:: July/August 2006 Volume 5/Number 5

Ayurveda Q & A

By Dr. Jay Apte

 

Ayurveda has been practiced in the U.S. only about 25 years, yet it is the 5000 year old Indian system of medicine and yoga's sister science. Readers are invited to submit questions for "Ayurveda Q & A" to ayurveda@layogamagazine.com

Q: I am a yoga teacher practicing with a woman who is trying to conceive. We have been doing poses which help bring blood into the lower body as well as energy movement. Is there a special diet or herbs she, I or both of us can use to help with fertililty? Your advice is appreciated.

A: In case of fertility there are many things that are involved other than blood flow.

In Ayurveda, diet and lifestyle are always the keys. Food builds all the tissues (dhatus) in the body. Sperms are considered shukra dhatu, which is the most subtle of all dhatus. Its function is reproduction. For optimum quality of tissues, food should be digested well, too. For this, there is a unique concept in Ayurveda called agni. Agni transforms food, water, air, information – anything coming into the body. Optimum agni creates optimum dhatus. Considering the state of agni is also important.
Eat constitutionally balancing food and make sure you are digesting it well. Add milk, ghee, almonds and sprouts to your diet.
Along with diet, meditation and relaxation will be beneficial. Make sure both of you are not in a stressful state as an anxious mind surely becomes an obstacle in conception.

Try using the following herbs:
Ashvagandha, white musali (shweta musali), chikana, kavachabeeja, talimkchana and gokshura; these herbs have aphrodisiac properties.

Q: I have not had a formal Ayurvedic analysis. My question is about the menstrual cycle. Recently, I have had a lot of clotting each month and also whitish discharge in the middle of the month. My age is the mid-thirties, not near menopause is it? I am medium build, not tall or short. Other health concerns: back pain; skin is too oily and yet dry; a lot of sinus congestion and pain in the back of the head. Thank you very much.

A: Being in the thirties is not a menopausal age. It is not even pre-menopausal. So, don’t worry about it.

Passing clots is a sign of increased pitta. (Generally menstrual fluid does not clot.) You are in the pitta stage of life (from puberty to menopausal age is the pitta stage). Check to see if you are eating spicy foods, salty junk foods, alcohol, etc. or if your life style is very demanding, always meeting deadlines and stressful.
Eat more salads, and grains with your meals. Eat a sweet fresh fruit as a snack. Watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, etc. are very appropriate cooling fruits.

Aloe, ashok, amala, lodhra are good Ayurvedic herbs that balance pitta and cleans the female reproductive system.
Use a turmeric douche –daily or on alternate days for the white discharge. Prepare a turmeric tea by boiling ? tsp turmeric in a cup of water for couple of minutes. Let it become lukewarm. Fill the tea in a disposable douche bottle and follow the directions on the disposable bottle.

Q: I have an alcohol problem and it seems to be taking over my life, i.e. something to look forward to in addition to all the wonderful things I already enjoy such as yoga classes. Does Ayurveda have a treatment program?

Thank you for your help. PS – I know my constitution, but I think this is a bigger problem than teas and herbs. Thank you for your help.

A: If you have a chronic alcohol problem, panchakarma will be the right choice for you. A chronic habit goes deep down in the body and involves all the tissues and the mind. You have to erase the memory of alcohol from all the cells. There is not one standard program. It is custom tailored for each individual.

Q: What is the Ayurvedic statement regarding a raw-food diet? In am pitta/kapha and it just plain feels good to live on the fruits of summer. Cherries on the 4th of July..yum. Is this kosher?
A: ‘Stay in tune with Mother Nature’ is the Ayurvedic slogan. Eating raw foods all year round is not ideal. The grains and legumes need to be cooked because we do not have enzymes to digest them raw.

During the hot summer months eating raw foods, more salads and fruits is good. They cool the body down. Nature produces more greens during summer time. Melons, cherries, berries, apples, peaches, plums, are abundant during summer months. So eat your heart full. Your pitta will be very happy.

During the fall and winter seasons, you should cut down on leafy greens and eat more cooked foods, such as soups, stews, oatmeal, etc. In winter we don’t get more greens, but nuts and beans are available in plenty. In springtime you have to keep your kapha in balance, so grilled, broiled or baked foods with a lot of spices will be the right choice.

When you make changes during seasons, it adds so much variety to your foods and helps balance doshas. Remember, there is a right time for everything.

Q: Would you recommend a poultice for a torn rotator cuff, please? Acupuncture is the best relief I’ve yet found and I will never under-go surgery. A torn rotator cuff is not uncommon and it would be helpful if Ayurveda would have a novel recommendation.

A: For healing bones or ligaments, oil and steam treatment is the best. Massaging with a special oil - ahanarayan - will be very beneficial.

Moist heat after the massage helps heal faster. For moist heat, poultice is the better choice.

You can make a poultice at home.
Follow this recipe:
Heat 1 tbsp. sesame or cooking oil. Add 1/2 tsp. turmeric and 1 tbsp. wheat four.

Add a few drops of water to make it like dough. Let it cool down for a minute or two. Use this poultice on a torn rotator cuff (make sure you wipe off the area with a tissue after you are done - turmeric may stain your clothes).
Ayurvedic herbs for healing are – arjun, guggul and gokshur.

As always, consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before undergoing treatments or starting medications.

Jay Apte, BAMS, earned her degree in doctor of Ayurveda (BAMS) in India. Dr. Apte schedules consultations in Los Angeles at Dancing Shiva Yoga & Ayurveda. Reach her at
(800) 313 - 4372; www.herbalcare.com

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