Are Raw Nuts A Better Choice?
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: Do you prefer raw nuts because they're more nutritious or is it just a matter of taste? Does something get lost in the roasting process? -- John K. A: I prefer the taste of raw, unsalted nuts so my choice here is a matter of personal preference and isn't based on nutritional considerations. Some people find that raw nuts are harder to digest than roasted nuts, but I've never had that problem.
Overall, nuts are a very healthy snack - as long as you enjoy them in moderation and avoid the salted varieties. Because they're high in calories, I limit myself to a handful per day of my favorites - cashews, almonds, and walnuts. The monounsaturated fat that nuts contain is good for the heart and, in fact, can lower your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. This good news came from the ongoing Nurses Health Study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health. Researchers monitoring the health of 86,000 nurses enrolled in the study found that the nurses who ate more than five ounces of nuts per week (about the amount you would get by eating a single airline packet daily) had one third fewer heart attacks than those who rarely or never ate nuts. Walnuts are especially valuable as a rare vegetarian source of omega-3 fatty acids.
My only reservation about roasted nuts is that their shelf life is much shorter than raw nuts -- that is, they tend to go rancid much faster. Unsaturated nut oils oxidize quickly on exposure to heat, light and air so it is best to store all nuts in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Always smell nuts before you eat them or add them to recipes, and don't use any that smell like oil paint.
Andrew Weil, MD
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Are Your Feet Burning?
Are Your Feet Burning?
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I have numbness and burning in my feet and its worse at night. Is there anything I can do for this? -- Jerri
A: What you describe sounds like a common condition called peripheral neuropathy, which stems from damage to the peripheral nerves that branch out through the arms, legs, fingers and toes. The symptoms include weakness, numbness, tingling and burning or painful sensation.
Peripheral neuropathy is often due to diabetes but can occur as a result of toxic trauma (such as chemotherapy) or mechanical injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sometimes, it is due to prolonged use of crutches or even sitting in the same position for too long. Other disorders that can lead to peripheral neuropathy include atherosclerosis, autoimmunity, infections, advanced kidney disease and hypothyroidism as well as a number of drugs and environmental toxins.
Your first step should be a general medical checkup to rule out underlying disease as the cause of your symptoms and to determine exactly what the problem is. Your doctor should do complete blood work and may refer you to a neurologist who will probably do an EMG (electromyelogram) to assess muscles and nerve conduction.
If you have no underlying disease, you can try one or all of the following strategies to deal with your symptoms:
Take one B-100 B-complex vitamin daily. The B vitamins are necessary for normal nerve function, and supplementing is a good preventive measure. (Don't take more than 200mg of B-6, as higher daily doses can actually cause symptoms of neuropathy.)
Take 100 mg of alpha lipoic acid once a day. This antioxidant protects microcirculation to the nerves. You can gradually increase the dose to 300 mg twice a day over the next month.
Try acupuncture. You can find a qualified acupuncturist in your area through NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) or the AAOM (American Association of Oriental Medicine ).
Other therapies that can help include Chinese medicine. A practitioner can provide you with herbs that may speed recovery. You can also try reflexology for neuropathy of the legs, feet and toes. If a toxic exposure is the cause, time is your greatest ally -- injured nerves will slowly recover once the exposure ends.
Conventional treatments include tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline HCl (Elavil, Endep) and imipramine (Tofranil), which act on the central nervous system and may reduce pain independent of their action as antidepressants. It usually takes a few weeks for results to become noticeable. Anti-seizure medications like phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (tegretol) and gabapentin (Neurontin) are also used effectively for peripheral neuropathy.
Andrew Weil, MD
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I have numbness and burning in my feet and its worse at night. Is there anything I can do for this? -- Jerri
A: What you describe sounds like a common condition called peripheral neuropathy, which stems from damage to the peripheral nerves that branch out through the arms, legs, fingers and toes. The symptoms include weakness, numbness, tingling and burning or painful sensation.
Peripheral neuropathy is often due to diabetes but can occur as a result of toxic trauma (such as chemotherapy) or mechanical injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sometimes, it is due to prolonged use of crutches or even sitting in the same position for too long. Other disorders that can lead to peripheral neuropathy include atherosclerosis, autoimmunity, infections, advanced kidney disease and hypothyroidism as well as a number of drugs and environmental toxins.
Your first step should be a general medical checkup to rule out underlying disease as the cause of your symptoms and to determine exactly what the problem is. Your doctor should do complete blood work and may refer you to a neurologist who will probably do an EMG (electromyelogram) to assess muscles and nerve conduction.
