Medhya Rasayana – Mental Rejuvenation

In Ayurveda, herbs that rejuvenate the mind and nervous system are known as medhya rasayanas. In Western herbalism, many of these herbs are classified as nervines. Medhya rasayana herbs help to calm the mind, relax the body, and even replenish and regenerate the nervous system. These herbs are great allies against the oxidizing effects of stress and the depletion of our vital energy and immunity. Some are heavy, grounding and sedating like valerian, hops, poppy or kava kava. Others are still calming, yet have lighter energy such as passion flower, gotu kola or skullcap. Nourishing tonic herbs, most notably ashwagandha, also have calming qualities, but can also provide strength and energy where and when needed.

Heart Opening Formula:

Hawthorne berry 3 parts

Arjuna                    2 parts

Brahmi                    3 parts

Cardamom             ½ part

Cinnamon               1 part

Lung Opening Formula:

Tulsi               3 parts

Vacha (Calamus)        2 parts

Fennel           2 part

Mint-              1 part

Ginger            1 part

Liver Calming

Burdock root     4 parts

Red clover         2 parts

Gotu kola           3 parts

Skullcap             3 parts

Oats straw         3 parts

Chamomile        2 parts

Rose petals       1 part

The above formulas are just simple ways we can explore with mental rejuvenative and other supportive herbs to direct there energy. You can start with these formulas or create your own, by adding herbs to suit your individual needs.

Yoga, Meditation and Peace

In both Yogic philosophy and practice, developing equanimity of mind is central to the practice of meditation. Through our practice we can observe that the mind is either constantly attracted towards the objects of the senses, or it has aversion to them. Everything is being weighed on the scales of pleasure and pain, lose and gain, good or bad and so on, and a great deal of energy is spent seeking pleasurable experiences, while avoiding others that are painful. If we become too attached to something, we may no longer even enjoy that which we have obtained because we start to fear of losing it. This clouds the joy of experiencing life as it is. One of my teachers puts it like this, “we eat the banana of pleasure, only to slip on the peel of pain.” The slip isn’t in the experiencing something, but the attachment to it in the mind. In our constant search for comfort, or a sense of safety, it is easy to mistake the temporary satisfaction felt by having certain experiences for the true lasting contentment that is our very nature. My guru uses the analogy here or a thirsty man mistaking a mirage in the dessert for water.

                     When we seek the view of a mountain vista, or to stand on the shores of the sea and look out into the vast expanse of water, we are in a very real sense, seeking that infinite peace within. Humanity is constantly in search for this, and people of all shapes and sizes search in the cathedral of nature for the spiritual union, even if they don’t realize it. The joy felt in such surroundings is nature’s way of wooing us back to the present moment. The point I want to make here is that this peaceful, contented feeling we get when we behold something beautiful is really whelming up from within, rather than being something is added to us, that makes us feel this way. Remembering this in the heat of passion, joy or bliss is an important piece of wisdom that the yogis share with us.

                   In the world of duality, we experience both side of the coin, so rejecting and avoiding pain only perpetuates it. Of coarse, this is easy stuff to talk about, but when the rubber hits the road it is another story all together. So how can we learn to loosen the grip of our attachments to the way we would like things to be and learn accept the way things as they are? Well, according to the yogis, it is only by persistent and unbroken practice in every moment of life, not just sitting, but in all of our daily activities. When we seek knowledge of our true nature, we must apply ourselves to that task and no matter how you slice it, life presents us with the opportunity to practice. We are not trying to force this process, but rather open, and relax into it, but this takes practice and constant remembering. If we are already established in the deep peace, the need for practice doesn’t arise, and no theoretical explanation is needed, one simply is. Many yogis I have come to respect teach that such a one has already gone through the needed practice. If you feel that there is more to yourself than the fluctuating thoughts in the mind, or you have a deep sense of longing and yearning for inner peace, this is a good signal that practice is the right medicine for your ills.

