e-Ayurved

Swine Flu

2009-07-24T23:09:00.009+05:30

A new epidemic has started recently and is known as Swine flu. Needless to say it is imported. Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As of 2009, the known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
The central health dept has given declaration that this condition is treatable and medicines are available. I still wonder why the deaths in the countries are being reported whose medicine system the central health dept. is following. This condition is a viral infection. Anti viral therapeutics is grown to an extent but is it sufficiently effective in treating this virus?
Ayurvedic sciences have given an elaborate chapter the Jwara Adhyaya. Many Jwara types described in this chapter are clinically the same as described in recent past as Chickun gunya, Influeza, Dombivali fever, Dengue, veriola and vericella groups etc. The sore throat and fever combination of Swine flu and the high fever and rashes combination in dengue found in the Pitta Pradhana Sannipatik Jwara. These fevers can effectively treated by Ayurvedic therapy. I am working on viral infections since 1996 and have good record of treating the Herpes zoster, Hepatitis B, Dengue etc viruses. Anybody who has studied the Ayurvedic sciences carefully can treat these diseases and diseases like these which may be imported in future. An herbal combination is developed and the results are showing that the viral titre goes down per day. Fastest recovery is ensured with the use of this combination.

Not the least this preparation is quiet useful in Prophylaxis of viral infections. This is my experience in the last epidemic of Chickungunya a couple of years before. The preparation is lab tested nontoxic and safe to use.

Ayurvedic view of preventing care - following seeps may be taken.

Keeping the good habits of covering the mouth and nose while sneezing and coughing is essential. Every one may apply a layer of sesamon oil or Ghee in the nose frequently to avoid the bad effects of pollution and keeping away from infection.
The medicine as mentioned by me can be taken in low doses for prophylaxis.
Keeping the vicinity clean and dry is essential. Allowing the sunlight and fresh air inside the working place and home is essential.
Ayurvedic texts have given a medicine which is to be burnt and smoke created. This smoke is having anti bacterial and antiviral properties.
The Atirudra Anushthana with proper Hawan is essential public measure. It has the capacity to kill the viruses and other microorganisms in the air. Ample research on this is done by Gayatri Vidyapeeth and even in Europian countries. The Vedic sages may be consulted further for these services.

TUBERCULOSIS AND AYURVEDIC SCIENCES

2009-07-24T17:13:00.004+05:30

IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS REGARDING PATHOLOGY AND RECOVERY-
This Bacterium needs moist climate to be alive for longer time. It is short living in the sunlight. It does not grow unless and until the host immunity is good but remains dormant and alive. As the immunity of the creature decreases the power of deactivating the bacteria and their products goes lowering. These bacteria produce proteins that cause cessation in the surrounding tissue causing edema and in this climate mycobacterium multiplies rapidly. The neutrophils in the blood have diminished activity and are in capable of engulfing this bleb. They try to overcome this challenge by fusing together and forming ‘giant’ cells. This is the characteristic tissue change in this disease. All tissues except the skin are susceptible to the attack from this bacterium.
Like other organisms it is killed by antimicrobials. Earlier strep-to-my-cin etc. group was effectively working against these bacteria and started the magic era in the modern history of treating tuberculosis. After a time gap these medicines were found insufficient and new agents like INH were included. Soon the organism developed the power to overcome these specific agents and the era of resistance started. Newer and newer molecules were found to kill this bleb forming monster. The experience based knowledge was followed as a myth over the world. Pharmaceutical companies took active part in the quest for newer agents and produced tons of it to save the world. The only thing on which they concentrated was to kill the bacteria. They forgot to look after the immune suppression caused by these agents and hepato toxicity of these agents which was indirectly hitting the passive immunity of all the tissues in body. Killing the bacteria was the criteria and the clear healing by removing the bleb in totality was not considered. This contracted and dried/ shrunken bleb partially deactivated by the body was let to remain in the body. The immunity factor was thought to be taken care of by specifying high protein diet. Whether the patient with a damaged liver can digest this heavy diet was not given proper consideration. Those who did regular exercise in some form did come out of the disease some what, but their experience is that of post treatment gain in weight to the point of becoming overweight. Many of the treated population are in the society and their vulnerability to Diabetes Mellitus and other connective tissue diseases is not traced to the immune compromise due to the treatment and the fatty infiltration of liver which ensued. Recurrence of the infection and now the threat of viruses like the HIV are the dreaded complications. The resistance is developing to the most modern molecules developed. The regimen now consists of six agents all known to be more or less dangerous to the liver. A couple of agents are removed from the old regimen for they were found of no use in the treatment (INH) and are found to lower the immunity status. These agents are still in use in this country.
Incidence of medicine resistant Tuberculosis case approaching an alternative medicine practitioner is increasing and it means that the society needs some better approach in treating this disease. Outside Bharat the condition is more tragic because they do not allow other medicines to treat such cases.
AYURVEDIC SCIENCES AND THEIR APPROACH-
Ayruvedic texts have included this infection under a complex immune linked syndrome (cluster of diseases) known as the RAJAYAKSHMA. Tuberculosis cannot be translated as the Rajyakshma in totality but is a part of this immune depressing complex pathology. The Rajayakshma is the immune deficiency syndrome described in Ayurvedic texts originating from specific four categories of etiology.
Tuberculosis thus can be treated by the medicines described in the Rajayakshma and Shosha chapters. This treatment has many salient features and advantages as compared to the treatment available. We will go through a few of them with which a common person must be concerned.

