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Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic & Research Center
Member Newsletter, October I & II, 2000
http://www.chakrapaniayurveda.com
IN THIS ISSUE:
1.)... About This Newsletter
2.)... Editor's Note
3.)... Introduction to Panchakarma: Part II - Today's Feature Article
4.).. Medicinal Plant of this issue
5.)... Home Remedy of this issue
6.)... Today's Quick Clicks
7.)... Dipawali Greetings
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1.) About the Ayurveda Newsletter
AyurvedaNews is an optional fortnightly newsletter available to those who has visited our site and had contacted us for free consultation, free constitution analysis or has subscribed this newsletter through our site.
Chakrapaniayurveda.com contains only the best and most pertinent material on Ayurveda and Holistic systems of medicine. This newsletter focuses on improving and popularizing Ayurveda and all the holistic systems of medicine. ====================================================================
Want your ad viewed by the most relevant readers for your health services and products? Or wish t
o sponsor this newsletter? For the details and prices...mail to: nachiketa@id.eth.net ====================================================================2.) Editor's Note: The feature article of today's issue is a second and final part on Introduction to Panchakarma. This issue comes as a combined one for both the due edition of our newsletter in October. You will find an elaborate description on the medicinal plant featured in this issue. This is a sort of humble effort to fulfil a gap of full 3 weeks to reach you that was caused due to Dipawali festival in India and other circumstances. Your feedback will be highly appreciated.
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3.) Introduction to Panchakarma: Part II - Today's Feature Article, by Mita Kotecha
Purvakarma: Pre-purification Measures
for Panchakarma
Before the actual operation of purification begins, there is a need to
prepare the body in prescribed methods to encourage the body to let go of the toxins. The
two procedures are Snehana and Swedana.
Snehana is the oil massage. Oil is applied to the entire body with a particular type of massage which helps the toxins to move towards the gastro-intestinal tract. Oil massage also makes the superficial and deep tissues soft and supple, thus helping to remove stress and to nourish the nervous system. Snehan is given daily for three to seven days, as indicated.
Swedana is sudation or sweating and is given every day immediately following the snehana. An herbal concoction may be added to the steam to further loosen the toxins from the individual. Swedana liquifies the toxins and increases the movement of toxins into the gastro-intestinal tract.
Pradhanakarma: Main Purification measures of Panchakarma
Vaman: Emesis Therapy
When there is congestion in the lungs causing repeated attacks of bronchitis, colds, cough
or asthma, the Ayurvedic treatment is therapeutic vomiting, vaman, to eliminate the kapha
causing the excess mucus
Virechan: Purgation Therapy
When excess bile, pitta, is secreted and accumulated in the gall bladder, liver and small
intestine, it tends to result in rashes, skin inflammation, acne, chronic attacks of
fever, biliary vomiting, nausea and jaundice. Ayurvedic literature suggests in these
conditions the administration of therapeutic purgation or a therapeutic laxative.
Nasya: Nasal Administration
The nose is the doorway to the brain and it is also the doorway to consciousness. The
nasal administration of medication is called nasya. An excess of bodily humors accumulated
in the sinus, throat, nose or head areas is eliminated by means of the nearest possible
opening, the nose.
Basti: Enema Therapy
Vata's predominant site is the colon. Ayurvedic basti involves the introduction into the
rectum of herbal concoctions of sesame oil, and certain herbal preparations in a liquid
medium. Basti, is the most effective treatment of vata disorders, although many enemas
over a prescribed period of time are usually required. It relieves constipation,
distention, chronic fever, cold, sexual disorders, kidney stones, heart pain, backache,
sciatica and other pains in the joints. Many other vata disorders such as arthritis,
rheumatism, gout, muscle spasms and headaches may also be treated with basti. Basti
therapy is divided in two main types, i.e. Anuvasana Basti or medicated oil enemas
and Niruha Basti or medicated enema of decoctions and medicated oils.
Other miscellaneous therapies of Panchakarma:
I want to know more about Panchakarma:
Please visit http://www.chakrapaniayurveda.com/panchakarma.html for more details.
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Mita Kotecha is M.D. in Ayurveda from Gujarat Ayurveda University of India and
presently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Dravyaguna (medicinal
plant sciences) of National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur (India). Earlier, she has been
associated as Head, Department of Dravyaguna and Director of Herbal Garden at Chitrakoot
University. She had been author of several published research papers, articles on Ayurveda
and a book entitled "Concept of Lekhana (obesity management) in Ayurveda".
You can contact her personally on rkotecha@datainfosys.net .
