Ayurveda in Physiotherapy
Ayurveda is a thoroughly tested healthcare system and life philosophy that offers ways to good health that has partly been forgotten by the western society.
Ayurveda focuses on our physical and mental balance, on our thoughts, actions and on our food. Unbalances, which cause our symptoms and diseases, mainly come from stress, an unbalanced and unhealthy diet and negative and loveless thoughts about ourselves.
The first phase of the treatment is concerned with cleaning the body of those toxins that a prolonged state of unbalance leads to. Thereafter the treatment turns its focus on restoring and enhancing your body and mind into a state of perfect balance. All treatments are based on a thorough diagnosis and your individual treatment plan.
The treatment in general consists of daily massages with different herbal oils and heat treatments such as steam- and herbal baths and if you like, yoga, meditation and awareness raising exercises.
Yoga – the basic form of selfcare - makes it possible to reach a higher level of freedom and quality of life.
Yoga is a knowledge as old as Ayurveda itself and it has always played an important roll in the treatment of most ailments and in the enhancement of balance.
In Dalmanuta, yoga is a naturally integrated part of the treatment and it is shaped after your individual needs.
To do Yoga you do not need any prior experience. Your body and personal development will decide your level and no matter if this is your first time or if you are an experienced Yogi, we hope that you will reach new levels of insight and freedom in Dalmanuta.
Ailments & Remedies
Anaemia
Termed `pandu’ in Ayurveda, this is a very common ailment, wherein the haemoglobin and RBC (red blood corpuscles) counts fall from their normal levels of 15 gm of haemoglobin per 100 ml. of blood and approximately five million red cells per cubic millimetre of blood.
Symptoms
- Weakness, dizziness and quick exhaustion.
- A haggard look, lined with premature wrinkles.
- Eyes stripped off its shine, mirroring fatigue.
- Failing memory.
- Shortness of breath and palpitation on exertion.
- Occasional disturbing headache.
- Slow healing of wounds
- Pale looking skin and mucus membranes.
Root Causes
- Loss of blood from the body i.e. haemorrhaging by injury, bleeding piles, bleeding from nose, mouth, lungs, anus, genital tracts or excessive menstruation in case of women.
- Inadequate supply of blood-forming ingredients in food taken.
- Destruction of red blood corpuscles inside the body after they are formed.
- Deficiency in the production of blood because of defective functioning of liver and / or bone marrow.
- Lack of hydrochloric acid in stomach, needed for digestion of iron and proteins.
- Presence of hookworms, pinworms, round worms and tapeworms that feed on the supply of blood as well as on vitamins.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa)
- Ghritkumari (Aloe vera)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
- Go for a well-balanced diet rich in iron, sesame seeds, almonds, dairy products, animal protein, vegetables as beet, lettuce, spinach, soyabean, radish, carrots, tomatoes and fresh fruits as banana, black berries, strawberries, apple, amla, plum.
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| Lifestyle |
- Enjoy sun-bathing as the sunlight stimulates the production of red blood cells.
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Ailments & Remedies
Acne
It is an inflammatory condition of the sebaceous glands and hair follicles which primarily targets teenagers.
Symptoms
Blackheads, pimples, small superficial sebaceous cysts and scars affect your forehead, temples, cheeks, chin, chest, back and in rare cases the whole body.
Root Causes
- Irregular hours of eating, excessive consumption of starch, sugar, fried & fatty foods.
- Toxins (ama), formed due improper movement of bowels, finding their way into the blood stream.
- Unhygienic living habits.
- Excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Cinnamom, Sandalwood, Turmeric for local application
- Neem (Azadirachta indica)
- Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
- Avoid excess meat, sugar, tea or coffee, condiments, pickles, soft drinks, candies, ice cream, refined and processed foods.
- Have lots of lemon juice, corriander soup, mint juice & water.
- Go for a fat-less diet with plenty of green salads and fruits.
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| Lifestyle |
- Apply crushed orange peel or paste of fenugreek or a mixed paste of sandalwood & turmeric on affected area.
- Wash your face with lukewarm water, with a Neem based soap thrice a day.
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Anorexia (loss of appetite)
Anorexia means loss of appetite. It is a symptom of disturbed digestion and common results from failure of activity of the stomach and secretion of gastric juices due to low vitality which, in turn, can be due to various causes. Symptoms:
Person suffering from this disease may refuse to eat .Generally they suffer from Insomnia also. Root causes :
People suffer from anorexia when they habitually take a faulty diet and hardly do any physical work. It may cause from physical stress and strain. It also can be caused by mental or domestic worry, emotional disturbances. Difficult working condition and nervous disorder also may cause Anorexia. General body disorder and diseases also lead to this condition.
Symptoms:
- Person suffering from this disease may refuse to eat .
- Generally they suffer from Insomnia also.
Rot causes :
People suffer from anorexia when they habitually take a faulty diet and hardly do any physical work. It may cause from physical stress and strain. It also can be caused by mental or domestic worry, emotional disturbances. Difficult working condition and nervous disorder also may cause Anorexia. General body disorder and diseases also lead to this condition.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Lime
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Orange
- Apple
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
- The only effective treatment of anorexia is thorough cleansing of the digestive tract, and adoption of the sensible diet thereafter, along with a change in the style of living .To begin with the patients should fast on orange juice and water for first three to five days. After the juice diet the patient may adopt a all fruit diet for a further five days, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, oranges, pineapple, peaches at five hourly intervals. Thereafter he may adopt a restricted diet of easily digestible foods, consisting of lightly cooked vegetables, juicy fruits, and buttermilk for about ten days.
