Frequently Asked Questions

Questions ANd Answers

Wrong diet and lifestyle are the main causes of diseases in Ayurveda. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the fundamental operating principles in our physiology in Ayurveda.

Vata is responsible for all movement in the body — circulation of blood, movement of food down the digestive tract, mental activity, etc. Vata is associated with cold, lightness, dryness and movement.

Pitta governs transformation and metabolism such as digestion of food and its transformation into bodily tissues, "digestion" of ideas and experiences, and more. Pitta with heat, light, sharpness and acidity

Kapha gives solidity to the tissues, holds together different parts of the body and balances the bodily fluids. Kapha with cold, heaviness, oiliness and slowness.

SKIN DISEASE

Cause

Diet or life style that is against the season or the nature of a person creates an imbalance in bodily energies. Thus contaminating the body tissues to produce a skin disease. In Ayurvedic terms, although skin diseases are caused due to imbalances in all the three doshas, the prime dosha involved is pitta. Pitta symbolizes heat or fire. Therefore all those foods or activities that increase the fire element in the body should be eliminated. This includes hot, spicy, fried, oily and greasy foods. Acidic foods like tomatoes, citrus fruits, yogurt and vinegar should be avoided. Exposure to heat and sun, drinking too much tea, coffee, and alcohol, and smoking also aggravate the pitta.

