shalya Tantra is a branch of Ayurveda which discusses Surgery extensively, including poorva karma (pre-surgery), Sashtrakriya (surgery) and paschath karma (post-surgical) treatments. It is quite apparent that despite having such a rich heritage, Ayurveda was given a step motherly treatment by the policy makers, pre-independence as well as post-independence, of modern India, in their enthusiasm to encourage modern medicine.

Lazy..? Oh, that's Kapha Dosha!

XXXYep.. too long a gap, that was. I was a bit lazy to scribble something here, mainly because of the long journeys I had to undertake during the last month. When you are physically tired, you don't feel like sitting and typing! Well.. have you ever wondered why do we feel lazy at all? Reasons of being tired physically and mentally apart, Ayurveda says that the increase in 'Kapha Dosha' can make you lazy. Symptoms of increased Kapha Dosha are anorexia (decreased digestive power), excess salivation, heaviness of the body, excess sleep etc.
XXXNow, any guess, what would be the best remedy for increased 'Kapha Dosha'? Regular exercise ! So all those who skip exercises claiming to be lazy, now know what should be done.. Increased Kapha Dosha is also treated with Vamana (purification of the lungs and stomach through medical emesis) and Virechana (purification of the entir body through oral medicine). Where Vamana is not possible, theekshna Virechana is used. Aragwadadi Kashayam and Lohabhasma are also given for this Dosha. One thing to be kept in mind is to refrain from sweets.

"Sarvendriyanam Nayanam Pradhanam"

The eye being highly sensitive and delicate organ it is protected by different means:(1)it is situated inside a hard bony cavity.(2)Eyelids,eyebrows and eyelashes protect the eye from foriegn bodies and external particles.(3)Soft tissue behind the eyeballs protects from contusions.However in spite of all these protective measures there are chances of injuries by the foriegn bodies.
Ashtasthana Pareeksha in Ayurveda is the common examination methods for the diagnosis of a disease.Drishti is included in Ashtasthana Pareeksha which means that eye is both functionally and diagnostically important.Each systemic disease has its own ophthalmic manifestations.For eg. in mumps there is inflammation of lacrimal glands,in fungal infection there is inflammation of lids,in thyroid fever there is inflammation of optic nerve are a few to be mentioned.
'Prevention is better than cure' is a saying that is very important in case of eye diseases.Preventive methods include:
(1)Simple medications:are simple procedures that can be daily practised like Anjana(medicine is applied on the inner surface of the lid)Nasya(medicine is applied through the nasal cavity)Kabala(medicine is filled in the mouth to such an extent that we can shake it) etc.
(2)Habitual factors:Siroabhyanga(oil is applied to the head),snanam(taking bath),adequate sleep etc.
(3)Diet:is an important factor.Spicy and salty foods should be avided.Amalaki and black grapes are good for the eyes.
(4)Mental status:We should try to avoid stess,strain,extreme worries and anger and keep the mind cool and calm.
Some Tips:After journey always wash face and eyes with cold clean water.Before going to bed keep eyes and feet clean.

Kaumara bhrityam

Ayurveda discusses childcare under Kaumarabhritya.When they start mingling with other kids and start going to school,children are ready to explore new world of activitieswith great enthusiasm.One way of ensuring that all the desired results are achieved is to enhance the learning ability of our children. Ancient Ayurvedic Texts such as ‘Charaka Samhitha’ and ‘Ashtanga hridayam’ have discussed the various aspects of mental ability, which are dhi (learning), dhriti (retaining) and smriti ( recollecting). When these three are well coordinated in a child, he is bright and any missing link makes him weak in studies.
Ayurveda gives utmost importance to the food that is consumed by the growing children. As far as possible, they should be given freshly cooked food. Excess intake of highly processed junk foods, frozen foods and tinned foods can actually bring down the IQ of the children. Children require protein abundantly for their growth and protein rich food should be included in the diet. Inclusion of small amounts of spices such as turmeric, pepper etc. would be helpful for better digestion.
In addition to the regular nutrient food as discussed above, children can be given certain Ayurvedic Remedies such as Brahmi grthm, Saraswatha grthm etc. to boost their memory power. These grthas have the ability to transport the goodness of the herbs contained in them to the brain and other parts of the body.
It is said, love is to be shown. Let your love for your children be seen and felt by them. Who will not like to have a gentle massage by the mother? The affectionate magical touch of the parent, coupled with a few drops of a medicated oil (lakshadi thylam etc.), on alternate days (or at least on weekends) can do wonders for the kid. It enhances blood circulation and the natural immunity.
Another factor as important as food is sleep. Researches conducted in this regard have shown that sleep deprivation can severely hamper the brain's ability to learn new things. An experiment showed that people who fail to get a good night's sleep before studying new information remember roughly 10% less than their well-rested counterparts. In today’s world, where children are glued to the TVs and Computers for a long time, they compromise on their time for sleep. For a child to start a day energetically, it should be ensured that he gets a proper 8 hours sleep on the previous night. Sleep disorders can play a havoc in the ‘dhi – dhriti – smriti ’ ability of a child. Since diet and sleep are inter related, the last food of the day (dinner) should be taken at least 1 ½ - 2 hours prior to bed time. Lack of sleep can lead to digestive problems too.
Therefore, following a disciplined and healthy food habit, physical activities and sleep is all the more important for a child as they are in the growing stage.

