Chlorine, hair fall and Ayurveda

One reason for hair loss or early baldness is the chemical content in the water we drink and bathe, especially for people who live in big towns and cities. The civic agencies add chemicals to water to eliminate disease causing germs and make it potable. They add chlorine to kill bacteria and fluoride to aid healthy teeth. This water is then supplied through the public distribution system. When we drink this water we ingest harmful chemicals that can play havoc with our health.

One way to overcome this problem is by drinking bottled water. But that too has its own perils. First off we are not sure of the additives that make the water tasty. Also, bottled water may be stored for long periods of time before they reach us. This also can bring down its purity.

Both fluorine and chlorine are detrimental to our health when ingested over a long time. Fluoride affects our thinking and is detrimental to brain tissues. Similarly chlorine causes arteriosclerosis i.e., narrowing of arterial walls. This can lead to heart attack. It exacerbates asthma and respiratory illnesses. Externally, chlorine irritates the skin and aggravates allergies.

Also when we take a shower using chlorinated water, our skin is exposed to the harmful effects of chlorine. Our scalp just like the bottom our feet easily absorbs chemicals they come in contact with. It is said that we absorb more chlorine this way that by drinking a glass of chlorinated water.

Using a shower filter is a good solution. A search in the internet can get you a good one. And if you swim a lot, use swimming caps.

Now a remedy for a particular type of hair fall.

Some have the problem of round patches of hair falling out completely. This condition is called alopecia areata. It is also called spot baldness. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease. In most cases, the hair grows back completely.


Ayurveda texts suggest elephant teeth or tusk for this. People who make toys out of ivory leave out small bits and pieces as waste. Collect this waste and place them in a wide mouthed mud pot. Close this pot with a clay lid or another pot and the whole set up is covered with wet earth. Burn this whole set up in open air (this will give out a very strong odour hence outdoor burning). Once the pieces are burnt to ash, powder it, and mix it with equal amount of anjana stone or anjanakall (you will get it from herbal shops in Tamil Nadu and Kerala). Grind them to a fine paste. Apply this paste to the affected areas.

If you find it difficult to get this, you can get gajathantha basmam from ayurveda medical shops. Mix this basmam with a few drops of maalathyathi thailam and make a fine paste. Apply this paste over affected areas. After a few days, hair will grow in the affected area. At this stage, mix maalathyathi thailam with neelibringamala thailam and again apply it over the scalp and hair roots in this area. You will find that hair starts go grow lusciously over the affected part.


Also aarakvadharishtham 20 ml taken internally both morning and evening after food can help strengthen the hair follicles.


Note: All information in this blog is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, consult your doctor.



Technorati Tags:
, , , , ,

Ayurvedic way to tackle menopause

As of July 2003, around 10 million women in the U.S. were taking some form of hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy for treatment of post-menopausal symptoms came under a cloud when a U.S. study linked it to increased risks of stroke, clotting of blood vessels and cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration cautioned post-menopausal women to weigh benefits and risks of hormone therapy before choosing treatment. The FDA also advised healthcare providers to use the lowest dose of hormones for the shortest possible duration.

There may be conflicting signals on hormone therapy for post-menopausal symptoms, but Ayurveda has a time tested approach to the problem.

Ayurveda regards menopausal symptoms as imbalances of `doshas' (`pitha', `vata' and `kapha'), which occur as a consequence of ageing.

Menopause should be a smooth experience for every woman where it should be regarded as just cessation of the menstrual flow.

Ayurveda has excellent solutions for a safe and happy menopause. There are several preparations that can be taken by women who are nearing the age of menopause and remain symptom-free.

Ayurvedic treatment involves correcting the imbalance by making use of a diet rich in phyto oestrogens and medications and internal detoxification.

These drugs are called Rasayanas (rejuvenators) that act on the whole body, especially the brain cells and uterus (garbhashaya utthejaka-uterine rejuvenators).

Asokarishtam, Balarishtam, Chandanasavam, Shankha bhasma (a natural calcium supplement), Satavari lehyam, Ashwagandha rasayanam, Brahmi ghritam(ghee), Triphala choornam can be taken according to the `prakriti' (body constitution).

A competent Ayurveda physician can help you select the appropriate remedies based on your constitution.


Technorati Tags:
, , , ,

My Favourite Blogs

Let me add a bit of personal touch to my blog. A little bit about myself. I work as an editor in a transcription company in Chennai. My office is located in Egmore, right in the middle of Chennai. We have Saturday and Sunday holidays. I am married and I have a 2 year old daughter. Most of the time at home I spend playing with my daughter.

My favourite way spending time is browsing. I follow many interesting websites, and today I would share with you the websites I like most.


