Ayurveda Tongue Diagnosis

Ayurveda Tongue Diagnosis

Tongue diagnosis help to understand the totality of health and disease by observing the tongue size, shape, contour, surface, margins and color.

What is tongue diagnosis?

Tongue diagnosis is observing the tongue size, shape, contour, surface, margins and color to assess the present health.

Look your tongue and observe the size, shape, color, etc. Pale tongue color indicates an anemic condition or lack of blood in the body. Yellow colored tongue indicates excess bile in gallbladder or liver disorder. Blue colored tongue indicates heart defect. If you see tongue impressions along the margin of the tongue indicates poor intestinal absorption.

Tongue diagnosis - Shape

Vata individuals have small, short, thin, dry, cracked, and trembling. Indentations, sunken concave spots, scalloped and teeth mark indicating mal-absorption and low agni due to the erratic digestive power of visamagni. Cracked edges depressed at the back of the tongue indicating low ojas. Cracked in the front indicates lung dryness. Vata individuals are often anxious and difficult to extend their tongue. Extremely short tongue is a sign of low ojas. This reflects the dry, rough, mobile, light, and deficient qualities of vata.

Pitta individuals have long, narrow, pointed, inflamed, ulcerated, red small projections, swollen, and red edges. Pitta individuals often extend their tongue with force like an arrow. This reflects the sharp, penetrating, liquid, and hot qualities of pitta.

Kapha individuals have large, swollen, thick, soft, wet, and wet edges. Tongue with teeth marks indicating mandagni. The swollen tip indicates heart congestion. Swollen in the center indicates lung congestion. The kapha individuals often flops their tongue out of the mouth though it is too large. This reflect the unctuous, fluid, soft, slimy, smooth, and cold qualities of kapha.

Tongue diagnosis - Color

Vata individuals having pale tongue reflects poor nutrient metabolism due to a low nutrient absorption or blood deficiency. A purple-blue tongue reflects stagnation of circulating vyana vayu from cold.

Pitta individuals having red, reflecting high pitta in absorbed nutrient or blood. A orange tongue (especially sides) is due to high pitta consuming blood. A purple-red (in extreme causes black-red) is due to high pitta condensing absorbed nutrient and blood resulting in viscous and sluggish circulation.

Kapha individuals have pale tongue due to the cold that restrict circulation. A pale-blue color tongue indicates congestive heart disorders due to aggravated avalambaka kapha.

Tongue diagnosis - Coating

Diagnose tongue coatings their

• Colors such as white, yellow, dirty yellow, pale yellow, or black
• Depth such as thick, or thin
• Textures such as dry, wet, or greasy

The tongue coating is an easily diagnosis of the treatment efficacy and the disease movement. If a coating propagates from thick to thin and from yellow to white, indicate beneficial sign and vice versa. If the tongue becomes dry, is a negative sign.

Vata individuals have dry, non-existent or thin, white coat.

Pitta individuals have yellow or dirty yellow coat. Greasy coating indicates the pitta mixed with ama (toxins). A yellow dry coating indicates the pitta and vata mixed together. Absence of coating with red, shiny tongue indicates heat of excess pitta; this causes weak and deficient metabolizing of available nutrients too quickly.

Kapha individuals have white (thick or thin), wet, or clear coating. A thick white greasy coating indicates kapha mixed with ama. A pale yellow coating indicates kapha mixed with pitta.

Bad breath shows low Agni (digestive ability) or toxic accumulation; check intestine points on the tongue for root problem.

Tongue diagnosis - Location

Vata dosha condition can normally observe at the back of the tongue associated with the state of the colon.

Pitta dosha condition can observe in the middle portion of the tongue associated with the stomach and small intestines. The sides of the tongue relate to the liver and many pitta imbalances can see here.

Kapha dosha condition can observe in the front portion associated with the lungs, chest and heart.

Much like reflexology, every organ in the body can locate on specific region in the tongue. We know tongue help enjoy the taste of various foods. Similarly, it is the mirror of the body's digestive system; the tongue can reflect the health of various organs in the body.

