Sports Medicine In Ayurveda

Reference of sports medicine in age old Ayurveda text ‘ashtangahrudayam’, elaborately describes the need of such division to help smooth functioning of the military force or war force. In action front and in training period, a soldier of ancient India was promptly supported by the knowledge of life, Ayurveda. During the training sessions, each and every trainee was given comprehensive medical guidance as per his physical structure and genetic orientation (prakruthi) from diet regulation to daily routine (dinacharya) with geographical considerations. Further, physical strengthening and other requirement as per the selected speciality of the weapon by the individual was also provided. For example who uses bow and arrow as his main instrument of war needs high concentration, focus, steadiness of hand and shoulder muscles, sharp eyes, spontaneous reflex of fingers etc. Tailor-made treatment plan were effected to enhance the above mentioned abilities, similarly for each items.

Diabetes

Diabetes : Key facts

346 million people worldwide have diabetes.

In 2004, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high blood sugar.

More than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

WHO projects those diabetes deaths will double between 2005 and 2030.

Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of type 2diabetes. (WHO)

Prameham:

First mentioned in Vedas (Adharva – Veda - which is about the everything in Universe), as asravi or defects in flow (can take as metabolic flow disorder by name). In later manuscripts as Prameham.   Modern Medicine detected this as a disease in 1800 s and the disease of pancreas in 1886. In 2006 WHO updated the definition, aetiology, prognosis, classification etc. It can be seen as ‘the’ data in Charaka Samhitha about Madhumeham is same.  Still in this era we lack to provide proper and validated hypoglycaemic drugs,  to explain in modern terms (if these terms itself can be edited as per Ayurveda), that will be beneficial to mankind. Concluding that, we have every right and responsibility to manage this national menace. Hence, dhanwanthari Vaidyasala [KERALA] and Kerala Health Station together is starting an initiative to minimise the damages caused by the highly risky diabetes with the following objectives through Kerala Diabetes clinics in Maharashtra.

Objective:

1.     To maintain the approved sugar level. (To investigate individual ideal sugar level)

2.     To know the level of pancreatic function in every patient.

3.     To manage the defective symptoms due to Diabetes.

4.     To cover all vital organs that can be affected.

5.     Systemic correction

6.     Prevention or delaying of non symptomatic group from precipitation

Indias Traditional Agriculture

अमन्त्रम्‌अक्षरंनास्तिनास्तिमूलमनौषधम्।अयोग्यःपुरुषोनास्तियोजकस्तत्रदुर्लभः॥

amantramakṣaraṁnāstināstimūlamanauṣadham|

ayogyaḥpuruṣonāstiyojakastatradurlabhaḥ|

 "There is no syllable that cannot be used in mantras; nor a root that that cannot be used as medicine; There is no useless person too; only the one who knows how to use these

ancient knowledge and organic farming

India's Traditional Agriculture

The Vedas, world's oldest scriptures, form a rich body of traditional ecological and agricultural knowledge. Composed of hymns that reveal the reverence, the respect and admiration Vedic people had for nature, the Vedas represent the grandest homage ever rendered to the environment.

The Atharvaveda, the fourth Veda, describes the life of the ancient Indian agriculturist community. It is interesting to note that in Vedic times, agriculture was considered the most honourable of human activities. According to the Atharvaveda, the farmer is an authority in the knowledge and acquirement of food and is therefore highly respected. The common people choose their king from amongst the agriculturists. And the king is given the honour of being the first to plough the land. Everyone must cultivate the land and grow nutritious food. The farm is compared to the divine cow fulfilling all the desires of the hard working farmer.

There are two famous collections of Vedic hymns: the BhoomiSukta or Earth Hymns and the Anna Sukta or food hymns.