If you have no underlying disease, you can try one or all of the following strategies to deal with your symptoms:
Take one B-100 B-complex vitamin daily. The B vitamins are necessary for normal nerve function, and supplementing is a good preventive measure. (Don't take more than 200mg of B-6, as higher daily doses can actually cause symptoms of neuropathy.)
Take 100 mg of alpha lipoic acid once a day. This antioxidant protects microcirculation to the nerves. You can gradually increase the dose to 300 mg twice a day over the next month.
Try acupuncture. You can find a qualified acupuncturist in your area through NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) or the AAOM (American Association of Oriental Medicine ).
Other therapies that can help include Chinese medicine. A practitioner can provide you with herbs that may speed recovery. You can also try reflexology for neuropathy of the legs, feet and toes. If a toxic exposure is the cause, time is your greatest ally -- injured nerves will slowly recover once the exposure ends.
Conventional treatments include tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline HCl (Elavil, Endep) and imipramine (Tofranil), which act on the central nervous system and may reduce pain independent of their action as antidepressants. It usually takes a few weeks for results to become noticeable. Anti-seizure medications like phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (tegretol) and gabapentin (Neurontin) are also used effectively for peripheral neuropathy.
Andrew Weil, MD
A Natural Way to Lower Cholesterol?
A Natural Way to Lower Cholesterol?
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I hear that taking a liquid yucca extra mixed with water is good for treating high cholesterol. Is this true? -- Jim Reid A: This is another example of too much being made of scant evidence. Although yucca is being promoted as a cholesterol-lowering agent, only a few case reports suggest that it has a limited ability to improve high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches. However, there have been no well-controlled studies to confirm these findings so if I were you; I would look elsewhere for cholesterol control.
Traditionally, extracts from the stalk and root of yucca trees that grow in the southwestern United States have been used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory conditions such as bursitis and gout. And a 1975 study published in Journal of Applied Nutrition showed that, taken orally, yucca does offer some mild relief for the pain, stiffness, and swelling of arthritis. But participating patients took varying doses, took other medications in addition to yucca, and took yucca from more than one species of the plant. So until we have more and better studies, we can't even say for sure that yucca helps these conditions.
As far as cholesterol treatment is concerned, there are other natural products for which effectiveness is well documented. Red rice yeast extract, once sold in the United States under the name "Cholestin," has been shown in studies to be an effective cholesterol-lowering agent. Other brands of red rice yeast extract, such as Solaray, might also be of benefit. The product named Cholestin that is now available in the United States contains octacosanol (an alcohol found in the waxy substance seen on some fruit and their leaves) as an active ingredient, which several small studies suggest can help lower cholesterol.
Andrew Weil, MD
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I hear that taking a liquid yucca extra mixed with water is good for treating high cholesterol. Is this true? -- Jim Reid A: This is another example of too much being made of scant evidence. Although yucca is being promoted as a cholesterol-lowering agent, only a few case reports suggest that it has a limited ability to improve high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and migraine headaches. However, there have been no well-controlled studies to confirm these findings so if I were you; I would look elsewhere for cholesterol control.
Traditionally, extracts from the stalk and root of yucca trees that grow in the southwestern United States have been used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory conditions such as bursitis and gout. And a 1975 study published in Journal of Applied Nutrition showed that, taken orally, yucca does offer some mild relief for the pain, stiffness, and swelling of arthritis. But participating patients took varying doses, took other medications in addition to yucca, and took yucca from more than one species of the plant. So until we have more and better studies, we can't even say for sure that yucca helps these conditions.
As far as cholesterol treatment is concerned, there are other natural products for which effectiveness is well documented. Red rice yeast extract, once sold in the United States under the name "Cholestin," has been shown in studies to be an effective cholesterol-lowering agent. Other brands of red rice yeast extract, such as Solaray, might also be of benefit. The product named Cholestin that is now available in the United States contains octacosanol (an alcohol found in the waxy substance seen on some fruit and their leaves) as an active ingredient, which several small studies suggest can help lower cholesterol.
Andrew Weil, MD
Are Full Body Scans Dangerous?
Are Full Body Scans Dangerous?
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I'm scheduled to get a full body scan, but I just heard that the radiation involved is too high. Should I cancel? -- Alice A: Full body scans are CT (computed tomography) examinations of the entire body that are being offered to healthy people to look for early signs of disease. I've had reservations about these procedures since they were first promoted because of the radiation exposure involved. Recent data published in the September 2004 issue of Radiology shows that my concerns are justified. A single scan exposes you to approximately the same dose of radiation received by some survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. We know that these survivors faced an increased risk of cancer.
