Articles by Ben

In Ayurvedic tradition, aging is not something to be feared.

Ayurveda embraces the concept of rejuvenation and teaches that healthy practices of rasayana, or rejuvenation therapy, may be integrated into a person’s daily life to optimize health and prevent disease as age increases. 

Rasayana is one of the eight clinical specialties of Ayurveda, and herbal formulations occupy an esteemed place in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia. Rasayana powerful natural herbs act as a general tonic, improving overall well-being, and when used as part of a regular regimen can enhance longevity, strengthen the body’s immune response, and improve mental function.

Rasayana treatment imparts luster, vitality, and renewed virility. Increased age does not have to mean increased disease. Common conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, obesity, and autoimmune disorders, may be averted altogether when a habitual, holistic rasayana regime is incorporated into one’s daily life. 

Rasayana herbs are known especially for their adaptogenic qualities. These herbs are extremely versatile and have the power to adapt according to the body’s unique needs. In addition to herbs, detoxification (pancha karma vigyan) and behavior modification (achar rasayana) are often recommended.

Implementing a health routine into daily life can begin with:

• Early rising. Waking up early, preferably before sunrise, allows maximum exposure to sunlight. The sun stimulates the body’s adrenal glands and increases the production of cortisol, bringing us out of deep sleep and increasing overall well-being.

• Healthy diet and exercise. Beginning the day with one to three glasses of warm water encourages peristalsis and assists bowel evacuation. A healthy breakfast is also important, emphasizing appropriate foods to one’s constitution.

Fried, processed, and artificially sweetened foods should be avoided. Moderate exercise is essential to healthy aging, such as walking 30 minutes to 45 minutes of on most days.

• Healthy hygiene. Oral and physical hygiene are important to health and vitality as we age. A daily shower encourages digestive health and enhances heart health. The health of teeth and gums should be maintained by daily brushing and flossing.

• Sexual health. The Hindu religion considers sexual activity to be sacred and is an aspect of the pursuit of pleasure (kama) — one of the legitimate goals of life. In Ayurveda, frequent sexual activity is recommended in winter, with slightly less frequency in other seasons.

• Seasonal health. The body’s needs change according to the seasonal cycle. To avoid the impact of seasonal change on your body as it ages, follow a common sense approach. In Ayurveda, these seasonal adjustments are known as ritu charya.

In summer, dress lightly, eat fruits and vegetables, and consume plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. In winter, dress warmly, being careful to keep your vital organs, such as your heart and lungs, warm.

Consuming nuts and seeds will supply your body with oils and extra energy. In cold weather, lubricate your skin with nourishing oils and creams.

During the spring and fall allergy seasons, avoid mucous-producing foods such as excess sugar, dairy products, rich foods, and fried foods. Fasting with vegetables, fruits, and rice protein may help to stave off allergies.

• Detoxification. As the years pass, toxic substances accumulate in our bodies which can cause systemic disease. Regular detoxifying cleansing, known as pancha karma, is recommended and mimics the body’s own natural cleansing process.

Three phases are involved — a preparatory phase, known as poorva karma; the pancha karma process itself, which includes five methods of cleansing; and a restoration phase, known as pashchtya karma, which restores the body to its natural state using rasayana herbs.

Rasayana herbs

While these practices, followed on a regular basis, are indispensable for maintaining the body’s total health over time, the basis of Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy remains herbal treatment with rasayana herbs and preparations.

Herbal treatments for healthy aging include:

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). Ashwagandha is a shrubby plant which offers tremendous potential as an energizing medicinal herb. Ayurvedic practitioners have used the roots of this plant for centuries with success as a tonic to increase vitality and longevity, as well as to treat health conditions as diverse as tumors and arthritis.

Ashwagandha was tested for its anti-aging properties in a double-blind clinical trial. A group of 101 healthy males, 50 years old to 59 years old, were given the herb at a dosage of 3 grams daily for one year.

The subjects experienced significant improvement in hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hair melanin, and seated stature. Serum cholesterol decreased and nail calcium was preserved, and 70 percent of the research subjects reported improvement in sexual performance.1

Amla (Emblica officinalis). Amla is a rejuvenator. It has antioxidant properties and can counter the toxicity of heavy metals such as nickel, cobalt, arsenic, and mercury. It also provides protective properties after one has been exposed to toxic or carcinogenic chemicals.