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| Lifestyle |
- During the first three to five days of the juice fast, the bowels should be cleansed with a warm water enema each day. The poisonous matter will thus be eliminated by this self - cleansing process.
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Acidity
Our stomach produces acid to digest the food that we eat. This is a regular and natural process. Whenever we eat, cells within the lining of the stomach pump acid to liquefy your sumptuous dinner, from mash potatoes to a slab of steak.
Problem occurs when these cells produce large amount of acid, more than your stomach needs. When this happens, you will suffer from stomach acidity. You would know if you were suffering from stomach acidity if you feel a burning sensation just above the stomach, or right below (the hollow part) your breastbone. This is the most classic sign of acidity.
Symptoms:
Root Causes
A weakness of the valve between the stomach and oesophagus (food pipe) can cause a reflux of the acid from the stomach to the lower part of the oesophagus. This gastro-oesophageal reflux can cause heart-burn.
Sometimes, a heavy meal or increase in intra-abdominal pressure such as while straining or lifting weights, can bring about this reflux.
Excess acid secretion can also cause acidity and ulcers, when the normal protective lining of the stomach and duodenum (the part of the intestine that joins the stomach), is damaged. The resulting ulcer is called gastric ulcer if it is in the stomach and duodenal ulcer if it is in the duodenum.
In a condition known as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, a large amount of acid is secreted because of stimulation by tumours located in the pancreas or duodenum.
Any kind of break down in the defense mechanisms that protect the stomach and intestine from damage by acid can cause acidity.
The body secretes bicarbonate into the mucous layer, which neutralises the acid. Hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins, help to keep the blood vessels in the stomach dilated, ensuring adequate blood flow.
Lack of adequate blood flow to the stomach may contribute to ulcers.
Prostaglandins are also believed to stimulate bicarbonate and mucous production, which help protect the stomach.
Consumption of alcohol, highly spicy foodstuffs, irregular food habits, and Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) also predispose to gastric acidity.
There is a higher incidence of acidity in highly emotional and nervous individuals. It is also more common in the developed and industrialized nations, though a recent increase in incidence has also occurred in the developing countries.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Yastimadhu (Glycyzrrhiza glabra)
- Amla (Phyllanthus emblica)
- Lavanga (Syzygium aromaticum - Clove)
- Black pepper (Piper nigrum)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet & Lifestyle |
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Avoid foods that are rich in oils and fats. These foods are difficult to digest, so they may make the stomach release more acids.
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The diet should contain a proper blend of all the tastes. Spicy food must be just one dish rather than the whole meal.
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Fibers are necessary in the diet as they help in the digestion.
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Red meats must be eaten only occasionally, if at all.
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After a meal, the body must be given some sort of exercise. This could be as simple as going for a stroll.
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Too much addiction to strong foods such as tea and coffee may cause hyperacidity. This is also true for other addictions such as smoking and alcohol.
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Do not consume sour foods as they already have acidic contents. Acidic foods to avoid are pickles, curds, tamarinds, vinegar, etc.
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Avoid or limit alcohol.
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Maintain upright position during and at least 45 mins after eating.
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Try elevating the head of bed 6 - 8 inches when lying down.
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Backache
Backache is one of the most common affliction, to which hardly any lady is an exception. This is the most agonising and incapacitating physical disorders which owes its origin to multiple physical factors. It is merely a symptom and not a disease whose cause lies elsewhere in the body. Spine is the longest column in the body that is comprised of - Cervical Vertebrae, Thoracic Vertebrae or Dorsal Vertibral, Lumbar Vertebrae, Sacrum and Coccyx or tail bore. In backache, only lumbar portion is affected, though pains may radiate to sacrum and coccyx also.
Symptoms
- Constant pain, at times unbearable and severe.
- Difficulty in bending forward and also on sideways.
- Aggravation of pain by least movement, jerk. Feeling as if entire area is sore and sensitive to even slight touch.
- Relief is felt by gentle massage.
- Incapacitation.
- Feeling as if the back muscles were bound and tightened by a blinder.
Root Causes
- Spinal Arthritis, Rheumatoid or Ankeylosing Spondylitis.
- Curvature of spine.
- Presence of tumours in the spine.
- Some chronic infection.
- Injury to spine or abnormal stress caused by lifting any heavy object.
- Poor circulation of blood.
- Sitting in a particular position at a stretch, but more so when one is obliged to perform some job where bending of back becomes a necessity.
- Psychological upsets.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Lahsun (Garlic)
- Lemon
- Vitamin C
- Potato
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
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The diet of those suffering from backache should consist of a salad of raw vegetable such as tomato, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, radish, lettuce, and at least two steamed or lightly cooked vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, carrot and plenty of fruits except bananas. The patients should avoid fatty, spicy, and fried foods, curd, sweetmeats and sugar, condiments, tea and coffee. Foods that have been processed for preservation have few nutrients and should also be eliminated from the diet
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Boils
Boils are localized tender, inflamed, pus-filled swellings in the skin surrounded by large red areas. They are infections of the hair follicles of the skin. They are quite painful, particularly in areas where the skin is closely attached to the underlying tissues, such as the nose, ears, or fingers. They usually occur in teenagers and young adults. The common sites for boils are the face, neck, and thighs.