Remedies

Eliminate all the foods and activities that increase pitta is the main treatment. Here are some general remedies for all kinds of skin diseases.
- Prepare a powder by mixing equal quantities of turmeric, Amla, and Neem leaves. One teaspoonful of this powder can be taken twice a day with water. In case Amla and Neem are not available, only turmeric powder can be used in the dosage of half a teaspoonful twice a day with water.
- If Neem leaves are available, boil them in water everyday and wash the affected area. Soaps and shampoos should not be used on the affected area.
- Take 50 grams of powdered yellow sulphur and mix it with 250 ml. of mustard oil or coconut oil. Apply this mixtureto the affected area everyday in the morning and wash after half an hour. It is better to sit in the sun or in a hot place after applying this oil.
- If purified sulphur (certified good for internal use) is available, it can be taken in the doses of 1-2 grams twice a day with water.
- Take 100 ml. of coconut oil and add 5 grams of powdered camphor to it. Put this mixture in a glass bottle and screw the cap on tightly. Put the bottle in sunlight for two hours. Applying this mixture on the affected area is helpful.
- Taking soft or mild laxatives to clear the bowels is also beneficial in the treatment of skin diseases. A teaspoonful of Triphala powder can be taken at bed time every night, with warm water or milk. Any other natural laxative such as prunes, figs and raisins can also be taken.
- Fresh juice of apricot leaves may be applied on affected parts of the body. It gives relief in eczema and scabies.
- Wheat grass juice is also beneficial in skin diseases as it boosts the immune system, which helps to fight the disease.
- The patient should get as much fresh air as possible. Restrictive and tight clothing should not be worn. The patient should drink 3-4 litres of water everyday.
- Aloe vera is also beneficial for skin diseases as it purifies the blood. Fresh aloe vera gel can be taken in the dose of two or three tablespoonfuls on an empty stomach everyday.
- Should avoid tea, coffee, alcohol, hot spices, fried foods, acidic and sour foods. White sugar, white flour products and preserved or tinned foods should also be avoided. Consumption of meat, especially red meat, should be minimized. Following these simple remedies and dietary tips can relieve even the most irritating skin problems. Thousands of patients suffering from chronic and irritating skin disorders have received relief through Ayurvedic remedies. Jiva Ayurvedic Research Institute has also formulated a combination of Ayurvedic tablets, tea and powder to treat skin disorders. It is called the Jiva Sattva Skin Disease Healthcare Pack. In addition Jiva Ayuniqe Clinic offers personalized Ayunique packs for treating various diseases
HEART DISEASE
- According to Ayurveda, ama is the main cause for heart diseases. Ama is the toxic material that is produced by undigested food. Therefore, one must make sure that one eats only the amount and type of foods one can digest properly.
- Avoid over-eating and eating frequently. Eat a light breakfast and dinner. Lunch should be the main meal. Milk products, fried foods, cold foods and acidic foods should be taken in small quantities. White flour products, and foods that contain chemical preservatives and additives should be avoided. Animal products, especially red meat, are not good as they take a long time to be digested, and create a lot of toxins in the stomach.
- Seasonal fruits and fresh vegetables (steamed or cooked), wholemeal bread or chapatti, salad, sprouts, vegetable soup, buttermilk, cottage cheese (paneer), a little quantity of fresh milk and ghee (clarified butter) make up an ideal list of food items to choose from. Anything sweet should be taken in moderation. Honey and jaggery are healthier than purified sugar.
- Amla (Indian gooseberry) is very beneficial for the heart. It can be taken fresh, preserved or in powder form.
- A very common cause of heart diseases is mental stress. Regular practice of yoga and pranayama (breathing exercises) reduces stress levels. Also, meditation has been scientifically proven to prevent as well as cure heart diseases.
- A gentle head massage with or without oil several times a week is very beneficial. A full-body self-massage with oil once a week is also good.
- Too much tea, coffee, alcohol and smoking is not good for the heart and should be given up. They weaken the liver and digestive power, and so form ama.
- Drinking water kept overnight in a copper pot strengthens the heart.
- A herb that has been scientifically proven to prevent and cure heart diseases is Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna). It can be taken in powder form or the bark of the tree can be boiled to make a tea.
- Rudraksha, which is a fruit from a tree found mainly in the Himalayas, also has a beneficial effect on the heart. These seeds can be strung together and worn in the form of a necklace, or the seeds may be soaked in water overnight and the water should be taken early in morning.
- Obesity is a very common reason for heart disorders. If you have put on some extra pounds, you must reduce it by physical exercise and diet control.
- LOSE WEIGHT
  - Ayurveda provides a manual for living a healthy life. It treats illnesses like heart disease, hypertension and arthritis. Ayurveda considers an overweight individual as one more susceptible to illnesses. It recommends a diet unique to the person's mind-body type. The unique diet will help bring the body to a healthy and constant weight. Follow these steps to learn how.
  - yoghourt drink (lassi) in your recipe section help to lose weight. Lassi can be used as a low calorie snack between meals, and it has the advantage of not impairing the power of digestion for the next meal, as well as keeping the bowel flora healthy.
  - Follow an Ayurvedic food chart and eat the quantity of food recommended for your body type. Eating more than your body can digest before your next meal creates fat deposits. Buying the recommended food may cost less than your current grocery expenses.
  - Maintain regular meal times and have balanced meals. Uncontrolled eating habits also contribute to weight gain.
  - Learn how to combine food items properly. Eating incompatible food items at the same meal slows down the digestive process.
  - - Start the day with a tbsp. of honey and the juice of half a lemon mixed into a glass of warm water.
    - Follow it up with a breakfast of wheat cereal or Mung bean sprouts with a cup of skimmed milk.
    - Have a refreshing midmorning glass of juice--preferably orange, pineapple or carrot.
    - Choose a lunch of salad and whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis. Use carrots, beets, cucumbers and tomatoes in your salad. You may eat these vegetables raw, steamed or boiled.
    - Drink a glass of buttermilk with your lunch. For a boost to your digestive system, add a little salt, ginger, cumin seeds and coriander.
    - Try a mid-afternoon snack of coconut water along with dried fruits, lemon tea and vegetable soup.
    - End the day with a dinner of whole grain bread or whole wheat chapatis, steamed vegetables and fruits. You can have any fruit of the current season except banana and apple.
    - Eat more fruits, vegetables and low calorie meals. Bitter vegetables help weight loss.
    - Use as little salt as possible, or eliminate it altogether. Avoid milk products like cheese and butter.
    - Drink carrot juice and mint tea regularly. Mint helps to flush fat. You can use green mint in your meals as well.
    - Have some cabbage regularly. Cabbage stops the conversion of sugar and carbohydrates to fat.
    - Take some honey. Honey helps to move fat in the body so it can be used for energy. If you plan to fast, a drink of honey, lemon juice and warm water will keep you energized.
    - Try the Ayurvedic gum, Guggulu or Commiphora Mukul, which is meant for weight loss.
    - Begin an exercise regimen. Yoga is part of the Ayurvedic lifestyle.
- Brain Power
  
