There is a big shift underway in the pharmaceutical industry away from a “one medicine fits all” approach to develop so called “personalized medicines”. There could not be a bigger endorsement of Ayurveda’s approach to “personalized health” than this shift. How it is working out in real world? Here is a case in point.
Recently we attended a seminar on Multiple Sclerosis in San Jose. Presenter was an eminent doctor from Stanford Univeristy with the reputation of being a “doctor’s dotcor”.
During his 30 -40 minute presentation and Q&A sessions, he mentioned “personalized medicine” and “every one is different” more than 100 times. He said that though there are more than 8 FDA approved medicines available to treat MS, there is no sure way to determine which one of these medicines will be right for you.
Well, Ayurveda may be able to help the doctors determine. By knowing an individual’s body constitution and how a particular medicine works, Ayurveda may help determine whether the medicine will be right for that individual or not. An interesting approcah. Wouldn’t you think?
Allergy season is around the corner. You can prevent allergies by drinking Ginger Tea. Follow the recipe below:
In 1 glass of hot water, add
- 1/8th tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp of honey and
- squeeze 1/2 lemon
Stir well and drink in the morning. This will be worth more than $100 worth of Allergy medicine.
Want to lose weight? Here is a novel idea – chew your food longer and loose more weight.
Are you one of those who just gobble the food, or chew only 3-5 times? Not good! Do you know the right number you should chew each bite? 32 times! How many teeth do you have? 32, so let each tooth enjoy the food. If you try chewing that long, food mixes well with saliva and becomes easy for digestive enzymes to digest it. You will feel satisfied, happy and light.
Another benefit – As you chew more, you eat less, because you feel hungry for only certain period of time. If you chew each bite longer, naturally there will be less food in the stomach. The end result – you will be lighter. Chewing food longer will raise the blood sugar gently, without spiking. so this is a good tip for diabetics too.
Where do you think digestion begins? In the mouth. Have you tried chewing a piece of bread for long? It tastes sweet afterwards, because chewing secretes more saliva, which has enzymes to digest starch into sugars. Saliva also has other protective enzymes to protect your gums from receding and teeth from decaying.
Where are the taste buds? On the tongue, not in your stomach, so if you want to savor the food and enjoy different tastes, chew food longer – 32 times to be exact.
If you cut corners and chew only few times, food stays undigested, it ferments, produces, gas and bloating and many digestive disorders. Remember “You are what you eat and how you digest”. Proper digestion is important for your health. It prevents many diseases.
So, next time when you sit at the dinner table, take a bite, rest your spoon on the plate, close your eyes and chew food slowly, notice the texture, listen to the crunch, enjoy the taste, inhale the aroma and swallow the food mindfully. This may be the most memorable experience you will have. Give me your feedback.
You know your Blood Type, but what about Body type? Read the blog and find the secret key to your health!
In life, nothing is alike. Everything is different. Look at the trees, the flowers, the birds and the bees. We are not exception to the rule either. We are very different than each other. Our looks, likes, dislikes, personalities are unique. We react differently to similar diets, weather patterns or situations in life. Some people can lose weight easily, while for others, it is a challenge. Few people are born worriers while others are happy and content. If this is a fact, then why do we use “One size fits all” diets or treatments? Why do we measure our health by the “standard” ruler? If we start recognizing and respecting the individual differences, we will find answers for many of our health problems.
Ayurveda, the Wisdom of life, emphasizes on the uniqueness of each individual. This uniqueness is because of unique proportion of three natural energies in the body, – “Vata Dosha,”, “Pitta Dosha” and “Kapha Dosha”. Vata controls the movements and actions, thoughts and emotions. Pitta governs metabolism, body temperature, thinking and reasoning. Kapha is responsible for building tissues, lubrication and fluid balance.
Each person has all the three Doshas but in different proportion. That unique proportion is called “Body Constitution”. You can call it your “genetic makeup” or the “blue print” of your personality. It is the secret key to your health and wellbeing.
Knowing your own Body-Constitution, will answer many questions such as:
- How can I prevent my health issues?
- What should I eat?
- What exercise is good for me?
- What can I do to feel healthy?
- How can I make my Mind feel grounded?
