Joint Care

Joint Care

Author: Dr. Harish K. Verma

Osteoarthritis is the most common condition, affecting the weight bearing joints (e.g. knees, lower back, hips, etc.), often described as "wear and tear" arthritis.

In human body the ends of the bones in normal joints are covered with a smooth, slippery tissue called cartilage, which provides protection to our bones. Joints also contain a fluid called synovial fluid, which acts as a cushion or "shock absorber" and lubricates the joint.

In people with osteoarthritis, the synovial fluid becomes thinner and loses its elasticity. The thinner synovial fluid does not provide a good cushion. For this reason, the cartilage covering the ends of the bones begins to break, which leads to pain and stiffness in the joint.

Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disorder, because of degeneration of cartilage covering the ends of the bones.

In Ayurveda this condition is called as Sandhighat Vata.

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A Good Night's Sleep

A Good Night's Sleep

Author: Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra

Millions of people of all ages are affected by sleep problems, many with severe, chronic sleep deprivation. A round-the-clock activity-driven society has meant that many individuals habitually defer sleep to get other things done. "I'll catch up later," is, however, easier said than done.

Recent research indicates that pervasive sleep deprivation can lead to more serious health problems than just a dull clouded feeling the next morning – including obesity, high blood pressure and diminished resistance to infections. While there is substantial awareness about the need for proper nutrition and exercise, many people tend to shrug off lack of sleep as not being of much consequence, and, as a result, go through life with both mind and body always performing at less than optimal levels.

The Ayurvedic Perspective

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Winter Depression

Winter Depression

Author: Dr. Savitha Suri

Long nights, short days, sweaters, warm clothes and chilly weather make many of us sick and depressed. This depression which surfaces especially in winter is a Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and is often called as winter Time Blues or Winter depression. The exact cause for this depression is as of yet unclear. But yet few scientists believe lack of exposure to sunlight as the reason for this disorder.

The symptoms of winter depression are tendency to over eat, craving for carbohydrates and sweets and weight gain.

Had our ancestors observed this change in humans? The answer is yes. Have they recommended any remedies? Yes, they have recommended simple and effective natural remedies to overcome Seasonal Affective Disorder. They have laid down explicit guidelines about diet and lifestyles which have to be followed according to seasons.

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Skin around Eyes

Skin around Eyes

Author: Dr. M. V. Subramanyam, Professor and Head of the Department of Shalakya Tantra, College of Ayurveda Hassan, India

Eye Care
The skin around eyes is vulnerable part of body's entire skin surface. In most areas of the body, the blood supply cools, warms, and nourishes the skin, but facial skin, and especially the skin around the eyes, serves an additional function, that of emotional response.

On top of the emotional stresses and free radical assaults, environmental factors such as automobile exhaust and second-hand tobacco smoke cause adverse effects on skin. Allergies to nail polish and some perfumed cosmetics can also lead to a compromised skin texture around the eyes. Even internet addiction can be a factor! And of course, the sun can produce further signs of aging. Sunscreen lotions and creams are widely used to protect facial skin, but unfortunately, most sunscreens cannot be used close to the eyes.

Facial expressions are always changing in response to what happens around you. This creates tremendous stress in the facial skin and eye area. All of these reactions require complex biochemical changes. Some of the by-products of these reactions are free radicals and some are hormones such as adrenaline. The free radicals interact with normal skin structure and either have a destructive action or impair biological function. The result is that the skin looks dull and lifeless, and wrinkles prematurely as its collagen structure is impaired.

A drop of almond oil gently dabbed above and under the eyes keeps the skin there smooth and supple. Regular application is a good preventive measure. Almond oil is very fine-textured oil that is easily absorbable, giving the skin a plump, healthy feel.

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You as an Individual Woman

You as an Individual Woman

Publication: Ayurvedic Healing for Women
Author: Atreya

Then realizing the pure consciousness inhering as Self
to be that self-same Tripura, he become aware of the
One Self holding all, and was liberated.

The fundamental point of Ayurveda is that everything is interrelated. Nothing is separate in the universe or the human body. Another fundamental point is that the external universe is reflected in the internal universe of the human body. While everything is interrelated, each item is also unique. Each part contributes its own special quality to the whole, whether as a cell in the liver, as a human being on Earth, or as a star in the sky.