We may not consider ourselves to be on a spiritual path, but the path of life is a practice, if we choose to view it that way. Those that consciously take up the path of sadhana, or regular practice, have chosen to place a greater amount of life energy towards this inner investigation. The great yogi, Ramana Maharishi, would often say that the one simple and fundamental truth is that we are all having an experience of the “I” or a sense of “being alive.” We may not know who we are, why we are here, or how we can to be, but here we are experiencing life in the world. If we seek to penetrate beyond the temporary manifestations and experiences of life, and peek behind the veil, we can practice meditation to train the mind, until quieting the mind becomes as natural as walking and breathing. When we go about the day to day, try to remember that the contentment that settles the spirit is not something gained from outside oneself, from anyone or anything. That being said, the practice of yoga is not a form of escapism, where we live on an isolated island within oneself. Let life offer a helping hand, it is a priceless gift to be loved by another and share the gift of being. The freedom of yoga, or union, that I am speaking of here is the freedom to love, to taste, to touch, and experience life more fully, without being hindered by the self generating pain of attachment that binds us to the memories of past and our worries of the future.  It is also a freedom from the self-criticism and for the aversion to the way we perceive ourselves. We are not broken and we don’t have to fix ourselves either. This process is one of deeper and deeper surrendering and self-love.

The one teachings of my guru that has stayed with me more than almost anything else he every wrote on his chalkboard is “peace comes when we accept life as it is.”

With Thanks from

Vishnu Dass:Blog

https://vishnudass.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/acceptance

Scoliosis

Someone with scoliosis may have a back that curves from side to side like an "S" or a "C." Small curves generally do not cause problems. If the curve gets severe, it can be visible and cause discomfort. If a curve gets really severe, it can even affect a person's breathing and heart. A very severe curve can lead to damage in the joints of the spine. This might get painful when the person is an adult.

Scoliosis is a bit of a medical mystery. No one knows for sure what causes the most common form of scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis.

Doctors do know that scoliosis can run in families. So someone with scoliosis may have family members who also have it.

Most types of scoliosis are more common in girls than boys. Girls with scoliosis are more likely to need treatment than boys are.

How Is Scoliosis Diagnosed?

Sometimes scoliosis will be easy to see. A curved spine can cause someone's body to tilt to the left or right. Many teens with scoliosis have one shoulder blade that's higher than the other or an uneven waist with a tendency to lean to one side.

Because scoliosis can develop very gradually, it often isn't diagnosed until a person is between the ages of 10 and 14.

Doctors routinely check teens for scoliosis during regular physical exams. Some schools in the United States also test for scoliosis, but the most accurate way to diagnose it is to see a doctor.

What Do Doctors Do?

If a doctor thinks the curve isn't a problem, a person might not need any treatment, just regular checkups to make sure the curve doesn't become larger. To get a clearer view of the spine, doctors might order X-rays. If the exam or X-rays show a significant curvature, the person is referred to an orthopedist.

If you see an orthopedist, he or she will examine you and study X-rays of your spine. You may hear the orthopedist mention something called a Cobb angle. The Cobb angle is a measure of the curvature of the spine in degrees, and the number of degrees helps the doctor decide what type of treatment is necessary.

A scoliosis curve of 10 to 15 degrees usually means that nothing needs to be done except for regular checkups until the person has gone through puberty and finished growing (the curvature of the spine usually doesn't get worse after that point). If the curve is 20 to 40 degrees, the orthopedist will generally suggest a back brace. A Cobb angle of 40 or 50 degrees or more may mean that surgery is needed.

Treating Scoliosis

About 1 in 5 teenagers with scoliosis needs to wear a back brace. Back braces today are much lighter and more comfortable than they used to be — and researchers are developing even better ones all the time.

There are several different types of braces. Some braces are worn for 18 to 20 hours a day, others only at nighttime. Which one the orthopedist chooses depends on the person, where the curve is on his or her back, and how severe the curve is.