In the BhoomiSukta, Earth, Prithvi, the divine mother is worshiped by the farmer, her son. She is worshiped because she sustains all plants and animals. She is the bestower of food. When cultivated, she provides all necessities of life. That is why every agricultural activity has to be accompanied with rituals that remind us of the divine quality of Mother Earth and the sacredness of all life forms. Divinizing Mother Earth ensures that man lives in partnership with nature rather than exploit it. Vedic people were wise when they overlapped the agricultural calendar with the ritual calendar. Agriculture has to be first of all a spiritual activity, not just a materialist, mechanist activity.

         

In the Anna Sukta, food is equated to God. Great emphasis is laid on growing food in plenty and sharing it.

Moulded by the Vedic spiritual view of nature, ancient India's farmers evolved nature friendly farming systems and practices. Agricultural activities were designed to ensure ecological sustainability. Impregnated with the Vedic thought that every life form, living or non-living, is sacred, India developed its own holistic scientific knowledge. It has a number of classical texts related to agricultural science. Kautilya'sArthashastra, Patanjali'sMahabhasya, Krishi-Parashara, Varahmihira'sBrhatSamhita, and Surapala'sVrikshayurveda are some of the manuscripts that contain valuable information about selection of seeds, land preparation, pest control, storage, plant nutrients, grafting, soil selection, plant propagation, diseases and plant protection, crop rotation, intercropping….

While India's traditional agriculture has proved to be sustainable by maintaining the country's fertility and biodiversity over centuries, the Green revolution couldn't be sustained for more than three decades. There is therefore an urgent need to rediscover India's traditional ecological agricultural knowledge.      

Organic farming can benefit from the principles described in the ancient texts of India. Time has come for traditional knowledge to take its rightful place in the context of modern knowledge!

Allergy And Asthma

Allergy And Asthma

Allergic asthma is the most common type of breathing difficulty experienced world wide .About 90% of asthma in kids and about 50% in adults is due to allergy. This is due to. Inhaling specific substances called allergens (allergy triggers such as pollen, mites, or molds) and is Called allergic asthma. There are other types of asthma also. Nearly everyone with asthma (allergic or non-allergic) gets worse after exercising in cold air or after inhaling any type of smoke, dust, fumes, and sometimes strong smells.

Because allergens are everywhere, it's important that people with allergic asthma understand their allergy  and learn  about preventing their exposure and asthma

SYMPTOMS

Difficulty for breath is the most common symptom of Asthma .It is like the weather and changes with weather. They change often and may seem unpredictable. But also like the weather, careful tracking of asthma symptoms can help  to identify patterns and what they may say about your asthma control. Research has shown that tracking and rating your asthma symptoms are key steps in successfully managing asthma. One study even found that it helps keep kids with childhood asthma out of emergency .

What Is an Allergy?

A major task of your immune system is to protect you from bacteria, viruses and foreign bodies coming into the body. However, in people with allergies, part of the immune system is too vigilant. It may treat harmless substances -- like cat dander or pollen -- as if they were enemy and invaders and attack them (in your nose, lungs, eyes, and under your skin).

When your body encounters an allergen, it stimulates special cells called IgE antibodies. These defensive cells trigger the body's allergic reaction, to protect its further entry and to expel what is in . They cause the release of chemicals like histamine, which result in swelling and inflammation. This creates familiar allergy symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing because your body is trying to destroy the allergens.

What Is Allergic Asthma?

If you have allergic asthma, your airways are hypersensitive to the allergens to which you've become sensitized. Once these allergens get into your airways, your immune system overreacts. The muscles around your airways tighten (an effect called bronchospasm). The airways themselves become inflamed and flooded with thick mucus.

