Guest guest Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Dear All, Ayurveda, which literally means the knowledge or wisdom of life, is the traditional medicine of India. Over the past decade, its popularity as an alternative or complement to Western Medicine has grown steadily. Brought into the mainstream public eye by Dr. Deepak Chopra M.D. in 1991, his book Perfect Health enlightened millions of readers about this ancient healing art. Since that time, interest in Ayurveda has grown steadily and Ayurveda is quickly establishing itself as a unique health care profession. Focusing on how we relate to our environment, Ayurveda views the cause of disease as the natural expression of the body and mind to living out of harmony with it's environment. From this perspective we can begin to understand that Ayurvedic treatments center around helping each individual move back into a harmonious relationship with their environment. In Ayurveda we understand that where there is harmony there is health and where there is disharmony, there is disease. Our environment consists of everything that we experience through our five senses. Thus what we eat, look upon, smell, touch or listen to, affects our well being. The goal of Ayurveda then is to help each person take in the impressions that are right for them. In Ayurveda, each person is seen as a unique individual with unique genetics and biochemistry. Hence, what is right for each individual is different. We call a person's uniqueness their "constitution." Your constitution describes who you are at the most fundamental level. The concept that we are all different is unique to Ayurveda. As a result of this understanding, Ayurveda prescribes a different program to each individual based upon their constitution and the nature of the imbalance within them. This avoids the "Everybody Must" syndrome that infiltrates many systems of healing. The "Everybody Must" syndrome says that everyone must follow one specific path in order for healing to take place or to establish optimal health. Ayurveda vehemently disagrees with this notion and subscribes to the philosophy that "nothing is right for everyone and everything is right for someone." I am reminded of the story of Lord Buddha who upon selecting his personal physician sent several physicians into the forest with the task of finding as many plants as they could with no medicinal value. Each physician brought back many samples of plants that they felt from their experience and meditations had no value. One physician by the name of Jivaka came back empty handed. He explained his frustration to Lord Buddha. "I am afraid I have failed you, he began, I have spent much time in the company of all of the plants in the forest but their is none that I can find with no value to someone. " Upon hearing this, Lord Buddha selected Jivaka as his personal physician. Indeed, Ayurveda recognizes that medicine exists everywhere and often in the most unlikely of places. Not only are plants and herbs sources of medicine but Ayurveda also uses aromas, colors, sound, special forms of massage and food as healing tools. It is through our senses that we experience the world around us. If we take in harmonious impressions through our senses, we can expect to experience greater calm, clarity and peacefulness and thus, via the mind/body relationship, greater physical health. If we take in disharmonious impressions, we create agitation in the mind and this leads to disease. We will now explore the fundamentals of each of the five senses. Through our eyes we take in thousands of impressions each day. These impressions are actual energies with different vibratory rates. Each color is a different energy or vibrates at a different rate. Some colors are harmonious for us and some agitate us in subtle ways. We interact with color all the time through the clothes we wear and our home environment. Conscious use of color can help create an environment for healing. While some color therapist attribute healing qualities to certain colors, Ayurveda once again teaches us that each person is an individual and hence, every color has a healing capacity if prescribed for the right person. Not only is color important but also how colors interrelate. Clashing colors in general create greater agitation while those that blend harmoniously create a greater sense of calm. In Ayurveda we also look at the quality of the impression received by the eye. Violent images as seen in real life or in the movies create agitation and disharmony.Viewing nature and flowers creates a feeling of calmness and clarity and thus benefits our journey toward health. Through the sense of taste, we interact with the foods we eat. Each of the five tastes affects the body and mind differently. Each taste has its benefits and each has its negative consequences if we overindulge in them. Sweet taste as an example is very nourishing and builds tissue and strength, but overindulgence, as we all know, leads to excessive weight gain, diabetes and other complications. In Ayurveda we do not count calories, grams of fat, or the cholesterol content of food. From an Ayurvedic perspective, if we learn what balance of tastes are right for us, then we will eat in harmony with our body's constitution and the body will respond with greater health. Some benefit from hot, spicy food while others from milder or bland foods. Some people benefit from meat while others thrive as vegetarians. Some people need the nourishment of sweet-tasting grains and others the cleansing qualities of bitters. What tastes and types of foods are correct for each individual depends upon that person's constitution and the nature of any imbalances that may be present. Our ears take in the vibratory energy of sound. Some sounds are calming and others agitating. Of course, which sounds balance our energy depends again on our constitution. We may think that only quiet, calming sound is healing. Again we must remember the tenant of Ayurveda that teaches us that what heals each person is different. For instance, agitating music can also be motivating. If lethargy and depression is a challenge, motivation is what you