A discoloration and/or different sensation in a particular area of the tongue indicate organ disorder corresponding to that specific area.

Tongue to diagnose dosha imbalance

Tongue helps to diagnose how harmonized the dosha is or whether it is out of balance. Divide the tongue into three parts (33.3% each); the inner part near throat is vata, middle is pitta, and the outer tip is kapha. Excessive tongue coating in any of these specific areas shows imbalance of that dosha.

Tongue diagnosis - Crack

The central crack in the tongue indicates prana flow through the heart or spine. If the crack extends to the tongue tip indicates a congenital (born with) heart weakness. A deviated crack indicates spinal curvature. A tongue crack with swelling in the two sides is due to high kapha.

Keeping the tongue indirectly helps to keep every organ healthy. How do you keep your tongue clean? One of the best ways to keep the tongue clean is scraping once or twice it daily. Use tongue scraper to remove overnight and day buildup of bacteria and toxins in the tongue. Extend your tongue, place the tongue scraper as interior as confortable without nausea and gently press & pull forward to remove tongue coatings. Rinse the mouth with water. It is better to do tongue cleansing done in the morning, when you are in empty stomach. Scraping the tongue is the good way to start the day; as a result, it improves health of the internal organs by stimulating all the pranic nadis that terminate in the tongue.

Original article and pictures take healthy-ojas.com site

Ayurveda meets modern medicine, with a little help from genomics

Ayurveda meets modern medicine, with a little help from genomics

Modern medicine is moving towards a more personalised approach. Genome sequencing is an effort in that direction. Genetic expression variations in an entire set of genes are compared between humans to identify links of diseases to particular genes. Based on these differences, it can be deduced, even in advance, what diseases a person might be susceptible to or what drug might be most suitable. In that case, treatment can even be predictive. At the same time, there is a growing interest in ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old system of traditional medicine.

Ayurveda is usually considered to be completely delinked from modern medicine. We at IGIB, however, have been working for the last 15 years to find the connections between ayurveda and modern science, using genomics. Our research has produced some very promising insights into how ayurveda can be integrated with modern medicine for a much more effective treatment. Ayurveda classifies healthy people on the basis of what it calls prakriti, that literally translates to nature, in English. Every person is supposed to have a fixed prakriti that is decided by three elements or tridosha. They are VPK: vata (V) that governs the kinetics of the human body; pitta (P), which is responsible for metabolism; and kapha (K) that is an indication of structure and stability of a person. Depending on the different proportions of these three elements found in people, ayurveda has seven classifications of prakriti.

Prakriti manifests itself in a person’s outer appearance, such as body frame, skin and hair type, metabolism, physical and mental activity, including response to environment etc. A disease is seen as vikriti, or perturbation of ‘VPK’ from its baseline pattern (prakriti). Ayurveda attempts to treat a person by removing the vikriti. In that way, it does not target the disease but the disturbance or distortion that led to a change in ‘VPK’ and restores a person’s prakriti. People of same prakriti often respond to similar treatment.

That being the case, in 2002, we started out by trying to see whether the classification of prakriti in ayurveda had any parallels with a person’s gene expression patterns. We wanted to see whether people of similar prakriti belonged to a similar gene pool. After a few years of work, we were able to show, in 2008, that this indeed was the case. People of same prakriti showed similar gene expression, and this was distinctly different from people of another prakriti.

A bigger breakthrough came two years later, when we were able to produce much stronger evidence of the link. We were observing differences in oxygen sensor gene among prakriti individuals that help human beings calibrate their bodily activities according to the amount of oxygen supply. This gene senses low oxygen levels and helps the body adapt accordingly by modulating its physiology. This sensory gene is very active in people who live in high altitudes. Pitta group are more like residents of high-altitude areas, whereas kapha group are more similar to those who develop pulmonary oedema in high altitudes.

