Ayurvedic Self Cure: For Common & Chronic Ailments

By Dr. Ch. MuraliManohar

Ayurveda is a vast medicinal science. It is said to have been originated in India about 5000 years back. Unlike other medicinal systems, Ayurveda focuses more on healthy living than treatment of diseases. The main concept of Ayurveda is that it personalizes the healing process. According to Ayurveda, the human body is composed of four basics-the dosha, dhatu, mala and agni. There is immense significance of all these basics of the body in Ayurveda. These are also called the Mool Siddhant or the basic fundamentals of Ayurvedic treatment.
Through 10 chapters, the author Dr.Murli Manohar explains the diseases associated with digestive system, respiratory system, heart & circulatory system, nervous system, urinary system, joint diseases, skin & hair problems, eye problems, problems specific to females and other miscellaneous health issues. He has made it easy to understand each disease by giving its symptoms, self-help guidelines and specific remedies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: V&S Publishers
• Release date: Jan 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9789350578032

Book preview

1

DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

1. HYPERACIDITY

Everyone knows that excessive secretion of acid leads to hyperacidity. Inside the stomach, nutrients are broken into small units for the purpose of assimilation. The stomach can digest things similar to its own structure and composition—like a piece of meat. But, then how come the stomach does not digest itself? The process of digestion takes place because of many different gastric secretions, which are highly acidic. What prevent the stomach from digesting itself are the cells, which form its inner lining? These cells have a special permeability barrier, which does not let anything permeate. If this is challenged with certain foods like too much tea, coffee, alcohol or certain chemical drugs, especially some pain-relieving and anti-arthritic drugs, then this will be weakened or damaged.

As a result, the highly acidic medium, which prevails in the stomach, traverses the stomach wall, thus causing pain and discomfort. If the same thing is repeated again and again, it may give rise to acidity and gastritis thereby inflaming the lining of the stomach. Ayurveda calls this condition as ‘amla pitta’.

To understand the disease amla pitta, one has to understand the concept of ‘agni’. Ayurveda has described this agni as fire of life. It has been given a pivotal place in the delicate balance between health and disease. In other words, ‘agni’ is the fire that cooks or digests the food.

A normal ‘agni’ means a healthy person and conversely, an abnormal agni is a sure pointer to disease.

At times, this ‘agni’ may be impaired due to intellectual blasphemy (prajnaaparaadha), unwholesome conjunction of sense organs with their objects (asaatmyendriyaartha samyoga) and vagaries of weather and time (kaala or parinaama). This impaired ‘agni’ shows effect on ‘pitta’, the fiery energy of the body responsible for transformation. ‘Amla pitta’ is the by-product of this defective process.

It is difficult to produce fire either without fire logs or with too many fire logs occupying the whole furnace. The same is the case with digestive fire. This will be hampered either with low amounts (mandaagni) or with high amounts (teekshnaagni). Amla pitta is the resultant of teekshnaagni, says Ayurveda.

SELF-HELP GUIDELINES & AYURVEDIC REMEDIES

As we know that acidity is due to improper regimen, it can be easily tackled by following simple methods:

•It is clear that amla pitta is mainly due to aggravation of pitta. Factors responsible for aggravation of this pitta dosha are excessive intake of pungent and sour food items, alcoholic preparations, salt, hot and sharp stuff which cause burning sensations. Anger, fear, excessive exposure to sun and fire, intake of dry vegetables and alkalis, irregularity in taking food, etc. should be avoided as far as possible.

•As a rule, all persons with acidity can take a milk diet excellently, although some, at first have trouble in absorbing milk. This is because the large amount of acid in the stomach forms hard curds combined with the proteins of the milk. Often these are vomited. Yet milk is excellent in the condition, especially when preceded by a fast, adjusted to your general condition.

•The milk diet should be adhered to several weeks if possible. Along with this, drink warm water freely. Ayurveda insists on this because, according to it, hot destroys hot (ushnam ushnena hanti). Moreover, it has been found by physiological experiments that cold water increases the amount of acid secreted in the stomach. When the stomach seems to be in better condition, the milk may be taken with an evening meal consisting of easily digestible and non-irritating foods.

