|
Ayurved
Vs. Herbal, By - Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
Those
Awful Headaches, By - Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
By
- Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
Article
Published in “The Times Of India” on Saturday, August 9, 2003
The
use
of herbs in medicines and cosmetics is fast gaining popularity both in
India and abroad. It is almost turning into a fad in the western
world. Everything, from a simple cup of tea to remedies for
complicated diseases, is being connected to its herbal link or
heritage. Many multinational and Indian companies have ventured into
herbals in a big way. One can easily observe this frenzy through
increasing number of TV commercials promoting brands of herbal origin.
Several established brands too seem to be re-discovering their herbal
origin. All these players are possibly banking on this boom for
commercial reasons.
In
this melee, there is one thing that strikes me as odd. Often, I have
observed that people confuse herbalism with Ayurvedic medicines and
treatment. Although a majority of the ayurvedic medicines do contain
herbs in some form, Ayurved applies the concept of herbs and the
principals of its therapeutic use. It is not merely a preparation of
herbs to be used as a medicine or cosmetic.
The
reason why
Ayurved,
an age-old science, finds its roots in Vedic literature. To study
Ayurved is to understand its rich knowledge and medical (therapeutic)
applications of herbs, minerals and other natural products as
prescribed by ancient sages.
Ayurvedic
philosophy encompasses the living and the non-living. “Sarvam
dravyam panchabhoutikam” (all the matter is made up of five
basic elements viz. pruthvi, jala, agni, vayu and akasha) is
one of the fundamental concepts of ayurvedic therapeutics.
Our own body, like all other living and non-living matters, is
made up of the same building blocks of these panchamahabhoota
(five basic elements). The equilibrium of these mahabhoota in
our body is the key to health. The
imbalance or disequilibria of these mahabhoota will lead to
disease, and restoration of this balance will restore health.
Therefore, in disease, to restore the balance of the mahabhoota,
we have to choose from the resources available to us like herbs or
even minerals. The herb/s and mineral/s, which can restore the balance
of dosha that cause disease, is chosen as a medicine for that
particular disease.
For
example:
In Prameha
(Diabetes Mellitus), according to ayurved, the equilibrium of jala
mahabhoota (element-water) is hampered. In this disease Jala
mahabhoota is in excess to its normal quantity. To restore the
balance, the combination of herbs having tikta rasa (bitter
taste) like Haldi (Turmeric, Curcuma longa) and amla rasa
(sour taste) like Awala (Phyllanthus Emblica) are given as a
medicine. After taking the duo as medicine (as the herbs having these
two tastes have jala mahabhoot in bare minimum quantity) the
equilibrium of all the five mahabhoota (five elements) is
restored leading to health. Further, amongst the various herbs having
sour and bitter tastes combination of Awala and Haldi is
preferred as both are regarded as rasayana (rejuvenating), have
outstanding anti-oxidant properties and have excellent synergic
action. Long-term use of awala tends to have darkening effect
on the skin. This drawback is countered by combining Haldi,
which we all know is main ingredient of many commercially available
fairness creams!
Top
Those
Awful Headaches
By
- Dr. Prashant Sawant, M.D (Ayu.)
Article
Published in “The Times Of India” on Saturday, August 16, 2003
Ramnath (name
changed to protect identity), a senior finance executive, in his late
thirties, was fed up! An attack of headache would mean that he would
have to pop analgesic pills by the dozens and had been doing this now
for the last fifteen odd years. He was exploring the merits of ayurved
as a “last resort”. A
common friend for ‘trying’ ayurvedic medicine brought him to our
centre. Now, except for those annoying headaches, Ramnath was hale and
hearty. He could not remember exactly when his problem began, but he
clearly remembered that he had to consult his family physician
frequently. As the headache persisted, he was prescribed some
analgesics and a sedative, which provided relief, but only
temporarily. It appeared that these headaches would be Ramnath’s
regular companion. While
the frequency of the attacks varied from once a week to once a month
they were accompanied with spells of nausea. At times the intensity of
attacks were so severe that Ramnath was forced to take leave from
work. In addition, the constant dosage of analgesics, was
creating another frustrating problem – acidity!
What is migraine?
We acknowledge the
existence of our head only when we have those frustrating headaches!
Strange isn’t it? Ramnath, as obvious, suffered from a common
problem called migraine. Migraine
is a symptom characterised by periodic headaches, usually temporal
(sides of the skull behind eye sockets), one-sided and is often
associated with vomiting and visual disturbances.
Generally,
migraine starts after puberty, continues until mid-life and usually
disappears in old age. An attack occurs at specific intervals, which
varies from a few days to several months and lasts for hours to a day.
At
its onset, migraine can cause symptoms such as flashing colored
lights, blind spot, dazzling zigzag lines and a ringing in the ear. A few people also develop hypersensitivity to light and
sound, and at times complain of drowsiness and depression.
The
reason:
Migraine
begins with a constriction of arteries to the brain. This causes
visual symptoms, followed by an over dilation of arteries, which
causes pain. It is related to fluctuations in the blood level of
neurochemical entities.
The
triggers:
- Most
patients
have a family history of migraine, suggesting a genetic
predisposition.
- Dietary
factors, including chocolate, cheese, and alcohol, may precipitate
attacks.
- Episodes
may occur more often just before the onset of menses.
- Oral
contraceptive pills can also aggravate attacks in a women
suffering from migraine.
- Stress
and anxiety can bring on attacks too.
The
ayurvedic answer:
Ramnath
was advised a course of Nasya (one of the panchakarma
procedures in which medicines are instilled through nose) for seven days. This process cleanses and evacuates accumulated toxins
from the head and neck region and is recommended for most of the
diseases affecting organs above the clavicle (collar bone).
He was also recommended a dose of Laxmivilasa rasa two
tablets before bedtime. He continued this for three months, during
which he had a headache only once, following which, as a prophylaxis,
he was advised to take 750 mg of Sitopaladi churna with a
teaspoon of pure ghee (cow’s ghee). The treatment worked. Ramnath
did not need any analgesics again.
A
few do’s and don’ts:
- Avoid
those food and drinks that trigger migraine.
- Add
leafy vegetables, dark green vegetables, and fruits to your diet.
- A
short nap can provide relief. It is also advisable to follow
regular sleeping schedule.
- Try
to relax yourself physically and mentally by using various
techniques of yoga and meditation, exercise, listening to music,
etc.
- Regular
exercise is a great way to reduce stress that often triggers
migraine in many people.
Other
useful tips:
- Sniffing
the powder of shunthi (dry ginger) alleviates migraine.
- Inhale
fumes of tulsi (basil) leaves by boiling them in water.
- Drink
buttermilk added with powder of dry coriander seed ½ tsp., black
pepper powder ¼ tsp. and sugar every morning.
- Apply
a paste of ½ tsp. of vindanga and black sesame seeds mixed
with a little milk, over the forehead.
- Some
ayurvedic medicines recommended for migraine are chandrakala
rasa, sootashekhar rasa, shirashooladivajra rasa,
suvarnamalini vasant, etc. However, these should be
taken strictly under medical supervision.
Top
Back
to Articles
|