Thus, adaptability to high altitudes might be predicted on the basis of the prakriti of a person. Our findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal in the US. We are now testing the effect of ayurveda-based phytopharmaceuticals in relevant disease conditions using the approach of ‘Ayurgenomics’ — integration of the knowledge of ayurveda and genomics. We have started a new unit at IGIB called ‘TRISUTRA’ dedicated to the study of Ayurgenomics and have established teams in five cities that have ayurveda hospitals. These hospitals are currently conducting prakriti screening in 20,000 people to further validate our results. Several doctors from AIIMS and other hospitals are also collaborating with us on this project.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

Ayurveda Herb Shatavari and Its Healing Powers for Women’s Reproductive Health

Ayurveda Herb Shatavari and Its Healing Powers for Women’s Reproductive Health

Women’s reproductive health issues are an essential part of both medical health and herbal care today. Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to help balance hormones and ease the symptoms. Hippocrates (455 BC), for instance, advised the use of Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) to ease undesirable symptoms that may occur during menstruation, and this herb is still very popular until today.

One of our birthright is definitely good health – strength, vitality, strong bones and resilient heart. For women, what we need are some simple, yet tried and proven ways to ease our discomfort, nourish ourselves and prevent serious, life-threatening illnesses. As a naturopath and a woman, I’ll be sharing with you the amazing health benefits of Shatavari to women’s reproductive health – one of the best gifts from Mother Nature to us.

What is Shatavari?

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is an indigent medicinal plant that is widely used in homeopathy medicines and in Siddha. In India, it is estimated that over 500 tons of Shatavari roots are needed each year for different medicinal preparations.

The word in Sanskrit ‘shatavari’ means ‘the one who possesses hundred husbands’. This herb is actually a primary rejuvenating herb for women.

Background

The plant grows best in subtropical and tropical forest. The herb can be found throughout India, Sri Lanka, tropical Africa, Java and Southern China. This herb is an armed climber, with leaves that are green, uniform, small and like pine needles. Growing 1 to 2 meters high, it has a woody stem that are covered with spine. The roots are finger-like, tuberous and clustered while the fruits are round, pulpy berries that turn purplish black when ripe.

Active Components

The key bioactive components of Shatavari are a group of steroidal saponins called Shatvarin I to IV. It also contains essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, B, C and E, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium and folic acid. Other beneficial components of Shatavari are essential oils, arginine, asparagine, flavonoids like quercetin, kaempferol and rutin, tyrosin, tannin and resin.

Shatavari in Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, Shatavari is considered a potent female tonic. Aside from being a rejuvenating herb beneficial in women’s fertility, it can also help reduce inflammation of sexual organs, increases libido and supports ovulation. It is also taken to prevent miscarriages, prepare the womb for pregnancy and ideal as post-partum tonic to increase lactation.

Why Should You Use Shatavari?

The active components of Shatavari make it very useful for women. Researchers studied the effects of Shatavari on a pregnant rat and it was found out that Shatavari has estrogenic effects on the female mammary gland and genital organs, most probably due to its phytoestrogens. Below is a list of beneficial actions of Shatavari when it comes to women’s health.<img src="https://chihealth.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shatavari-benefits-brisbane.png" alt="shatavari benefits brisbane" width="458" height="650" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2443" srcset="https://chihealth.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shatavari-benefits-brisbane.png 458w, https://chihealth.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shatavari-benefits-brisbane-211×300.png 211w, https://chihealth.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shatavari-benefits-brisbane-134×190 recherche viagra montreal.png 134w” sizes=”(max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px” />

1. Health Issues Related to Menstruation

Shatavari is believed to be useful in menstrual disorders such as irregular bleeding, premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea and other situations after menopause. Shatavari contains saponins that can the block activity of oxytocin on the uterus, resulting in natural uterine motility and reduction of periods of dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation).

Based on animal study, the extract of Shatavari rhizome can block persistent uterine motility by inhibiting the spasmogenic effect of serotonin, acetylcholine and barium chloride on the uterus. This finding confirms its role in relieving dysmenorrhea. Its action against premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is believed to due to it imparting a feeling of well-being and boosting the immune system.

2. Health Issues Related to Female Infertility

Shatavari is believed to be useful for female infertility as it supports folliculogenesis, as well as ovulation. The female reproductive system is highly dependent on glycogen for the energy source. Estrogen increases the level of glycogen in the uterus so any decrease in its level would also reflect a decrease in estrogen level. The herb has been found to have a unique formulation that can increase uterine glycogen without affecting serum estrogen and progesterone level.