•For a time, it is better to use foods requiring only moderate mastication, since mastication naturally increases the flow of gastric juice with its acid. Yet insufficient mastication of the food chosen will aggravate acidity problems by causing gastric irritation. So, mastication should always be moderate in this particular condition.

•It is important not to overeat, but to take small meals, three times a day. Avoid artificial stimulants, all of which raise pitta. Alcohol, in any form, is like throwing fuel on the pitta fire. The drawback of the caffeine in coffee and tea is that it increases acid production in stomach if consumed excessively.

•Even an excess intake of sweets can cause acidity as the sugar causes fermentation and produces acid in the stomach, particularly if wrongly combined with other food types.

According to Ayurveda, the pre-digestive characters of a particular food need not correlate with its post-digestive effect. It calls this effect as 'vipaaka'.

•Avoid salt, oil, pickles, curd, fried foods, sour foods like tamarind, etc., all of which heat the body.

•Take pitta pacifying diet. It should contain bitter and astringent tastes, which are usually supplied mainly through salads and legumes. These two tastes curb the appetite, dry up excessive moisture and keep the palate sharp.

•To bring down aggravated pitta, a standard recommendation is to take two teaspoonfuls of ghee in a glass of warm milk. This also acts as a laxative, which helps flush excess pitta from the system. Ayurveda recommends this laxation (virechana karma) to be the best therapy to correct the aggravated pitta. Have your ghee and milk instead of dinner, or two hours after a very light dinner. You can also have it in place of breakfast (do not take ghee, however, if you have a problem with high cholesterol).

•Avipattikara choorna relieves all the agonising symptoms caused by acidity. It moves the bowels and flushes them. It also maintains your appetite. This powder can be taken in a dose of 3 to 6 grams with water before and during the meal. Dried grapes, fruit bark of harad (Terminalia chebula) in powdered form and sugar pounded together and taken in 12 grams quantity does relieve acidity.

•Buttermilk is not found useful in amla pitta. Hence, it may be avoided.

•Cereals from fresh crops should be avoided. Pulses should be moderately used.

•Two to three years old rice, wheat flour, milk, green leafy vegetables and fruits containing sweet juice are all permitted.

•Coconut water is exceptionally good is this condition.

•Sukumaara ghritam is specific for this condition and may be taken in doses of one to two teaspoonfuls mixed with a cup of milk in the morning.

•Amla (Emblica officinalis) in powdered form is also helpful. The standard dose is two teaspoonfuls three times a day.

•Alternatively, Dhaatri lauha (calyx of iron mixed with the juice of amla) may be taken in one teaspoonful dose twice a day. In acidity, iron absorption is impaired and this will be corrected with this medicine.

•In severe cases, Ayurvedic physicians usually prescribe Swarna parpatee, Leela vilaas ras, Soota sekhara ras etc. If needed, these medicines may be taken under medical supervision.

•A decoction of sandal (chandan) consumed thrice daily, gives good relief from hyperacidity. Kamadudharas (with pearls) is a drug of choice for hyperacidity in the dose of 1 tablet thrice daily.

2. GASTRITIS

Gastritis is a broad term for inflammation or irritation of the inner lining (mucosa) of the stomach. In some cases, it can even lead to an ulcer. In Ayurveda, this condition is known as urdhvaga amlapitta. You are prone to this disease, if you have pitta body constitution, according to Ayurveda.

The causes of gastritis include:

•Ingestion of caustic poisons, alcohol, and certain medications like aspirin or steroids.

•Physical stress from flu, major surgery, severe burns, or injuries.

•A drug allergy or food poisoning.

Atrophic gastritis is a form of gastritis found in the elderly, where stomach cells are destroyed, potentially leading to pernicious anaemia.

A bacterial infection, helicobacter pylori, is believed to be a major cause of gastritis during the recent years. When addressing gastritis, many researchers now look for substances that eradicate H. Pylori.

If suffering from gastritis, you can adopt these dietary and lifestyle changes and take the following herbal supplements to keep yourself comfortable.

