COMMON
COLD AND COUGH
The common symptoms in this condition are running or blocked nose, sneezing specially when exposed to cold air or drinking ice cold drinks, sore throat, cough, congestion, headache sometimes low fever with pain in body. Anorexia , laziness and difficulty in sleeping are also seen when the symptoms become severe.
This is a very common problem and is caused by aggravation of Kapha. It may sometime be caused by weak digestion. When the food we eat is not fully digested it changes into mucus which in Ayurvedic language is called as ama. This mucus or ama mixed with various circulations reaches the respiratory system and causes cold or cough. Other causes are exposure to cold or humid conditions or cold air. Exposure to hot and cold conditions alternately with in a short period that is exposing the body to extreme temperature conditions. For example if an individual is sweating heavily and he drinks very cold water at the same time. Eating hot and cold food at the same time e.g. ice-cream with hot coffee. Eating cold foods and ice cold drinks in the cold weather that is not eating according to the season. Eating foods which increase Kapha like milk products, foods heavily fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter) It is also generally caused at the time of change of the season.
The body should kept warm specially feet, chest, throat and head. Precaution should be taken when going out in cold. Sweating is very helpful. The simplest way to do it is drink hot spice tea or some other hot drink and lie down on the bed .Take some warm cover like blanket and the body sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.
Fresh ginger juice ( one half tea spoon) mixed with half tea spoon honey should be taken three times a day- morning , noon and in the night. It is better warm the mixer before taking specially in the winter.
Mixing a tea spoon of warm water is also all right.
Half glass of warm water mixed with one tea spoon of lemon juice and one tea spoon honey can be taken 2-3 times in a day.
In case of dry cough specially if it troubles in the night. Take fresh ginger and peel off the skin.Cut it into small pieces of about two inches long. Apply some common salt on it and chew. You can keep it the mouth and sleep. Black salt or rock salt gives better relief. Take cardamom, dry ginger, black pepper and cinnamon in equal quantity, say 10 gms. each. Take white sugar or rock candy equal to the total weight that is 40 gms. Grind them and make a fine powder. From this take half tea spoon ( about 3 gms.) twice a day with honey or warm water after meals.
In case of sore throat a clove or one or two cardamom or rock candy or a few raisins can be chewed. Gargling with warm salty water is also beneficial. This can be done two three times a day. Fasting is also helpful to relieve the symptoms of cold and cough. It is very important that the patient has no constipation. In that case some laxatives can be taken in order to clean every day.
Cold foods, cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, fried foods, milk products like cheese, creams, yogurt etc. should not be taken. Hot milk without fat can be taken if boiled with a piece of crushed ginger. Half tea spoon of turmeric powder is good to mix with the milk.Sweet fruit juices should also be avoided. Breads, meats, nuts and pastries are not good to take.
It is good to take light and warm diet like boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup and fruits which are not juicy like papaya and apple. Spice teas, herbal teas and some other hot drinks are good.
Sleeping during day time should be avoided. Taking cold shower, exposure to cold wind, fans, air conditioners etc. should be avoided.
CONSTIPATION
General symptoms caused by constipation are pain in abdomen, heaviness in stomach, wind formation, coated tongue, headache, loss of appetite, pain in lower legs, hypertension, feeling of fever, nausea, vertigo, palpitation and drowsiness.
If a person does not pass stool at least once in 24 hours, he is considered to be constipated according to Ayurveda. The best is to pass in the morning after waking up. Constipation is caused by wrong bowel habits, improper eating habits that is eating food which is difficult to digest, for example eating too much meats and not eating enough vegetables and salads. It is also caused by not sleeping or sleeping late in the night, irritable colon, colitis, emotional disturbance like stress, grief, fear, worry etc. Other causes are mechanical obstruction of the passage of stool, accumulation of toxins in the colon, indulging in sexual act in the morning and excessive stimulation of nervous system by any methods. Excessive smoking,taking too much tea and coffee, intake of too much drugs and antibiotics etc. can also cause constipation. It can also be present as an associated symptom of some diseases like fever, infections, nervousness and insomnia. According to Ayurveda it is mainly caused by aggravation of Vata (air) though it can sometimes be caused by aggravation of pitta and kapha.
In case of constipation one should be very careful with the use of laxatives as they can often weaken the colon due to their strong action. They should be taken only in acute conditions. It is better to use simple diet remedies. A lot can be recovered by proper eating habits.