It has powerful anti-cancerous properties and has been used in cancer therapy to cut down the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. According to ancient Ayurvedic texts, one who consumes a rasayana with Amla as the main ingredient is one who will “live for a hundred years without any sign of decrepitude.” Among other things, Amla is one of the richest sources of natural vitamin C available and is well-known as a powerful immune support.2

Sitawari (Asparagus racemosus). This herb has tonic, adaptogenic, alterative (curative), and aphrodisiac activities. It is used to treat debility and chronic diseases like infertility, impotence, menopause, lung abscesses, and chronic fevers, as well as stomach ulcers, hyperacidity, and hormonal imbalance and diarrhea. Decoctions of the herb have a soothing effect on dry and irritated membranes, making it useful in treating bronchitis and other respiratory ailments.

As a rasayana, it is believed to bring all of the body’s fluids into balance.3

Trifal (Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellerica, and Emblica officinalis). Trifal is another adaptogen. The combined herbs are synergistic and have digestive and eliminative actions. It has anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, anti-bacterial, and antihistaminic properties. It improves the flow of bile, lowers cholesterol, and can be used as adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Shilajeet-mumiyo (Mineral pitch). Shilajeet is a rich source of naturally occurring minerals. Russian athletes used it as a nonsteroidal body builder and stamina enhancer. Ayurvedic medicine considers it as an aphrodisiac, a tonic for the kidneys and prostate. It helps with benign prostate enhancement and is an immune enhancer.

In Ayurveda, Shilajit is considered a rasayana herb and an adaptogen.4 The substance has been found to contain at least 85 minerals in ionic form, as well as humic acid and fulvic acid. Clinical research has been conducted to determine Shilajit’s pharmacological activity, and the results have confirmed its traditional uses in treating impotence, sterility, mental diseases, and for improving memory and learning.

Pippli (Piper longum). Pippli helps in digestion, and enhances acid and enzyme secretions. It significantly enhances the absorption of nutrients, herbs, and drugs, and has shown anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic, and powerful anti-parasitic actions.

Ancient Ayurvedic texts list Pippli as one of the most powerful rasayana herbs, which means that it is a valuable longevity enhancer. It is also considered a purifying herb, with soothing qualities that help improve the quality of sleep.

Ancient texts and contemporary studies point to the wide-ranging effectiveness of Pippli in respiratory, liver, digestive, metabolic, parasitic, and malignant conditions.5

By eating well, following good daily and seasonal routines, occasionally undergoing a cleansing regime, and following up with the right rejuvenative herbs, longevity may be increased and health can be optimized as you age.

Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurveda), ND, was one of the first to practice Ayurvedic medicine in the United States. He practices at the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic in Bellevue, Wash. He can be contacted at www.ayurvedicscience.com. For herbal products, visit www.ayush.com.

Disclaimer: This article is purely informative and should not replace the guidance of your physician. If you suffer from an illness, consult a physician before taking any herbs, vitamins, minerals, or enzymes. Even at the peak of health, it is best to consult a qualified practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.

References

1 Bone K. Clinical Applications of Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbs. Queensland, Australia: Phytotherapy Press, 1996, 137-41.

2 Selected medicinal plants of India. Chemexcil, Mumbai Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 1989

3 Chopra RN, Chopra IC, Handa KL, Kapur LD. Indigenous drugs of India. Calcutta: Academic Publishers; 1994. pp. 496.

4 David Winston and Steven Maimes. Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, Healing Arts Press, 2007.

5 Rege NN, Thatte UM, Dhanukar SA. 1999 Adaptogenic properties of six rasayana herbs used in Ayurvedic medicines. Phytotherapy Research 13(4):275

As 38 percent Americans are using some form of alternative or complementary medicines, more Americans may be attracted to visit an Ayurvedic Spa Resort in India for efficacious therapies like anti-aging/rejuvenation, including for old age disorders, body detox/purification, back and spine care and more…

(PRWEB) October 12, 2009 -- There's little doubt that an alternative medicine like Ayurveda which is gaining popularity in the U.S. is likely to draw more Americans to try such alternative medicines, as Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with western medicine's inability to deal with many chronic disorders and illnesses. Americans are more than willing to explore and see if an alternative medicine like Ayurveda, (http://www.ayurspavacations.com/packages.html) a traditional form of East Indian medicine that originated thousands of years ago, could offer suitable solutions for some chronic disorders or illnesses.

With over a fifth of American hospitals now offering some sort of alternative therapy along with conventional medicine, and medical schools embracing them, an astonishing 38 percent of adult Americans have used -- and are continuing to use some form of complementary or alternative medicines (CAM), most of them without informing their physicians.

Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on CAM in 2007 alone, U.S. health officials report. CAM includes medical practices and products, such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic and acupuncture, which are not part of conventional medicine. "The bottom line is that Americans spend a lot of money on CAM products, classes or materials or practitioner visits," Dr. Josephine P. Briggs, director of the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, said during a teleconference July 2009.

