Category Archives: Ayurvedic Therapy

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What Can You Expect From Your First Ayurvedic Consultation?

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Every task in this world has a system to adopt and a strategy to follow, Ayurvedic treatment also fits under this ceiling. Just by hearing about certain random facts, you cannot pluck the leaves in your backyard to cure an illness because there’s a heap of things to be done before kick starting your Ayurvedic therapy. Only a skilled Ayurvedic professional can hit the nail for you the first time itself. So you are ready to take up this holistic approach for your well-being. It is at this stage that you’ll be inquisitive in knowing about the things that you can expect from your first Ayurvedic consultation. It’s time to pull the plug and here you go with the occurrences that you can look for in an initial Ayurvedic session.

1st Stride: Most of the Ayurvedic institutions ask you to fill in a short form with your personal details along with the ground reason for the actual visit. After which the sitting with your Ayurvedic expert is set upon. The first consultation may last for about 1 to 2 hours and the follow-up sessions will be for about 30 minutes.

2nd Stride: Here starts the assessment where most of your physical functions are tested thoroughly by the Ayurvedic practitioner. We’ll take a quick look at the different tests you’ll undergo:

  • Every Ayurvedic consultant will start with the pulse checkup to determine the strength, regularity, degree, association and warmth of your body. This test aids in weighing the function of your cell system, endocrine system and your cardiac system.
  • Your pulse analysis is followed by a breathing test for finding the speed and disparities in breathing. This helps in tracing out the fortitude, level of stress dynamics, wetness and time-span of the flow and robustness of your lungs.
  • Now the Ayurvedic specialist will look into your eyes analyzing its shape, color, glow and movement that will help him discover the working of your brain, pancreas, gall bladder and liver. This also assists in concluding the level of toxins in your body.
  • Your tongue is then checked for thickness, color, texture and shape revealing the condition of your digestive system, pancreas and gall bladder and discloses the presence of bacteria or other micro organisms in the body.
  • Mineral, vitamins and other nutrition deficiencies along with the mucus content are assessed by testing the surface of your skin and palm reading is also done to test out the planetary influence on your system.

This step helps in verifying the contemporary condition of your vital organs along with the psychosomatic structure (Doshas) of your body according to Ayurveda.

3rd Stride: This is the time when you need to wear your heart on your sleeve. Yes! Open up and never hide any of your personal details as every small thing has a greater influence in deciding your treatment composition. At this step you’ll be inquired about your medical history and that of your blood relations like father, mother, brother, sister, grandparents and your children. Along with this, you also need to answer questions on your routines, eating and other customary habits, lifestyle, your food and other general preferences, any events that have affected or moved you and any other physical or mental problems that have been bothering you persistently in the past.

At the end of these 3 steps, your Ayurvedic consultant will come to a conclusion on your natural inheritance known as Prakriti, current health condition or imbalances of body types called as Vikriti and estimate your health condition in the near future. After which he’ll prescribe you the right Ayurvedic treatment in the form of powder, capsules, decoction or massage therapy with Ayurvedic essential oils for handling your current illness and to confiscate the actual root cause for the disorders along with a pertinent diet, meditation and other physical exercises for enlightening your lifestyle. Your Ayurvedic specialist will also confirm you the date for your follow-up consultation for better and complete results.

Reference Links:

  1. Ayurvedic Consultation by Yatan Holistic Ayurvedic Center
  2. Prakriti by Wikipedia
  3. Dosha by Wikipedia
  4. Vikriti: Your Current Condition-Test by Banyan Botanicals Ayurvedic Herbs

Ayurvedic Health Benefits Of Oil Pulling

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What an amazing science is Ayurveda!!! Its brilliance can never be compared even to the best contemporary medicinal practices like the laser surgery. I’d rather call it as a Mass Medical Encyclopedia that has everything for treating infinite number of illnesses. Oral care is one among those exuberant wonders in Ayurveda.  Dental health is known as Danta Swasthya in Sanskrit terms and Ayurveda considers that improper oral hygiene is the root cause for numerous diseases including the most complex heart disorders. This is where the essence of oil pulling comes into picture. This Ayurvedic remedy is known as Gandusha or Kavala and is a part of the Ayurvedic text, Charaka Samhita. It has been reported to treat numerous health conditions ranging from sinusitis, migraine to asthma and diabetes along with comprehensive oral and dental health care.

What is Ayurvedic oil pulling? Oil pulling is a hearty treatment, which involves swishing of vegetable oil in the mouth for about 20 minutes. Ayurveda suggests the use of pure sesame oil for its rich nutrients, therapeutic properties and varied health benefits, for which it is rightly known as the queen of oil seed crops. This ancient remedy is popular across the globe and most of the people start trusting its healing potential after giving it a try with hesitation and lack of trust. It is the simplest of all the treatment in the world as you don’t need to swallow bitter tablets, undergo strict diet practices, and take up restricted lifestyle because oil pulling is just as easy as swishing water or using a mouthwash and spitting it out with tons of bacteria, toxins and other harmful bodies in the human system.