Eating fresh and cooked food is helpful. Spices like cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric powder,fennel and asafetida is good as it makes the food easily digestive.
Proper chewing of food is very important.
There should be at least four hours difference between two meals.
Drinking some fruit juices between two meals is all right.
Eating all day is completely wrong and causes many diseases. One should only when he feels hungry.
Lunch should be the main meal as in the noon time the digestive fire is the strongest. The breakfast and dinner should be light.
Eat your dinner at least two hour before sleeping.
Do not mix too many kinds of foods in one meal.
Take plenty of leafy vegetables and salads.
Do not drink water one hour before and one hour after the meals.
Drinking while eating meals that is with the meals is all right. Drinking butter milk at the end of meals is very good specially at lunch time.
Drinking a glass of warm milk at the time of going to bed helps to evacuate the next morning. In case of severe constipation mixing two tea spoonful of castor oil in the milk is very helpful. Do not stay up late in the night. Regulate your sleeping hours. Ayurveda advises to go to bed early and rise early.
In the morning after waking up drink about one liter of water preferably warm water, walk around in your room for a few minutes and then go for evacuation. This helps to clean the bowels.
In case there is accumulation of ama (toxins) in the colon which is there if the tongue is coated, fasting is beneficial.
Use of oil or ghee (clarified butter) in the food helps to clean the stools.
Whole body oil massage once or twice a week and applying oil or ghee on the naval every day helps to cure constipation.
Taking lemon juice mixed in warm water two or three times a day cleans the bowels.
One or two tea spoon of aloe gel can be taken twice a day.
An enema with warm water in case of severe conditions gives immediate relief. Enema with half cup of sesame oil mixed with half cup warm water is beneficial in case of dry and hard stools.
One tea spoon of psyllium husk with a cup of warm water at the time of going to bed in the night is a nice remedy for constipation.
Very common Ayurvedic medicine for constipation used by many Ayurvedic physicians is Triphala Churna. It is a powder made by grinding three kinds of fruits or herbs. This powder is now available in many western countries. 3 to 6 gms. of this powder taken at the time going to bed with warm water or milk helps to have a clean bowel motion the next morning.
The patient should a diet which can be easily digested by him. It is advised to take ample amount of fruits, fruit juices, salads, leafy and green vegetables. Whole grain bread can be taken. Unpolished rice can be taken in moderation. Papaya helps to clean.
Fried foods and beans should be avoided. Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli are not good. Nuts and dry fruits should also be avoided.
It is very necessary to form a habit of going to evacuate every morning , the first thing. Try some techniques like drinking water in the morning and going for evacuation. Even if there is no pressure one should go for passing. After a few days a habit will be formed and it will start to come on its own. Regular physical exercise is also important for having clear bowels. One should try to have relaxed mind, free from anxiety, stress etc. The sleeping hours should be regulated and efforts should be made to have a sound sleep.
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For more information, contact Dr. Partap S. Chauhan at partap@ayurvedic.org Copyright © 1995, Partap S. Chauhan. These pages may not becopied, reproduced or redisplayed in any form, without the prior permission of Dr. Partap S. Chauhan.
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DIARRHEA
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Passing loose and liquid stools many times during a day is the main symptom of diarrhea. It may be associated cramps while passing stool or otheriwse, wind and distention in the abdomen, weakness, mild fever and dehydration.
According to Ayurveda diarrhea is a disease caused by weakening of the digestive fire or due to weak absorption of the food material in the colon. When the food is not properly digested or absorbed it passes out it semi liquid or watery form. Improper eating habits like eating food which your system is not able to digest, eating a meal before the previous one is digested and irregular eating habits are some causes of diarrhea. Every one has a general idea about the foods which cause trouble to him. For example if a person feels heaviness, uneasiness, wind, distention or stomach ache immediately after eating a certain dish or food, it means that the particular food is not easily digested by the person. Generally foods which are fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter), meats, vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, beans, nuts and sweets are a little difficult to digest. So they should be eaten in less quantity and carefully. Eating foods which are contradictory to each other like milk and yogurt together, is also a cause for diarrhea. Impure food or water or eating food which your system is not used to, for example, a westerner eating a hot and spicy Indian preparation, can cause diarrhea. It can be cause due to infection of the alimentary canal. Psychological factors like horror or terror, grief and nervousness can also cause diarrhea. Mainly, it is caused by aggravation of pitta. Another cause of diarrhea and dysentery according to Ayurveda is ama. Ama is toxic material produced from the food which remains undigested. This is the cause of many other diseases in the body.