New calculations from a research team at Columbia University Center for Radiological Research in New York show that with a single full body scan, the risk of developing a radiation-induced cancer later in life is about one in 1,200 -- that is, if 1,200 people had these scans, one might be expected to get cancer as a result of the radiation exposure.
That risk is pretty low, but if you continue to have the scans, the risk rises. The calculations show that someone who starts having the scans at age 45 and continues to have one a year for 30 years faces a one in 50 risk of radiation-induced cancer. That's much too high of a risk to accept for a test that is not medically necessary. The calculations also suggest that having this test on an annual basis - or even having it every two years - may do you more harm than good.
My reservations about full body scans go beyond radiation issue. While there's a very small chance that the scans will turn up signs of an undetectable cancer years before symptoms would occur, there's a greater likelihood that it will reveal some blip in the body that probably means nothing. But because the blip has been "seen" on the scan, you may have to get additional, anxiety-provoking tests until the issue is resolved.
Cost is a factor, too. These scans don't come cheap -- prices range from $700 to $1,300, depending on where you live. And they're not covered by health insurance.
You also should know that the American College of Radiology doesn't sanction use of full body scans for screening healthy people and that there is no scientific data showing that people will live longer as a result of having the scans.
If a physician recommends a full body CT scan to investigate symptoms you're having, or to check for signs of a disease for which you've been treated, the test may offer benefits that outweigh the risk of the radiation exposure involved. Otherwise, they are best avoided.
Andrew Weil, MD
Provided by: DrWeil.com
Q: I'm scheduled to get a full body scan, but I just heard that the radiation involved is too high. Should I cancel? -- Alice A: Full body scans are CT (computed tomography) examinations of the entire body that are being offered to healthy people to look for early signs of disease. I've had reservations about these procedures since they were first promoted because of the radiation exposure involved. Recent data published in the September 2004 issue of Radiology shows that my concerns are justified. A single scan exposes you to approximately the same dose of radiation received by some survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. We know that these survivors faced an increased risk of cancer.
New calculations from a research team at Columbia University Center for Radiological Research in New York show that with a single full body scan, the risk of developing a radiation-induced cancer later in life is about one in 1,200 -- that is, if 1,200 people had these scans, one might be expected to get cancer as a result of the radiation exposure.
That risk is pretty low, but if you continue to have the scans, the risk rises. The calculations show that someone who starts having the scans at age 45 and continues to have one a year for 30 years faces a one in 50 risk of radiation-induced cancer. That's much too high of a risk to accept for a test that is not medically necessary. The calculations also suggest that having this test on an annual basis - or even having it every two years - may do you more harm than good.
My reservations about full body scans go beyond radiation issue. While there's a very small chance that the scans will turn up signs of an undetectable cancer years before symptoms would occur, there's a greater likelihood that it will reveal some blip in the body that probably means nothing. But because the blip has been "seen" on the scan, you may have to get additional, anxiety-provoking tests until the issue is resolved.
Cost is a factor, too. These scans don't come cheap -- prices range from $700 to $1,300, depending on where you live. And they're not covered by health insurance.
You also should know that the American College of Radiology doesn't sanction use of full body scans for screening healthy people and that there is no scientific data showing that people will live longer as a result of having the scans.
If a physician recommends a full body CT scan to investigate symptoms you're having, or to check for signs of a disease for which you've been treated, the test may offer benefits that outweigh the risk of the radiation exposure involved. Otherwise, they are best avoided.
Andrew Weil, MD
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
GHEE - Ayurveda's Elixir of Life!
GHEE - Ayurveda's Elixir of Life!
In Ayurveda, cow's milk & Ghee (clarified butter) is believed to be the best for human consumption. It is full of nutritive qualities. Ayurveda considers it a Rasayana, a rejuvenating and longevity-promoting food. Ghee is traditionally made by heating butter until it becomes a golden liquid.
HOW TO MAKE GHEE:
Two pounds of butter will make one quart of ghee. Put the butter (sweet and unsalted, use organic if available) in a heavy, medium-size pot, turn the heat to medium, and heat until the butter melts, taking care not to burn the butter. Then turn down the heat, cook until the butter just boils, and continue to cook at this temperature. Do not cover the pot, as it is important to boil the water out and separate the solids.