The brace acts as a holding device that keeps the spine from developing more of a curve. A brace won't ever make the spine straight. But if it does its job well, the curve won't increase more than 5 or 10 degrees and may prevent the need for surgery.

Sometimes, even with a brace, someone with severe scoliosis will need surgery to correct the curve. During the operation, the orthopedic surgeon does a procedure called a spinal fusion. This causes some of the separate bones in the spine to link or "fuse" together, so that the spine can no longer continue to curve. The surgeon also uses metal rods, hooks, screws, and wires to correct the curve and hold everything in line until the bones heal. The metal parts are placed deep under the spine muscles. In most cases they can't be felt and do not hurt.

An operation to correct scoliosis takes several hours, depending on how big the curve is and how many bones need to be fused. Normally, a patient doesn't need a brace or cast after surgery. A patient will be able to get out of bed the day after the operation and start to walk.

Most teens who get scoliosis surgery can leave the hospital in less than a week, usually go back to school about a month after surgery, then return to some activities in 3 or 4 months. Most should be able to go back to all normal activities after 6 to 12 months. But of course each patient's surgery and recovery might be different, depending on the type of surgery and the person's age.

After about a year, the bones should be fully fused. Although the metal rods are no longer needed, they are left in the patient's back because they aren't doing any harm and taking them out would involve another operation.

People with scoliosis can have active, normal lives. Doctors don't know of any activities (including things like sports or carrying a backpack) that make scoliosis worse. So people who have scoliosis should still be able to play their favorite sports and carry on as normal after they recover from surgery.

Muscular dystrophy

What Is Muscular Dystrophy?

In Muscular Dystrophy there is progressive weakness of muscles, so children, teens, and adults who have the disease will gradually lose their ability to do the things which other fellows can do without any problem. A fellow suffering from Muscular Dystrophy might start having muscle problems as a baby or their symptoms might start later. Some people even develop MD as adults. There is no fixed pattern of loss of muscles functioning. A fellow might have problem in walking and other movements of hands and feet while other might find difficulty in breathing as the first sign of loss of muscle working. With progressive muscular loss; there will be loss of functions also. Ayurveda considers this condition as Mamsa-vata-kshaya (MVK) related to Beeja dosha and impairments of Mamsagni (muscle enzyme). It involves deranged Vata and subsequent degeneration of muscles and structures related to it. Ayurvedic treatment might slow or stop the progression of muscle degeneration.

            According to modern science Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a genetic disorder that weakens the muscles that help the body move. People with MD have incorrect or missing information in their genes, which prevents them from making the proteins they need for healthy muscles. Because MD is genetic, people are born with the problem — it's not contagious and you can't catch it from someone who has it.

                 Several major forms of muscular dystrophy can affect teens, each of which weakens different muscle groups in various ways:

·        Duchenne (pronounced: due-SHEN) muscular dystrophy(DMD), the most common type of the disease, is caused by a problem with the gene that makes a protein called dystrophin(pronounced: dis-TROH-fin). This protein helps muscle cells keep their shape and strength. Without it, muscles break down and a person gradually becomes weaker. DMD affects boys. Symptoms usually start between ages 2 and 6. By age 10 or 12, kids with DMD often need to use a wheelchair. The heart may also be affected, and people with DMD need to be followed closely by a lung and heart specialist. They also can develop scoliosis(curvature of the spine) and tightness in their joints. Over time, even the muscles that control breathing get weaker, and a person might need a ventilator to breathe.

·        Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), like DMD, affects boys. The disease is very similar to DMD, but its symptoms may start later and can be less severe. With BMD, symptoms like muscle breakdown and weakness sometimes don't begin until age 10 or even until adulthood. People with BMD can also have breathing, heart, bone, muscle, and joint problems. Many people with BMD can live long, active lives without using a wheelchair.