Hence, the concept of individuality is basic to the Ayurvedic system. Ayurveda only works with individuals. Yet, this understanding of the individual is within the context of the whole or Mother Nature. In Ayurveda, the word Prakruti means “Mother Nature”- that feminine quality that allows form to manifest. It literally means “nature,” and encompasses the unique qualities of everything.

In Order to use the Ayurvedic system, you need to have a basic understanding of how Ayurveda determines your individuality. In this sense, it does not mean to categorize you as a person. Rather Ayurveda strives to understand how your organism functions, how your metabolism functions, how your mind functions.

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Unlock Your Brainpower

Author: Vasu Nargundkar

Ayurveda, the ancient system of healing from India, describes three aspects to mental performance – "dhi" – learning and comprehension, "dhriti" – retention of knowledge, and "smriti" – memory or recall.

"For the best mental performance and realization of the fullest mental potential, each of these three factors individually needs to be at its peak, and, more important, the co-ordination among the three factors also needs to be optimal," says Rama Kant Mishra, Ayurvedic expert. Ayurveda recommends paying attention to the three fundamental pillars of good health – diet, sleep and lifestyle – to achieve this state of mental balance. Here are some tips from Mishra to help boost brainpower:

Eat pure, "intelligent" foods

"According to Ayurveda, it is very important to eat foods that are natural and pure for their full benefit to be absorbed by the body," says Mishra. When foods are as close to their state in nature as possible, that's when they deliver the most potent nutrition. Foods that have been genetically altered, processed or refined have much of their natural intelligence stripped from them, and Mishra contends that they disturb the intellect and the co-ordination between the three aspects of mental prowess – comprehension, retention and recall. Also taboo are foods that are canned or preserved with artificial additives and preservatives, or foods with artificial colors and flavors. "Cooking with fresh, organic ingredients can take a little more time and effort," agrees Mishra. "But your brain, and indeed your entire system will thank you for it and repay the effort with accelerated performance."

Maintain a supply of balanced nutrition

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Ayurveda and Your Dog

Author: Alakananda Devi, M.B., B.S. (Lond.)

Just like you, your dog can benefit from an Ayurvedic approach to food and daily routine. The best routine for your dog is that which most closely resembles the natural life of a non-domestic dog.

Food
The single most important thing to for your dog’s health is to feed him a raw food diet. Here’s why:

Dry dog food provokes vata because it is dry and rough.

Dry dog food provokes pitta due to content of toxic chemicals such as ethoxyquin (used to harden rubber) and BTA. These lead to aggressive behavior and fighting.

Dogs are extremely prone to food allergies, if given the same food daily.Commercial dry dog foods often contain such items as rendered cats and dogs, cancerous parts of cows, meat from diseased animals (all so-called meat by-products) as well as sweepings from granary floors. Such foods can lead to prion-caused diseases such as mad-cow disease.

Commercial wet dog foods also contain dangerous meat by-products. Use a good quality wet food such as Innova, Wellness or California Natural.

Dogs don’t cook. Their natural diet is raw and this is what they can most easily digest and assimilate. If you are unable to prepare a raw diet for your dog, use a good quality wet food. However, your dog will live a longer, healthier and happier life if given a raw food diet.

Caring for your dog’s digestive fire
Although the following rules may sound harsh from a human’s perspective, they are essential for your dog’s health.

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Ayurveda and Your Cat

Ayurveda and Your Cat

Author: Alakananda Devi, M.B., B.S. (Lond.)

Just like you, your cat can benefit from an Ayurvedic approach to food and daily routine. The best routine for your cat is that which most closely resembles the natural life of a non-domestic cat.

Food
The single most important thing to for your cat’s health is to stop feeding him or her dry cat food. Here’s why:

Dry cat food provokes vata because it is dry and rough.

Dry cat food provokes pitta due to content of toxic chemicals such as ethoxyquin (used to harden rubber) and BTA. These lead to aggressive behavior and fighting. Even high-quality dry cat food such as Avoderm contains corn, a pitta-provoking allergen. Feeding of a mono-diet also causes food allergies and other pitta reactions, leading to diarrhea and ulcerative colitis.

Dry cat food provokes kapha because it is high in carbohydrates, an unnatural food for cats. Due to its unnatural dryness, dry cat food disturbs the water carrying channels leading to diabetes, dehydration and thirst. Cats fed on a diet of commercial dry cat food readily develop urinary stones, cystitis, or even glomerulonephritis (kidney disease).