Symptoms:
At first a painful red nodule appears on the skin. This grows bigger and then breaks down in the middle where the pus collects .The painful experiences a great deal of irritation and itching. There may be a single boil, or several boils in the same area or in different areas at the same time. The swelling may not be limited to one hair follicle but extend to several follicles. When the boils ripen, they give out a discharge. Fever may sometimes accompany the boils.
Root causes:
Boils may cause by staphylococcus germs, which enter the sweat glands or hair follicles. The essential cause of this disorder is thus bacterial. However, several factors predispose the growth of bacteria in hair follicles. Of these, the chief factor is a toxic condition in the blood stream, which is due to a faulty diet and frenetic pace of living. Boils generally appear when a person is in a run- down and devitalized condition.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Garlic
- Onion
- Betel leaves
- Cumin seeds
- Neem leaves
- Turmeric
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| Ayurvedic Supplements |
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| Diet |
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After the all fruit diet the patient should adopt a well balanced diet with emphasis on whole grain cereals, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits. Further periods of a juice fast or an all fruit diet may be necessary, depending on the general health level and bodily condition of the patient.
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| Lifestyle |
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A warm water enema should be given daily during the initial juice fast or all fruit diet. This will help to cleanse the bowels. Warm moist compress should be given over the tender area. Other helpful treatment for the boils are daily dry massage in the morning followed by a cold sponge. Fresh air breathing exercises and outdoor exercises are also essential for toning up the system. In case constipation is habitual, all measures should be taken to overcome it.
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Premature Baldness (Khalitya)
Baldness refers to a loss of hair, usually on the head.
Symptoms:
Baldness may be due to certain serious diseases like acute fevers, myxodema (a syndrome cause by hypothyroidism), syphilis, influenza, anaemia, and great anxiety or nervous shock. If premature baldness is hereditary then not much can be done except delaying the falling of the hair for some years through proper medication. Sometimes eczema, psoriasis of the scalp leads to rapid baldness.
Root Causes
The administration of drugs indicated for premature graying of hair should help in the cases of baldness also, but recourse to medication has to be taken in the earlier stage. If all the hair has fallen out and the follicles have closed, nothing much can be done.
Healing Options
Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
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These therapies will be effective only when the patient observes diet restrictions. As far as possible, he should take only milk and sugar. Salt should be avoided. Sour things like yogurt are not useful. Pungent, hot and spicy food should be avoided.
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| Life Style |
If the baldness is due to any of the serious diseases mentioned above
- medication should start the moment the falling of the hair is noticed.
- A natural remedy is Mahabhringraj Oil. It should be massaged on the scalp with fingers and left on the scalp for at least 1 hour before taking bath.
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Click here for details about Hair Loss
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Ailments & Remedies
Bleeding Gum
Bleeding gums is among the common conditions affecting the oral cavity. The Chinese might have noticed bleeding gums as early as 2500 BC. They termed the associated diseases as "Ya-Kon" which means diseases of soft tissue surrounding the teeth. This problem still continues to affect us even with so many modern facilities available in the field of oral care. Gum disease begins with plaque, a sticky film of food particles, germs and saliva. If not removed, plaque will settle at the gum line. The germs will produce toxins that makes the gums red, tender and likely to bleed when brushing your teeth. There are chronic conditions and even some medications that can cause plaque to accumulate more quickly. The purpose of daily brushing rinsing and flossing is to clean away this plaque. When this plaque is not removed it can harden into tartar which builds up along the gum line and traps germs below. The mildest form of gum disease is called gingivitis and is the most common.
The primary cause of gingivitis is the bacteria that coat your teeth, and if oral hygiene is poor, it forms a sticky white substance called plaque. The bacteria here proliferates faster and produces toxins that irritates your gums, keeping them swollen and red. When they are left untreated, they will destroy the tissues connecting the gums to the tooth, and eventually the tooth to the bones, causing a deep pocket and eventually attacks the bony structure. It has now progressed into what we call periodontitis, which is an irreversible form of gum disease.
Root Causes:
The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Bleeding gums as a symptom.
Symptoms:
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Bad Breath
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Bleeding is usually noticed during brushing, or in the saliva, while spitting.
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Eating of any coarse food items may induce bleeding
Healing Options
Home Remedies |
With a pinch of salt soaked in a glass of lukewarm water, you now create a homemade saline solution. Use this to rinse in the morning and in the evening. This will help increase circulation in your gums and reduce the swelling.
No matter how well and how often you brush your teeth, you can't reach the areas between your teeth and below the gums. Make the habit of flossing. Floss comes in very handy. Keep one in your bag or at your office. After meal, floss it! |
Ayurvedic Supplements
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Life Style |
To brush your teeth to gain maximum benefits.
Push the loaded brush as far as you can into the area where the tooth meets the gum (sulcus).
Use a vibrating motion (very small wiggling motion) so that the bristles that are forced into the sulcus remain there as you vibrate. It’s an agitating type of motion. Do not use wide circular motions. Repeat this action as you move along the gum line for three to five seconds at each spot on both the cheek and tongue side.
Repeat this procedure until you have completed both upper and lower gum lines, inside and out. Whenever necessary spit out any build up of toothpaste and saliva until you finish. When done just rinse your mouth with filtered water.
Do this once a day gradually increasing to twice a day. When you are able to do it twice a day, do so for two weeks. After two weeks, your gums should have become very tough and should have a pink-white color.