1. http://www.stevepavlina.com/

A self-help site which entered the coveted top 5,000 websites in just two years, stevepavlina.com is noted for its original content. Here Steve Pavlina, the author, advises the reader of the practical steps and the nitty gritty of self-improvement, and all the advice is based on his own life experiences. No pontification, no jargonising that confuses further.

His own life is a dramatic one, he making a complete turnaround from a kleptomaniac and compulsive alcoholic to a well acclaimed self-made personality. He overcame all his shortcomings with sheer willpower and inner strength. The articles in the website are a first hand account of the person who has been there, done that. Nothing rehashed. There is no dearth of original content. His blog entries are usually lengthy ones, dealing with various aspects of self-improvement in great detail. He delves deep into the psyche of human mind and offers practical and step by step solutions to the various problems it faces.

Of particular interest is the entry “How to become an early riser. Also “30 Days to Success” is a very useful article that helps you to make permanent changes in your life.

This blog has helped me immensely in my efforts to improve myself.


2. http://www.betshopboy.net/


I had stopped blogging for quite some time due to various constraints. Another fact is I do know nothing about html, a total zero when in comes to web designing and related matters. I happened to stumble upon betshopboy which was the inspiration for me to restart blogging.

In fact, he too had stopped blogging for quite some time and again started to blog and by sheer application has reached a level where he gets a fair amount of traffic everyday within three months.

The blog deals mostly with making money online. He details many ways to monetize blogs, ways to increase traffic etc. He also shares with us his varied interests. I find his articles very interesting and informative.


3. http://www.derekbeau.com/

This blog of Derek Beau deals extensively with making money online through niche blogs. He also advises on various aspects of internet marketing. Full of useful content. I came across this blog after reading about it in http://www.betshopboy.blogspot.com/ .

He teaches about building profitable niche blogs with minimal effort. In fact he shows a live example of how he creates a blog and how he promotes it.

A very useful blog for those who wish to build a profitable niche website.


Ayurveda Herbs and Sinus Congestion

This article is in response to Baahjan’s comments. Thank you Baahjan for your comments. Regarding your “neer” problem (sinus congestion) one famous remedy is inhalation of medicated vapour, “vedhu” in Tamil.

For this you will have to boil water in a wide mouthed steel vessel. If you prefer the more traditional way you can use an earthen vessel which people in rural South India use to make curry. A handful of nochi leaves, adathoda leaves, thumbai leaves are enough. Drop these herbs onto the boiling water and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the water from fire and keep it covered.

Simultaneously burn a fresh dry brick piece (about the size of a cricket ball) to red heat for about 10 minutes over fire. Using a pair of tongs, drop this red hot brick into the hot herbal water. This helps to keep the water hot.

Now crouching over the hot herbal water, cover yourself with a thick blanket. Do not get too close to the vessel. Exercise care so as not to get burnt. Inhale deeply both through your mouth and nose. You will sweat profusely, the earthy aroma would be a heady experience.

After a few minutes of inhalation, come out of the blanket, and move into an airy space. Towel yourself using a fine dry cloth.

Throw away the water.

After 10 to 15 minutes, have some warm water and go to bed.

For best results, this should be done preferably in the night.

This should solve your sinus congestion problems.

Another remedy is to take quite a quantity of nochi leaves (to make a sort of small pillow) and heat them in a mud pot. Once the leaves are a little brown, take all the heated leaves and make it into a small pillow using a pillow cover. Sleep over it for a couple of nights.

Above all, please consult your physician before going for any of these. This is for information purpose only.



Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Kapha and Ayurveda

The basic characteristics of kapha dosha as defined by Charaka Samhita are, it is heavy, cold, soft, sweet, viscous.The constituents of kapha are water and earth.

People with predominance in pitha are of heavy build, robust structure and oily skin. They usually have lush growth of hair. They stay calm and collected and are easygoing. They prefer warm weather. They remain loyal in their relationships. They have a pleasing disposition.

A well-balanced kapha personality exhibits all of the above characteristics. Exposure to cold, damp environments, indulging in excessive consumption of refrigerated cold foods, liquids can aggravate kapha dosha.When the balance is vitiated it leads to various complications, and when left unattended to it can lead to many diseases.

Signs of a vitiated kapha
  • Tired without physical activity
  • Waking up tired, no refreshed feeling
  • Excessive secretion of oil on skin
  • Congestion of head, chest, throat
  • Not interested in any physical activity
  • Slow and improper digestion
  • Weight gain with no excessive intake
  • Lack of motivation

A good ayurveda physician can guide you through a diet and lifestyle to normalize the vitiated kapha dosha.