want. Meanwhile, for anxious individuals, the calming nature of new age music is beneficial. In Ayurveda, special sound energies called mantra are sometimes prescribed to induce specific reactions in the body. Through our nostrils we entertain the sense of smell. Aromatherapy is an important part of Ayurveda as smell has long been known to evoke emotion. From the perfumes and scents long used in mating rituals to the relaxing feelings evoked by a walk through a rose garden, aromas have always played a large role in our lives. While most people use aromas (perfumes and aftershaves) unconsciously, Ayurveda teaches us that some aromas create harmony while others contribute to disharmony and ultimately to diseases. From this understanding we can see that aromas are also medicine in the context that they can be intelligently used to balance the subtle energy of our bodies. In Ayurveda specific aromas are prescribed to aid the healing process. Touch is a very important aspect of Ayurveda. Through Ayurvedic massage the body and mind are nurtured. The skin is seen as a receptacle of a variety of energies. Some forms of massage are aggressive while others are soothing. What type aids an individual's healing process depends upon the constitution and the nature of the imbalance. Through the knowledge of Ayurveda, different oils are selected for each individual. These oils are chosen based upon their unique properties. Some are warming while others are cooling. Some nourish the body through the skin while others are less effective. In addition, specific hand motions are utilized to balance the subtle energies defined by Ayurveda. These subtle energies are known as doshas or humors in Ayurveda. There are three fundamental doshas known as Vata , Pitta, and Kapha. How they combine and in what percentages make up a person's inborn constitution. No two people share the same constitution. This natural unique balance of energy is essentially an energetic blue print of the person on the physical and emotional level. Through understanding the constitution we can predict where in the body weaknesses are likely to occur and thus take measures to prevent disease. Likewise, a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist can observe how the current balance of these energies is out of balance with their inborn ideal, and thus come to an understanding of how a disease took root in the body and began to grow. With this knowledge, regimes can be prescribed to re-establish balance and often reverse the effects. Our constitution can be described as an energetic template of our genetic blueprint. Our genetics have been shown to be the basis of our individuality. Our genetics control how we are likely to react to our environment and can also be used to predict predisposition's toward certain diseases. They also determine our biochemical individuality. This individuality affects everything from our unique nutritional needs to how we respond to different drugs, foods, colors, aromas, temperatures and everything else in our environment. Indeed, if we can understand our constitution, we can begin to take conscious control over our choices and choose those that will lead us toward optimal health.http://www.heall.com/body/altmed/treatment/ayurveda/journey.htmlBest Regards Mohammad BashaarFrom: Vijay <drvijaythawani@...>Subject: Re: Safety & efficacy of Ayurvedic formulationsnetrum Date: Friday, January 9, 2009, 6:21 PM Hi Shazia, Consumers are most passive, insensitive, indifferent and callous stakeholders in the whole system in our part of the world. They accept anything in the name of medicine that is doled out to them. The blind faith in medical practitioners is the root cause. None will taste unkown eatable,even if offered free to the person. But they accept unknown product in the name of pharmaceutical from the medical practitioner, unquestioningly. Mega cine stars advertising the products attract them to any junk and they go asking for the advertised brand in the shop, such is the power of advertising. To quote examples from Indian blitzkreig, they do not reason whether the "jumping jack of yester years" (Jitendra) ever took the poly herbal for staying young or the "Big B" himself has ever consumed "Sona-Chandi" Chawanprash. The outlook of the population has to change. The consumers will become empowered only when the realization sets in that they are being taken for granted and cheated in return. Vijay > > > > > > Good morning Dr Vijay and all members, > > > > Interesting topic to read and contribute > > > > > > NIM-2008-05 > > > > http://203.190. 147.122/NIM/ souvenir. aspx?nimid= NIM-2008- 05 > > Scientific approach to Ayurveda > > Lavekar GS1, Prasad M2 > > 1CCRAS, Opp. ¡D¢, Block, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110058; 2CRIA, Road > No. 66, Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi 110 026 > > Ayurveda is the science of life and life has many aspects. Life is > a period from birth to death, during this period one is involved in > and has to face varied situations. Being a science of life many > related biological and physical sciences are involved in Ayurveda. > Further Ayurveda believes in holistic approach involving body, mind > and spirit as an integral unit. This philosophy is also an essential > part of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is nature friendly science and believes > that human being is a miniature replica of universe and there is a > constant interaction between these two. There is a conglomeration > of varied but related sciences in Ayurveda. To know the concealed > wisdom of Ayurveda, a comprehensive and intelligent, scientific > multi disciplinary probing is required. > > Ayurveda is a pragmatic science. During the span of time many > innovative timely advances are adapted without deviation to the > basic concepts. Most of the Ayurvedic formulations are herbal > based. About 95 % plant source material is used in drugs, food & > cosmetic preparations. In Ayurvedic ancient text 1200 Ayurvedic > plants are described. Apart from this, many more plants are in > practices particularly in tribal and folk medicine. Another > important aspect is