The bacterium, which is of a different type, is killed by Herbal medicines. These medicines are non specific molecules and work like chemical agents. This agent is tested by ICMR and is effectively killing the bacterium in the dilution of 1:200 of its water extract.
This agent is itself having a hepato(liver) protective action rather toxicity. Thus it is most uncommon to get any immune depression post treatment. This agent is having an augmenting effect on the action of medicines used along with it. The researchers working a hybrid regime were able to reduce the dose of modern antibiotics to 1/6th of their normal doses. Their activity was still observed at the best. This agent does the same thing with herbal and other chemical agents used with it.
This agent helps in dissolving the bleb after killing the bacteria. The dissolved material can be deactivated and eliminated from the body by colonic secretion and along with other wastes elimination.
Ayurvedic texts have described the medicines in next stage which are capable of regenerating an epithelial tissue (skin like tissue which is originated from the same layer of tissue in a fetus which generates skin) layer on the inner surface of the cavity formed by re absorption of the bleb. Thus by virtue of this correct healing process the risk of a shrunken bleb re activation and re development of the disease in post treatment period is reduced considerably. The development of a tissue which is resistant most to the attack of these bacteria thus offers maximum safety to the damaged tissue. The damaged tissue can be regenerated later on by employing the Rasayana medicines. In this case the original bleb cavity is reduced to a linear potential space.
As said earlier the bacteria killing agent being non toxic to the immunity forming organ in body immunity status is not deteriorated further due to the treatment. In the state where this infection occurs in a person with existing immune compromised disease active immunity is given to the patient by the diet described in Ayurvedic texts. My experience of this diet is simply fantastic to the extent that an insulin dependent diabetic with tuberculosis recovered in a time period of one month.
The immunity can be further boosted by agents given which can stop future dreaded complications like HIV infection and other viral infections.
The bacteria killing agent can be administered by various routes so as to reach the target tissue in the shortest time (even in the state of tubercular infection of the brain coverings and the brain proper.
Not the least texts have narrated the treatment to the point till the color and luster of the skin of the diseased returns to the point where the one was not diseased at all.
The diet is described in detail and includes many mouth watering dishes and combinations.

By now it will be clear to the readers that Ayurvedic texts have given a better and total approach for treating this disease. This approach is host friendly and ensuring a healthy population needed to form a healthy and strong nation.