- What daily routine should I follow?
- How can I improve my relationship with my family?
- What is the right career for me?
- How can I enjoy my life?
- What are my innate talents?
Don’t you think you will be happy, if somebody can give you the right answers? Know your Prakriti!
“Personalized Medicine” is a new buzz word in pharmaceutical industry these days. Majority of the medicines have severe adverse effects, because people react differently to medicines too. What Ayurveda is saying since 5000 years ago, modern medicine is validating it right now. Isn’t it wise to follow Ayurveda than reinvent wheels?
There are 10 different types of Body Constitution with different combinations of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Are you ready to know your type? Here is a questionnaire. Under each point, there are various choices. Circle the choices, which describe you over all your life (not who you want to be). We want to know your tendencies.
1. Physical Stature
V) I am a slender person; I hardly gain weight
P) I am medium built
K) I am well built; I tend to gain weight easily
2. Skin
V) My skin tends to be dry, thin and/or itches often
P) My skin looks flushed; I have lots of moles and freckles on my body
K) My skin is smooth and soft. It looks pale sometimes
3. Face
V) My face is oval
P) My face is triangular (I have a pointed chin)
K) My face is round
4. Activities
V) I am hyperactive person, always on the go
P) I always think before I do anything
K) I am steady and graceful. I don’t like to rush
5. Actions
V) I walk fast, talk fast and I drive fast
P) My actions are very thoughtful, and precise
K) I am slow, I like to take my time
6. Sleep
V) interrupted, I toss and turn often, may wake up early in the morning (~3.00 am)
P) I am a light sleeper, If something wakes me up, I can easily go back to sleep
K) I am a heavy sleeper; I sleep like a log
7. Appetite
V) Varies, sometimes I feel hungry, sometimes not. I feel anxious if I don’t eat
P) I always feel hungry; if I don’t eat, I get irritable and angry
K) I don’t feel very hungry; I can go without food easily for a day
8. Bowel movement
V) I tend to constipate, may skip a day or two
P) I have regular bowel movements, sometimes they are loose,
K) I have no problem; I wake up to go to the bathroom
9. Emotions
V) I am a born worrier, I often feel anxious and nervous
P) I often feel irritable and angry, especially when things don’t happen my way
K) I am a happy person, calm and content
10. Weather preference
V) I love warm and humid weather
P) I enjoy cool weather, I hate warm climate
K) I like warm but dry weather
11. Sweating
V) I hardly sweat
P) I perspire easily/profusely
K) I sweat moderately
12. Memory
V) I remember quickly, but forget quickly too
P) I remember what I want to remember, and never forget
K) I am a little slow to remember, but once I do, I never forget. I remember details
13. Planning
V) I never plan, I tend to do things on the spur of a moment
P) I am a list maker, unless I plan, I don’t do anything
K) I don’t like to plan; it is easy to follow others
14. Stamina
V) I like to do things in spurts. I get tired very easily
P) I have medium stamina
K) I can work long hours. I have a good stamina
15. Mind
V) My Mind starts racing often, I get restless
P) I get impatient easily
K) Generally I feel very calm, sometimes my mind becomes sluggish
16. Personality
V) “Can I change my mind”?
P) “Do it my way or the highway”!
K) “Don’t worry, be happy”!
17. Sports
V) I like action
P) I like to win. I am very competitive
K) I like to have fun
18. Health problems
V) My symptoms are mainly pain, constipation, anxiety, depression etc.
P) I often get skin infections, fevers, heartburn, etc
K) I tend to get allergies, congestion, weight gain, sluggish digestion
19. Hobbies
V) I like art, (drawing, painting), love to dance, travel
P) I like sports, politics
K) I am a nature person; I like gardening, reading, and knitting
Good! You finished the major part. Now count all Vs, Ps and Ks.
V ________, P _________, K _________
This proportion of Vata, Pitta and Kapha is your Body Constitution. If you fit in “V” category more, then you may have more Vata predominance. If you circled more “P” choices, you may have strong Pitta, dominating your personality and if “K” choices seem more appropriate, Kapha may be responsible for your looks and likes.
Stay tuned for the next blog to know how you can use your secret Key.