that many exotic plants are also used as > medicine, cosmetics and food material. In Ayurvedic materia medica > i.e. in Dravyaguna, many medicinal and aromatic plants are described > and Ayurveda considers that aromatic plants are not merely aromatic > in nature but they are effective in therapeutic practices as > medicine. In the present time, Ayurveda is getting acceptance > widely, in many developed countries. The community is opting > herbals, botanicals which are the part and parcel of > > Ayurveda. > > The wisdom of Ayurveda is therapeutically evident in presence of > multiple active ingredients in plants like Curcuma longa, garlic, > Withania somnifera etc. In present situation the features of medical > profession have changed. In the olden days the medical profession > was a personal mission exclusively for the welfare of humanity > without any personal gain. In later period the health care practice > was assumed a professional form and at present it has become a > business assuming industrial status. In olden days the medicine was > procured and prepared by the practitioner himself, as quantity of > medicine required was limited, he was adherent to limited > standards. In present situation the requirement of medicine is in > large quantity and the manufacturing is at industrial level. Hence > all the parameters, which are prevalent, are applicable to the > medicine. For reproducibility of results, the quality of raw > material and the processes involved in the > > manufacturing of medicine are to be standardized. The adoption > of advanced and prevalent scientific instruments, equipments and > methodology is essential for scientific approach. > > ·The identity of plant material is important for safety and > efficacy purposes. If by mistake, due to morphological similarity a > wrong plant is identified and used in medicine that may prove to be > harmful. For proper identification the ancient descriptive & > organoleptic parameters along with pharmacognostic methods are > essential to adapt. The DNA finger print technique is more > scientific and reliable but cannot be practiced widely. > > ·The procurement of plant material in proper season & in proper > time is essential to maintain the quality, eg. the collection of > latex material is more suitable in view of quality and quantity, if > it is procured in summer before sun rise. The Curcuma longa is to > be collected in the night time so as they are more rich in active > phytochemicals. These practices are to be validated by assessing > the phytochemicals in odd and proper suggested season and time. > > ·The preservation of plant material in a suitable container and > condition is also important. Before preservation some processes are > also required otherwise material may loose its medicinal value due > to degradation by microbial growth and other causes. > > ·Due to changed ecological conditions the air, water, soil etc. > are more or less polluted in many parts of the world. Due to > indiscriminate uses of chemical fertilizers, pesticides etc., the > soil micro flora and chemistry is changed. > > ·The percentage of heavy metals and Arsenic in soil and water are > also alarmingly increased. > > All these changes are reflecting in the plant grown in such > polluted soil. Mostly this pollution is due to industrial wastage > diverted in to the river water. These heavy metals & Arsenic are > hazardous to the health. Hence the raw material is to be tested for > the presence of excess amount of heavy metals, Arsenic and > pesticides. WHO has prescribed the limits of heavy metals and > Arsenic. The genuineness of raw material, the presence of chemical > marker is very much reliable but the chemical markers of most of the > plants are not available. Hence, this practice is difficult to adopt > by all. The other methods like HPLC, HPTLC, -thin layer > chromatography is easy and can be practiced widely. The TLC profile > of polyherbal formulations consisting of more than twelve > ingredients is not that reliable. > > The safety measures are well described in Ayurveda but in present > situation all are not practicable. Many a time safety of plants and > proprietary formulations is required to be tested in animals. > Considering the dose, dosage form and duration of the treatment, the > safety study of choice like acute, sub acute, chronic, genotoxicity > is to be conducted. > > The action of the drug is described in Ayurveda in much detail, a > single drug or formulation is described having varied actions. These > pharmacological or biological actions are to be validated in vitro & > in vivo as per the necessity. The pharmacodynamics of single plants > & formulations is well described in Ayurveda but the pharmacokinetic > study i.e. drug passage in the body is not available in detail. This > pharmaco-kinetic study can be conducted or validated by involving > molecular biological approaches > > The Ayurveda has classified the human beings into seven Prakritis, > which may be called a bio-identity of an individual. The Prakriti > can be studied in view of genomics to co-relate macro with micro > level to reveal the characteristic features and to develop a drug > suitable for a particular prakriti considering genomic nature. This > is a part of Pharmaco- genomics. Ayurveda gives more importance to > the subjects rather than objects. The clinical protocols are to be > developed of a comprehensive nature consisting of objective as well > as subjective parameters because what patient feels is important > than what laboratory reveals. > > In nutshell a multi disciplinary approach involving all related > sciences is required to reveal the wisdom of ancient science > Ayurveda for the welfare of ailing humanity. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Shazia Jamshed > > PhD Scholar > > Social and Administrative Pharmacy > > School of Pharmaceutical Sciences > > Universiti Sains Malaysia > > Penang > > Malaysia > > Core Member Medicine Pakistan International > > E-mail: shazia_12@ . > > http://medicinespak istan.org/ projects/ > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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