3. Health Issues Related to Menopause

Menopause naturally occurs in women’s life as they go through from reproductive to the non-reproductive stage. At this stage, many women experience menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, palpitations insomnia, night sweats, vaginal dryness, anxiety and irritability.

A very common practice to ease these menopausal symptoms is to undergo hormone replacement therapy. While this option is effective, it isn’t free from side effects. This is the reason more and more women are turning to natural medicine to have a safe option versus artificial hormones.

Shatavari is highly known as an excellent source of phytoestrogen that can be effective to help relieve menopausal systems. Menopausal symptoms are due to the body having withdrawal from estrogen. The action of phytoestrogens in Shatavari is to mimic estrogenic action without any harmful adverse effects.

4. A Potent Antioxidant

Antioxidants are very important in preventing cellular damage –the main culprit on many serious and chronic diseases such cancer, cardiovascular disease and many more. Shatavari possesses a natural antioxidant property. It acts by increasing the antioxidant defense – the enzyme catalase, superoxidase dismutase and ascorbic acid. The antioxidant property of Shatavari is coming from its isoflavons, particularly racemofuran, racemosol and asparagamine.

How to Use Shatavari

Shatavari has not been known to cause any toxic side effects with long term use. The most common ways it is use are:

1. Decoctions
2. Powder/granule form
3. Tinctures

The granule or powder form can easily be added to food and drinks such as milk, tea and a wide range of dishes. When buying Shatavari root powder, follow all the instructions and warnings in the label. Always consult your healthcare provider before trying out any herbal powder, especially for pregnant women or those under the care of a physician or even those with concerns regarding safety use of herbal powders.

Have you used Shatavari powder? What do you think about it? Share your thoughts, experiences and suggestions with us.

Original article and pictures take chihealth.co site

Ayurveda Concept Of Rasayan Therapy

Ayurveda Concept Of Rasayan Therapy

Rasayan, a Sanskrit word (with literal meaning: Path (ayana) of the Juice (rasa), or Elixir vitae), is used to describe chemistry and alchemy, and chemistry is generally called Rasayan Shastra in Sanskrit,Nepali, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada and several other languages. Ancient rasayan texts center around the use of prepared forms of mercury (see samskaras), as do occidental alchemical texts. However, there is also ample mention of the preparation of medical tinctures in the ancient science of rasayan; rasayan is in fact a part of Ayurveda.

Concept of Rasayana Therapy

Rasayana Tantra is one of the eight major divisions of Astang Ayurveda. In Ayurveda, one of the major methods of presentation of positive health has been described i.e. Rasayana.

Sushruta has defined a healthy man as one who has:-

• Equilibrium of the Doshas Sama dosha.

• Normal functioning of Agni Sama Agni

• Normal condition of 7 Dhatus Sam Dhatu

• Normal Excretion of waste products Sam Malkriya.

Beside this Atma (Soul), the Indriyas or sense organs and Mana or mind should be happy and cheerful Prasanatamendriya Mana (Su.Su.15/15). The current modern definition of health is also same “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely absence of disease. (W.H.O.)

Healthy state of mind and body can be achieved by Rasayana Therapy or Rejuvenation Therapy

Rasayana Stands as an answer to solve the problem of healthful longevity including mental development and resistance against disease. That is why; Rasayanatherapy has been included as one of the eight major divisions of Ashtang Ayurveda. Rasayana Chikitsa or rejuvenation therapy helps to promote and preserve health and longevity in the healthy, and to Cure disease in sick. We all want to look forever young and increase our life span by staying healthy, Rasayans or vitalizers, as they are called, do exactly the same. They replenish the vital fluids of our body, thus keeping us away from diseases. Rasayana refers to the nutrition and its transportation in the body. Such a state of improved nutrition is claimed to lead to a series of secondary attributes like longevity, immunity against diseases, mental competence and delaying of aging.