·        Emery-Dreifuss (pronounced: EM-uh-ree DRY-fuss) muscular dystrophy (EDMD) usually starts causing symptoms in late childhood to early teens and sometimes as late as age 25. EDMD is another form of muscular dystrophy that affects mostly boys. It involves muscles in the shoulders, upper arms, and shins, and it often causes joint problems (joints can become tighter in people with EDMD). The heart muscle may also be affected.

·        Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) affects boys and girls equally, weakening muscles in the shoulders and upper arms and around the hips and thighs. LGMD can begin as early as childhood or as late as mid-adulthood, and it often progresses slowly. Over time, a wheelchair might be necessary to get around. There are many different types of LGMD, each with its own specific features.

·        Facioscapulohumeral (pronounced: fay-she-oh-skap-you-lo-HYOO-meh-rul) muscular dystrophy (FSHD) can affect both guys and girls, and it usually begins during the teens or early adulthood. FSHD affects muscles in the face and shoulders and sometimes causes weakness in the lower legs. People with this type of MD might have trouble raising their arms, whistling, or tightly closing their eyes. This form of muscular dystrophy may be mild in some people and more severe in others.

·        Myotonic (pronounced: my-uh-TAH-nik) dystrophy (MMD) is a form of muscular dystrophy in which the muscles have difficulty relaxing. In teens, it can cause a number of problems, including muscle weakness and wasting (where the muscles shrink over time), cataracts, and heart problems.

·        Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) is the term for all types of MD that show signs in babies and young children, although the MD isn't always diagnosed right away. Like other forms of MD, CMD involves muscle weakness and poor muscle tone. Occurring in both girls and boys, it can have different symptoms. It varies in how severely it affects people and how quickly or slowly it worsens. In rare cases, CMD can cause learning or intellectual disabilities.

The life expectancy (in other words, how long a person may live) for many of these forms of muscular dystrophy depends on the degree to which a person's muscles are weakened as well as how much the heart and lungs are affected.

How Do Doctors Diagnose MD?

In addition to doing a physical examination, the doctor will ask you about any concerns and symptoms you have, your past health, your family's health, any medications you're taking, any allergies you may have, and other issues. This is called the medical history.

Tests can help the doctor determine which type of MD a person has and rule out other diseases that affect the muscles or nerves. Some tests measure how nerves and muscles are working. Others check the blood for levels of certain enzymes, the proteins that cause chemical changes like converting food to energy.

A blood test can measure levels of serum creatine kinase, an enzyme that's released into the bloodstream when muscle fibers are breaking down. When serum creatine kinase levels are high, that indicates something is causing muscle damage.

Sometimes a muscle biopsy is needed. The doctor removes a small piece of muscle tissue and examines it under a microscope. If a person has MD, the muscle tissue will have some unusually large fibers, and some of the other fibers will show signs of breaking down. Finally, genetic testing can show if a person has Duchenne MD or certain other forms of muscular dystrophy.

How Is MD Treated?

There is no cure for MD, but doctors and scientists are working hard to find one. Some scientists are trying to fix the defective genes that lead to MD so they will make the right proteins. Others are trying to make chemicals that will act like these proteins in the body. They hope that this will help the muscles work properly in people with MD. Doctors are also dedicated to finding the best ways to treat the symptoms of MD so that kids, teens, and adults with the disease can live as comfortably and happily as possible.

Teens with MD can do some things to help their muscles. Certain exercises and physical therapy can help them avoid contractures, a stiffening of the muscles near the joints that can make it harder to move and can lock the joints in painful positions. Often, teens are fitted with special braces to help keep joints and tendons (the strong, rubber band-like tissues that attach muscles to bones) flexible. Surgery is sometimes used to reduce pain and increase movement from contractures.

Because we rely on certain muscles to breathe, some teens with MD need respiratory aids, such as a ventilator, to help them breathe. Teens with MD also might need to be treated for problems like scoliosis, which can be caused by weakened muscles or muscles that are contracting or pulling too tightly.

For some types of MD, medicines can help. Guys with Duchenne MD may be helped by a medicine called prednisone. Teens with myotonic MD might use medicines like mexilitine to relax muscles.