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4.) Medicinal Plant of this issue: Guggul (Commifora mukul)
Guggul (Goo-gall) is a resin from a tree native to India. This resin has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine, which combined it with other plant products to cleanse and rejuvenate the body, especially the blood vessels and the joints. It was also used for sore throats and digestive complaints. In Chinese medicine, Guggul is known as mo yao and is used to activate blood flow, relieve pain, and speed recovery.
A resin from a related tree, C. myrrha, is the myrrh mentioned in the Bible as one of the gifts the wise men from the East brought to the infant Jesus. Guggul (also spelled gugul, gugulu, or guggal) is now coming to attention in the United States because of its reputation for lowering cholesterol. Ayurvedic practitioners probably didn't even know what cholesterol was in the past, but it appears that the resin they used to cleanse blood vessels may indeed have benefit for Westerners with elevated blood lipids. The greenish resin is harvested in the winter.
Active Ingredients
Guggul contains essential oils, myrcene, Z and E guggulsterones, alpha-camphorene, various other guggulsterones, and makulol. The Z and E guggulsterones, extracted with ethyl acetate, are the constituents that appear to be responsible for lowering blood lipids.
Uses
Animal studies suggest that guggulsterones can increase the liver's ability to bind "bad" LDL cholesterol, thus taking it out of circulation. Animals given Guggul extract and high fat, plaque-producing diet had lower blood fats and developed less atherosclerosis than animals given the diet alone. In some of this research, a combination of Guggul and garlic worked better than Guggul by itself. In humans, three months of Guggul treatment resulted in lower levels of total cholesterol (average 24 percent) and serum triglycerides (average 23 percent reduction) in the majority of patients. A double-blind trial comparing Guggul to the cholesterol-lowering drug clofibrate found that the two treatments were very similar in their ability to lower total cholesterol (11 percent by gugulipid, 10 percent by clofibrate) and triglycerides (17 percent by gugulipid, 22 percent by clofibrate). HDL ("good") cholesterol was also altered by gugulipid, increasing in 60 percent of patients, while clofibrate did not have any effect on HDL. Raising HDL and lowering total cholesterol improves the ratio of these blood fats.
Two other placebo-controlled trials in India confirm that Guggul can lower total cholesterol and raise HDL. Guggulsterones are reported to stimulate the thyroid, which might tend to have a beneficial effect on cholesterol for people with underactive thyroid glands.
Guggul also protects the heart: In animals challenged with drugs that damage heart tissue, cardiac enzymes did not change significantly when the experimental animals were pretreated with Guggul. Guggul has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in rats. Some reports suggest that it helps keep platelets from clumping together to start a blood clot, that it can help break up blood clots (fibrinolytic activity), and that it is an antioxidant.
You can access the image of Guggul at http://www.chakrapaniayurveda.com/medplant.html . You can have the tablets of purified Guggul by asking at info@chakrapaniayurveda.com if you wish to get it for the control of your cholesterol.
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Expert in any of Different Holistic Systems of Health? We're looking for ARTICLES on different aspects of Ayurveda, Yoga and other Holistic Systems of Health. Articles should be in the 400 to 600 word range and include a one-paragraph bio of the author. Submissions can be sent to Nachiketa, our editor at: nachiketa@id.eth.net ====================================================================
5..) Home Remedy of this issue:
Mouth Ulcers:
1. Avoid spicy, hot, oily food.
2. Avoid smoking if it is possible.
3. Gargle with plain milk, minimum 3 - 4 times a day.
4. take Trifla powder 5 grams daily at bed time.
5. Take a pinch of Licorice powder and put it in the oral cavity or on the ulcers, where
you can.
Courtesy: Dr. Prerak Shah of India. You can contact him at prerakayu@hotmail.com
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7.)... Dipawali Greetings:
Happy Dipawali to all the readers of this newsletter (These days, India is celebrating Diwali festival. It is a festival in the holy memory of the victory of Satya - truth - against devils.)We have received a great quote from one of our reader on the occasion of Dipawali. We are reproducing it as follows for our esteemed readers:
God is Crazy about YOU. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring. He sends you a surprise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He listens. He can live anywhere in the universe, yet He chooses your heart. Face it, friend - He is crazy about you! Courtesy: Upendra Tripathi, UK====================================================================
You can send feedback on this issue of AyurvedaNews at newsletter@chakrapaniayurveda.com. Your valuable suggestions will help us in our efforts of continuous improvement.
Sincerely,
The AyurvedaNews Team
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