Rasayana is actually that which increases the essence of each Dhatu, starting from Rasa. Taking Rasayana is helpful to increase the immunity of person to keep him away from diseases. The person become healthy and strong .Literally the term Rasayana refers to the means of obtaining the optimum nourishment to the Dhatu.

Meaning of Rasayana

The word Rasayana is composed of two words Ras + Ayan. The means by which one gets the excellence of Rasa (The nourishing fluid which is produced immediately after digestion) is known as Rasayana. Apart from the excellence of Rasa, the individual is endowed with Psychic excellence like sharp memory, by virtue of rejuvenation therapy. The term Rasayana connotes a specific meaning. Drugs, diet and regimens which promote longevity by delaying aging and preventing diseases are called Rasayana. The term Rasa has different connotation. In the present context, it means the body fluid which is responsible for nourishment of entire physique. Impairment of circulation of this body fluid results in diseases and decay. This body fluid of good quality should not only be present in adequate quantity, but also it should be able to permeate (circulate) throughout the various cells of the body to provide the type of nourishment they need.

Rasayana is a specialized type of treatment influencing the fundamental aspect of body viz. Dhatus, Agni and Srotansi and ojus etc. Rasayana Chikitsa boosts theojus and immune system. The adjective Ojaswiis used to describe those people who keep good health in all seasons and all stages of life. It is like obtaining a high rank in a physical or mental fitness. Ojus gives a bright look, sharp memory, high performance and every expected pleasure.

Historic Consideration of Rasayana

Rasayana therapy is as old as the Vedas because many references on Rasayana therapy are available in the Atharva Veda (atharvaveda 8/7/4). Extensive descriptions of divine Rasayana agents like Soma are available in classics. References about Achara Rasayna and Sadvrita are also available in the vedic texts similar to Charakadescription (Rig-Veda 5/1/7 and Atharvaveda 16/2/2)

Besides extensive references is available regarding the superiority of certain other common Rasayana drugs like Pippali, Jivanti and Punarnava etc. Similarly a concept of Ajasrika Rasayana also appears in vedic literature.

Vedas have seriously considered the problems of aging and its delaying. It has been the cherished wish of human race to achieve long life and to live at least 100 years in perfect health. “Jivema Sharadah Shatam” (Rigveda 10/39/8).

Probably all these ideas at a later stage necessitated the development of a full-fledged clinical discipline like Rasayana therapy to deal with the problem of aging, its delaying.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

Ayurveda & Dosha Types for Beginners

Ayurveda & Dosha Types for Beginners

Ayurveda is a holistic science of health, focusing on maintaining a physically and emotionally balanced state. Ayurveda began about 5,000 - 6,000 years ago when Indian monks were looking for new ways to be healthy. Revering their bodies like temples, the monks believed that preserving their health would help them meditate and develop spiritually. Over thousands of years of observations, they gathered all their conclusions and advice and preserved it for future generations. This collection of knowledge came to be known as the "science or knowledge of life" -- Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is based on the principles of three doshas. Doshas are the energies that make up every individual, which perform different physiological functions in the body:

1. Vata Dosha -- Energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and your heartbeat.

2. Pitta Dosha -- Energy that controls the body's metabolic systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and your body's temperature.

3. Kapha Dosha -- Energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system.

Each person has all three Doshas, but usually one or two dominate. Various Dosha proportions determine one's physiological and personality traits, as well as general likes and dislikes. For example Vata types will prefer hot weather to cold and Kapha types are more likely to crave spicy foods than other types.

Vata Predominant Types: Creative; Quick to learn and grasp new knowledge, but also quick to forget, Slender; Tall and a fast-walker; Tendency toward cold hands and feet, discomfort in cold climates; Excitable, lively, fun personality; Changeable moods; Irregular daily routine; High energy in short bursts; Tendency to tire easily and to overexert; Full of joy and enthusiasm when in balance; Responds to stress with fear, worry, and anxiety, especially when out of balance; Tendency to act on impulse; Often have racing, disjointed thoughts; Generally have dry skin and dry hair and don't perspire much.