The butter will foam and sputter for a while and then begin to quiet down. Stir it occasionally with a stainless steel spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan.In 12 to 15 minutes your ghee will begin to smell like popcorn and will turn a lovely golden color. Whitish curds turn a light tan color and the boiling quiets down, the ghee is ready.
Take it off the heat immediately, for it is most likely to burn at this stage. The cooking time should not be longer than 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the kind of pan and the heat source. Let the ghee cool until it is just warm. The solid curds will have settled to the bottom of the pot. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid.and discard the curds left on the bottom.
STORING GHEE :
Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf. It does not need refrigeration. Its medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don't ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create the conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.
EFFECTS OF GHEE :
Sahasraviryam Vidhibhighrutam karmasahasrakrut (Ashtanga sangrah)
Ghee is extremly potent and has got thousands of uses if used properly.
Shastam dhismrutimedhagnibalau shukrachakshusham (Ashtanga sangrah)
Ghee increases digestive fire. It helps to improve absorption and assimilation. It nourishes ojas, the subtle essence of all the body's tissues, strengthens the brain and nervous system, and improves memory. It lubricates the connective tissue.
Ghee makes the body flexible and, in small doses, is tridoshic.
Ghee pacifies pitta and vata and is acceptable, in moderation, for kapha. Persons who already have high cholesterol or suffer from obesity should be cautious in using ghee. Ghee is not to be used when there are high ama (toxic) conditions.
The coagulated lactose and other milk solids are removed in the process, making it suitable for lactose intolerant people.
Medicated Ghee :
Ghee is a yogavahi—a catalytic agent that carries the medicinal properties of herbs into the seven dhatus or tissues of the body. For the fall season make some ashwagandha-shatavari ghee. For the winter try a dashmoola ghee. For the spring add some of your favorite spices to make a spicy ghee. For the summer go for a bitter ghee made with local bitter herbs or try the formula called mahasudarshan (which you can buy from most ayurvedic shops online). Also for the summer brahmi ghee which is very good.
Old Ghee :
Medicinal properties improve with age but not taste. Old ghee is said to pacify Tridosha.
Shata Dhout Ghruta (100 times washed ghruta) :
Traditional Ayurvedic Skin Cream - It's completely natural and chemical free. Very useful for achiving radient and glowing skin.Shatadhout Ghruta is preapred from organic ghee (made from cow milk) by washing it repeatedly 100 times using specific method prescribed in Ayurveda. This process transforms the ghee into a soft ,cooling, nourishing, silky cream.Recommended use: It is an excellent Astringent, Moisturiser, Anti-wrinkle & Cleansing cream.
Can be used as a daily moisturizer on the face (or whole body) or for facial massage. Also, has calming effect on reddish or burned skin, and on eczema and rosacea.
See also here:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/online_recources/Ghee_Flyer.pdf
In Ayurveda, cow's milk & Ghee (clarified butter) is believed to be the best for human consumption. It is full of nutritive qualities. Ayurveda considers it a Rasayana, a rejuvenating and longevity-promoting food. Ghee is traditionally made by heating butter until it becomes a golden liquid.
HOW TO MAKE GHEE:
Two pounds of butter will make one quart of ghee. Put the butter (sweet and unsalted, use organic if available) in a heavy, medium-size pot, turn the heat to medium, and heat until the butter melts, taking care not to burn the butter. Then turn down the heat, cook until the butter just boils, and continue to cook at this temperature. Do not cover the pot, as it is important to boil the water out and separate the solids.
The butter will foam and sputter for a while and then begin to quiet down. Stir it occasionally with a stainless steel spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan.In 12 to 15 minutes your ghee will begin to smell like popcorn and will turn a lovely golden color. Whitish curds turn a light tan color and the boiling quiets down, the ghee is ready.
Take it off the heat immediately, for it is most likely to burn at this stage. The cooking time should not be longer than 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the kind of pan and the heat source. Let the ghee cool until it is just warm. The solid curds will have settled to the bottom of the pot. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid.and discard the curds left on the bottom.
STORING GHEE :
Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf. It does not need refrigeration. Its medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don't ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create the conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.
EFFECTS OF GHEE :
Sahasraviryam Vidhibhighrutam karmasahasrakrut (Ashtanga sangrah)
Ghee is extremly potent and has got thousands of uses if used properly.
Shastam dhismrutimedhagnibalau shukrachakshusham (Ashtanga sangrah)
Ghee increases digestive fire. It helps to improve absorption and assimilation. It nourishes ojas, the subtle essence of all the body's tissues, strengthens the brain and nervous system, and improves memory. It lubricates the connective tissue.