The main reasons Americans turn to alternative medicine is for pain relief and to contribute to their health and well-being, Briggs added. Briggs noted the survey was done to find out which areas of CAM warrant research by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The survey was done without regard as to whether any of these alternative or complementary approaches actually work, she said.

With the ever rising demand for such wellness therapies to offset life's many stresses and health disorders that make life unbearable and make people age more quickly than they expect, DanGlobalMed, a medical tourism company is offering 12 great wellness programs at an Ayurvedic Spa Beach Resort in incredible India.

Focusing on improving people's health, wellness and well-being, these 12 holistic programs are offered mostly as 14-day packages at a beach resort in Kerala, India, except for a 28-day slimming/weight loss program (http://www.ayurspavacations.com/slimmingweightloss.html). The packages are affordably priced and include the cost of the full therapy/treatment, hotel accommodation (single or double occupancy) and all three meals.

As a complementary therapy Ayurveda's popularity in the U.S. is increasing. "There is a major push for study on Ayurveda in the United States," says Dr. Daniel Furst, director of clinical research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who led a study of rheumatoid arthritis to test combinations of allopathic and Ayurvedic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis to determine efficacy. "It (Ayurveda) (http://www.ayurspavacations.com/home.html) has been practiced for 3,000 years [in India]. No one will do it if it is garbage. It will gain credibility if adequately tested and will be used more." No wonder Americans are spending billions on alternative medical treatments.

Dubbed "God's own country" because of its green and scenic splendor, Kerala is the most apt location for an exotic Ayurvedic spa vacation, because this is where Ayurveda originated. The beach resort attracts guests from Europe, Russia and other parts of the world throughout the year.

Among the most popular programs is anti-aging or rejuvenation, (http://www.ayurspavacations.com/rejuvenationtherapy.html relaxation), body purification, spine and neck care and relaxation combined with stress management.

Ayurveda addresses the well-being of the entire person. Herbs and minerals, nutrition and purification, affirmative ways of living are a few of the ways in which Ayurveda treats not just the ailment but the whole person, emphasizing prevention of disease to avoid the need for cure.

Apart from the rejuvenation, relaxation and stress management therapies, the other programs are: spine and neck care, (http://www.ayurspavacations.com/spineandneckcareprogram.html) rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, insomnia, beauty care and weight loss.

Guests can begin the day with FREE yoga classes. Experienced Ayurvedic masseurs offer the benefit of the most genuine of Ayurvedic therapies and treatment, through massages, scrubs and wraps that help you overcome physical problems, while you drift into a tranquil and perfect environment. This is supplemented with oral medication every day.

As each program specifically focuses on the wellness of the individual it's ideal for those who wish to combine their vacation with an exotic health care program like Ayurveda (http://www.ayurspavacations.com)/rejuvenationtherapyforoldagedisorders.html and yoga.

When Dr. David Eisenberg, MD, now Director, OSHER Institute, Harvard Medical School proposed a survey to determine the popularity of alternative medicines, while doing a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School as far back as 1993, "Nobody bought it, nobody paid for it, no foundation was interested. My mentors and I laugh about it now. [At the time, they] said, "Even if you do this and even if you show the numbers are large, no one will care..." But I think history would prove them wrong.

"But we were shocked by the time we got the data and I remember going home to my wife, almost shaking and saying, 'Honey, the numbers are huge, it's one in three Americans. It's thirty-three percent of the United States adult population. It's thirteen billion dollars, it's not reimbursed. Very few of these people are ever discussing it with their physicians; this is enormous.'"

Renowned alternative practitioner Dr. Andrew Weil says: "If a therapy is not harmful, why not experiment with it? Why not try it? Especially if conventional medicine doesn't have anything great to offer.

As you all well know, Go Veda actively promotes simple and natural ways to promote health and wellness through creating a working balance of mind, body and spirit.  It is important that both internally and externally we work to maintain this sense of order to keep connected with the rest of the universe.  Here in the West, we are notorious for overemphasizing one or two aspects of our lives and letting the rest fall to the wayside.  What we find when doing this is a seesaw effect where the universe responds and forces us to act on these other aspects of our lives—again in excess—almost as a response to “catch up” and set the equilibrium back to a natural state. 