Tridoshas – The energies behind the physical body
“As above, so below”, such a universal wisdom!
It means what is in the universe, same in the human being and even in each and every cell and in an atom. In a way, we are a reflection of the Mother Nature. If that is true, then discovering more about Nature will provide a great insight about us – our health, ill health, everything.
Ayurveda, 5000 year old Nature’s science unfolds all the secrets about Nature and their effects on our health and wellbeing. Doesn’t it make sense to explore more about Ayurveda, and unveil its wisdom to prevent the disease, stop spending money on prescription medicines and protect ourselves from all the adverse effects?
“Look at the Nature” says Ayurveda. The Sun – source of heat, the Moon – the source of water and the Wind – the source of air are the three natural energies creating changes in the environment. Day in and day out the weather pattern changes. Nature gives each season a beauty of its own.
Since our bodies reflect Nature, same three energies work in our bodies, controlling the actions and functions of all the systems and organs. In Ayurveda, Water is named as Kapha dosha, Heat is called Pitta dosha and Wind the Vata dosha. Kapha, Pitta and Vata energies are the foundation or the root of Ayurveda. Knowing the qualities of doshas and maintaining the balance with opposite qualities helps to prevent many diseases. No disease will be cured completely either, unless we restore the balance Kapha, Pitta and Vata doshas.
Kapha energy is responsible for building new tissues, nourishing the cells and lubricating all the systems. Pitta main function is conversion, digestion, and maintaining Body temperature. Vata dosha is in charge of all the actions, movements, and nerve impulses.
Knowing dosha qualities is utmost important, because similar qualities increase doshas and opposite qualities decrease or balance doshas. For example ice cold water may make congestion worse while warm water will reduce congestion. Kapha is heavy, cold, moist, and soft in qualities. While Pitta like heat, is hot, sharp, light and oily in nature. Vata like wind is very mobile, subtle, light and dry in qualities.
Here are a few of examples to understand how these doshas work in our body:
Effects of Vata Aggravation:
Mary was suffering from chocking feeling in the chest, dry throat, anxiety attacks, insomnia and constipation, for few weeks. She had seen her doctor, and he had prescribed her a laxative, an antidepressant, sleeping pills and anti allergy medicine. She took these medicines for a week but was feeling worse. She was so worried and thought, “I may die”.
So, she came to see me. While taking her history, she mentioned that she had started a new diet plan two months ago to lose weight. The new eating habits – eating dry foods, high in protein and low in fat and carb – had aggravated her Vata dosha as these were the wrong foods for her body constitution. Vata aggravation in turn caused Constipation which caused other symptoms.
When I gave her a natural herbal formula to cleanse her bowels and Vata balancing foods to bring Vata down, she started feeling better within a week. In a month she was almost normal. She could get rid of all the medicines, their side effects and was completely symptom free in couple of months.
Effect of Pitta Aggravation
Tom is an engineer working in IT Company. Long hours, stressful work, irregular eating habits and staying up late at night became his life style. He started drinking heavily at night. Pretty soon he experienced frequent heart burns. He started popping Tums now and then, but the symptoms kept getting worse – Severe stomach aches, flushed face, feeling irritable or angry at times. His doctor told him that he had H pylori causing stomach ulcers and recommended surgery.
He was scared of surgery and wanted to try Ayurveda upon his friend’s recommendation. When I heard about his life style and eating habits, I explained to him that his Pitta has severely aggravated causing all the symptoms. He was willing to do anything to prevent surgery.
He started eating more fresh foods, fruits, veggies and got into Yoga and Pranayama, meditation, along with Pitta balancing herbs. In three weeks he called me saying, “I am feeling 50- 60% better and I like my new life style”. He continued herbs and balancing diet plan for few more months and was symptom free. He looks at the new regimen as a way of life.
Effects of Kapha Aggravation:
Susan had different problems. Due to her long working hours, she was eating fast foods, and didn’t exercise. She started putting on weight. She complained of joint pain, and swelling in the body, had bad allergies, congestive headaches, and felt lethargic. Increased Kapha dosha was the cause behind all her symptoms.