SELF-HELP GUIDELINES

•You can take almost all foods in moderation except chilies, spices, and sour food. Avoid chillies, meat soups and extractives, tamarind and unripe citrus fruits such as orange, sweet-lime, etc. Restrict the use of garlic, ginger, coriander (dhania), and cumin seeds (jeera). Avoid papad, chutney, or pickles. You can use ghee in cooking as it pacifies pitta. However, restrict the fried food and recycled cooking oil, as they are difficult to digest. Restrict the intake of salt as it irritates the stomach lining. Bland diet such as khichdi, that contains cooked rice and dal, is perhaps the best diet in gastritis. Always prefer the old rice that has been preserved for one year. A snack or small meal every three hours does the trick in most of the cases.

•Milk has always been known to relieve pain in the peptic ulcer. Always choose milk instead of coffee or tea.

•Caffeine found in coffee and tea, some soft drinks, chocolate and many medications increase stomach acid. Avoiding these substances can, therefore, aid in the healing of gastritis.

•In some individuals, food allergies or intolerance may cause gastritis. If you are suspecting food sensitivity or allergy, you should consider discussing an allergy elimination programme with your physician.

•When helicobacter causes gastritis, free radical levels rise in the stomach lining. These unstable molecules contribute to inflammation and gastric damage.

•Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps squelch free radical molecules, is low in the stomach juice of people with chronic gastritis. This is the reason, some of the vitamin C rich fruits, such as amla, are found to be helpful in gastritis. There is some evidence that the antioxidant beta carotene may also reduce free radical damage in the stomach, and eating foods such as carrots, that are high in carotene, has been linked to a decreased risk of developing chronic atrophic gastritis.

•Moreover, people with active gastritis have been reported to have low levels of beta-carotene in their stomach. Combining vitamin C rich foods and carotene food lead to improvement in most people with chronic atrophic gastritis.

•Avoid tobacco. Smoking damages the mucous membrane and may even increase acid secretion. Smoking also causes pyloric incompetence and reflux of duodenal juice into the stomach. Tobacco chewing causes shedding of the stomach lining and may have a role in the production of gastritis.

•Avoid alcohol. Alcohol inhibits the secretion of the protective prostaglandin, thereby causing gastritis.

•Many medications, such as aspirin and related drugs, can induce or aggravate stomach irritation. People with a history of gastritis should never take aspirin or aspirin-like drugs without first discussing the matter with their doctor.

•Mental tension is usually associated with gastritis. Brooding, frustrations, and inner resentment regarding matters connected with the family or place of work not only predisposes you to gastritis, but also contributes to the perpetuation of symptoms and subsequent recurrences.

AYURVEDIC REMEDIES

•Licorice root has been traditionally used to soothe inflammation and injury in the stomach. It also stalls the growth of H. Pylori. Take one teaspoonful of this powder and mix with half a teaspoonful of pure ghee and one teaspoonful of pure honey. Take this medicine twice daily on an empty stomach, once in the morning before breakfast and once in the afternoon before tea when the stomach is nearly empty.

•If you are having constipation along with gastritis, then Avipattikara choorna is the medicine of choice. Take two teaspoonfuls at bedtime. This neutralises the acid, stimulates the liver, and thus works as a laxative.

•Asparagus racemosus (shataavar) is a refrigerant and antispasmodic. It allays internal heat. Several studies have demonstrated that the root of this plant is an effective drug in hyperacidity. Mineral contents, which are biochemically important for the human system, were found in significant concentration in different parts of the herb. This powder should be taken three to six grams, twice daily.

•Emblica officinalis (amla) is found useful in dyspepsia, burning sensation, anorexia, vomiting and haemorrhage. You can take this in powder form, two teaspoonfuls four times a day. (Clinical studies were conducted to investigate the effect of amla in gastric syndrome. Aamalaki choorna was given in 20 cases in a dose of three grams, three times a day for seven days. The drug was found effective in 85 per cent of the cases).

•Dhaatri loha, Sootasekhara rasa, Sukumaara ghrita, etc., are some of the ayurvedic medicines that are prescribed commonly to treat gastritis. Always consult your physician before using them.

•Other useful medicines are Kaamdudha ras, Leelaavilas ras, Chandrakala ras and Amalpittantak ras.