Pitta Predominant Types: Medium physique, strong, well-built; Sharp mind, good concentration powers; Orderly, focused; Assertive, self-confident, and entrepreneurial at their best; Aggressive, demanding, pushy when out of balance; Competitive, enjoy challenges; Passionate and romantic; Strong digestion, strong appetite, get irritated if they have to miss or wait for a meal; When under stress, Pittas become irritated and angry; Skin fair or reddish, often with freckles; sunburns easily; Uncomfortable in sun or hot weather, heat makes them very tired; Perspire a lot; Good public speakers; Generally good management and leadership ability, but can become authoritarian; Subject to temper tantrums, impatience, and anger; Typical physical problems include rashes or inflammations of the skin, acne, boils, skin cancer, ulcers, heartburn, acid stomach, insomnia, dry or burning eyes.

Kapha Predominant Types: Easygoing, relaxed, slow-paced; Affectionate and loving; Forgiving, compassionate, nonjudgmental nature; Stable and reliable; faithful; Physically strong and with a sturdy, heavier build; Have the most energy of all constitutions, but it is steady and enduring; Slow speech, reflecting a deliberate thought process; Slower to learn, but outstanding long-term memory; Soft hair and skin; tendency to have large "soft" eyes and a low, soft voice; Tend toward being overweight; may also suffer from sluggish digestion; Prone to depression; More self-sufficient; Gentle, and essentially undemanding approach to life; Excellent health, good immune system; Very calm; strive to maintain harmony and peace in their surroundings; Not easily upset and can be a point of stability for others; Tend to be possessive and hold on to things. Don't like cold, damp weather; Physical problems include colds and congestion, sinus headaches, respiratory problems including asthma, allergies, and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Most books and websites on Ayurveda will offer questionnaires that can be used to determine your mind/body constitution. My favorite one is offered by Holistic Online, which is very detailed and thorough. Most questionnaires are very similar and will provide similar results. Please keep in mind that shorter questionnaires will give a more generalized and approximate result. Also, your body changes with age, seasons, and life situations so the results will change as well. Taking a few different questionnaires will give you a more definite result for your Dosha type.

Now you should try to follow the diet and lifestyle routine that fits your mind/body constitution. For example, if you are predominantly Vata, you should include more cooked, warm foods, stay away from icy drinks, and add more warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to your food. This will prevent any digestion issues that Vata types tend to get, as well, as anxiety, dry skin, or insomnia. Here are some general guidelines for each type:

General Health Tips for Vata Types: Maintain regular habits, try to eat and sleep at the same time every night. Get enough rest and choose foods that are warm, cooked, nourishing, and easy to digest. Sweet berries, fruits, small beans, rice, and all nuts and dairy products are good choices for Vata types. Exercise intensity should be moderate. A more meditative yoga, Tai chi, walking, and swimming are all good. Avoid strenuous and frantic activities. General Health Tips for Pitta Types: It's important for Pittas to keep cool by avoiding overexposure to direct sunlight and fried and spicy foods. Avoid alcohol and tobacco, overworking, and overheating. When aggravated, susceptible to feeling negative emotions like hostility, hatred, intolerance, and jealousy. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits that are watery and sweet, especially cherries, mangoes, cucumbers, water melon, and avocado. Have lots of salads with dark greens such as arugula, dandelions, and kale. Avoid conflicts. Cultivate the virtues of honesty, morality, kindness, generosity, and self-control.

It's important to be active on a daily basis as Kapha types are prone to sluggishness, depression, and being overweight. Getting out of the house and actively seeking new experiences is also recommended. Be receptive to useful change, be intentional in implementing life-enhancing actions. Choose foods that are light, warm, and spicy. Tea with dried ginger and lemon is a great pick-me-up for Kaphas. Avoid heavy oily and processed sugars, which are detrimental to Kaphas. Use lots of spices such as black pepper, ginger, cumin, chili and lots of bitter dark greens.

If you're interested in diving deeper into Ayurveda, and learning how to unlock its power to heal your gut, clear up your skin and achieve long-lasting weight loss, check out our course, How To Use Ayurveda To Heal Your Gut & Achieve Long-Lasting Weight Loss.