Ghee makes the body flexible and, in small doses, is tridoshic.
Ghee pacifies pitta and vata and is acceptable, in moderation, for kapha. Persons who already have high cholesterol or suffer from obesity should be cautious in using ghee. Ghee is not to be used when there are high ama (toxic) conditions.
The coagulated lactose and other milk solids are removed in the process, making it suitable for lactose intolerant people.
Medicated Ghee :
Ghee is a yogavahi—a catalytic agent that carries the medicinal properties of herbs into the seven dhatus or tissues of the body. For the fall season make some ashwagandha-shatavari ghee. For the winter try a dashmoola ghee. For the spring add some of your favorite spices to make a spicy ghee. For the summer go for a bitter ghee made with local bitter herbs or try the formula called mahasudarshan (which you can buy from most ayurvedic shops online). Also for the summer brahmi ghee which is very good.
Old Ghee :
Medicinal properties improve with age but not taste. Old ghee is said to pacify Tridosha.
Shata Dhout Ghruta (100 times washed ghruta) :
Traditional Ayurvedic Skin Cream - It's completely natural and chemical free. Very useful for achiving radient and glowing skin.Shatadhout Ghruta is preapred from organic ghee (made from cow milk) by washing it repeatedly 100 times using specific method prescribed in Ayurveda. This process transforms the ghee into a soft ,cooling, nourishing, silky cream.Recommended use: It is an excellent Astringent, Moisturiser, Anti-wrinkle & Cleansing cream.
Can be used as a daily moisturizer on the face (or whole body) or for facial massage. Also, has calming effect on reddish or burned skin, and on eczema and rosacea.
See also here:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/online_recources/Ghee_Flyer.pdf
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more information oxy-powder:
http://www.dreddyclinic.com/products/ghchealth/supplements.htm#Oxy-Powder
Monday, May 08, 2006
Ayurvedic Antibiotics Part 2
Here we will see some of the disease specific Ayurvedic recommendations -
Gold is considered as excellent antiseptic and has got 'Rasayana' properties also. Suvarna Bhasma (Gold Calx) is effectively used in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.
'Mahasudarshan Choorna' has been found very effective in cases of Malaria and other P.U.O. cases without any unwanted side effects.
Panchvalkala choorna or paste has been proved very effective in surgical profilexis and it shows good antibacterial and wound healing properties.Triphala guggul is also seen to be effective in surgical prophylaxis.
'Sukshma Triphala' and 'Gandhak Rasayan' are the ayurvedic preparations routinely used by ayurvedic practitioners to treat wound infections and infected skin conditions.
'Kutaj' is a herb which has got excellent anti-amoebic properties and is very effective in treating amoebic dysentery and diarrhea cases.
Babool, Termeric Triphala are useful when its paste is applied over the infected gums and in cases of pyorrhea.
'Chandraprabha', ' Vangabhasma' are effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections.
Thus ideas similar to today's Antibiotics do exist in Ayurveda. Further there is no fear of developing resistance against them after some time. This can be a ray of hope in today's ever-changing world of modern Antibiotics.
ayurveda-foryou.com
Gold is considered as excellent antiseptic and has got 'Rasayana' properties also. Suvarna Bhasma (Gold Calx) is effectively used in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.
'Mahasudarshan Choorna' has been found very effective in cases of Malaria and other P.U.O. cases without any unwanted side effects.
Panchvalkala choorna or paste has been proved very effective in surgical profilexis and it shows good antibacterial and wound healing properties.Triphala guggul is also seen to be effective in surgical prophylaxis.
'Sukshma Triphala' and 'Gandhak Rasayan' are the ayurvedic preparations routinely used by ayurvedic practitioners to treat wound infections and infected skin conditions.
'Kutaj' is a herb which has got excellent anti-amoebic properties and is very effective in treating amoebic dysentery and diarrhea cases.
Babool, Termeric Triphala are useful when its paste is applied over the infected gums and in cases of pyorrhea.
'Chandraprabha', ' Vangabhasma' are effective in the treatment of urinary tract infections.
Thus ideas similar to today's Antibiotics do exist in Ayurveda. Further there is no fear of developing resistance against them after some time. This can be a ray of hope in today's ever-changing world of modern Antibiotics.
ayurveda-foryou.com
Ayurvedic Antibiotics
One of the main reasons, people want to know more about Ayurveda is the dangerous side effects they experience daily, of today's modern medicines. Indiscriminate use of these drugs has started showing its hazards. Many among us have started realizing that drugs like Antibiotics are like double-edged sword. Use of these Antibiotics, though cure the disease, will certainly cause number of other unwanted dangerous side effects.