When she started following Ayurvedic Kapha balancing diet and took couple of herbal formulas for a month – “a miracle happened” she said “my allergies are gone, and I lost 10 pounds, I have no joint pain and I can listen to my children better”. She is still continuing the herbs to get in balance completely.
These are just few examples. There are so many success stories about balancing Kapha, Pitta and Vata dosha to prevent or treat many health issues. From beginning of the New Year start following Ayurveda and experience the wonderful results yourself!
(Stay tuned to know more about Dosha balancing foods and eating habits in the next blog).
What is Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the wisdom (Veda) about healthy life (Ayu) and has become popular as New Age Science. Though 5000 years old, it has answers to many of our modern health problems. It’s simple concepts can have profound effects on our health and wellbeing. Ayurveda, is a complete “How to” guide about “Healthy living”people.
Why Ayurveda?
We are spending trillions of dollars on health care. We have state of the art medical technology, most advanced research laboratories and innovative medicines. Still we are far away from being healthy. Why? What is missing?
We are missing the most important piece of the puzzle – the human being.
Doctors know so much about the disease but so little about the individuals (who have the disease). If they will try to learn more about each individual, our health care will drastically improve. That is why we need Ayurveda.
Body Constitution (Prakriti or genetic makeup)
Ayurveda through its concept of Body Constitution (your Prakriti or genetical makeup) reveals valuable information about each individual such as the meaning behind unique likes, looks and personalities of people, their innate talents, tendencies to certain diseases, ways to prevent such diseases and much more. Knowing body constitution is finding a secret key to unlock hidden information about each individual. (I will writing more about Body Constitution in the next few blogs and what it can do for you. So stay tuned…)
For example, Mike is 6 ft tall, with a slender body. He has an oval face, small eyes, dry skin, thin hair, small joints (may crack often). He is an artist, draws beautiful pictures with his long fingers. He is very talkative and very active, always on the go. He is a born worrier. His mind starts racing and he gets anxious often.
With just this description, Ayurveda offers following meaningful information about Mike:
• He is a Vata predominant person (Vata is one of the energies within our body that is responsible for actions, movements and nerve impulses).
• He may be prone to constipation, gas, bloating, dry skin, dandruff, aches and pains in the body, arthritis, anxiety, worry, and many more.
Ayurveda also offers tools to prevent such problems, with balancing diet and life style. (Stay tuned for the next blogs to find out what foods are good for Mike).
Another important reason why Ayurveda is essential in today’s world is its emphasis on Mind-Body connection. Many physical diseases originate at the mental level and many psychological diseases affect the physical body. So, unless we address both Mind and body, we can’t be well.
For example – Mary had severe heartburn and ulcers in the stomach for few years. She kept seeing Doctors and taking variety of prescriptions medicines. Yet, her heartburn was not going away nor were her ulcers. She was just tired of popping pills and still not feeling better.
I did an Ayurvedic evaluation of her health which revealed that the cause of her ulcers was the Anger she had about her relationship. Her emotions had affected her physical body. When that was taken care of with Ayurvedic herbs, her symptoms never came back.
Treating Cause vs Symptoms
Ayurveda has a different view about treating the disease. Ayurveda attacks the cause of the disease, not just the symptoms. (Many times we hear our doctor saying “I don’t know what is the cause of the problem, but I have a medicine for it”). Until the cause is gone, symptoms will definitely recur. If ten people with a headache see a Doctor, the prescription will be Tylenol, or Aleve (or any painkiller), but if they see an Ayurvedic practitioner, each person will get a different herbal mix, because the cause of the headache in each person may be different. It is like pulling the weeds from your backyard. If you just trim the heads they will keep popping up, but if you pull the roots, they will vanish.
These are some of the reasons, why Ayurveda is important. Even if you are on a conventional treatment plan, you can still compliment it with Ayurveda by following Ayurvedic daily routine and life style. You will experience remarkable difference.
Please keep on sending me questions on how Ayurveda can help you and I will answer them in the next blogs.
Be well Ayurvedically.
H & N Wellness Center Web Site is ready. Get detail information about center. Understand Yoga, Ayurveda and how it helps you to stay fit.
Welcome to the blog of Dr.Jay’s Health & Nature Wellness Center.
|