For more details: http://www.ayurbalance.com/

Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Pitta and Ayurveda

The basic characteristics of pitta dosha as defined by Charaka Samhita are, it is hot, sharp and burning, acidic and liquid, flowing without restrictions, pungent.

The constituents of pitta are fire and water. People with predominance in pitta are of medium build, sensitive and warm skin, thin hair prone to premature greying. They show determination in their thoughts, words and actions. They prefer a cooler is atmosphere. They are a confident lot and have entrepreneurial skills.

A well-balanced pitta personality exhibits all of the above characteristics.Exposure to hot temperatures, emotional trauma, indulging in excessive consumption of spicy foods, skipping meals etc can exacerbate pitta dosha.


When the balance is vitiated it leads to various complications, and when left unattended to it can lead to many diseases.

Signs of a vitiated pitta

  • constantly critical, impatient, irritable
  • obsession with work
  • Irritation or sensitiveness of skin
  • Hair loss
  • heartburn or GERD
  • Thirsty all time
  • Hot even in indoors
  • Spewing out sarcastic comments on least provocation

A good ayurveda physician can guide you through a diet and lifestyle to normalize the vitiated pitta dosha.

Technorati Tags:
, , ,

More on Vata Dosha

The basic characteristics of vata dosha as defined by Charaka Samhita are, it is dry and rough, cool, light in weight, very tiny, always moving, broad, unlimited, and rough.

The constituents of vata are space and air. People with predominance in vata basically are thin, have a delicate skin that is dry. They are agile both in speech and action and are extroverts. They are a creative lot, with lots of enthusiasm. They prefer a warm atmosphere. A well-balanced vata personality exhibits all of the above characteristics.

Exposure to cold dry winds, excessive travel, too much mental exertion, indulging in too much of dry or raw foods etc can exacerbate vata dosha.

When the balance is vitiated it leads to various complications, and when left unattended to it can lead to many diseases.

Signs of a vitiated vata
  • Constantly worried, fretful
  • Feel tired but unable to relax
  • Unable to fall asleep at bedtime
  • Skin dry, parched
  • Hair brittle with split ends
  • Irregular digestion with abdominal gas
  • Infrequent bowel movements
  • Feel spaced out, short term memory loss

A good ayurveda physician can guide you through a diet and lifestyle to normalize the vitiated vata dosha.



Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Ayurveda and Dosha

Dosha is a term that you often come across in the ayurveda circles. It is based on your dosha that your ayurveda physician initiates a treatment program that is unique to your constitution. As mentioned in my earlier article, there are three doshas, namely vatha, pittha and kapha. The cosmos is made up of the basic five elements ether, air, fire, water and earth. The three doshas are also made up of these elements. Vatha is made up of ether and air, pittha is made up of fire and water, kapha is made up of water and earth. These are further divided into five sub doshas. These doshas play a vital role in one’s well being. Please bear in mind that these are vital forces, and they do not have a physical form. These cannot be extracted out from a person’s body and studied under a microscope.

All the three doshas need not be in equal proportions in an individual, two of them will be in predominance, the other one will be in a subdued state. The proportions vary in each individual. Ayurveda texts say that all individuals are born with a unique dosha thumb print. This thumb print is the individual’s prakrithi or nature.

The prerequisite for healthy living is the balance of the dosha thumb print in an individual. As long as the doshas are in harmony the individual enjoys good health. The ayurveda way of life helps one maintain his/her unique dosha thumb print.

The environmental pollution, the stress of the fast paced lifestyle, change in dietary habits, depression etc lead to imbalance of doshas which in turn weakens the immunity and leads to disease. This imbalance, in ayurveda parlance, is called vikriti. Ayurveda strives to restore the imbalance and bring back the much needed harmony of doshas.

So ayurvedic way of life is necessary for all individuals, both healthy and sick; healthy people to maintain their health and sick people to restore their health. No wonder, ayurveda has caught the fancy of the western world.



Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Theory of Ayurveda Part 2

Ayurveda’s approach to disease is a wholistic one. An ayurveda practitioner’s first job is finding out why a person has a given symptom. This he does by delving deep into the patient’s nature and discovering the underlying cause. He finds out the prakrithi of the patient, the forces that have been imbalanced, and the ways to balance them. Thus he helps in re-establishing harmony, not just appeasement of symptoms.

Diagnosis in ayurveda is called nidaanam. This includes interpreting the pulse of the patient, probing deeper by asking appropriate questions etc. Thus the vaidya or the practitioner finds out which of the doshas have aggravated and plans his treatment accordingly. Changes in diet, lifestyle, and a strict observation of dietary restrictions are a must for long lasting and deeply healing recovery.