  While most of us look for external signs of aging, such as wrinkles or weight gain, there are also internal signs of aging. Organs age and lose the vitality of their youth. The brain is no exception. Nourishing and nurturing helps maintain mental acuity for years to come.
  - Choose foods that are fresh and free of pesticides. Lightly cook foods, but avoid boiling or heating them too much.
  - Eat foods that are rich in antioxidants, such as blueberries, broccoli, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, oranges, spinach, apricots, red and yellow peppers and sweet potatoes.
  - Integrate omega-3 fatty acids into your daily diet by eating fish and eggs. Also, get plenty of protein from soy.
  - Hydrate your body all day long. Your brain functions more effectively when your body is adequately hydrated. Consider drinking green and black teas.
  - Take powerful herbs such as gingko biloba, rosemary and sage. These herbs are known to improve brain power.
  - Meditate at least once a day. Meditation eases and clears the mind, allowing you to process incoming information more clearly.
  - Use your brain and practice your skills regularly. If you don't sharpen and hone your brain regularly, it will weaken.
- GOOD EYESIGHT
  
  Eyesight deteriorates due to overuse, strain, lack of rest and a lack of nutrition such as the beta-carotene contained in many vegetables and fruits.
  - Take Amla Berry
  - Eat lots of well-cooked green veggies and carrots
  - Add more sweet juicy fruits to your diet
  - Cook with turmeric, cumin, coriander and fenugreek
  - Follow a regular routine including early to bed and rise
  - Ayurvedic eye exercises
  - Light touch: close your eyes and place your fingers over them. Now, gently caress the eyelids as you move the fingers across the lids in an outward direction. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes before getting out of bed in the morning.
  - Eye rinse: with the eyes closed, gently rinse with water. The temperature of the water should be a bit lower than room temperature. At the same time you are rinsing your eyes, hold some of the water in your mouth. This helps maintain balance between the eyes (Alochaka Pitta) and the area surrounding the eyes (Kapha). The water in your mouth will quickly warm up. When it does, spit out and take a fresh mouthful. The optimum is to continue rinsing the eyes until you've taken 10 mouthfuls of water. It takes less than 10 minutes. You can do it daily.
- SCIENTIFIC EVIDANCE
  
  Ayur means life and Veda means Science, so Ayurveda is the science of life. Ayurveda is the ancient medical science from Indian and are taken from the ancient books of knowledge contain practical and scientific information on various subjects beneficial to the humanity including health, philosophy, engineering, astrology etc.
  
  As a traditional medicine, many Ayurveda products have not been tested in rigorous scientific studies and clinical trials. In India, research in Ayurveda is largely undertaken by the statutory body of the Central Government, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), through a national network of research institutes. A review of Ayurveda and cardiovascular disease concluded that the spices are appropriate, some herbs are promising, and yoga is also a promising complementary treatment.
  - Terminalia arjuna is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating; heart failure and coronary artery disease, hypercholesterolemia etc
  - Some ayurvedic products, mainly herbs used for phytotherapy, have been tested with promising results.
  - Turmeric and its derivative curcumin appear to have beneficial properties.
  - Tinspora cordifolia has been tested.
  - Medhya rasayanas (intellect rejuvenation), two varieties of Salvia have been tested in small trials; one trial provided evidence that Salvia lavandulifolia (Spanish sage) may improve word recall in young adults, and another provided evidence that Salvia officinalis (Common sage) may improve symptoms in Alzheimer's patients.
  - Derivatives of snake venom have various therapeutic properties
  - Many plants used as rasayana (rejuvenation) medications are potent antioxidants.
  - Neem appears to have beneficial pharmacological properties
  - Azadirachta indica—believed to have immunopotentiating abilities and used often as an anti-infective—has been found to enhance the production of IL-2 and increase immunity in human volunteers by boosting lymphocyte and T-cell count in three weeks.
  - Black pepper and long pepper are combined with ginger to form the traditional trikatu mixture in Ayurveda. This mixture increases appetite, promotes the secretion of digestive juices, and cures certain gastric disorders—particularly Achlorhydria and Hypochlorhydria.
  - Mitra & Rangesh hold that cardamom and cinnamon are believed to stimulate digestive enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules in the human body.
  - Research suggests that Terminalia arjuna is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease. Terminalia arjuna may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia.
  - Azadirachta indica is believed to have immunopotentiating abilities and is used often as an anti-infective. It has been found to enhance the production of IL-2 and increase immunity in human volunteers by boosting lymphocyte and T-cell count in three weeks. Both black pepper and long pepper find application in Ayurvedic medicine in conjunction with ginger to form trikatu—a traditional mixture.
  - Trikatu has been suggested to increase appetite, promote the secretion of digestive juices, and cure certain gastric disorders—particularly achlorhydria and hypochlorhydria.