It's also important that people with heart problems caused by muscular dystrophy see a heart specialist regularly.

Persons have different experiences depending on the type of MD. One person might have weakened shoulder muscles and not be able to raise a hand in class. Someone might be unable to smile because of weak facial muscles. Another person might have weak muscles in the pelvis or legs, making it hard to walk from class to class. In some cases, you might not even be able to tell that a teen has MD.

HEALTH-MANAGEMENT (New Book)

There are three primary qualities or principles or mechanisms that govern every human body. These principles are called doshas (Pita, Vata, and Kapha), which are derived from the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and space. It is the doshas that regulate all actions of the body. When the doshas are balanced, we experience good health, vitality, ease, strength, flexibility and emotional well-being. When the doshas fall out of balance, and/or we accumulate Aam (toxins), then we experience energy loss, discomfort, pain, mental or emotional instability and, ultimately, dis-ease.

                  This book presents the knowledge of these ancient principles and a variety of remedies that create harmony in body, mind, emotions and spirit, thereby restoring optimal health. This approach is natural and preventative. It provides simple, effective means to increase energy, enthusiasm and tranquility.

May purchase "100 golden rules for health" and other health related important matter cost Rs 100/-.

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Parkinson

In Parkinson’s disease, the neuronal cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine deteriorate. As a consequence, dopamine levels decline and symptoms appear. Treatment has traditionally involved dopamine’s chemical precursor, L-dopa. Although widely used, this treatment is accompanied by unpleasant toxic effects and causes only symptomatic relief while the disease progresses. The legume Mucuna pruriens (L) DC. (Fabaceae) has been used in Ayurveda as a naturopathic medicine for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (then known as Kampavata). The results from more recent clinical studies suggest that this nutraceutical may be more effective than L-dopa against the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, may possess neuroprotective properties, and may even cure patients suffering from this condition.

            Parkinson’s disease was named after the English medical doctor, James Parkinson, who in 1817 was the  first person to describe the symptoms as “the shaking palsy.” These symptoms were supposedly caused by a deficiency in the neurotransmitter dopamine. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger between nerve cells. Parkinson’s disease patients, as a result of dopamine deficiency, suffer from increased motor behavior impairment, usually at an older age. Based on the first symptoms, however, diagnosis can be difficult since at that point symptoms are often non-specific and can include weakness, tiredness, and fatigue. Consequently the disease may be unrecognized for some time. The primary symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include: muscular rigidity, resting tremor, difficulty with movement initiation (bradykinesia), slowed voluntary movement, difficulty with balance, and difficulty with walking. Next to Parkinson’s disease’s primary symptoms mentioned above, a patient may also start to suffer from secondary symptoms which include: depression, senility, postural deformity, and difficulty in speaking. Regardless of these primary and secondary symptoms, impairment of hand functions during daily activities to be the most disabling symptoms in Parkinson’s disease.

             The objective for management of Parkinson’s disease is often to attempt to keep the individual functionally active and independent as long as possible. The role of exercise and relaxation (e.g. yoga) at all stages of the disease is emphasized, and patient and caregiver are educated about the conditions and options. When the need for pharmacologic therapy arises, the appropriate drug is selected, starting with a low dose and increasing it very slowly. L-dopa is the best available remedy currently known to ease the lives of Parkinson’s patients. However, it is not a cure, because this treatment aims to increase dopamine levels and not stop the further deterioration of dopaminergic cells, and hence it does not work well in the long term. Long term use of L-dopa frequently results in fading of the therapeutic effect and the development of serious side effects such as further motor impairment and psychiatric complications.