Ayurveda texts describe ways to pacify the aggravated doshas. Once the aggravations are pacified, normalcy is restored. The patient is then advised to follow the new lifestyle according to his prakrithi (constitution) to help maintain the harmony established.

The two basic tenets of Ayurveda are
1. Maintain harmony where there is harmony.
2. Re-establish harmony where harmony is lost.

The first tenet lays emphasis on prevention. Prevention is better than cure. This is easier.The second tenet is for those who do not know how to maintain the harmony and have lost it. Disharmony results in disease. Ayurveda strives to re-establish this harmony and thus bring about cure.

For more details visit ayurbalance




Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Theory of Ayurveda Part 1

Ayurveda treats man/woman as a whole. It means all aspects of a man/woman are taken into consideration, the body, mind and spirit.

In spite of the advances in modern medicinal system, it still regards human beings as machines and various ‘mechanisms’ of the body are studied to the molecular levels, and treated with chemical and physical interventions. This has led to compartmentalisation and specialisation. We have specialist diabetologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist etc and the list goes on. The spiritual aspect of mankind is sidelined, even denied.

Ayurveda however accepts that reality is multi-dimensional and multi-layered. One of the basic tenets of Ayurveda is the tridosha. For a human being to be healthy the three doshas have to be in harmony within him. The three doshas are vatha, pitha and kapha. The cosmos and all that exists in it is made of the pancha bhuthas, earth, water, fire, air and ether. Vatha is related to air and ether, pitha is related to fire and kapha is related to water and earth.

The three vital forces or doshas are in varied proportions in each individual. Predominance of vatha gives rise to an active and agile personality, predominance of pitha to a dynamic and short-tempered one, and kapha to a content and home loving one. This is known as the prakrithi or nature of a person.

These vital forces give rise to the three qualities of the mind based on various permutations and combinations. They are sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva has in it equilibrium, harmony, peace. Rajas denotes activities like planning, taking action etc. Tamas can be best described as inertia, that which retards motion and brings down everything to a standstill.



Recommended reading: Textbook of Ayurveda


Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Ayurveda Herbs for Obesity

Statistics show that people of developed countries are getting plumpier. Even in developing countries like India, Brazil etc also one can find obesity on the rise. Whatever the reasons be, Ayurveda can help in reducing weight. It takes into account the person’s mental make up and physical conditions. The whole person is treated.

BMI or body mass index is used for calculating obesity. It is the ratio of weight in kilograms and height in metres. Obese people have a BMI of more than 30. Ideal would be 22 to 25.

Doctors consider lack of physical activity and intake of high calorie fast foods to be the two main reasons for obesity.

Ayurveda texts stress the following to prevent obesity in the first place. For those who are already obese, change of life style and adapting a strict regimen of dietary restrictions can surely bring about a steady reduction in weight.

  1. Correct and intelligent selection of food. All psychological addictions and cravings should be dealt with strictly.
  2. Green gram should be added to daily diet instead of other pulses. (This is meant mainly for Indians).
  3. Should avoid intake of sweets, salty or oily foods.
  4. Use buttermilk instead of curd.
  5. Drink warm water always.
  6. Gooseberry or amla powder can help reduce obesity.
  7. Takrarishta (a fermented preparation from buttermilk) helps in control of obesity.
  8. Triphala choorna can be taken ideally at bedtime.
  9. Take Musta, Guduchi (has good antineoplastic activity) or Triphala mixed with honey.

Other guidelines:

  1. Regular exercise at least 30 minutes per day.
  2. Avoid afternoon siesta.
  3. Walk vigorously for 30 minutes to 1 hour per day, either in the morning or evening.
Click below to learn about an exciting new computer program for weight loss.

www.conquerovereating.com

Technorati Tags:
, , ,

Tips for the Aged

A few centuries ago, when modern medical sciences were at their nascent stage, majority of the population was decimated by one contagious disease or other and the other major killer was wars.

Development in medical sciences has increased the life span of human beings. More than 40% of the society is made up of people above their 50s. People age gracefully when they are treated gracefully.

Some health tips while you age gracefully:

Meditation and prayer help maintain peace and serenity.


Unconditional forgiveness and anger management will go a long way in reducing stress.

Be contended with what you have and be happy.

Eliminate stressors to reduce strain on nervous system.

Add more of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Develop a hobby. You have more time at your disposal to do things that you longed to do.

Exercise daily. Yoga and other forms of mild exercises like Tai Chi are good.

Walk at least 2-3 miles everyday either in the morning or evening in the open air. Fresh air rejuvenates.

Be amiable with the younger generation. Treat them as your friends. Not all are indifferent to old.

Some informative sites:



Technorati Tags:
, , ,