An easy example would be to look at those who work 14-16 hours per day, 6 and 7 days per week.  These people are very productive and disciplined in one aspect of their lives.  They will tend to, however, neglect physical health by not exercising, mental health by not resting sufficiently and social health by not communicating with others for the purpose of nurturing relationships.  These same people will also “hit a wall” or “burn out” at some point where the universe simply says, “That’s enough; you’re out of balance.  Time to catch up.”  What happens next could be 2 things: 1) Some who hit burn out, realize the debilitating effects of this both on themselves and those around them and will willfully make a change; 2) Others who hit burn out and think all they have to do is step up and stop complaining will develop physical and/or mental illness or be put through an event (divorce, falling asleep at the wheel, etc.) that makes it impossible to continue on that way.

The point of all this is that life is given to us by a higher power as a gift and an opportunity for growth.  Life was not given to us by our bosses, our mortgage company, our credit card companies or our government.  So why, then, do we live forever indebted to these artificial “fathers” of our existence?  Should we not cherish the gift given to us by our real makers and take advantage of this opportunity to experience and learn?  Express your appreciation for the gift of life by applying yourself 100% to every aspect of your life.  Work hard at your job.  Give your all to your familial and friendly relationships.  Do everything you can to exercise, but also rest sufficiently.  That is the true meaning of living life to the fullest.

We know that many people are changing the way they eat this New Year to improve their health.  Healthy eating, though, has more to do with eating a balance in your diet than it does shoveling countless bushels of lettuce in your face to (very) temporarily assuage those all-too-quickly-to-return hunger pangs.  So, as a service to our readers, we’d like offer a weekly recipe that adheres to an Ayurveda diet.  Whether you are a strict believer or just want to taste what an Ayurveda meal tastes like, you’ll have a hand-picked recipe week after week to, at the very least, mix things up on your way to a healthier you.

This week’s recipe is a saffron rice with rose petals.  It is delicate, yet aromatic.  It will make you feel luxurious with its romantic butteriness.  This dish is pacifying for pitta and vata constitutions.  The rose petals contribute a cooling effect, physically healing pitta.  Pitta’s are emotional and sensitive by nature.  The rose petals pacify the senses and helps pitta both spiritually and mentally.  The spices (salt, cinnamon and saffron) pacifies the spicy nature inherent in vata.

Ingredients

Preparation

Bring 2.5 cups water to a boil (extra water added to ground vata) and turn off heat. Prepare the saffron according to the instructions “Preparing Saffron”. Roast the chopped almonds on med-high heat for five minutes or until browned. Half way, add the gold raisins.

Roast the rice until slightly browned. Add ghee until rice is covered. Add rice, rose water, saffron water, almonds, and raisins to the boiled water. Cover on low heat and let stand 30 minutes or until rice is soft and somewhat puffy.

Garnish with rose petals.

Check out more great recipes at http://www.joyfulbelly.com/. 

Ayurveda, the mother of all healing and still the champion of medical treatments worldwide, makes some pretty tall claims to help heal the body faster and more effective than many Western treatments and pharmaceuticals. In fact, one of the most earth shattering claims that threaten the very theories that Western medicine was built on is that Ayurveda can cure those who suffer from cancer by treating the person (not the cancerous growths like we do in the West). If it can do this even at the same success rate as chemotherapy, then why isn’t anyone talking about it? How come cancer survivors continue to endure the agonizing effects of radiation therapy while still crossing their fingers if there are alternatives that can do the job just as effectively, but instead by using natural and healthy treatments?

Cancer, according to Ayurveda, is a disease brought on by extreme imbalance. All of Ayurveda is based on maintaining a careful equilibrium in all aspects of life. This includes diet, exercise, social, rest, work, play, etc. Any time we have too much of some aspects or two little of others in our lives, we risk illness. Staying out of balance for an extended period of time or experience roller coaster up and downs in extremes will make us susceptible to disease. Cancer is one of the main diseases that invade us when we are in an imbalanced state. According to many practitioners of Ayurveda and doctors of the same understand the rising incidences of cancer cases are the direct result of certain drastic changes in our lifestyles and diets. One very dangerous and yet very common cause for cancer today is the consumption of fast foods, packaged foods, artificial colors and flavors and all other synthetically produced foods. These not only fill the body with dangerous chemicals that are foreign to our bodily processes but these foods do not sufficiently provide us with the vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function.

One of clinical practices of Ayurveda known as Rasayana Shastra emphasizes mineral absorption. The practice involves the balancing of the seven metals (lead, iron, zinc, tin, copper, silver, and gold) in order to assist the body in its ability to take in more minerals naturally. Most foods we consume these days are mineral deficient even if the foods are not fast food or junk foods. Soil deficiency translates to food deficiency. Beyond this, other contributing factors are eating too frequently, eating disorders, over exertion, stress and anxiety, psychological depression and other unnatural afflictions form acids and toxins in the body that further exacerbate the problem of nutrient and mineral absorption. Your body reacts with abnormal activities to try to compensate and begins to create unnatural tissues in the body. These tissues can result in cancer.