Original article and pictures take www.mindbodygreen.com site

Ayurveda – History and Philosophy

Ayurveda – History and Philosophy

Ayurveda is an ancient system of life (ayur) knowledge (veda) arising in India thousands of years ago. Ayurveda theory evolved from a deep understanding of creation. The great rishis or seers of ancient India came to understand creation through deep meditation and other spiritual practices. The rishis sought to reveal the deepest truths of human physiology and health. They observed the fundamentals of life, organized them into an elaborate system, and compiled India’s philosophical and spiritual texts, called Veda of knowledge.

Ayurveda was first recorded in the Veda, the world’s oldest existing literature. The three most important Veda texts containing the original and complete knowledge of Ayurveda, believed to be over 1200 years old, is still in use today. These Ayurvedic teachings were customarily passed on orally from teacher to student for over 1000 years. The wisdom of Ayurveda is recorded in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India that reflects the philosophy behind Ayurveda and the depth within it.

Ayurveda greatly influenced health care practices in the east and the west. By 400 AD Ayurvedic works were translated into Chinese; by 700 AD Chinese scholars were studying medicine in India at Nalanda University. Chinese medicine, herbology and Buddhist philosophy were also impacted by Ayurvedic knowledge. Having passed the test of experience it remains essentially the same now as at its inception, although numerous commentators over the centuries have added insight with their analyses.

The philosophy of Ayurveda teaches a series of conceptual systems characterized by balance and disorder, health and disease. Disease/health results from the interconnectedness between the self, personality, and everything that occurs in the mental, emotional, and spiritual being. To be healthy, harmony must exist between the purpose for healing, thoughts, feelings and physical action.

Ayurveda is a careful integration of six important Indian philosophical systems, many physical/behavioral sciences, and the medical arts. One verse from an ancient authority says Ayurveda deals with what is good life and bad life, happiness and misery, that which supports or destroys, and the measurement of life. It works to heal the sick, to maintain health in the healthy, and to prevent disease in order to promote quality of life and long life. Health is defined as an experience of bliss/happiness in the soul, mind, and senses and balance of the body’s three governing principles, seven tissues, three wastes, digestion, and other processes such as immune functioning. Health is not the absence of symptoms. Ayurveda has objective ways to assess each of these, pulse assessment being the primary means.

Its central tenet is that life is a combination of body, mind, senses, and spirit (more than a mind-body system). Nothing exists but for the pre-existence of and working of a Supreme Intelligence/Consciousness – an elemental, all-powerful, all-pervading spirit-energy that expresses Itself through and in the creation. Ayurveda seeks to know this aspect of life, the subjective (internal) as well as the objective (outer).

It is central to Ayurveda that the functioning of all creation, the mineral, plant and animal kingdoms, can be understood as the interactions of three fundamental energy complexes (erroneously called doshas). The three energies are vata, pitta and kapha – signifying the dynamic or mobile, energetic, nonmaterial aspect of nature; the transformative, intelligence aspect; and the structural, physical aspect respectively. Vata governs respiration, circulation, elimination, locomotion, movement, speech, creativity, enthusiasm, and the entire nervous system. Pitta governs transformations such as digestion and metabolism, vision, complexion, body temperature, courage, cheerfulness, intellection and discrimination. Kapha governs growth (anabolic processes), lubrication, fluid secretions, binding, potency, patience, heaviness, fluid balance, compassion, and understanding in the organism. All have physical expressions in the body.

In the human physiology these three energies tend to interact in a harmonious and compensatory way to govern and sustain life. Their relative expression in an individual implies a unique ratio of functioning of these governing principles according to each person’s unique DNA (vta-pitta-kapha ratio) determined at conception. This is body or constitutional typing, called prakruti. There are seven types – vata type, pitta type, kapha type and combinations thereof.