3. CONSTIPATION

Medically, constipation implies failure to evacuate waste matter from the body, on a regular basis. In ayurveda, it is referred to as Aanaaha. Koshtha baddhata is the other term also in use.

Passage of faeces takes place in two phases. Propulsion from the colon and expulsion from the rectum. Interference with any aspect of this process may give rise to constipation. According to ayurveda, it is usually a vaata disorder, particulary, if it is a long-standing condition or in the elderly. It may also be due to high pitta (heat which dries out the stool) or high kapha (mucous congestion clogging the colon).

Assimilation and elimination are the two basic needs for natural health. Inactivity of the eliminating organ i.e., the colon causes retention of waste and morbid matter, which results in systemic poisoning or autointoxication.

When the colon does not function promptly, the result is an accumulation of offensive and highly poisonous wastes, which not only contaminate the body through absorption with the blood but also upset the whole digestive process. In general, the residue is passed into the colon or lower bowel and stored there until a convenient time comes to expel this refuse from the body. In this colonic garbage pile, there is no antiseptic digestive juice to prevent putrefaction and as a result, the microbes generate toxins with great rapidity. Ayurveda calls it aama.

The normal duration between the time the food is eaten until the faeces is expelled, is normally between 16 to 24 hours. If the residue remains for 24 hours or more, it gives rise to aama. There is a simple test to know whether you are constipated or not. Just consume small amount of charcoal and watch the stools thereafter. The black colour will make its appearance eventually in the stools. If it does not make its appearance in 16 to 24 hours, you are suffering from constipation. Also, you should note carefully how long the colour continues to be conspicuous because if it is observed several hours after it makes its appearance, it indicates a true colonic congestion.

There are several causes for constipation and constipation is also a symptom of several diseases. So while treating constipation, all the possible causes should be kept in mind. 

The causes of constipation are many—constitution of the individual (prakriti), habit of suppressing the urge over long periods (vega dhaarana), absence or non-availability of articles habitually used before defecation, such as smoking tobacco, drinking coffee or tea, frequent use of laxatives and purgatives etc., ingestion of vaata promoting food which is dry (rooksha), powdery (pishtha), cold (seeta), astringent (kashaaya), bitter (tikta), quickly digestive and residue-free diet (laghu), very little food or starvation (anasana), plenty of exercising (ati vyaayaama); Intestinal obstruction (aantra avarodha) by foreign body or due to intussusception (sammoorchana), worms (krumi), impacted faeces (pureesha); slow peristalsis due to debility during fevers, nervous diseases, tuberculosis, anaemia etc.; Psychological factors like grief (chinta), sorrow (shoka), hatred (dwesha); ingestion of certain drugs; inadequacy of water intake or excessive water elimination as in cases of vomiting (chhardi), diarrhoea (ateesaara), diabetes (prameha).

SELF-HELP GUIDELINES & AYURVEDIC REMEDIES

Treatment is three fold—diet, drugs and daily routine.

Diet: Drink a glass of water early in the morning after washing the face and mouth. It is better, if the water is kept overnight in a copper vessel. Or, soak twenty to thirty black raisins in a glass of water at night and drink the water after adding juice and pulp of lemon to it. Some people are in the habit of taking bed tea for this purpose. The reflex action produced by bed-tea is different from the one produced by the cold water. The latter only produces pressure, thus stimulating the intestines to start their movement for evacuation. Tea, being hot, stimulates the intestines so strongly that its stimulating effect loses its significance after some days and the individual develops constipation apart from the diuretic action, which produces fluid loss thereby causing constipation. In case of vitiation of vaata, oily food should be taken. Adequate oil and ghee should be included to ensure lubrication of the colon. It is a better idea, if you can take a glass of warm milk at bedtime after adding a teaspoonful of ghee to it. Adequate bulk should be taken as well, such as whole grains or bran. Beans, dry grains, cabbage, family plants, mushrooms and other light or dry food should be avoided. Spices, which balance digestion—asafoetida, ginger, cardamom or fennel, should be taken with food to alleviate gas and promote the downward movement of vaata.

Pitta type of constipation often involves liver dysfunction with congestion or obstruction of the bile. Hence, hot spicy food should be avoided. Adequate fluids should be taken. 

If