Water Irrigation
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Another important tool that you should have is a water pik system. Do not underestimate the power of water. Water can do a lot of damage (as you have seen with floods and huge tidal waves) and it can also be your friend.
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An oral irrigator can drastically inhibit the formation of plaque and tartar. As time goes by, plaque, if not removed, turns into tartar. An oral irrigator pulls away approximately 50% of the negative bacteria with each use, leaving good bacteria that are needed to fight microbes.
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A toothbrush is not designed to clean anything more than 1-3 mm, which is a normal healthy gum condition. Therefore an oral irrigator is necessary to reach those areas that cannot be maintained with the toothbrush and floss alone.
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That's all there is to it. If you perform the proper treatments to your teeth and do it right, and use the tools available to you, you shouldn't have to suffer from gum disease or bleeding gums. You'll have healthy white teeth with rosy-red and pink gums that will last you a life time and keep the rest of your body healthy to boot.
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Constipation
A very common disturbance within the digestive tract, it restricts regular bowel movement. Since improper stool produces toxins (ama) which find their way into the blood stream and are then carried to all parts of the body, in chronic cases this problem can give way to serious diseases as rheumatism, arthritis, piles, high blood pressure and even cancer.
Symptoms
- Infrequency, irregularity or difficulty in eliminating hard faucal matter
- Coated tongue
- Foul breath
- Loss of appetite
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Dark circles under the eye
- Depression
- Nausea
- Pimples
- Mouth ulcers
- Diarrhoea alternating with constipation
- Varicose veins
- Pain in the lumbar region
- Acidity
- Heart burn
- Insomnia
Root Causes
- Improper diet & irregular eating habits
- Insufficient intake of water and high fibre food.
- Excessive intake of animal protein
- Irritable colon
- Spastic colitis
- Emotional disturbances
- Lack of physical activity
- Paralytic or mechanical obstruction to the passage of stools.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Hartaki (Terminalia chebula)
- Isabgole (Plantago ovata)
- Sennaleaves (Cassia angustifolia)
- Nisoth (Ipomoea turpethum)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
- Avoid white flour, rice,bread,pulses,cakes, pastries, biscuits, cheese, white sugar & hard-boiled eggs.
- Take the following unrefined foods:
Wholegrain Cereals : Wheat
Green Vegetables : Spinach, brocculi
Fruits : Bael, pear, Guava, Grapes, Orange, Papaya & Figs
Dairy : Milk, Clarified butter, Cream
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| Lifestyle |
- Attend to the call of nature regularly even if you do not get your motion.
- Indulge in the following active physical activities / outdoor games
a) brisk walking
b) swimming
c) exercises
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Common Cough & Cold
It is a catarrhal and inflammatory condition of upper respiratory tract due to viral, allergic or mixed infection. In Ayurveda it is known as PRATISHYAYA mainly due to vitiation of Kapha.
Symptoms & Causes
Due to vitiation of Kapha upper Respiratory tract is inflamed and congested. Sneezing, coughing, running nose, heaviness of head followed by inflammation of mucus membrane of nose, body aches, chill and loss of appetite. Allergens, Virus. Bacteria are the common causative factors of this disease. A cough may be caused by the inflammation of the larynx or the pharynx. and develop in the chest due to change in weather. The real cause of this disorder is clogging of the bronchial tubes with waste matters.. The reason for higher incident of cough during winter than other seasons due to intake of catarrh - forming foods such as white bread, meat, sugar, porridge, puddings, and pies .Hay fever, flu, sinusitis etc are the associated causes of this disease. According to Ayurveda Pratishyaya is classified in to VATAJ, PITTAJ, KAPHAJ and TRIDOSHAJ types. In Vataj type there is pain in sinus cavity with sneezing, pittaj type is with fever and in kaphaj type there are whitish secretion and dull headache.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Vasaka
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Basil
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
In case of severe cold and cough and when fever is present the patient should abstain from all solid foods and only drink food and vegetable juices diluted with water. After this the patient should adopt an all fruit diet for two to three days. Taking three meals a day of fresh juicy fruits such as apple, pears, grapes, oranges, pinepples, peaches and melons. For drinks unsweetened lemon water, or cold or hot plain water may be given. After the all fruit diet, the patient can gradually embark upon a well balanced diet, with emphasis on whole grain cereals, raw or lightly cooked vegetables and fresh fruits. The patient should avoid soft drink , candies, ice-creams, and all products made from sugar and white flour. |
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Colitis: Inflammation of the Colon
Colitis refers to inflammation of the colon .The diseases results from prolonged irritation and inflammation of the delicate membrane, which lines the walls of the colon. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel, in which ulcers from on the walls of the colon.
Symptoms:
Colitis usually begins in the lower part of the colon and spreads upwards. The first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and sometimes, bloody mucous in the stool. As the disease spreads upward the stool become watery and more frequent and are followed by rectal straining. The patient is usually malnourished and may be severely underweight.
Root cause:
One of the causes of the colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgative. Constipation causes an accumulation of the hard faecal matter, which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a cure only increase irritation. Often colitis results from poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals and carbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. Other causes of the disease are an allergic sensitivity to certain foods, intake of antibiotic and severe stress.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Banana
- Tender coconut
- Rice
- Wheat grass
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AyurvedicSupplements
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| Diet |
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Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so, in most cases of ulcerative colitis. Papaya juice, raw cabbage juice, and carrot juice are especially beneficial. Citrus juice should be avoided.