AC, are you listening?

A patient of mine called me today from a far off place to say that the medicine I prescribed was quite effective and that he would like to complete the course and get fully recovered. Medicines are effective, but seldom does a patient calls a Doctor to convey that. When you are fully alright and are busy with the daily chores of life, where do you have the time to think of the Doctor?

Well, this patient of mine had approached me for the first time with a complaint of piles. This is one of the diseases wherein Ayurveda is more effective than anything else. Along with internal medicines Avagaha(sitting in a tub with warm water) and infiltration of oil into the anus are also done. I prescribed Chirivilwadi kashayam, Abhayarishtam and Guggulupanchapala choornam for him. After about 2 weeks, he said he was relieved a lot and asked me to prescribe further medication. At this stage, he can continue the kashayam along with Suranadi lehyam/chargyeradi ghrithm as his digestive power (jatharagni) is normal. A patient with low digestive power (manda jatharagni) should take the grithm in small quantity.

A family friend of mine, AC, was heard telling that he was under medication for piles. Didn't speak to him for a long time, and I really do not know how he is now. AC, listen, even after trying out everything else, you still can approach a good Ayurvedacharya to get fully recovered.

Age Related Atrophic Changes

xxxx A senior colleage of my hubby had called last evening. His mom, who is about 79 yrs has been bed riddedn for some time. She was admitted to a Super Speciality Hospital and all check ups were done. She is diabetic and hypertensive. The problem with her is that she doesn't get proper sleep, gets angry very easily, becomes very adamant at times etc.

xxxx She is going through Age Related Atrophic Changes, as her Doctor had diagnosed and mentioned in her discharge sheet. They suggested she could be taken to a psychiatrist, as they had nothing more to do.

xxxx The term 'Atrophic changes' originates from the Greek word 'atrophia' which means 'lack of food'. The word 'atrophy' in English means 'to gradually become less effective or vigorous'. In Ayurveda, treatment for this includes both internal and external medication. Internal medicines include Kashayas, Arishtas, Gritha & Lehyam. These are administered taking into consideration the digestive power of the patient.

xxxx

xxxx External Therapies include Pizhichil, Navarakizhi, Dhara, Nasyam etc. But these kinds of Panchakarma therapies are normally not done for patients above 70 years of age, All she can do is to take internal medicines like Brahmyadi Kashayam, Sukumara Kashayam, Manasa mitra Vatarkam etc. Grithas and Arishtas cannot be given as she is diabetic. She can also do some physiotherapy.

xxxx More than any medicine or therapy, what she requires at this time is a lot of people around her to chat with, to crack jokes with, and to put simply – to keep her mind happy. These are the circumstances we are reminded about the significance of a joint family !!

OUSHADHA MATRA-Dosage of Medicine

मात्राया नास्त्यवस्थानं दोषमग्निं बलं वयम्
व्याधिं द्रव्यम् च कोष्ठश्च वीक्ष्यमात्रं प्रयोजयेत
xxxx In Ayurveda the dose to be administered depends on so many factors.Those factors include dosha,the digestive power of the patient,strength of the patient,his age,the disease and the ingredients of the yoga(medicine to be prescribed).
xxxx It was Sharangdhara in his book 'Sharandhara Samhitha', who described the dose calculation along with all the necessary factors for determining doses.

Dhanya's 'Garbhopadrava'

Hi.. That was a long pause of course.. In fact, Unniyettan asked me, "what' happened.. initial activism stopped?" Doesn't matter, I'm back again.
What brought me back again is my friend Dhanya’s second pregnancy. Good news. The not-so-good news is that she's in the hospital for the last few days.