How to do oil pulling? Oil pulling is actually done by taking 1 tablespoon of any of the vegetable oils like sesame oil, olive oil, coconut oil or sunflower oil in your mouth and swish it for about 15- 20 minutes. Note that your stomach is empty before eating or drinking anything in the morning because this is the ideal condition to pull out all kinds of toxins from your mouth and your body.

Swish the oil back, forth and around your mouth and ensure that the oil is passed in between your teeth and cavities so it strengthens your gums, whitens your teeth, removes tough stains in your teeth, helps you get rid of plaque, tooth decay, tartar and thousands of bacteria that hide in between your dental bones and gums. Ensure that you do not swallow this liquid, which is loaded with toxins, germs, pus, mucous and other unsafe microorganisms. After 15-20 minutes the swished liquid will be in white, milk like consistency that needs to be spit out.

Ayurvedic health benefits of oil pulling: This simple yet effective treatment has been in practice among the traditional populace in India and many other countries where it is trusted to strengthen teeth, fortify your gums, support healthy dental system, treat halitosis, check tooth decay, treat dry throat, cracked lips and bleeding gums along with other major health disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, impaired vision, dry skin, gingivitis and periodontal disease, eczema, loss of taste, bronchitis, psoriasis, exhaustion, kidney problems, headache, anorexia, heart disorders, obesity, sinusitis and much more.

Positive health effects of oil pulling: According to Charaka Samhita, the Ayurvedic text, the benefits of oil pulling has been stated as “It is beneficial for strength of jaws, depth of voice, flabbiness of face, improving gustatory sensation and good taste for food. One used to this practice never gets dryness of throat, nor do his lips ever get cracked; his teeth will never be carious and will be deep rooted; he will not have any toothache nor will his teeth set on edge by sour intake; his teeth can chew even the hardest eatables” in Charaka Samhita Ch V-78 to 80.

Aim of Oil pulling: Just the same as the aim of other Ayurvedic treatments, oil pulling too aspires to enhance the functionality of the human body, nourish the senses, bring in a feeling of newness, uphold the clarity of mind, stimulate the spirit and rejuvenate the complete structure physically and mentally. Oil pulling is a brilliant therapy that is curative as well as preventative in nature.

An ancient remedy rediscovered: Oil pulling is a potent detoxifying Ayurvedic therapy and has acquired much popularity after it was reiterated and rediscovered by Dr. F. Karach in 1992 and he claimed that this powerful ancient remedy has the power to heal a wide range of illnesses from hormonal disorders to digestive problems and heart diseases. He has experienced the remedial power of this Ayurvedic therapy by himself and he has said that oil pulling helped him cure his chronic blood disorder that he was suffering for about 15 years and treated his severe arthritis in just three days. Dr. Bruce Fife, a specialized Nutritionist and Naturopathic Physician has also brought out various health conditions that can be successfully managed by the influence of regular oil pulling in the right manner.

How is oil pulling effective on the entire system? Oil pulling is often seen as a redeemer as it helps in preventing major surgery or other difficult medications for numerous chronic disorders. Ayurveda suggests that this therapy purifies, cleanses and detoxifies the entire system by removing all the harmful toxins from the body. This is because Ayurveda clearly explains that oil pulling thoroughly cleans the teeth, gums and tongue. Each segment of the human tongue is linked with many vital organs of the body like lungs, kidneys, stomach, colon, liver, spine, heart and small intestines. This is the real logic behind the Ayurvedic claim that oil pulling is effectual in treating the entire system absolutely along with an Ayurvedic routine, meditation and yoga.

I have started this simple therapy just few weeks back and trust me; my days have never been so fresh and keyed up. I feel like sending thousands of anti-health warriors out of my body daily when I spit out the ‘Toxins-Filled’ oil. Check it out and feel the difference, no it should be indeed called as a MAGIC…….

Thought for the day:

The best and cheapest dentistry is when the right thing is done extremely well the first time and it lasts.

Suggested Reading:

  1. Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing by Bruce Fife
  2. The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad
  3. The Coconut Oil Miracle (Previously published as The Healing Miracle of Coconut Oil) by Bruce Fife, Jon J. Kabara

Reference links:

  1. Charaka Samhita by Wikipedia
  2. What is Oil Pulling? by Oil Pulling A Wonderful Therapy
  3. Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health by Abhinav Singh and Bharathi Purohit. A review article from The Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
  4. Oil Pulling for a Brighter Smile and Better Health by Bruce Fife from the Coconut Research Center

Pranayama: The Ayurvedic Health Benefits Of Balanced Breathing

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Have you ever thought about the way you breathe or the real magic behind your breathing? What will happen if your breath stops for a minute or two? Unimaginable and sounds pathetic, right? Pranayama can be called as the art of breathing for healthy living. This Sanskrit word means ‘extension of the life force’ in which ‘Prana’ means ‘breath or life force’ and ‘ayama’ means ‘expansion or to extend’. Ancient Ayurvedic texts like Charaka Samhita have explained in detail about ‘Prana’ and its role in health and ailments. According to Ayurveda, Pranayama is a respiratory exercise and an exemplary technique to maintain physical health and augment mental health through spiritual values while harmonizing with the universal prana.