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After a juice fast a patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequent meals of soft cooked or streamed vegetables, rice, porridge, dalia, and well ripped fruits like banana and papaya. Yogurt and home made cottage cheese. All food must be eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly.
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Colitis: Inflammation of the Colon
Colitis refers to inflammation of the colon .The diseases results from prolonged irritation and inflammation of the delicate membrane, which lines the walls of the colon. Chronic ulcerative colitis is a severe prolonged inflammation of the colon or large bowel, in which ulcers from on the walls of the colon.
Symptoms:
Colitis usually begins in the lower part of the colon and spreads upwards. The first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and sometimes, bloody mucous in the stool. As the disease spreads upward the stool become watery and more frequent and are followed by rectal straining. The patient is usually malnourished and may be severely underweight.
Root cause:
One of the causes of the colitis is chronic constipation and the use of purgative. Constipation causes an accumulation of the hard faecal matter, which is never properly evacuated. Purgatives used as a cure only increase irritation. Often colitis results from poorly digested roughage, especially of cereals and carbohydrates, which causes bowel irritation. Other causes of the disease are an allergic sensitivity to certain foods, intake of antibiotic and severe stress.
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Banana
- Tender coconut
- Rice
- Wheat grass
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AyurvedicSupplements
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| Diet |
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Diet plays an important part in the treatment of colitis. It is advisable to observe a juice fast for five days or so, in most cases of ulcerative colitis. Papaya juice, raw cabbage juice, and carrot juice are especially beneficial. Citrus juice should be avoided.
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After a juice fast a patient should gradually adopt a diet of small, frequent meals of soft cooked or streamed vegetables, rice, porridge, dalia, and well ripped fruits like banana and papaya. Yogurt and home made cottage cheese. All food must be eaten slowly and chewed thoroughly.
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Cystitis (Inflammation of the urinary Bladder)
The term ‘cystitis’ refers to inflammation of the urinary bladder. The recurrence of cystitis may in some cases, be associated with kidney trouble.
Symptoms:
The patient complains of an almost continual urge to void and a burning sensation on passing urine. There may be feeling of pain in the pelvis and lower abdomen. The urine may become thick, dark and stringy. It may have an unpleasant smell and may contain blood or pus. Some pain in the lower back may also be felt in certain cases. In an acute stage, there may be rise in body temperature. In the chronic form of cystitis the symptoms are similar but generally less severe and longer lasting, and without a fever.
Root causes:
Cystitis may result from infection in other parts connected with or adjacent to the bladder such as the kidneys, the urethra the vagina, or the prostate gland. There may be local irritation and inflammation in the bladder if urine is retained there for an unduly long time. Cystitis may also results from acute constipation. Other conditions like an infected kidney, stones in the kidneys or bladder, or an enlarged prostate may also lead to this disorder.
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Cucumber juice
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Radish Leaves
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Spinach
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Sandalwood Oil
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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At the onset of acute Cystitis, it is essential to withhold all solid foods immediately. If there is fever, the patient should take only liquid food like fruit juices, soups, barley water, boiled vegetables etc. After the fever is over then patient should take non-spicy food for few days. Then gradually embark upon the all types of food.
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Lifestyle |
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During the first three or four days of acute cystitis, when the patient is on a liquid diet, it is advisable to rest and keep warm. Pain can be relieved by immersing the pelvis in hot water. Alternatively, heat can applied to the abdomen, by using a towel wrung out in hot water and covering it with a dry towel to retain warmth. The treatment may be continued for three or four days by which time the inflammation should have subsided and the temperature returned to normal.
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Yoga |
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Cataract
The Word “CATARACT” signifies an opacity, which develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, as a result of which vision of the affected individual is lost either partially or completely.
Whenever an individual indulges in unwholesome activities like excessive alcohol consumption, strains his/her visual activities then the bodily humor like Vata, Pitta & Kapha gets vitiated & atfirst the quality of vision is impaired afterwards the transparency of the vision zone becomes hazy & ultimately become opaque, this opacity of the visual area is know as “Linganash”, the Ayurvedic terminology for Cataract.
Classification
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Senile Cataract – which occurs as a natural phenomena due to aging
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Congenital Cataract – A genetic disorder where it occurs in newborn
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Traumatic Cataract – Opacity of the lens as a result of trauma to eye
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Secondary Cataract – Occurring in a diabetic patient
Causes of Cataract
Cataracts develop from a variety of reasons, including long time ultraviolet radiation exposure, secondarily from other diseases like Diabetes, or simply due to advanced age.
Prevention
Healing Options
| Herbs |
- Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia)
- Daruhaldi (Berberis Aristata)
- Amla (Emblica officinalis)
- Baheda (Terminalia Belerica)
- Lodhra (Symplocos racemosa)
- Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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| Diet |
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Take Green vegetables
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Fruits that contain beta carotene like Carrot, Amla
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Avoid extra amount of salt
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use Saindhava salt (Rock Salt) as a cooking medium.
