Q: I'm a 20-year-old male. Every time that I use gokshura (Tribulus terrestris), I get great results from it including increased feeling of well-being, more frequent erections, heightened libido and better lifts/gains in the gym. However, these results only last a few days. Then, I loose my libido completely, become impotent and the opposite effects begin to happen. Do you have any idea what might be causing this and what I might be able to do to keep gokshura working continuously?
A: Gokshura is becoming popular as a sex booster or enhancer. It works by stimulating luteinizing hormones to produce more testosterone. This increases sex drive and builds muscles faster.
Since you are in your 20s, it is alarming that you feel you are losing your libido and becoming impotent at such a young age.
Remember that excessive use of anything will definitely cause a negative effect and is harmful. By putting excess pressure on your system, vata (the air and ether doshas) become aggravated or disturbed. This causes muscles to become fatigued. The repeated and excessive use of herbs will cause this effect for prolonged periods of time.
You have to concentrate more on creating a balance with diet and life-style. I advise you to see an Ayurvedic practitioner, find out your physical constitution and start eating accordingly. Exercise every day. Do yoga and pranayama (breathing exercises). Build energy, vigor and vitality those ways, which will be everlasting rather than depending on excessive use of stimulant herbs.
Q: I’m a 32-year-old woman. I’ve been having sharp pain around ovulation and feeling generally ill, cramping and nauseous when I have my period. I’ve been recently diagnosed with an ovarian cyst.
I’m a vegetarian, with a slender vata/pitta body type and I live in New York City. Is there anything noninvasive or Ayurvedic I can do to ease the pain and treat the cyst?
A: I have a few more questions for you:
Were you on birth control pills for a long period of time?
What is your eating and life-style pattern?
How good is your digestion? Elimination?
Remember, symptoms are the effects of a cause and unless the cause is removed, symptoms will not go away. They keep coming back.
Ayurvedically, the menstrual cycle has three parts.
First 8 - 10 days, kapha (earth and water elements): builds the uterine lining.
Middle 8 – 10 days pitta (fire): ovulation.
Third 8 – 10 days vata (air/ether): premenstrual period and removal of the lining.
Ovulation is the process in the menstrual cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum that participates in reproduction. Pitta is essential in this process and even the body temperature increases during ovulation.
Your body’s constitution is pitta/vata and you experience some symptoms related to these two doshas.
Aloe vera, ashoka (Sarca indica) and shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) are pitta-balancing herbs. They cleanse and regulate the reproductive system. Use a combination of these herbs around ovulation for a week.
Haritaki (Terminalia chebula, one of the three herbs in triphala), gokshura (Tribulus terrestris) and ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) are useful herbs to reduce vata and create balance during the premenstrual period.
Regular exercise and a balancing diet will of course help.
Q: I am a 31-year-old woman; I may be vata/kapha. Around five months ago, I started having digestive problems. When I eat, I am bloated, have cramping, heartburn and constipation. My skin is breaking out and my ears feel inflamed.
I had a blood test done that was positive for candida, and upon researching candida, I believe that’s what is wrong.
I am taking garlic and Bio-K regularly. Is there anything Ayurvedically I can do?
A: You really need pancha karma – a thorough Ayurvedic cleanse.
Your symptoms are the result of the imbalanced digestive system and ama (toxin) formation. Ayurveda emphasizes digestion because the digestive system is central to health.
Do a mini-cleanse:
Take 4 tbsp castor oil on an empty stomach in the morning, on a weekend. You will have few loose motions.
Then for a week do khichadi fast – Eat khichadi for lunch and dinner and cereal for breakfast. Avoid eating anything else.
Take 1 tsp triphala with a pinch of pippali at night with water. This will regularize your system.
Repeat castor oil one more time.
This cleanse will restore your digestive fire and many of your symptoms will disappear.
Before using the above Ayurvedic remedies, consult with a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner or healthcare practitioner.
The information given here are the opinions and recommendations of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views of LA YOGA Ayurveda and Health magazine.