Joint Pains

2009-03-24T17:56:00.002+05:30

What occurs to you when you hear the words - Joint Pains? Pain in the knee, hip….probably shoulder ache or stiff fingers. ‘Modern’ medicine treats joint pains locally – meaning the infective part is acted on with anti-inflammatory antibiotics over a period of few (or more) months with the intent of controlling pain at the earliest. However, typically what emerges after a bout of treatment are a series of problems:

Connective tissue disorders – sparked by auto-immunity to the antibiotics that our body develops over time
Senile degradation of tissues like bones, muscles
Damage to digestive system and kidneys

Ayurved defines the scope of the word “Joint” differently – not only bone joints (like knee, shoulder, hip etc) considered as joints but also the joints between nerves, arteries, veins, those between different channels and tissues in our body. The sheer number of joints just cannot be counted – there are innumerable joints! After all one must not forget the blood – the largest connective tissue in the body – when considering “Joints”. It plays a vital role in the auto immunity and is THE link between the digestive system and the connective tissues of various types.
This difference in approach towards what is considered as a joint, leads to further differences in the approach towards treatment. While Allopathy aims at controlling pain, Ayurved aims at curing the root cause of the pain. What’s more is that as per Ayurved, cerebral infracts as well as the Valve atreisa in the cardiac valves is just as possible to be treated as the strictures and curvatures formed in the hand and leg joints. Many disorders that are ‘untreatable’ by Allopathic medicine like sub dermal sclerosis, interstitial lung fibrosis and fibrosis and sclerosis of any connective tissue (e.g. sclerotic patches in the brain) any where in the body can be treated by Ayurvedic medicines.

What happens inside the body when you experience joint pain?
Initially, the pain occurs in the muscles that pull the concerned bone, the muscles become taut & stretched and need antispasmodic treatment and good lubrication.
If so-called ‘pain-relieving’ medicines taken at this stage, the renal load tends to increase causing the swelling around the joint to increase further. In many cases where the patient is hypertensive there is the danger of ‘modern’ medicine to treat the bone-joints for pain rather than the muscles surrounding the bones that actually cause the spasmodic pain.

How does Ayurved treat joint pains?
These cases are better treated by treating the circulating load causing hypertension. In a few cases there is extravasation of blood / plasma around the joint and is above the joint proper and its coverings. In such cases the approach is to be changed and the swelling needs to be drained to give immediate relief. The consolidation of blood / plasma should be liquefied before trying to drain it. Small edema in the joint coverings can be taken care of by applying the medicine on the skin (Lepa), dusting & dry rubbing of medicine powders (Udgharshana, Avachoornana). Edema of the bony tissue is to be treated in a different manner by using bone metabolism enhancers and specific agents that can eliminate the debris through colon. The bone edema in consolidated form (osteophytes) can be resolved by using bone reabsorbing medicines. The worn out bones can be regenerated by using specific Rasayana Medicines. Bones can be reshaped and surfaces hardened. In order to maintain the joint spaces mechanical measures like Padmasana, Swastikasana etc. can be effectively used with supporting changes in lifestyle. The results can be maintained by exercise to elevate metabolic rate and dietary support for bone density. What is most noteworthy is that the auto-immunity caused by dosages of (damage-causing) antibiotics can be redeemed by treating with agents that can dissolve the proteins that make up the excess antibodies. These agents act by helping the liver step up the metabolism to stop further production of antibodies until the optimum balance is achieved.

In infective conditions of the joints, antimicrobials given in the texts are to be employed & in mycobacterium infection the medicines from Rajayakshma are to be employed.
Medicine resistance is a risk that can occur with the joint pains and disorders. In such cases the usual modus operandi is halted while resolving the resistance to medicine takes priority. For this different approaches are given in the Ayurvedic texts. I have practiced these and have observed the medicines to be working at 100% efficiency.
Immune boosting at the end of treatment can be considered – I call it an optional necessity. This is done using different Rasayanas.

Due consideration must also be given to the fact that our joints are linked to each other and linked with our body organs by specific electrical linkages…and hence, there exists a different course of medicine for each specific joint area. For instance, the treatment for joint problems in the area around the right knee is not the same as that for joint pains in the area around the left knee. In both sided joint pains the entire complex pathology is analyzed carefully and medicine pattern needs to be designed based on the priorities and dependencies.

As you see, joint pains are curable – even without joint-replacement! However, the treatment is complex and needs to be handled by an expert Ayurvedic practitioner. I would strongly advise that one does NOT experiment with treating oneself without proper knowledge of Ayurved.