Whether you have allergic asthma or non allergic asthma, the symptoms of asthma are generally the same and may include any or all of the following:

·         Coughing

·         Wheezing

·         Shortness of breath

·         Rapid breathing

·         Tightening of the chest

CAUSATIVE FACTORS

Tobacco smoke

Smoke from a fireplace, candles, incense, or fireworks

Air pollution

Cold air, especially vigorous exercise in cold air

Strong chemical odors or fumes

Perfumes, air fresheners, or other scented products

Dusty workplaces

Windblown pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds

Mold spores and mold fragments

Animal dander (from hair, skin, or feathers) and saliva

Dust mite feces

Cockroach feces

TESTS USUALLY DONE

A blood test (RAST or allergen-specific IgE levels)

Routine blood test to rule out infection

Absolute eosinophil count

Pulminory function test

PRCAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN

When pollen counts are high, stay inside as much as possible. Keep the windows closed. Don't use an evaporative cooler . If it's hot, use an air conditioner with a clean air filter. Don't use an old air conditioner if it smells musty or moldy.

Avoid dust mites. Dust mites live in fabrics and carpets, but they are microscopic, so you can't see them. So wrap your pillows, mattress, and cushions using allergen proof covers. Wash your sheets and other bedding once a week in very hot water. Don`t use wall-to-wall carpeting , if possible. Get rid of areas where dust can accumulate, like heavy curtains, upholstered furniture, and piles of clothing. If your child has allergic asthma, avoid stuffed animals, or only buy washable toys without artificial coloures .

Check indoor humidity. If moisture is a problem in your home (relative humidity above 40%), use a dehumidifier or air conditioner. This will reduce the growth of molds, cockroaches, and house dust mites. Repair any plumbing or roof leaks (but don't do it yourself).

Check for pet allergies. If you have pets, get allergen skin testing (or RAST) to determine if you've become sensitized to them. If you are allergic to your cat or dog, your asthma control will be much better if you keep them outdoors or find another home for them. At the very least, ban all pets from the bedroom by installing an inexpensive mechanism on the bedroom door that closes it automatically. High levels of cat allergen persist for many months in a home or apartment after cats are no longer living there. There are no hypo-allergenic cats or dogs. Washing the pet every week will make very little difference in the amount of their allergen that you inhale. Dusts or sprays that claim to reduce pet allergens have not been shown to be effective.

Keep your kitchen and bathroom clean and dry to prevent mold and cockroaches. If you are allergic to cockroaches, and you see evidence of them in your kitchen, contact a pest control company for help. Just using insecticide spray is inadequate. You need to eliminate their access to all sources of food in your home, even small crumbs in the carpet and oil stains near the stove. Run the exhaust fan whenever you cook or take a shower to lower the humidity in the room.

Choose air filters wisely. Large HEPA room air filters effectively remove smoke and other small particles (such as pollens) from a room but only when the fan is on. They do not reduce humidity, and don't reduce exposures to house dust mites. Avoid electronic air purifiers, since they usually create ozone, which causes airway inflammation.

Be careful doing outside work. Gardening and raking can stir up pollens and mold. Wearing a HEPA filter mask while outside (especially if working in the yard) can reduce the amount of pollen and mold particles that get into your lungs.

Modern medications, Injections, and Allergic Asthma

Determining the allergens to which you've become allergic, and then taking steps to minimize your exposure to them is the first step of treatment, It is likely to improve your allergic asthma control. However, it's not likely to completely eliminate your  allergy. You still have to contend with the asthma flares inevitably caused by respiratory viruses and unintentional (often unavoidable) exposures to asthma trigger

Allopathic treatment include non-sedating antihistamines  saline rinses, decongestant nasal sprays , and when these fail, nasal steroid sprays, and stronger antihistamines are needed under the guidance of a docter.. If all of these treatments fail ,a consultation with an allergist to see if immunotherapy would help you ..

There are many good  medications, but most of them require a close supervision and education by a doctor as all these had side effects like drowsiness and long term complications.. These medications include inhaled steroids, long-acting , asthma inhalers, and pills like Salbutamol and  Deriphyllin..  Prednisone (steroid) may be given several days to treat severe asthma .It should used with caution as it has severe long term side effects.  . When all of these therapies for allergic asthma fail medication that reduces IgE levels, may help.