Frequent passing of stools makes the intestines to over work and as a result their absorption power becomes low. First important thing is to give a diet which can be easily digested and absorbed. Liquids should be given in small quantity ( 3 or 4 sips) at one time, though it can be given more frequently, at an interval of thirty minutes. Only diet which binds the stool like yogurt, rice, banana and pomegranate should be taken in the beginning. Fruit juices can be taken in small quantity as described above. In case more diet is needed, the patient should take some easily digestible preparations like boiled vegetables, khichree and fruits. Khichree is prepared by cooking together one part rice and six parts mung dal (green beans). Digestive spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric and cardamom can be used for cooking. In case of excessive thirst, water boiled with coriander seeds should be given after straining.
Pomegranate juice can be given in small quantity and frequently. A decoction prepared from the skin of pomegranate is very useful to stop the diarrhea. Take about 50 gms. of pomegranate skin, preferably fresh. Soak it in about 800 ml. of water for one hour. Boil till it remains about 200 ml. Keep it in dry and clean bottle. This can be taken 3 or 4 times a day. Dose at one time is 20 ml. In case there is blood with stools, mix half tea spoon honey with this. Another helpful home remedy is sugar and salt solution. Mix about one tea spoon of sugar and about one gram common salt in about 200 ml. water. This should be given whenever the patient wants to drink. Do not give the whole thing at one time. Give in small doses of 50 ml. at a time.
If available, a paste of sesame seeds ( 5 gms.) can be taken with 100 ml. of goat milk.
Some western herbs like nutmeg, oak bark, raspberry and marshmallow can be useful to stop diarrhea.
Fasting also helps to digest the toxins, though it should not be practiced if the patient is weak.
As already mentioned the patient should strictly take light and easily digestible diet like boiled vegetables, fruits etc. It is important to take care that the food helps to bind the stool and not create more diarrhea. As the absorption power of the intestines is very low, the patient should not eat too much at one time. The principle is to eat less and more frequently if necessary.
The patient should take complete rest unless he gains enough strength to go out. Physical exertion of any kind like exercise, sexual activities, sports, singing, dancing etc. should be strictly prohibited. The mind should be relaxed and free from all kinds of tension. A gentle oil massage on the head can be done for that.
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For more information, contact Dr. Partap S. Chauhan at partap@ayurvedic.org Copyright © 1995, Partap S. Chauhan. These pages may not becopied, reproduced or redisplayed in any form, without the prior permission of Dr. Partap S. Chauhan.
FEVER
Common symptoms of fever are high body temperature, headache, body ache, burning eyes, distaste for food, coated tongue, excess saliva, feeling of heaviness and nausea.
Fever is a disease which has many causes. Other than many kinds of fevers like malaria, hay fever etc. it can occur as a result of any kind of infection in any part of the body. Any thing which disturbs the heat controlling mechanism of the body can cause fever. It can be caused due to some external injury, some insect bite or due to some kind of poisoning in the body. According to Ayurveda aggravation of one, two or all the three doshas ( Tridosha)may cause fever. So the fever can be caused due to a number of reasons. It will not be practical to discuss them in detail here. Common types of fever seen are influenza, malaria, mumps, measles, filaria etc. It is also a symptom in many diseases like bronchitis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, jaundice etc.
In all kinds of fevers Ayurveda advises fasting in the beginning so that excess of doshas or toxins are digested. Special attempt should be made to diagnose the real cause of the fever for a permanent cure. For example if the cause of the fever is some infection , a treatment for the infection should be taken. Here some remedies which are beneficial in all kinds of fevers. Mild sweating is beneficial in all kind of fevers. This helps to digest the toxins. Sweating is done by lying down in the bed and taking a cover for 15 to 20 minutes. A hot drink before this helps in sweating.
Take 10 gms. raisins and 10 gms. fresh ginger. Crush them and put in 200 ml. water for one hour.Then boil it until the water remains 50 ml. Strain it and drink it warm. This can be taken two times a day. It helps to reduce the symptoms of fever.
Warm water (half glass) with one tea spoon lemon juice can be taken 3 to 4 times a day.