A study posted in the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17309811?dopt=AbstractPlus) discusses how well Ayurveda treats cancer and also how ineffective modern Western medicine is in curing cancer victims. I won’t retype the whole abstract, but take a moment to review. You’ll be pleasantly reassured that living in a healthy balance with everything is your best chance to stay cancer free!

In today’s fast-paced world of convenience and “get it now,” we sacrifice healthy eating habits and daily exercise to keep up with our busy work and social schedules. Heavy doses of caffeine, drive through breakfasts and lunch, processed and packaged meals of empty calories all contribute to disease by stressing the body’s natural processes and will result in obesity, asthma, cancers, colds, premature aging, insomnia, hair loss, diabetes, heart disease, and countless other life threatening ailments. How do we fix this? A simple solution would be to first create a personal diet plan, preferably vegetarian, and practice yoga techniques and breathing exercises.

Our philosophy is based primarily on Ayurveda and supporting science and truly believe that 75% of today’s health issues can be resolved simply by correcting flawed eating habits. If a person switches to an organic and plant-based vegetarian diet, the chances of restoring that person to optimal health will be very high. Adding some exercise such as walking, jogging and yoga will show results much quicker.

Breathing exercises called Pranayama is effective in cleansing the body of toxins. Adding yoga will begin to restore balance in the body’s tissues and restore you to a healthy constitution.

Ayurvedic doctors understand this deep breathing to not only help refresh the body with oxygen but also it is known to increase serotonin levels which can relieve depression, insomnia and chronic anxiety. In fact, regular meditation that includes Pranayama will increase energy, restore normal blood pressure, increase mental function and focus, bolster the immune system and improve mental, emotional and physical endurance.

Is it possible that the absolute oldest system of medicine has come full circle and is now considered to be in some form or fashion “new” again? Sure! Isn’t that the usual cycle of the universe? Old belief systems gain and lose popularity throughout the years. Philosophies and fashions are recycled generationally as young becomes old and square becomes boss again. But we normally don’t think of science cycling. We perceive science as forever advancing in complexity and usefulness as new discoveries launch us even further in our understanding—and ultimately to our perceived control—of our existence within the universe around us.

The term “new age” in reference to medicine, however, has come to refer almost synonymously these days with “holistic” or “homeopathic”. This to me is very interesting because it is anything but “new” in the sense that it is a fresh way of looking at health and healing. In fact, it used to be all there was. When someone in a family or clan injured themselves or became ill 3000 years ago, there weren’t any pharmaceuticals, licensed physicians or FDA that would test powerful chemical concoctions to tell us whether they cured illness or destroyed life. What people did was attempt to right the injury or treat the illness with natural remedies that were perceived in their environment to have certain effects on the body. These were the pharmaceuticals and those who had this knowledge and applied these remedies were the doctors of that time.

How is this form of treatment “new” all over again? The answer is simple. We’ve forgotten the basis for all known medical systems that has ever come into existence in this world and as we begin to mistrust doctors, pharmaceutical companies and surgeons, we again open our eyes to the fact that everything we have access to in nature is all we need to live a full and healthy life. All the nutrition we need, all the companionship we desire, and all the remedies we might require are all accessible through natural methods. If this were not true and, at the same time, it were true that we need complex surgeries, chemotherapy, powerful man-made chemical compounds for psychotropic drugs, etc., then do you think there would still be a human race today? Of course not, because all these things are very recent creations that we as a race have only brought into existence in the last 100.

My personal feelings about these things are not so much that “artificial equals negative,” but more so that the very existence of these unnatural medical practices creates a human reliance and dependence on them. To go even further, these things actually “make” us live an unhealthier existence because we consciously realize that we have options when things get bad for us. Because we know that if/when we overeat, there is liposuction or diet pills or 8 min ab programs or gastric bypass surgery, or whatever, we will tend to allow ourselves to overeat more often. We do this because we rationalize our way out of making the right decision because we know that there is a remedy.

This thought process is the exact reason why Americans are more unhealthy today than ever, while at the same time has the most advanced medical system that has ever been in practice on the planet. We can afford to take chances with our health and smoke tobacco because there are surgeries and medicines and gums that can fix us later. What a roller coaster ride this makes our existence as we rebound between sickness and health. Ayurveda is the balancing of all aspects of existence for the greater good of the whole. This applies to internal balance of our organs and systems, balance between individuals and civilization, balance between humans and nature, and even balance between spiritual existence and the universe or God. This is the way to happiness and fulfillment. Seek constant balance and focus on the greater good.