Ayurvedic  management.

Ayurveda does not see any disease, as the problem with a part or a system. It affects entire cells, mind and soul .So a Holistic treatment approach is needed considering all these .It can be a combination of medication, breathing exercises ,yoga ,meditation and life style modifications.

According to Ayurveda the symptoms of asthma are predominantly Kapha expressed by secretions phlegm, and Vatha causing spasm and tightening of smooth muscles. These two present  evry where in body has a common property –cold. So exposure to cold in the form of climate food drink or environment should be avoided.

Heavy food increases Kaha. Its use should be minimized, especially during night. Take food by 7-30 pm and use only hot water till morning. Cold food ,cold water, colored food and drinks, curd ,ice cream, fish, should be avoided.Breathing exercises should be done daily. Yoga pranayama should be studied from a well versed teacher and followed like a ritual.

Dr Ram Mohan.

Chief Physician and M D

VEDA GROUP, KERALA

World Of Health

If ‘we’ can replace ‘i’, illnesswill become wellness.

World of Health (W o H)

The world of health is more of illness than wellness!  And with reference to illness, only wellness is defined?

Preface: From the very beginning, life phased challenges and was called as diseases or illness. The solutions were found within the nature and philosophy of living was the foundation of such solutions. The so called holistic, traditional, natural wellness system was evolved in the basis of different fundamentals of the region, hence different methodologies and different applications.

 When science in different forms like physics, mathematics developed, a new medical science also evolved, and true to the other modern science,from trial and error, solutions were developed and later the same were made available for future use without a need of a trial. ALLOPATHY, is the latest arrivals among branches of world’s numerousage old health care systems. But, the whole world of health now revolves around thisinfant science and is the projected face of today’s healthcare.  Further, even after living examples of beneficiaries of all systems, all systems including modern medicines, the recognition is lacking for any other source of wellness, beyond ALLOPATH, hence comprehensiveness is lacking. The diagnosis, treatment and management protocol is standardised as per the modern medical system which still is in a developing stage and is solely dependent on fewest, limited statistics. Surprisingly, the classification of curable/incurable diseases are made out of this small size statistics, compared to the massive size of life, and also simply ignoring the ‘live’ examples around the globe.

The world of health, intend to prove that the ‘world of health’ consists of all streams of medicine systems, not only modern medicine. The noble way to prove the same is to actually cure some incurable diseases scientifically and open the door of healing to masses.

Conventional Medical View --------------------------------------------------- 1. The body is stupid 2. The body creates diseases randomly 3. The body cannot heal itself 4. Pain is the problem 5. The problem is where the pain is 6. Everything is separate (mechanistic viewpoint) 7. Drugs and surgery are the only choices 8. Emotions and beliefs have nothing to do with disease 9. Disease is only about biochemical deficiencies 10. You are not responsible for what your body has created 11. Your doctor knows best 12. It must be genetics 13. Science is the only truth 14. The mind and the body are separate 15. The body’s parts wear out and need to be replaced 16. Medical doctors are great role models 17. Western medicine offers health care 18. Treating symptoms is the norm 19. Fear is the primary motivator

Holistic Medical View ------------------------------------------------------ 1. The body holds infinite wisdom 2. You create your own disease 3. All disease can be healed 4. Pain is only a messenger 5. The source of the problem is often far from where the pain shows up 6. Everything is connected (holistic) 7. Drugs and surgery should be the last choice 8. Emotions and beliefs have everything to do with disease 9. Disease is a result of an imbalance 10. You are responsible for everything your body creates 11. What your doctor tells you may kill you 12. Genetics are rarely at fault 13. Science is only one source of truth 14. The mind and the body are intimately connected 15.Replacing the parts is the last option 16. Medical doctors are poor role models 17. Health care is seldom found under Western medicine 18. The cause of disease is identified and brought back into balance 19. Hope is the primary motivator