Take 20 gms. of coriander seeds and soak them over night in 150 ml. of water. Next morning strain it and drink the water. This gives relief from the burning sensation.
It is also good to put a paste of sandal wood powder on the fore head of the patient. The paste can be prepared by mixing a little water in the sandal wood powder.
If bowels are not clear enema with warm water can be given. Some laxatives can also be taken instead.
Take one tea spoon of ginger juice and mix it with one tea spoon of lemon juice. Add a pinch of common salt in this. With the help a dropper put two drops in each nostril. This can be done twice a day, in the morning and evening.
If the fever goes higher than 102 degree Fahrenheit, it should be brought down by putting on fore head, hands, arms and feet pieces of cloth soaked in cold water. The pieces should be regularly changed after a few minutes.
Take half tea spoon of turmeric powder. Mix it in a cup of warm milk and one tea spoon honey or some other sweetener in this and drink it. This can be taken twice a day.
A light diet which can be easily digested is advised for a patient suffering from fever. Boiled or steamed vegetables, vegetable soup, fruit and fruit juices are good .Cow milk can be taken in small amounts two or three times a day. A special Ayurvedic preparation called Khichree is very good. It is prepared by cooking together one part rice and six part green pulse beans (mung dal ). Spices like cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, ginger and salt can be used for cooking. Egg plant, bitter gourd, cooked reddish is also good. Barley water is good to drink. Small amount of whole grain bread or biscuits can be taken with milk.
Heavy foods which are difficult to digest like fried foods, fast foods, meat, chicken, fish, and raw foods should not be taken.
The patient should take rest. Exposure to extreme cold or heat, exertion, exercise, mental stress, sexual activity and any other type of physical hardship should be avoided until the patient has enough strength.
HEADACHE
The main symptom in headache as is clear from the name is the pain in the head. The area of pain can be different depending upon the type of headache. The pain can be mild, moderate or severe and can affect the whole head, a part of head, fore head or eyes etc. Other associated symptoms of headache can be vomiting sensation, difficulty in sleeping, anorexia and a feeling of uneasiness.
It is generally said that headache is a headache for the physician. But it is not so in Ayurveda because here we try to find out the root cause of the headache and give treatment to finish it. So the treatment in Ayurveda is not just the pain killers but we find the cause and treat it. With this principle Ayurveda is able to help patients suffering from chronic and severe migraines. Headache can be caused due to sinusitis, hypertension, constipation, over working, mental stress, indigestion, acidity, sleeplessness and fever. It is also present many times as a symptom of some disease. Taking too much tea, coffee, aspirin, excessive smoking, nervous weakness, anemia, deficiency of oxygen in the blood, watching television from close, reading in insufficient light or reading in a moving train or car can also cause headache. As there are so many different causes for headache the treatment can not be pain killers in all the cases. The pain killers can kill the pain but the cause still remains in the body and patient rarely gets permanent relief. This is not the case in Ayurveda where the cause is treated along with the symptoms and the patient gets permanent relief. According to Ayurveda eleven types of headaches are caused due to aggravation of different doshas. The aggravation may be of one, two or all the three doshas(Tridosha )
As mentioned above to get permanent relief it is necessary to find out the cause of headache and treat it. It is not possible to give treatment of all different types of headache but instead we give some general remedies.
Take clove, cinnamon, and almond in equal quantity, say, 5 gms. each. Grind them together with little water to make a paste. Apply this paste on the fore head.
The paste of sandal wood powder can also be applied on the fore head to get relief.
Mix one gram clove powder in 5 ml. of cinnamon oil. Apply this mixture on the fore head or the site of pain.
Take about four drops of ghee (clarified butter ) on your palm. Mix 3 or 4 pieces of saffron and rub it for two minutes. The saffron does not dissolve in ghee but its qualities go into it. Take out the saffron and put two drops of ghee in each nostril. This can be done twice a day.
Take about 20 ml. milk and about 5 gms. ginger powder. Mix them together and put one or two drops in each nostril. This can be done twice a day.
Take a wet cloth and wrap it round the neck. This gives relief in headache.
Oil massage on the head also relieves the tension and headache. Sesame oil ,almond oil, mustard oil or ghee (clarified butter) can be used for massage.
Take 5 ml. almond oil and boil it. When it becomes cool, put two drops in each nostril.
Meditation and relaxing the mind also helps to treat headache.
If the patient is having vomiting sensation it should not be suppressed.