Commercial dry cat foods often contain such items as rendered cats and dogs, cancerous parts of cows, meat from diseased animals (all so-called meat by-products) as well as sweepings from granary floors. Such foods can lead to prion-caused diseases such as mad-cow disease.

Commercial wet cat foods also contain dangerous meat by-products. Use a good quality wet food such as Innova, Wellness or California Natural.

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Back Pain

Back Pain

Author: Dr. Savitha Suri

Introduction

Back pain is the most common complaint among adults under 45. Back pain brings their activities to a complete halt and intervenes in the progress of their career. Researchers say that it is really a challenge to a physician to find out the true cause of back pain.

Here is a quick take on the anatomy of the human back. Our body depends on the spinal column for structural stability and mobility. We twist, bend and flex with the help of spinal column. The spinal column is made up of 24 vertebrae, 7 in the neck (the cervical vertebrae), 12 in the thorax (the thoracic vertebrae), and 5 in the lower back (the lumbar vertebrae). The sacrum, located just below the lumbar vertebrae, consists of 5 fused vertebrae. The tailbone, or coccyx, with its 3 to 5 fused vertebrae, lies just beneath the sacrum. These vertebrae are placed one on another from skull to pelvis. Spongy discs are present in between vertebrae .The spinal column is tightly wrapped by muscles and ligaments.

The spinal cord is enclosed within vertebral canal which is formed by alignment of vertebrae.

Acharya sushruta describes anatomy of spinal column as follows.

Prushte trimshat -

The number of back bones are 30 (Cervical-7 , Thoracic – 12, Lumbar- 5, vertebrae fused in sacrum -5 , coccyx -1 ). While describing the joints in spinal column it has been said as “Chaturvimshatihi prishta vamshe“. This means there are 24 joints in spinal column.

The ligaments and tendons hold the bones and muscles together.

Causes for back ache

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Insomnia

Insomnia or sleeplessness is a condition that often causes annoyance, and by depriving the person of his natural rest, results in interference with his activity during the day. When it becomes a habit, it may pose a serious menace to health.

Causes and Symptoms: Insomnia may be due to a variety of causes that keep the person awake altogether, or result in disturbing dreams and unrefreshing slumber. There are many people with a nervous temperament whose sleep is much more liable to be interrupted by trivial causes than that of their easy-going neighbours. In temporary cases of sleeplessness or dreaming in which the affected person suffers from disturbed nights now and then, the cause is usually to be sought in some external source of irritation. A slight degree of pain; uncomfortable surroundings, such as insufficient covering in winter or a hot and humid night without a fan; an overfill] stomach causing discomfort; or a nagging worry may prevent the brain from attaining the degree of relaxation which is a prerequisite of sleep. Other factors such as extreme worry overwork, voluntary limitation of the hours of sleep, and grief may lead to, a habitual lack of sleep. Poisonous substances circulating in the blood, as in the case of a fever or an infection, neurasthenia, or nervous weakness may also cause loss of sleep.

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Allergy Relief

In her insightful 1996 book, The Rebellious Body: Reclaim Your Life from Environmental Illness or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (New York; Insight Books), Janice Strubbe Wittenberg, R.N., says; "It is vital to treat allergies, even hidden allergies, because they constantly drain and overburden the immune system."

Whenever we speak about allergies, the subject of asthma normally comes up in the same context since asthma represents one type of allergic response. Asthma -- particularly -- bronchial, has been linked to the over-release of certain biochemicals, such as prostaglandins and the over-reaction of certain cells, such as mast cells, eosinophils, and macrophages.

Asthmatic brochospasms, constricting of the airway passages, are what characterize bronchial asthma. The biochemical root of the actual spasms stems partly from over-expression (over-release) of a biochemical called histamine, and partly as a result of a confluence of effects caused by the over-release of all of the aforementioned cells and biochemicals. Allergic rhinitis, a related condition, is marked by swelling of the mucous membrane inside the nasal passage (causing a great deal of sneezing and noseblowing).