What is Pranayama? Pranayama is a vital part of the Yogic science, which is the sister science of Ayurveda. With the clear definition derived from the above para, all I have to explain about this spiritual healing technique is that it is the ‘control of breathing in a learned style’. This ideal breathing practice helps the body to meet its necessary oxygen requirements and release carbon-di-oxide and other toxins from the body. Pranayama should be done only after getting a proper training from an expert in Yoga. If done incorrectly, this exercise might increase the imbalances in the doshas, consequently ending up with diseases.

The three simple steps of Pranayama include Puraka (Inhalation), Kumbhaka (Retention) and Recaka (Exhalation). Slow and deep inhalation helps in the intake of enough oxygen for the body followed by total retention of the inhaled oxygen, which enables the system to acquire it. At the time of retaining the breath within, attention is focused on any particular part of the body like the forehead or the heart for gaining inner light. The final step is exhalation that is done through lungs or abdomen, where the impurities from your body are exhaled out.

Ayurvedic health benefits of Pranayama: Ayurveda is a holistic healing methodology that considers an individual as a universe in the universe based upon the solid principle that universe is also made up of the 5 vital elements and human body is also made up of the same 5 elements. Ayurveda considers ‘Pranayama’ as a juncture at which an individual’s own consciousness attains oneness with the universal consciousness. This paves way for realizing the immortal spirit vested within our body. The most significant health benefits of Pranayama according to Ayurveda are:

1. Enhances the quality of life: Pranayama or Yogic breathing helps you learn the art of deep and slow breathing, which aids in reduced rate of breathing. The normal respiratory rate in adults is about 12 breaths per minute at the time of rest. Increased respiratory rate like 20 or 30 breaths per minute are seen only in sick people, especially who are diagnosed with cancer, cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS and few other chronic conditions. Dr AC Guyton has said in The Textbook of Medical Physiology that “All chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused from a lack of oxygen at the cell level”. Ayurveda recommends the practice of Pranayama to acquire enough oxygen to all the cells of the body and for reduced rate of breathing say about 5 to 6 breaths per minute. This helps in relaxation of nerves and muscles while lessening the wear and tear of internal organs.

2. Longevity or Increased life span: Increased life span or longevity is based upon an individual’s rate of breathing, according to Yoga, the sister science of Ayurveda. Pranayama teaches one to lower the rate of breathing and directly contributes to increased life span. As most of us know, one of the predominant living organisms on earth that has the highest life span is Tortoise and the major reason being its reduced rate of breathing that is only 4 to 5 breaths per minute.

3. Contributes to a healthy heart: A healthy heart is an incredible treasure supporting your welfare. This is an active organ of the body that works 24/7 in all the 365 days in a year. Practicing Pranayama regularly helps in the circulation of more oxygen to the blood and consequently supplies more oxygen to the heart and its muscles. This supports better functioning of your heart and effectively removes the toxins from the body.

4. Improves mental health: Inculcating regular practice of Pranayama strengthens your mind and grants you ultimate solace. A disturbed mind and a stressful life demands most of our time and steals our joy and serenity. Pranayama can also be called as positive breathing as it sows positive thoughts in our mind and emancipates the negative feelings like materialism, anger, depression, jealousy, stinginess, sluggishness, egotism and many other. This healing exercise improves the concentration power and paves way for better memory, enhanced spiritual skills and the eternal feeling of inner peace and harmony.

5. Healthy aging: Pranayama is the perfect way of treating the imbalances of all the three doshas namely vata, pitta and kapha. Vata aggravation leads to ill-health especially when a person turns older. Practicing Pranayama on a regular basis helps in keeping the mind and body in control. The sufficient amount of oxygen taken in by the body assists in treating Vata imbalances where Air is the predominant energy. This helps in protecting the health of the heart and lungs while preventing the negative symptoms of aging like rheumatism, backache, loss of vitality, solidifying arteries, improper blood circulation, dry and wrinkled skin, listless diaphragm and much more.

Start practicing Pranayama in a clean, bug-free environment especially in the early hours of the day when the energy levels of your body and the nature are at its best. Using aromatic Ayurvedic essential oils with therapeutic values while doing Pranayama can help you serve your health conditions better as it instills a positive sensation while fostering your body to accept the inner power granted by the natural fragrance of these oils. I can sense a ray of hope everyday when I practice Pranayama with the everlasting company of my favorite spiritual oils for fragrance, yes Frankincense essential oil along with Bergamot essential oil. It’s your turn now.

Thought for the day:

Inhale and God approaches you.  Hold the inhalation, and God remains with you.  Exhale, and you approach God.  Hold the exhalation, and surrender to God.                                -Krishnamacharya

Suggested Reading:

  1. Light on Pranayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing By B. K. S. Iyengar
  2. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha/2008 Fourth Revised Edition by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
  3. Moola Bandha: The Master Key by Swami Buddhananda
  4. Yoga & Ayurveda: Self-Healing and Self-Realization by Dr. David Frawley

Reference Links:

  1. Pranayama by Wikipedia
  2. Pranayama, Yoga, and Ayurveda by California College of Ayurveda
  3. Normal Respiratory Rate and Ideal Breathing by NormalBreathing.com