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| Lifestyle |
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| Yoga |
- Sideways and Rotational viewing
- Preliminary Nasikagra Drishti(preliminary nosetip gazing)
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Cervical Spondylosis
A specific form of arthritis, which attacks vertebrae and connecting bony, and ligament structures, is known as Spondylosis. Frequently it occurs in the cervical vertebrae. The spines of majority of people above the age of 50 have certain degree of osteo arthritic changes. But they seldom cause acute symptoms. Certain precipitating factors like trauma, incorrect posture of the body, pressure while sleeping and excessive intake of sour food usually precipitate these attacks. In ayurveda this condition is known as Griva Sandhigata Vata
Pain in the back of neck, shoulder and arms, stiffness of the neck and even paraplegia occur due to this condition. The movement of the spine generally aggravates the pain of the neck. It is often associated with loss of memory and sleeplessness.
Treatment:
Any external massage is not of much use. Violent massage with deep pressure is very harmful for the patient. Only gentle massage over the muscles of the neck and shoulder joints should be applied and for this purpose Mahanarayan taila is best suited. This gentle massage can be given 2-3 times a day .In winter season; this medicated oil should be gently warmed before application.
Guggulu, gum resin extracted from the plant is the best medicine for the treatment of this condition. Ayurvedic physicians for the treatment of this condition popularly use a compound preparation named as simhanada guggulu. It is given in a dose of 2-4 tablets, 4 times a day. Usually hot water or hot milk id given to the patient after the administration of this medicines. This medicine has slightly laxative effects. For the patient to recover from this ailment, it is necessary that this bowel should move clearly and regularly. This medicine is very much helpful for this purpose. For patients having clear motions, this medicines should be given in a dose of 2 tablets and constipated patients the dose should be 4 tablets. If the constipation is not relieved even by taking 4 tablets the dose can be further increased to 6 tablets.
At night some medicines should be given to the patients, which will act as a purgative. Triphala powder is the best medicine for this purpose. One teaspoonful of triphala should be given to the patient, mixed with a cup of warm milk and one spoon of sugar. In the motions become regular by the intake of simbanada guggulu, then triphala powder should be given only twice a week otherwise it can be given every day.
Hot fomentation on the vertebrae of the neck is very useful for this condition. In a big handkerchief about 500gms of salt should be kept over a frying pan till it becomes tolerably hot. Then this should be applied over the neck. Care should be taken to see that it not too hot. In that case, it may cause burns. Sometime patients suffering from cervical Spondylosis develop some anesthetic patches in the back, neck, shoulders and arms because of the pressure from nervous systems .the patient is therefore not able to feel the quantum of heat applied during fomentation. It should therefore be the responsibility of the attendant to examine the heat of the bolus before applying it it on the affected parts .This fomentation should be continued about ½ an hour every day .After fomentation the affected part should not be exposed to cold wind. In winter season therefore immediately after fomentation, the affected part should be covered with some woolen garment. In other seasons also the affected part should be kept covered with some cotton garments after fomentation. It is very convenient to take the fomentation before bedtime. After the fomentation the patient should go to sleep so that he does not run the risk of exposure.
Healing Options
Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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Sour things particularly curd, are strictly prohibited. Fried things, pulses and various preparations of pulses are also contra- indicated in this condition. Bitter vegetables like bitter variety of drumstick, neem flowers and bitter gourd are very useful. Wheat is better than rice for the patient. He should however, avoid taking refined wheat which is known as maida (flour) and suji (semolina). To some extent they are constipated and do not help the patient in the recovery.
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Lifestyle |
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Exposure to cold ,cold bath and any violent exercise of the neck muscles, including pressure, are very bad for the patients. Under the impression that this pain is being caused by some defects in the muscles, people undertake different types of neck exercises .While reading and writing ,one should maintain a comfortable posture. Morning walk gives some relief to the patient, but if it is cold outside the patient should always use a woolen scarf around his neck while going out of the house
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Diabetes Mellitus
Termed `Madhumeha' in Ayurveda, its incidence is higher amongst the older and the obese. Originating from an absolute or relative lack of insulin, it gives way to abnormalities in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fat in the body. Characterised by abnormally high levels of blood glucose and its subsequent excretion through urine.
Symptoms
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Constant feeling of hunger and thirst.
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Weight loss
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Quick exhaustion. Drowsiness. Low sexual urge.
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Possible anaemia, constipation, itching around genital organs, palpitation.
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Slow healing of wounds.
Root Causes
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Overeating and consequent obesity
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Excessive intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates
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Overloading of proteins and fats which get converted into sugar if taken in excess.
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Excessive tension, worry, anxiety & grief
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Hereditary factors
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Neem (Azadirachta indica)
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Gurmar Leaves (Gymnema sylvestrae)
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Karela (Momordica charantia)
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Nayantatra (Vinca rosa)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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Avoid sugar in any form-rice, potato, banana, cereals & fruits containing high percentage of sugar content.
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Do away with fatty stuff.
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Go for the following low-calorie, low-fat alkaline diet of high quality natural foods.
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Seeds: Paslane seeds .Seeds of bitter
gourd & Fenugreek
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Vegetables: Bitter Gourd, string beans, cucumber, onion, garlic
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Fruits: Indian Gooseberry, Jambul Fruit, Grape Fruit.
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Grains: Bengal gram, black gram.
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Dairy Products: Home-made cottage cheese and various forms of soured milk such as curd and butter milk.
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Emphasis should be on raw vegetables & herbs as they play a part in stimulating the pancreas and enhancing insulin production.
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Lifestyle |
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Lifestyle: Don't indulge in day-time sleep.
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Should take care not to injure yourself as you take time to heal. As a result, there is a possibility of the wound becoming septic.