Side effects of L-dopa toxicity are such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, anorexia, skin lesions, orthostatic hypotension resulting in dizziness and in some cases staggering, and increased heart rate. Most side effects could be explained by the presence of the enzyme AADC, which converts L-dopa to dopamine, in the liver, kidney and many other places in the body. Thus, while the dopamine levels in the striatum (subcortical part of the forebrain) become more normal, the extra dopamine production disturbs chemical balances elsewhere in the body. To bypass the problem of the side effects of L-dopa treatment, researchers started to synthesize compounds that would directly act on dopamine receptors. These compounds, called receptor agonists, would take over the role of dopamine, so that no administration of L-dopa would be needed. This would counter side effects induced by large amounts of L-dopa. In reality, however, the dynamics are more complicated and require further investigation.

Traditional treatment of Parkinson’s disease

The shaking palsy has existed in different parts of the world since ancient times. The first clear description is found in the ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda under the name Kampavata.  ), the ancient medical science being practiced in India from the Vedic times (1500–1000 BC), Ayurveda (“knowledge concerning longevity”), used plant tissues as medicine and the powder of Mucuna pruriens. M. pruriens is a climbing legume that originates in southern China and eastern India. The genus thrives under warm, moist conditions, below 1500m above sea level, and in areas with plentiful rainfall. It is currently widely available in most tropical regions of Asia, South and Central America, and Africa. The holistic approach of Ayurveda takes advantage of the known and unknown active biochemical ingredients of the plant tissue. The disadvantages are the bulkiness of the preparation and difficulty in its administration. Thus, extracts of such medicinal preparations need to be made available in a user friendly form. The clinical features and treatment of Kampavata (“kampa” = tremors) resembling Parkinson’s disease are also mentioned in Ayurveda. The various signs and symptoms of Kampavata are found in Caraka Samhita (written by Atreya in 2500 BC) and Madhavanidhani. These include rigidity, tremors of hands and feet, head tremor, drooling of saliva, love of solitude (depression), somnolence, reptilian stare, stammering, tremors of hands and feet, difficulty in body movements, disturbed sleep and dementia.  Ayurveda described several formulations for the treatment of Kampavata. Nearly 18 of these contain M. pruriens (known as Atmagupta in Sanskrit).  

Alzheimer

Alzheimer's Disease: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline.

 It is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events (short-term memory loss).As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation (including easily getting lost), mood swings, loss of motivation, not managing self care, and behavioural issues. As a person's condition declines, they often withdraw from family and society. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. Although the speed of progression can vary, the average life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years.

The cause of Alzheimer's disease is poorly understood. About 70% of the risk is believed to be genetic with many genes usually involved. Other risk factors include a history of head injuries, depression, or hypertension. The disease process is associated with plaques and tangles in the brain. A probable diagnosis is based on the history of the illness and cognitive testing with medical imaging and blood tests to rule out other possible causes. Initial symptoms are often mistaken for normal ageing. Examination of brain tissue is needed for a definite diagnosis. Mental and physical exercise, and avoiding obesity may decrease the risk of AD. There are no medications or supplements that decrease risk.

No treatments stop or reverse its progression, though some may temporarily improve symptoms.

In 2010, there were between 21 and 35 million people worldwide with AD. It most often begins in people over 65 years of age, although 4% to 5% of cases are early-onset Alzheimer's which begin before this. It affects about 6% of people 65 years and older.

People who engage in intellectual activities such as reading, playing board games, completing crossword puzzles, playing musical instruments, or regular social interaction show a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Since Alzheimer's has no cure and it gradually renders people incapable of tending for their own needs, caregiving essentially is the treatment and must be carefully managed over the course of the disease.

 If eating becomes problematic, food will need to be prepared in smaller pieces or even pureed. When swallowing difficulties arise, the use of feeding tubes may be required.

Alzheimer's has no current cure, but treatments for symptoms are available and research continues. Although current Alzheimer's treatments cannot stop Alzheimer's from progressing, they can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers. Today, there is a worldwide effort under way to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, and prevent it from developing. 

Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging, although the greatest known risk factor is increasing age, and the majority of people with Alzheimer's are 65 and older. But Alzheimer's is not just a disease of old age.