Keep Healthy and Happy !!

Asthma

2008-05-06T08:31:00.019+05:30

As per popular portrayal of the disease in movies, asthma is characterized by choking, breathlessness, and spasms in the lungs. Most people (and regretfully, doctors) believe that asthma is caused by external triggers like pollens, pollutants and dust particles. Allopaths also believe this disease is incurable.
(Check out what the National Institute of Health, USA has to say about asthma at this link http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html)

While the choking, lung-spasms and breathlessness are symptoms, asthma is actually caused because of damaged micro-digestion due to excessive consumption of heavy-proteins and starch.

Let me take you through a mini-biology lesson to make things clear:

When you consume proteins & starch more than what is required by your body, it makes for difficult digestion because the liver produces only a limited quantity of enzymes. With time (and continued excessive protein / starch consumption) the liver function is hampered.
Since the liver is hampered, the stomach does not digest the food completely.
The by-product at the end of digestion by the stomach should ideally be clear liquid and semisolid waste to be converted into stools and thrown out of the body. The clear liquid essentially contains basic digested units of diet which can be reabsorbed and utilized after which the clear solvent containing few waste materials is processed by kidneys. However, in case of poor digestion the by-product is not two distinct substances, but one watery-semi-solid substance.
The kidney is unable to filter out the waste from this mass due to the large size of the particles.
These are then absorbed by the colon….and with nowhere to go, it is routed to the lungs to be ejected through expiration.
This causes a lining on the insides of the lungs and over-time, the lung’s capacity to expand and contract is affected. Thus, the breathlessness, lung-spasms, choking………Asthma!!

Our body is not designed to fail in the face of one-loop having problems. It has a back-up mechanism as well. The liver has the capacity to increase the production of digestive enzymes. So why does asthma still occur? The harsh reality is that the so-called “medicines” and antibiotics provided to control infections and fever actually affect the liver adversely. (Some of these silent-killers are Paracetamol, painkillers like Novalgin, Nice among others. Incidentally, Nice is a painkiller that has been banned by all countries in the world except India ! ) The immunity of the body reduces and a person falls prey to asthmatic attacks at triggers like dust, pollens, pollutants and the like.
I am not surprised that Allopaths claim this disease is incurable….and if you understand how it is treated by Allopathy, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear a perfectly curable disease being called incurable. Allopaths treat asthma by providing steroids as bronchodilators i.e. the stuff in the inhalators. These bronchodilators dry-out the lungs and leave a thin film of residue on the insides of the wind-pipe and the lungs.

This reduces the space available in the wind pipe for air to move about. Thus inhalators need to be used with increasing frequency. Beyond a certain extent if an elastic can’t stretch, the windpipe can’t either. No wonder Allopaths claim asthma can be controlled, but not cured!!

Can Ayurved cure asthma?......The answer is a resounding yes!!....let me cap that – YES!!

Ayurved heals asthma by dealing with all the aspects by which the disease harms the body. Incidentally, a similar concept was expounded by Dr. Pasture, the father of modern bacteriology. “Lee germ n’est rien, c’est le terrain qui est tout” - the great doctor said on his death bed; meaning “The Microbe is Nothing, the Soil is Everything" (Stress 1955-56; p33).

So, how does Ayurved work on curing Asthma?

Dilates the bronchi to create some extra space through which the air can flow.
Thins out the mucus secretions clogging the bronchi and bronchioles.
Stimulates the bronchial ciliary lining to move the secretions and stimulates the accessory mechanisms to expectorate the bronchial secretions.
Produce active control over the infection in the case of infective state.
Support the body and heart and protect from hypoxic damage.

The point to be noted is that while cure is possible, it takes dedicated efforts over time by both – patient and the doctor to rid this disease completely; since this disease controls very vital organs through its tentacles. Meaning – prevention is indeed better than cure. Some of the foods that are too high on protein and carry a risk of asthma (among others) on excessive consumption are curds / yogurt (and derivatives of curds like cottage cheese / paneer), chocolates, sprouts, excessive sugar, beer among others. You would do well to avoid these in excess.

Keep Healthy and Happy !!