Traditional medicines to the rescue

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Ayurveda and Yoga

Ayurveda and Yoga

Author: Vishnu Dass, NTS, LMT, CAyu

Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with the health of the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality they complement and embrace each other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path toward Self-realization. If the body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for any length of time would agree to how difficult it can be to sit still for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and heal various disorders as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

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Menstrual Difficulties

Menstrual Difficulties

Source: Ayurvedic Healing for Women (Chapter 9: Premenstrual and Menstrual Difficulties)
Author: Atreya

According to Ayurveda, all menstrual difficulties are related in some way to an imbalance in the vata dosha. Most originate from a disruption in the function of vata. All treatments should begin with an assessment of the state of the vata humor in the body.

The tongue provides a good indication of the state of vata in the body generally and in the internal organs especially. The constitution of the person should be determined first. The tongue can give indications of constitution as explained earlier (see page 17). Disturbed vata may appear on the tongue as roughness, cracks, pimples, and brownish coatings. If the tongue trembles, this may also indicate an imbalance in vata.

Other indications in the body are intestinal gas, bloating, migrating pain, irregularity in digestion or menstruation, twitching body parts, nervous disorders, internal or external dryness, brittle hair, dull skin or hair, sharp pains, and any mental agitation such as stress or nervousness. If the mind is unable to stay focused, this indicates an imbalance of vata. If the person is talking excessively or too fast, it is also indicative of a vata nature or imbalanced vata.

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Acne-Prone Skin

Acne-Prone Skin

Author: Chaitali Maybhate

Introduction
Acne is a very common skin disorder that happens to almost every one of us at some point of time. This apparently trivial thing may lead to serious troubles later if left unattended. Recurring acne may suggest a major disorder in bodily mechanisms. Timely care through easy treatment help restricting the acne. This article presents analysis of the acne formation process and suggests some simple home remedies.

Physiology of Skin
Skin is a physical barrier to the external environment. It is more than a layer separating us from the outside world. Skin is an important protective organ.

The skin consists of mainly two structural layers – Epidermis (outer layer) and Dermis (inner layer). The sebaceous gland situated under Dermis layer is primarily responsible for producing sebum (oil). Sebum acts as lubricant for hair and skin and also serves to repel external substances such as water molecules, damaging chemicals and microorganisms.

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Managing Obesity

Managing Obesity

Author: Dr. Amol More, BAMS, MD (AM)

Obesity is one of the fastest spreading Non-communicable disease today. It is a condition of excessive fat, either generalized or localized. A person who is 20% more than his Ideal Body Weight(IBW) is considered to be an obese person. Usually OBESITY is due to positive energy balance. That is, the intake of calories is more than the expenditure of calories.

Recognized since 1985 as a disease with serious health implications, OBESITY is a leading cause of preventable death, second only to cigarette smoking. Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for Hypertension, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus and some Cancers in both men and women. It affects a large number of urban population and its prevalence is increasing. Obesity is found in all age groups irrespective of sex, caste and creed, though it is still considered to be a disease of the upper class.

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Feminine Arousal & Fertility

Feminine Arousal & Fertility

Source: Ayurvedic Healing for Women (Appendix 3: Aphrodisiacs and Fertility)
Author: Atreya

Medically, aphrodisiacs are substances that nourish the reproductive organs. They are not substances that stimulate a person to sexual excitement. The best aphrodisiac, in terms of sexual stimulation, is love. If you are looking for sexual excitement, this is the wrong book and the wrong appendix. Ayurveda has a whole science of aphrodisiacs. It is one of the eight branches of the medical system. It promotes healthy women, pregnancy, childbirth, and children.

Fertility and infertility relate directly to the seventh tissue level of the body. Any deficiency in this level of the body can result in low fertility. The science of aphrodisiacs in Ayurveda is the science of fertility.

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Irritable Bowel

Gastro-Intestinal Tract

Publication: Ayurveda - The Science of Traditional Medicine
Author: Vaidya Bhagwan Dash / Suhasini Ramaswamy

In Ayurvedic medicine, the gastro-intestinal tract (GI) is the most important part of the body, as it is thought to be the seat of doshas. Vata is formed in the colon, pitta in the small intestine and kapha in the stomach.

Vata and the Gastro-Intestinal Tract

Regular daily bowel movements are a sign of a healthy GI. Typical vata conditions of the GI include constipation, gas / flatulence, and tension - cramps or spasms, such as irritable bowel syndrome.

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