Try to vomit. Trying some simple technique to vomit is all right. Some fragrances, aromas or incenses can be used depending on the choice of the patient. Sometimes music which is sweet and soothing is also helpful.
If the patient is constipated, he should take some laxatives or enema with warm water.
Hot cow milk is very good to take. The patient should take light foods which do not aggravate the doshas. Simple cooked vegetables without oil, vegetable juices and soup, fruits like apple, orange, mango, grapes and fruit juices should be given to the patient. Some sweets and milk products can be taken in moderation according to the digestive capability of the patient. Rice, salad and buttermilk is good. The patient can eat nuts in small amount.
Fried foods, meat, spicy foods and foods which are not easily digested should not be taken.
Yogurt should be avoided specially in the night. It is also not good to sour foods.The patient should take rest. He should not be exposed to cold, heat and rain. The natural urges in the body like sneezing, passing stool and urine, hunger, thirst, sleep, breathing and yawning etc. should not be suppressed forcefully. The patient should also try to keep the mind free from anxiety, anger, mental tension, worry etc. and should try to relax the mind and take a sound sleep.
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For more information, contact Dr. Partap S. Chauhan at partap@ayurvedic.org Copyright © 1995, Partap S. Chauhan. These pages may not becopied, reproduced or redisplayed in any form, without the prior permission of Dr. Partap S. Chauhan.
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INDIGESTION
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Common symptoms are feeling of heaviness and uneasiness in stomach, stomach ache, coated tongue, anorexia, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, acidity, wind and distention in stomach, laziness, weakness, headache and pain in lower legs
Indigestion is a very common trouble. It can be caused due to improper and wrong eating habits. Eating too much fried foods, meats, sweets, wrong combination of foods, irregular eating, eating before the last meal is fully digested, mixing too many foods in a meal and over eating can cause indigestion. Taking too much tea, coffee, alcohol, excessive smoking ,staying up late in the night or not sleeping at all, emotional disturbances like stress, grief, anxiety, taking too much drugs like antibiotics, pain killers and steroids etc. can cause indigestion. Eating food which is not fresh like fast food and microwaved food, eating very fast or too slowly, eating while moving, eating while watching television or reading, eating in noisy and unpleasant surroundings and eating too much raw foods can cause indigestion. It can also be present as a symptom of some other disease. According to Ayurveda aggravation of one, two or all the three doshas (Tridosha) can cause indigestion.
According to Ayurveda a toxic material called ama is produced as a result of indigestion. Fasting is a very nice method to digest this ama. If the patient is fat and strong he can fast completely for two days. Taking fruits, fruit juices and boiled vegetables for one week is also a very beneficial way of fasting.
Taking lemon juice in warm water three times a day improves the digestion.
Chewing a piece of raw ginger (about one gram) with rock salt or common salt is good. This should be taken about five minutes before each meal.
Take equal amount of dry ginger, black pepper, dried mint leaves, asa asafetida, anise seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel and common salt (20gms. each). Grind them together and make a fine powder. Take about 5gms. of this powder with water twice a day after meals. You can also make the powder with whatever ingredients available in case all the ingredients are not found.
Drinking butter milk is very beneficial to improve the digestion. It should taken in the end of the meal that is to finish the meal. It is better to mix some roasted cumin seeds and a little rock salt or common salt in this.
Drinking a plain soda water gives immediate relief in symptoms like wind, distended stomach and acidity.
Eating about three grams of anise seeds helps to increase the digestion. Take a tea spoon of fresh ginger juice mixed in 50ml. warm water two or three times a day. A tea spoonful of lemon juice and a pinch of common salt can be added to it to make it more effective. A paste or powder of one gram garlic mixed in 50ml. warm water can be taken twice a day.
A light and easily digestible diet is advised for a patient suffering from indigestion. The patient should take more boiled vegetables, fruits, fruit juices and lemon juice. Fresh and cooked food should be taken. Cooking with spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, fresh ginger, black pepper, asafetida etc. is beneficial. A meal should not be taken until the previous meal has been digested. A difference of four hours is advised between two meals. Food should be taken in pleasant and peaceful surroundings. It is good to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Do not eat while moving or traveling in a car, watching television or reading. Do not eat fast food or food that has been micro waved. Foods should not be contradicting to each other like milk and yogurt, or hot coffee and ice cream. Eating should not be too fast or too slow and the food should be properly chewed. Choose your diet according to your constitution. It is better not to reheat the food. The kitchen should be neat and clean and the cook should be healthy both mentally as well as physically. The dinner should include light preparation.
Sleeping during day time specially after lunch is prohibited as it produces indigestion. The patient should not stay awake late in the night. He should be free from mental stress, anxiety, fear and grief.
Physical exercise according to the strength is beneficial.
ARTHRITIS
AND JOINT PAINS
SYMPTOMS:
The main symptom of the disease is a severe pain in the affected joints. The muscles, ligaments, synovial membrane and cartilage get inflamed and the movement of the joint becomes very painful, specially in cold, windy and damp weather. If this condition is not treated properly, the joint becomes immobile and this may ultimately lead to deformity of the joint. Sometimes it is associated with fever.
Arthritis or pain in the joints is a very common problem It is more aggravated in cold, damp and windy climate. According to Ayurveda most pains are caused by aggravation of vata (air) dosha. Arthritis is condition which is caused by accumulation of ama and aggravation of vata. Ama is a toxic by-product of improper digestion. When the food we eat is not completely by our digestive fire, the part of food which remains undigested produces a toxic substance called ama. This ama circulates in the whole body and deposits or gets collected at the sites which are weaker. Depending on the site of deposition, it causes many diseases in the body. For example, if it deposits in the lungs, it causes cough and asthma, in the intestines it causes dysentery. When it deposits in the joints and at the same time there is aggravation of vata that is biological humor air is also disturbed, a disease called amavata is caused .This amavata is arthritis. Thus the patient generally has a weak digestion. The history of wind and constipation is usually found. People who overeat or eat too much fried foods, sweets ,meats etc. and have no or very little physical activity can develop this problem.
As described above ama and vata are the main causes, so efforts should be made to digest ama and to reduce the vata. The digestion should be improved so that no further ama is produced. Efforts should be made to relieve the pain and inflammation. This is the line of treatment according to Ayurveda.
Fasting is very beneficial for digesting the ama. People with vata type constitution should not fast for more than three days. Pitta constitution can fast for five days and kapha for seven days. The fasting be complete or partial depending on the strength of the person, season and place. Two tea spoon of lemon juice mixed in 250ml. of warm water and a tea spoon of honey is good to take twice a day -morning and evening.
Bake one or two egg plants (about 250gms. ).Mesh it properly and fry it in about 50ml. castor oil. Some spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt can be added to it while frying. This recipe can be taken once daily for two to three months. Adding two cloves of garlic while cooking makes it very beneficial. Whole body massage with sesame or mustard oil helps to reduce the vata and thus reduce the pain. The joints affected by pain can be massaged for longer time.
Alternate hot and cold fomentation and sunbath gives some temporary relief from the pain. Mix 10 grams camphor powder in 40ml. of kerosene oil. Put this mixture in a transparent bottle and close the cap tightly. Keep the bottle in sunlight or mild heat for one hour. Massaging this on the affected joints gives immediate relief from the pain.
Camphor, wintergreen and cinnamon oils are beneficial for external application.
Guggul is a very helpful herb for curing arthritis. If available can be taken in one to three gram dose twice a day after meals with warm water.
Make a paste of red chilies and fresh ginger (5gms. each). Mix this paste nicely in 100ml. sesame oil and strain it. A gentle rubbing of this oil on the painful area helps to reduce the pain instantly. Taking 2 gram turmeric powder twice a day with warm water helps to cure arthritis.
Take two cloves of garlic and fry them in ghee (clarified butter ) or in castor oil. Eat these cloves once daily for two-three months helps to cure arthritis. OR Eating one raw clove of garlic every day is very beneficial. It is little difficult to eat raw garlic because of its strong smell and burning taste.
Foods which are easily digestible and do not make wind or gas are good. Vegetable juices and soups are good .Juices of carrot, beat root and cucumber mixed together is very beneficial. Coconut water or coconut milk is good. Green salad with a dressing of lemon juice and a little salt is also good. Khichree, a recipe made by cooking one part rice and six part mung dal (green beans or pulses) is very nice. Mung beans can be found on Indian stores. Fruits like apples, oranges, grapes and papaya can be taken. Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini and pumpkin are good. Cooking with spices like cumin, coriander, ginger, asa asafetida, garlic, fennel and turmeric is very beneficial.
Avoid eating hot spicy and fried foods, sweets, wind forming foods like cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, okra and potatoes should be prohibited. Taking too much tea, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, yogurt, chocolate and cocoa. Excessive smoking and use of anti-biotics, pain killers and steroids should be avoided.
Sleeping during day time, staying up late in the night and mental tensions like worry, anxiety, fear, stress and grief etc. should be given up. Regular physical exercise every day and massage with oil once or twice a week should form an important part of life style.
STOMACH ACHE
The main symptom as is clear from the name is ache or pain. The pain can be of many types depending upon the cause of the pain.In some cases it can be very mild and bearable while in other it could be very severe and appears like taking the life of the patient. Depending on the cause of the pain it can be continous high, sometimes high and sometime low like a wave, appear at a specific time only like one hour before or after the meals or on empty stomach. The nature of pain is also different .It can be biting, burning, throbbing, spasmodic, piercing or sometime very mild and relief giving.
Stomach ache is a term which is generally used for the abdominal region, so even if the pain is not in the stomach exactly, it can be termed as stomach ache in a layman’s language. Common causes for pain in the abdominal region can be appendicitis, kidney stone, gall bladder stone, gastric or duodenal ulcers, colitis, inflammation of liver or any other part of the alimentary canal and urinary tract infection. Pain in the abdominal region can also be caused due to presence of worms in the digestive tract, constipation, indigestion, wind and distention, gastritis, food poisoning or food allergies ,acidity and diarrhea. It can be caused due to presence of toxic material called ama. Though most pains according to Ayurveda are caused by vata (air ) aggravation, it can also present as an aggravation of pitta (fire) and kapha (water and mucus ) doshas.
The treatment according to Ayurveda is according to the cause of the pain. As the aim of Ayurvedic treatment is to remove the root cause, it could be different in different cases depending on the cause. In this way the Ayurvedic approach is different than modern medicine where generally pain killers are prescribed what ever may be the cause. Some general remedies for stomach ache are given here. In case of severe symptoms it is advised to consult the Ayurvedic physician.
The patient should have clear bowel movements and should not be constipated. According to Ayurveda every one should pass stool at least once in 24 hours. Early morning (first thing after waking up ) the best time to clean. In case of severe constipation an enema with warm water can be given. Two tea spoon of castor oil mixed in a cup of warm milk can be given to patient every night before going to bed or whenever necessary.
If the pain is due to acidity or gas drinking a plain soda water bottle helps immediately.
Two tea spoon of lemon juice mixed in 50 ml. of warm water helps to relieve all kinds of stomach aches. One gram rock salt powder should be mixed in this and this can be taken at least three times a day. Take equal weights of dry ginger, black pepper, roasted cumin seeds, dry mint leaves, coriander, asa asafetida, garlic and rock salt. Make a fine powder by grinding all these together. Taking one or half tea spoon of this powder with warm water gives relief from stomach ache. This can be taken two or three times a day after meals. In case some of the ingredients are not found, you can make the powder with what ever items are available. Common salt can be used if rock salt is unavailable.
One to three grams of ajowan seeds with warm water relieve the stomach ache. It becomes more effective if an equal weight of rock salt is added to it. In case rock salt is not available, common salt can be used.
Giving local heat treatment at the site of the pain also gives some relief in the pain.
One tea spoon ful ginger juice and one tea spoonful castor oil mixed in half cup warm water relieves the stomach ache. Can be taken twice a day.
Take about 20 gms. of anise seeds. Put them in one cup water for about 4 hours. Strain and drink the water. It is best to soak the anise seeds in water overnight and drink next morning.
Diet should be mainly light and easily digestible. A little grains, rice, yogurt or butter milk, a little salad with a thin dressing of oil or yogurt on it is good. A dressing of lemon juice can also be used on the salad. Cooked vegetables like squash, zucchini, pumpkin and mung dal (green beans or pulses) are good to take. Khichree is also good. Khichree is prepared by cooking together one part rice and six parts mung beans. Mung beans can be found in the Indian store. Soup of vegetables is good. Fruit juices and fruits like grapes, papaya, orange, peaches etc. are good.
Fried and spicy food which contain too much oil are prohibited. Beans, potatoes, sweets, creams and yogurt in the night time are also not good.
Avoid all kinds of physical activities immediately after meals. The patient should take sufficient rest. Mental tension, worry, anxiety, greed, anger and fear should be given up and the patient must have a relaxed mind.