Prakruti yields two important understandings. A person has a permanent or stable nature for the entire life and efforts to maintain or change physiology must keep this balance point in mind. In addition each type will suggest an area tending to go out of balance, a disease tendency, requiring lifelong attention to maintain balance. A vata type naturally tends to constipation, arthritis, anxiety; a pitta type tends towards inflammations, infections, ulcers; and kapha types tend to overweight, diabetes, congestive disorders, etc. The implication of pakruti is that it helps explain why people react differently to the same things. The medical implication for this is that certain people will have a natural predisposition or sensitivity to certain medicines and this can be predicted.

Why does imbalance occur? It occurs because one or more of the energies or elements described above gets increased quantitatively or altered qualitatively. There is no human experience, whether a thought, an emotion, the climate, food, lifestyle, etc. that does not have at least one of the twenty qualities which, by its action, yields an effect in the physiology.

Classically, the nature of the causative factors are the result of mistakes of intellection (failure to perceive things as they are), inappropriate use of the sense organs, and mistakes of time (doing even proper things at the wrong time). While DNA gives the body one set of instructions, the life experiences at every moment are giving the governing principles perhaps another message. Since these three governing principles are nothing but energy themselves, they can be influenced –increased or decreased – by like or opposite energies. Heat increases pitta, dryness increases vata, and liquid increases kapha, etc. Thus imbalance is the continued experience of some stimulus – mental, emotional, or physical, real or imagined – that overwhelms the body’s ability to maintain its identity, its prakruti or vata-pitta-kahpa ratio. When a stimulus and a system have the same energy the stimulus promotes more of its value in the system. Like increases like which can lead to imbalance even though they are not necessarily unhealthy influences in themselves – properly cooked organic food when taken in excess or at the wrong time promotes imbalance. With time and chronicity and some defective space in the organism (from genes, prior disease, trauma, congenital defect, etc.), disease can develop and manifest in the weak organ or tissue. When disease begins to manifest the governing principles are called doshas, meaning impurities, which can pollute or contaminate the physiology.

Original article and pictures take www.corespirit.com site

Auricular acupuncture found effective for weight loss

Auricular acupuncture found effective for weight loss

Reduce your BMI with Ear Acupuncture

In a 2013 study, researchers found a 5-point acupuncture prescription using the ear alone was able to reduce both participants’ waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). The five points included Shen Men (Spirit Gate), Stomach, Spleen, Hunger and Endocrine. The points were stimulated using leave-in ear tacks (2 mm in length acupuncture needles adhered to the ear with a miniature band-aid) for eight weeks, yielding a 6.1% reduction in BMI.

Chinese Medicine on Weight Loss

Sustainable Change

What I appreciate about Chinese medicine is that it is a medicine that helps the body help itself. If you notice, this point prescription is not only helping to curb excessive appetites (Hunger Point) and calm our anxieties (Spirit Gate), but also focuses on regulating the endocrine hormones (Endocrine) and the organs directly involved in digestion and energy production (Stomach and Spleen). It’s not a cure-all, and it’s not a fix. It’s support working towards sustainable change.

Multi-Tiered Approach

Acupuncture is just one method of many within Chinese medicine designed to help the body help itself. We East Asian Medicine Practitioners also regularly prescribe Chinese herbs, dietary therapy and physical exercises. One book I like to recommend my patients interested in learning more about Chinese medicine approaches to weight loss is, “TCM: A Natural Guide to Weight Loss That Lasts” by Dr. Nan Lu. The book features quizzes to help you figure out which [Chinese medicine] organs are out of balance and what foods can help. As well, it features qi gong exercises specific to weight loss. For recipes from his program, visit: The Dragon’s Way Recipes for Self-healing.

About Auricular Acupuncture

Traditionally, acupuncture refers to the needling of [points along the meridians of] the body, as documented in written records dating back 2000 years. However, as the specialty developed over time, practitioners started finding that certain parts of the body, such as the hands and the ears, were actually homunculi that could treat conditions *anywhere* in the body. (A homunculi is a full-body map or “miniature adult.”) Auricular acupuncture, therefore, is the treatment of the whole body by stimulating points along the homunculus found on the ear. Pretty cool, huh?

References

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24342715

http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1218-auricular-acupuncture-weight-loss-found-effective

Original article and pictures take i0.wp.com site