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Should take adequate eye care as the disease in serious condition might affect the eye.
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If you are afflicted by any other disease, you should take prompt actions since you lack resistance.
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Foot care.
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Yoga |
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Dysentery
A term applied to a number of intestinal disorders, especially of the colon, characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes. Types of dysentery: amebic, bacillary, balantidial, malignant, viral.
Causes
Bacterial or viral infection; infestation of protozoa or parasitic worms ; chemical irritants. Inflammation of the rectum and large intestine, insufficient foods, improper diet, drinking too much liquid with meals, overeating, wrong combinations of foods, stimulating foods, liquor, tea, coffee, drinking impure water, unhygienic surroundings, eating fruits or vegetables that have begun to decompose, eating foods that have been standing in pantries that are not well ventilated, and eating improperly refrigerated, contaminated foods. Irritated bowels, habitual constipation, and taking certain types of medicine, such as laxatives, may also be the cause.
Symptoms
Abdominal pain, tenesmus (spasmodic contractions of anal or vesicle sphincter with pain and persistent desire to empty the bowel or bladder, with involuntary ineffectual straining efforts), diarrhea with passage of mucus or blood. More or less fever, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and restless at night. Sometimes the abdomen is distended. Severe symptoms: Increasing fever, great thirst, red tongue, the abdomen may appear sunken in some cases, straining ceases, and the bowels become relaxed and may protrude. Passage of urine is infrequent and is accompanied by a burning sensation. The pulse becomes slow, breathing is rapid, and generally the patient looks pale and emaciated. Do not let this condition continue. See a doctor for the severe symptoms.
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Babul
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Arjuna
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Bael Fruit
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Cuminseed
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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Bed-rest.
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Light diet.
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Use potassium broth, soybean milk, or oatmeal milk, and drink at least a pint a day of slippery elm water and barley water. Whole wheat flakes can be completely dissolved in soybean milk. Chew the food thoroughly before swallowing. See the doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
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Epilepsy
Referred to as `Apasmara' in Ayurveda, epilepsy, more popularly known as the falling disease, is a serious disorder of the central nervous system that affects both children and adults alike. Afflicting infants and early teenagers the most, it is categorised into two main types – Petit Mal & Grand Mal. Depending on the dominance of the three doshas and their combined effect it can come in four types – a fifth type, called Yoshapasmara, denotes hysteria which is more prevalent among women.
Root Causes
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Petit Mal results from a strained nervous condition.
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Grand Mal is due to hereditary influences, serious shock or injury to brain or nervous system and diseases like meningitis and typhoid.
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Allergic reaction to certain food substances.
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Circulatory disorders.
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Chronic alcoholism.
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Lead poisoning.
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Use of cocaine.
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Mental conflict.
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Deficient mineral assimilation.
Symptoms
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In case of petit mal, there is momentary loss of consciousness with no convulsions except a slight rigidity. In this case, the attack stops within a few seconds.
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Grand mal, on the other hand, has a dramatic effect. Violent convulsions accompanied by a sudden loss of consciousness, twitching of the muscles, biting of the tongue, distorted fixation of limbs, rotation of the head and deviation of the eyes continues for much longer.
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Brahmi (Bacopa monniera)
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Shankha Pushpi (Evolvulus alsinoides)
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Malkagni (Celastrus paniculatus)
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Jatamansi (Nardastachys jatamansi)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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Avoid pungent, fried & greasy food, sugar & sweets, strong tea & coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments & pickles.
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Adopt the following well-balanced diet
Seeds: Alfalfa seeds
Vitamin B 6: Rice,milk,brewer's yeast, cereals, legumes, carrots, peanuts, green leafy vegetables. Fruits: Oranges, grapes, grapefruits, peaches, pears, pineapples and melons.
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Don't get yourself overstuffed .Go for frequent small meals rather than an elaborate one.
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Lifestyle |
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Should follow a daily routine(dinacharya)
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Try to keep tensions at bay. Keep yourself busy so that you get no time to brood.
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Avoid excitements of all kind.
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Go for an invigorating head and soles of the feet massage with sesamae oil daily.
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Yoga |
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Epilepsy
Referred to as `Apasmara' in Ayurveda, epilepsy, more popularly known as the falling disease, is a serious disorder of the central nervous system that affects both children and adults alike. Afflicting infants and early teenagers the most, it is categorised into two main types – Petit Mal & Grand Mal. Depending on the dominance of the three doshas and their combined effect it can come in four types – a fifth type, called Yoshapasmara, denotes hysteria which is more prevalent among women.
Root Causes
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Petit Mal results from a strained nervous condition.
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Grand Mal is due to hereditary influences, serious shock or injury to brain or nervous system and diseases like meningitis and typhoid.
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Allergic reaction to certain food substances.
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Circulatory disorders.
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Chronic alcoholism.
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Lead poisoning.
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Use of cocaine.
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Mental conflict.
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Deficient mineral assimilation.
Symptoms
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In case of petit mal, there is momentary loss of consciousness with no convulsions except a slight rigidity. In this case, the attack stops within a few seconds.
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Grand mal, on the other hand, has a dramatic effect. Violent convulsions accompanied by a sudden loss of consciousness, twitching of the muscles, biting of the tongue, distorted fixation of limbs, rotation of the head and deviation of the eyes continues for much longer.