That's 'Garbhopadrava'. Ayurveda discusses in detail about various Garbhopadravas, such as nausea, vomitting, anorexia (loss of appetite), retention of urine etc. So there's nothing uncommon and absolutely nothing to worry if she vomits a little. But the problem is she vomits more than what she eats.. That landed her in the hospital.

'Garbhini Vyakaran' describes the Ayurvedic way of managing pregnancy. The physician attending to the ‘Garbhini’ has to be very careful as he has to keep in mind the protection and nourishment of both the foetus and the mother. The pregnancy period, totally 40 weeks or roughly 10 months, can broadly be divided into three stages, the first stage being 1-12 weeks, second 13-28 weeks and the last 29-40 weeks. Ayurveda prescribes special routine for each month during the period of pregnancy. However, one has to be utmost careful during the first stage and the last. During the initial three months, importance is given to stabilize the pregnancy and it is advisable to take juicy fruits, tender coconut water etc. for the nourishment of the embryo. It is during this period that the baby forms its various organs.

This being her second pregnancy, Dhanya knows the importance of taking nutritious food, going for light exercises, keeping herself happy always etc.. But unfortunately, she’s forced to take all the ‘nutrition’ through pipe!! Yes, she’s not able to eat properly due to excessive vomiting. This is normally controlled by tablets or sometimes injections. She must include a lot of green & leafy vegetables in her diet to ensure the required supply of Vitamin B 12, Vitamin C, and Calcium. If not able to eat, probably she can go for homemade soups made of fresh vegetables. Stress is given to ‘home made’ because, the ingredients in the soup powders available in the market which are added for taste & smell and the preservatives therein are not all that good for Dhanya, especially during this period. She must, as far as possible, avoid colas, tinned food products and maida products, such as porota, bread etc.

Let’s wish her good times ahead..

Eat Iron ..

Friends, why do we need Iron? Oh, sorry, we all use iron in our daily life, but I mean, why does human body require Iron?
About 60% of the iron in our body is present in the blood cells. It is this iron that helps blood cells to carry oxygen from lungs to various organs in the body, and obviously, when iron levels are down, oxygen consumption goes down, which in turn results in fatigue, sort of headaches etc. Serious deficiency of iron in the blood cells lead to anaemia. Now we know why we do not have sufficient energy when we need it – lack of iron. Human body requires its own share of iron to maintain proper energy levels.
So, iron is present in human body. But it’s not that sufficient quantity of iron is stored safely in a locker. We all lose iron (though a small amount) in our daily chores of life. Those who exercise vigorously, athletes and other sports persons are likely to lose iron through perspiration, while women of all categories lose a lot of blood cells during menstruation.
In the case of a pregnant woman, it is very important to have sufficient iron intake to ensure proper blood supply for the mother and the child. Though normally physicians prescribe iron tablets for pregnant women, it can be done away with, if iron rich food is included in the diet of the expecting mother.
Since iron is abundant in most of the vegetables, we have a wide choice for iron intake. Green leafy vegetables, cabbage, beans, green peas, cereals, bitter guard etc. are good sources of iron. Non vegetarians can have seafood like sardines, shrimp, etc and eggs to ensure iron intake. Milk, pomegranate, sesame seeds, black grape fruit and ghee are also good iron sources. Honey is good in the treatment of anaemia, thanks to its large iron content.

What's your New Year Resolution ?

To break it or otherwise, I suggest we all should have a New Year Resolution this year. That we'll keep ourselves physically fit for the whole year. ( For the next year, we'll renew the resolution on the next New Year eve!). I said "to break it or otherwise..", because, they say well begun is half done. Something is better than nothing you see.. However, I'm sure, once you start reaping the benefit of keeping yourself fit, you'll never think of breaking the resolution.

Well.. for all those who already follow a regular exercise schedule, let the resolution be to carry on the same with more enthusiasm, and for all those who never thought of exercise (and for those who only 'think' of exercise, like my hubby), let the resolution be that - I start regular exercise from TODAY. Your body will thank you tomorrow, because it helps you age well!

The first thing we should understand is, regular exercise schedule is a necessity for human body, as is regular food habits. How easily most of us excuse ourselves asking where's the time? All that is required is just half an hour's brisk walking, which is reasonalbly sufficient for a healthy body. (Of course, for tougher fitness freaks there are organ specific exercises).

John F Kennedy once said "Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity"