Ayurvedic Cure for Diabetes or Madhumeha or Prameha...Part 2

We discussed about role of Bitter Gourd, Gooseberry and Blackberry in treating Diabetes, in the last post, there is another remedy for diabetes that is worth mentioning here, which is the mixture of all three. Let me start this post with a popular home remedy for diabetes that is quite effective too.

Mix an equal amount of amla (gooseberry) powder, jamun (blackberry) powder, and karela (bitter gourd) powder and give a teaspoon of this mixture once or twice a day to the diabetic patient. It would be highly efficient in checking the progress of the disease.

Other herbal remedies that are helpful in treating Diabetes are:

Cumin Seeds: Take Wild jeera (cumin seeds) black colored 60 gm and mix in 1 litre of water everyday. Boil and reduce it to 1/4th litre and take half part. Divide it into two equal parts and drink one part in the morning and one in the evening 2 times daily.
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Bengal Gram: Water extract or soup of kala chana (Bengal Gram) enhances the use of glucose and the insulin requirement goes down in the body considerably. Diabetes patients who are on a set diet which does not severely limit the intake of carbohydrates, but includes liberal amounts of Bengal gram extract, have shown significant improvement in their fasting blood sugar levels, glucose tolerance, urinary excretion of sugar, and general condition. Pulses from the same family like black gram are also quite useful in Diabetes treatment. In fact, two tablespoons of germinated black gram, taken with half a cup of fresh bitter gourd juice and a teaspoon of honey, is quite effective if taken everyday once for at least 100 days. Only thing that needs to be taken care of, in this case is that the intake of carbohydrates should be controlled.
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Mango Leaves: The tender leaves of the mango tree are measured useful in diabetes. An infusion is prepared by soaking 15 gm of fresh leaves in 250 ml of water overnight, and squeezing them fine in the water in the morning. This filtrate should be taken every morning to manage early diabetes. As an option, the leaves should be dried in the shade, powdered and preserved for use when necessary. Half a teaspoon of this powder should be taken two times in a day everyday.

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As Ayurveda healing principles are based on three main methods of treatment that are Ahaar (Food), Vihar (Exercise) and Aushadh (Medicine), there are other prescribed treatments of this disease in Ayurveda. We will discuss these treatments now:
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In Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus {Vathaja prameha} Patients are advised to have Bhrimhana medication & diet which increases dhathus in the body.

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In Type 2 Diabetes, obese diabetic patient with optimal body strength having intense increase of doshas, Purification of the body is advocated whcich is dependent on dosha predominance (Kaphaja are advised to have emetics, Pittaja are advised to have purgation.)

• Snehanam (prescription of oils internally & externally)
• Sodhana (Purification therapy under category three) – The treatment activities that are part of Sodhna are a) Vamanam (Induced Vomiting), b) Virechanam (Induced lose motions) and c) Vasthi (This process is the application of medicine through the anal route. This is indicated only in specific condition
• Shamanam (Suppression of symptoms)
• Pathya – Apathyas (Prescribed Diet)
• Vyayamam (exercises)

In strong prameha patients, but with increased doshas, sodhana chikitsa (treatment) is prescribed. The Purification Therapies are most important treatment in this condition. Snehana karma should be done before giving sodhana chikilsa. Generally swedana is contra indicated in prameha as swethathi pravruthy (profuced sweating) and is one of the main symptom of prameha. Moreover swedana induces kleda which is a causative factor for this disease. Different snehanas (oliations) are advised in different stages of prameha

The most common problem in diabetic patient is a general body weakness & a fast deterioration of the major organs affecting all physiological systems including the mind.

Mild forms of snehana, shodhana & Shamana treatments accompanied with drugs formulated for this protocol has been very effective in controlling Kaphapitta type of prameha. The rugs or herbs that can be taken as treatment for diabetes are

• Arogyavardhini
• Vasanta Kusumakar Ras
• Chandraprabhavati
• Triphala with Amalaki juice
• Gudmar
• Shilajit

Last but not the least, the role of yogasana in controlling diabetes is enormous and one of the asana that is seen to be giving best results, paschimottana–asana. If this asana is practiced daily without fail, it generates related energy that reduces the insulin requirement in the body and hence helpful in reducing the need of insulin injections. Other helpful asanas are halasana, pranayam and meditation.

I have not mentioned some of the herbal and other treatments that I discussed earlier in one of my previous posts so will request the readers to go through all posts on diabetes to take most benefit from my research on this topic.

Ayurvedic Cure for Diabetes or Madhumeha or Prameha

I wrote about this disease, its prevention and cure some days back also and I got reponse from some readers that the details are not that much and they need more details to actually benefit from it. So I took it up this topic in much more details this time.
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Diabetes Mellitus or Prameha or Madhumeha or Asrava has become the most dangerous killer disease across the globe. Though thousands of people are dying with Diabetes around the world every year, yet there is no discovery of the cure of this disease. The more unfortunate part is that there is very less awareness among people on the capabilities of Ayurveda, to not only prevent these disease (even for them who have history in family) but it can also be cured to a certain extent in more than one ways like frequency of taking insulin injections is reduced drastically or improving functioning of pancreas that generates insulin or reducing the requirement of insulin by body etc.

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We all know that Diabetes Mellitus is the medical condition in which there is an accumulation of glucose in the blood and urine of the person. So, it is a metabolic disorder, which is caused due to malfunctioning of pancreas – which is responsible for production of an important hormone called insulin.

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According to Ayurveda, Diabetes is divided in 4 major types (and total 21 types)

• Kapha type (again divided into 10 types)
• Pitta type (again divided into 6 types)
• Vata type (divided into 4 types)
• Juvenile diabetes for children

 It is categorized by Ayurveda as “Maharoga” (major disease) because it affects most part of the body and every cell of the human physiology. The ancient Indian physicians described not only the sweetness of urine as one of the major symptoms but also the relationship of the disease with disturbance of the 5 sheaths of the body – Annamaya kosha (Food sheath), Pranamaya kosha (Energy sheath), Manomaya kosha (Mind Sheath), Vijnanamaya kosha (Intellectual Sheath) and Anandamaya kosha (Bliss Sheath).

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Though Prameha (Diabetes) is a tridoshaja vyadhi, the relative predominance of any one dosha and dooshya enables its classification in to Vathaja, Pithaja and Kaphaja pramehas. These have further been classified in to twenty sub categories (as highlighted above) in all the three classics of Ayurveda. Kaphaja and Pittaja prameha have been sub classified in to ten types and six types respectively. These sixteen types have the physical characteristics of urine that is colour, density and volume depending up on the different gunas of Kapha and Pitta. Vataja prameha has been sub classified in to four types depending up on dhatu being excreted through urine.

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The prodromal symptoms of this disease are:

• Profuse sweating
• Foul smell of the body
• Looseness the body
• Feeling of lethargy
• Heavy heart feeling
• Feel like something coated on eyes
• Excessive growth of nails and hair
• Affinity toward cold
• Dryness of throat and palate
• Sweet taste in mouth
• Burning sensation in palms and foot soles
• Sweetness in urine

After catching Diabetes, the main symptoms are:

• Increased thirst, increased urination, increased appetite are the initial signs
• Blurred vision, skin irritation or infection, weakness or loss of strength, and decreased healing capability
• Sugar in urine

If diabetes is not identified at the right time advanced symptoms like fluid and electrolyte imbalance, acidosis, coma are also seen.

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Role of Ojus in Prameha: Ojus is the essence of life, an extract of the seven dhathus (Elements) represented as bala (strength) of the body. The ojus in a healthy person determines the physical, psychic, sensory motor functions of the body. This is a biochemical component of the body which is reddish-white in color and residing in heart & other vital organs of the body. If ojus is disturbed, degeneration will be fast and will result in decreased life span. In prameha, ojus is expunged from the body through all navadwaras (Nine Exits of human body) especially through urine & sweat.

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Ojus gets imbalanced in prameha in two ways:

• Through obstruction in blood vessels (srothorodha)
• Degeneration of the body components is dhatu kshaya which can cause both cardiac & nervous system disorders - all this is ojakshaya meaning an imbalance in Ojus

 

Let us now talk about the various treatments suggested by Ayurveda that have the potential to reduce and sometimes remove Prameha or Diabetes.

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Bitter Gourd: This can be utilized quite effectively in treatment of Diabetes as it contains a hypoglycemic or insulin-like principle, designated as plant-insulin, which has been found precious in lowering the blood and urine sugar levels. The best method is to take the juice of about four or five Karelas (bitter gourd) each morning on an empty stomach. Alternatively (or additionally), the seeds can be added to food in a powdered state. Diabetics can also use bitter gourd in the state of a decoction by boiling the pieces in water or in the form of dry powder.

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Indian Gooseberry: Since it is high in vitamin C content, it is helpful in reducing blood sugar levels. Researches have shown that the anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C taken with other supplements has a great effect on diabetics, helping them lowering high sugar blood levels. It also helps reducing the risk of atherosclerosis too, that often occurs in diabetics. In this way the onset of heart stroke is easily delayed, and you may be well protected.

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Blackberry: Jamun or black berry is quite useful in Diabetes treatment. Since pancreas malfunctioning is one of the characteristics of Diabetes and Jamun positively impact pancreas, it is an effective treatment of Diabetes. Its seeds contain a glucoside 'jamboline' which is supposed to have the power to check the pathological conversion of starch into sugar in cases of increased production of glucose. In addition of blackberry fruit, the tree bark is also useful for diabetic patients. The method of taking Jamun is to dry and powder its fruit seeds. One teaspoon of this powder should be mixed in one cup of milk or water or half a cup of curd, and taken two times daily. The internal bark of Jamun tree can also be dried and burnt after which it will be converted to white color ash. This ash must be pestled in mortar, strained and bottled. And then the diabetic patient should be given ten grams of this ash on an empty stomach with water in the morning, and twenty grams in the afternoon, and in the evening an hour after taking meals.

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We will talk about some more herbal treatments for diabetes in my next post. Also, we will talk about the other effective treatments that Ayurveda suggests for this disease.

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Fight Monkey Malaria with Ayurvedic Herbs

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After Swine Flu, another disease that is making news these days is Monkey Malaria. This week, Researchers in Malaysia have confirmed that a form of malaria thought to primarily affect monkeys can infect and kill humans, according to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases journal. Let me provide some critical information to my readers on the causes, symptoms, prevention and ayurvedic cure for monkey malaria.
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Malaria usually, is caused by protozoan parasites of the Plasmodium genus and is widespread in parts of the Americas, Asia and Africa. Malaria infections occur in more than 500 million people each year, with 1-3 million deaths. The parasite has two hosts in the course of its life cycle - a mosquito vector and vertebrate host. The parasites are transmitted to humans by female mosquitoes, multiplying within red corpuscles with consequential symptoms of anemia and fever.

The distinction between a disease that is occasionally transmitted to humans exposed in an area of natural occurrence and transmission (a zoonosis) and an actual human disease is one with serious biological implications. Although at least ten species of Plasmodium can infect humans, only four forms of specifically human malaria are believed to exist. In the case of these four established human malaria types, the parasite is transmissible from one human to another, and a stable transmission cycle is established in the absence of any other vertebrate host. Now Doctors have confirmed that monkey malaria made that switch and become the fifth human malaria.
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The parasitic organism responsible, Plasmodium knowlesi, is an established cause of monkey malaria.The P. knowlesi parasites reproduce every twenty four hours in the blood, the disease can be potentially fatal, so early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is essential.

Symptoms of Monkey Malaria: Though any concrete information has not been released by any medical body till date on the correct symptoms of monkey malaria, its most obviuos symptoms are very similar to the known form of malaria. The major difference between other forms of malaria and monkey malaria is that the lungs and kidneys are impacted the most in this. The major symptom is breathlessness that starts creeping in after almost 24 hours of the infectious bite. Till date, breathlessness has been reported as the major cause of human deaths in case of monkey malaria. People with severe monkey malaria can develop bleeding problems, shock, liver or kidney failure, central nervous system problems and coma. This disease impairs the immune system of the body making it prone to other diseases too. 
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Prevention of monkey malaria: Like other malaria variants, the traditional advice on its prevention includes avoiding exposure to mosquitos, wear appropriate clothing, use mosquito repellents or mosquito nets while sleeping etc. but early research in Ayurveda suggests that certain immunity building herbs can be very effective in your fight against monkey malaria. One of the wonder herbs is Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia). It is a climbing shrub. Barks are gray-brown or cream-white and warty. The upper layer of the bark is as thin as a paper and it is of brown color, which if removed gives way to a green stem. Leaves are broad, pointed at the tip and having margin. Small flowers appear in summer and fruits in winter. It grows in tropical and sub tropical regions up to an altitude of 300 meters.
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Take GILOY herb (AMRITA or Tinospora cordifolia or Guduchi) one foot long branch and seven leaves of TULSI and mix it and collect juice of this mixture in a vessel. Boil this juice and drink it. This herbal juice will increase our body resistant up to three times. It is very early to confirm the exact impact on monkey malaria but the immunity it develops is surely powerful enough to counter plasmodium virus attacks that are the cause of all malaria variants. Please be congnizant of the fact that though Giloy itself (with tulsi) is sufficient to improve your body resistance but if the Giloy plant climbing on a neem tree (called as Neem Giloy popularly) can be found, it is considered to be therapeutically much more useful.
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Another prevention tip is to drink a decoction made of fennel seeds soaked in warm water first thing in the morning which helps again in building body resistance against all kinds of malaria.
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Cure: The exact ayurvedic medicine for curing monkey malaria should be out in next few months (though Ayush 64, which is a most effective drug for malaria can be effective in monkey malaria also) but one important fact that we need to keep in mind that though it is completely curable through other medical sciences like Allopathy but it has the potential to come back after 24 hours (relapse) so taking ayurvedic herbal supplements as stated above can always make you stronger to fight the relapse while you are recovering from the disease.

Home Remedies Unearthed - Part...2

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Let us take my Home Remedies post series further and we will talk about another spice in Indian Kitchen today that offers lot of healing properties. This spice is Cinnamon.

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Cinnamon, when used to season a high carbohydrate food can help lessen its impact on your blood sugar levels. Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar levels after eating. Tests have also proved that adding cinnamon to the rice pudding lowered the gastric emptying rate from 37% to 34.5% and lessened the rise in blood sugar levels after eating.

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The cholesterol lowering qualities of cinnamon are also unearthed some time back and one research actually found that people with type 2 diabetes if take 1 gram cinnamon everyday for 40-45 days, they experienced a significant decrease in their blood sugar levels, Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) , total cholesterol (HDL+LDL) and triglycerides.

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Cinnamon can be taken in multiple ways like by adding to curries, tea, coffee or deserts. It has a mild sweetness. Make the classic cinnamon toast with a healthy twist - drizzle flax seed oil on a whole wheat toast. Sprinkle with cinnamon and honey and enjoy it.

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Let us also talk about 2 super healers from Ayurveda Repository that are not spices from Indian Kitchen. These are Ashwagandha and Guggulu.

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Ashwagandha stimulates activation of the immune system cells (the lymphocytes), counteracts the effects of stress and generally promotes wellness. It is particularly helpful in stress related disorders like such as arthritis, hypertension, diabetes and premature ageing. It is anti inflammatory and helps treat sciatica pain too.

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Guggulu strengthens our digestive system, reduces fat levels from the body and helps in treating upper respiratory tract infections. It significantly lowers serum triglycerides and LDL and VLDL cholesterol's and raises level of HDL or good cholesterol. It protects against atherosclerosis and reduces the stickiness of platelets. It helps in treating menstrual disturbances too.

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We all should try to make these part of our daily life as they are easy to use and naturally strengthens our body metabolism to fight against diseases and other health conditions. We will talk about the mercurial properties of ginger and garlic in the next post.

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Home Remedies Unearthed - Part..1

Ayurveda is very rich in home remedies and the practitioners have done exhaustive research supported by test results to make sure that the remedies they suggest, actually are useful to human beings in getting rid of certain disease conditions. Herbs have been used for years to alleviate arthritis pain, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol and help with many other conditions. It is also discovered lately that these herbs in Indian Kitchen have the ability to kill cancer cells too. We will discuss some of these super healer herbs in next few posts:

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Turmeric: A curry with turmeric could relieve your pain. Turmeric contains curcumin - a powerful anti inflammatory compound that works similarly to Cox-2 inhibitors, drugs that reduce the Cox-2 enzyme (that causes the pain and swelling of arthritis). The role of Turmeric in treating indigestion, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, toothache, bruises, pre and post surgery health, flatulence, jaundice, menstrual difficulties, hemorrhage, chest pain and colic is already known and established.

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Studies have also indicated that turmeric is also beneficial in treating colon cancer and Alzheimer's disease. The substance curcumin found in it can help shrink pre-cancerous lesions known as colon polyps, when taken with a small amount of quercetin, a powerful anti-oxidant found in onions, apples and cabbage. The average number of polyps was found to be dropped more than 60% and those that remained shrank by more than 50% in one of the lab tests. Turmeric is also proven to be effective in clearing the brain of plaques that are characteristic of the disease.

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How to use it best: Add it to your cooking wherever possible and not only in curries but in salads too like on sauted cauliflower and lentils. To strengthen bones, add turmeric to hot milk and drink before sleeping at night. It reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and osteoarthritis too specially in age after 35.

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We will talk about Cinnamon and its benefits in the next post.
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Prameha (Diabetes) – How to control the deadly disease

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body is unable to make proper use of glucose resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and glycosuria (sugar in urine). Poorly managed diabetes can lead to a host of long-term complications like Heart attacks, strokes, blindness, nerve damage and even impotence in men.

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Diabetes can be controlled and it has been verified by various studies. As per Ayurveda There are 20 forms of this disease: 4 are due to Vata, 6 result from Pitta, and 10 are caused by Kapha. But prameha is mainly kapha dosha disease.

Causes

• Diet- increasing kapha dosha such as sugar, fats, potatoes, rice
• Lack exercise
• Mental stress and strain
• Excessive sleep etc.

Symptoms

• Excessive urine formation & Frequent urination
• Burning of palms and soles
• Increased hunger
• Excessive Thirst
• Sweet taste to mouth etc.
• Weight Loss
• Blurry Vision
• Wounds that take time to heal
• Skin Infections
• Unexplained extreme fatigue

Remedies

• Diet planning- is the cornerstone of managing diabetes.The diabetic diet is an otherwise normal balanced diet, with a few modifications and proper spacing between food intakes. Avoid diet increasing kapha dosha such as sugar, fats, potatoes, rice. Avoid alcohol
• Daily exercise- One of the methods to heal prameha include strenuous exercises. Regular exercise in any form is a must. In 'Yogasanas' - Forward bending asanas like 'Paschimottanasan','Halasan' etc. are effective
• Restrict and reduce weight
• Avoid sleeping during daytime.
• Avoid smoking
• Try to reduce stress by implementing & practicing Yoga

Useful herbs

• Jambhul (Eugenia jambolana) Powder from jamun core is useful.
• Gurmar(gymnema sylvestre)
• Sagar gota (Ceasalpinia crista)
• Bel (Aegle marmelos)
• Shilájit
• Turmeric
• Neem
• Triphala