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Brahmi (Bacopa monniera)
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Shankha Pushpi (Evolvulus alsinoides)
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Malkagni (Celastrus paniculatus)
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Jatamansi (Nardastachys jatamansi)
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
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Avoid pungent, fried & greasy food, sugar & sweets, strong tea & coffee, alcoholic beverages, condiments & pickles.
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Adopt the following well-balanced diet
Seeds: Alfalfa seeds
Vitamin B 6: Rice,milk,brewer's yeast, cereals, legumes, carrots, peanuts, green leafy vegetables. Fruits: Oranges, grapes, grapefruits, peaches, pears, pineapples and melons.
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Don't get yourself overstuffed .Go for frequent small meals rather than an elaborate one.
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Lifestyle |
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Should follow a daily routine(dinacharya)
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Try to keep tensions at bay. Keep yourself busy so that you get no time to brood.
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Avoid excitements of all kind.
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Go for an invigorating head and soles of the feet massage with sesamae oil daily.
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Yoga |
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Miscarriage & Abortion
It is a term applied for expultion of foetus before its schedule period. This occurs mainly first trimester of pregnancy or more particularly during the 3rd month. It may be happened any other stage of pregnancy. It occurs in two ways - threaten and habitual. In many females there is a tendency to abort habitually even when causes do or do not exists. Where as other females it can not be brought about even if sound causative exists.
Symptoms
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Pain in small of the back.
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Pallor of face, dull eyes, livid and blotted eye lids.
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Weight on the pubis anus and vulva, flabby breast.
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Bloody and ichorous discharge from the vagina.
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Increase spells of uterine pains.
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Progressive dilation of uterine membrane and orifice.
Root Causes
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Insufficient expansion and lack of flexibility of uterus.
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By any accident and is preceded by weight and pain in small of the back.
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Outer growth (cyst, tumours and carcinoma) of the uterus etc.
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Sexually transmitted diseases or over indulgence in sex.
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Violent immotions, shock, dancing, jumping and injury.
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Aparajita
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Shatawer
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Bidarikand
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Barahikand
(These all prevent abortion)
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Durba ras
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Keshar
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Hirabol
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Vasak, Haldi and Fitkari
(These all prevent excess bleeding) |
Ayurvedic Suppliments |
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Lifestyle |
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Myopia
Myopia generally occurs in the young and patient experiences difficulty in seeing objects at a distance. This is because of the parallel rays transmitted by the objects, focusing in front of the retina. This may be due to the change in the curvature of the refracting surface of the eye or due to abnormal refractivity of the media of the eye.
Normally after the use of spectacles with concave lens of appropriate curvature, the patient is relieved of the trouble. In one type of myopia, the morbidity continues to increase in adult life. This is called “Progressive myopia” and the patient goes on changing his lens for higher numbers. In Ayurveda this condition in known as ‘ drishti dosha’.
In Ayurveda, person suffering from chronic cold and constipation are considered to be more prone to get myopia. Nervous debility is also considered to give rise to this trouble.
Symptoms
Root Causes
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Nervous debility
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Chronic Cold.
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Constipation
Healing Options
Herbs |
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Punaranava
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Jyotishmoti
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Triphala
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Ayurvedic Suppliments
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Diet |
Pungent and sour articles of food like spices, pickles and curd are contra-indicated. Foods, which cause constipation and nasal congestion, should be avoided. Fried things are not useful and cow’s ghee is considered to be very useful. |
Lifestyle |
The patient should not strain his eyes during his studies. Try to avoid Needlework and painting. The patient is prohibited from keeping awake at night especially for the purpose of studying and witness film shows. |
Yoga |
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Fever
Fever refers to a condition of the body in which the temperature goes beyond the normal .It is also characterized by disturbance in the normal functioning of the systems. It is a common ailment, which occurs both in children and adults.
The average temperature of a healthy body ranges between 98.4 degree F and 99.5 degree F. It is liable to marginal variations, depending on the intake of food, the amount of exercise, and the temperature of the body occurs between the hours of 1.30 am to 7 a.m. and the highest between 4p.m to 9 p.m.
Symptoms:
Fever generally begins with slight shivering, pain in the head and various parts of the body, thirst and great lassitude. The flow of urine is scanty. As the fever rises, the pulse and respiration become faster. Finally, there is profuse sweating, a copious flow of concentrated urine, and general relief of symptoms.
Root cause:
The term fever has a very wide application. It is the symptom of a body’s fight against infection. It is one of the most common features of the several diseases. In many cases, it is a secondary symptom of the disordered state of the body with which it is associated .the real cause of all fevers, including common fever, however, is the accumulation of morbid matter in the system due to wrong feeding habits and unhygienic conditions of living. Fever is thus a natural attempt on the part of the body to rid itself of toxic matter.
Herbs |
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Holy Basil
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Fenugreek
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Saffron
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Raisins
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Apricot
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Grapefruit
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Orange
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Bloodworm
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Ayurvedic Supplements
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Diet |
The patient should be put on a fruit juice and water at the beginning of the treatment. The procedure is to drink the juice of an orange in a glass of warm water every two hours from 8am to 8 pm. After the temperature has come down to normal for a few more days. In this regimen, he should take three meals upon a well balanced diet according to his age, with emphasis on fresh fruits, and raw or lightly cooked vegetables. |
Lifestyle |
While the patient is on an orange juice fast, a warm water enema should be given daily to cleanse the bowels. Cold compresses may be applied to the head in case the temperature rises. Complete bed rest is advisable. |
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