Many a times we hear that Ayurveda cures the disease permanently and safely without any unwanted side effects.
Are there any 'Antibiotics' in 'Ayurveda'?
is a very commonly asked question. It is quite natural that Ayurveda, the oldest health care system in the world (about 5000 years old), will not have the word 'Antibiotics'. But a curious search in its literature will definitely yield number of references stating that certain diseases are produced due to micro-organisms and one has to destroy them to preserve the health. Various types of these organisms are also described in Veda and Ayurveda. Ex. – Arati, Arjun, Alinsh, kravyad etc.
One interesting thing can be noted in these references. Ayurveda has not only advised on destroying these disease producing organisms but has also stressed that one should also increase the resisting power-immunity against these organisms to prevent the relapses of the disease. Almost all the herbs and medicines suggested by Ayurveda for killing these germs also have the property of increasing the immunity. This is called 'Rasayana' in Ayurveda.
'Sushruta', the father of Surgery, has written in detail about various surgical procedures and has also described number of techniques to prevent the infection of these surgical wounds. He has described various means for doing post operative surgical dressings. He has advised to use things like Sesame paste, Honey, Cow's Ghee , Skin from the stem of many antiseptic herbs etc. He has also advised to fumigate the wound with fumes of vacha (acorus calamus), Kushtha (saussurea lappa), Neem (azadirachta indica) etc. It is also stated that the sun rays during sunrise and sunset has got germicidal effect.
" Homa" is a collective term for the various Vedic techniques used in the purification of the atmosphere: (yainas, yvharutis and agnihotra.) The main idea here is: "Heal the atmosphere and it will heal you". This 'Homa' is a process of purification of the atmosphere with the agency of cosmic element -fire, it creates pure medicinal atmosphere and prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria and can prevent infectious diseases on mass scale.
Thus ideas similar to today's Antibiotics do exist in Ayurveda. Further there is no fear of developing resistance against them after some time. This can be a ray of hope in today's ever-changing world of modern Antibiotics.
In next part we will see the disease specific recommendations of Ayurveda for some of the common infectious diseases.
/ayurveda-foryou.com/
Many a times we hear that Ayurveda cures the disease permanently and safely without any unwanted side effects.
Are there any 'Antibiotics' in 'Ayurveda'?
is a very commonly asked question. It is quite natural that Ayurveda, the oldest health care system in the world (about 5000 years old), will not have the word 'Antibiotics'. But a curious search in its literature will definitely yield number of references stating that certain diseases are produced due to micro-organisms and one has to destroy them to preserve the health. Various types of these organisms are also described in Veda and Ayurveda. Ex. – Arati, Arjun, Alinsh, kravyad etc.
One interesting thing can be noted in these references. Ayurveda has not only advised on destroying these disease producing organisms but has also stressed that one should also increase the resisting power-immunity against these organisms to prevent the relapses of the disease. Almost all the herbs and medicines suggested by Ayurveda for killing these germs also have the property of increasing the immunity. This is called 'Rasayana' in Ayurveda.
'Sushruta', the father of Surgery, has written in detail about various surgical procedures and has also described number of techniques to prevent the infection of these surgical wounds. He has described various means for doing post operative surgical dressings. He has advised to use things like Sesame paste, Honey, Cow's Ghee , Skin from the stem of many antiseptic herbs etc. He has also advised to fumigate the wound with fumes of vacha (acorus calamus), Kushtha (saussurea lappa), Neem (azadirachta indica) etc. It is also stated that the sun rays during sunrise and sunset has got germicidal effect.
" Homa" is a collective term for the various Vedic techniques used in the purification of the atmosphere: (yainas, yvharutis and agnihotra.) The main idea here is: "Heal the atmosphere and it will heal you". This 'Homa' is a process of purification of the atmosphere with the agency of cosmic element -fire, it creates pure medicinal atmosphere and prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria and can prevent infectious diseases on mass scale.
Thus ideas similar to today's Antibiotics do exist in Ayurveda. Further there is no fear of developing resistance against them after some time. This can be a ray of hope in today's ever-changing world of modern Antibiotics.
In next part we will see the disease specific recommendations of Ayurveda for some of the common infectious diseases.
/ayurveda-foryou.com/
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Kamarani
