Q: I am a 66-year-old man diagnosed with diabetes nine years ago. I take Glipizide and Metformin for sugar, Lovestatin for cholesterol, Lisinopril for kidney protection and Frestride to shrink my prostate. My blood pressure is in the normal range and my blood sugar and cholesterol levels are in control.
My diet is strict; only meat is five ounces of chicken daily. I avoid fried food, white flour, coffee and tea other than green and herbal tea. I walk 45 minutes every day and have never been into smoking or alcohol. I practice pranayama (breathing techniques) on and off the past year-and-a-half.
I had a uric acid stone removed from my bladder 18 months ago; it formed over long period of time due to an enlarged prostate. How do I prevent stone reoccurrence, protect kidney function, manage diabetes and control cholesterol?
A: I am pleased to hear that your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol are in control and you are following a strict diet. Many readers can learn from you. It is important to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle regime to function in balance. Swastha Vritta – the Ayurvedic prevention program is based on this, proving “Let my food be my medicine.”
You want to prevent kidney stones (formed due to uric acid) in the future. Uric acid is a protein by-product. Many diabetic people tend to eat more protein to cut down on carbohydrates. As a result, uric acid levels increase. Uric acid needs to get flushed from the body regularly. Unfortunately, an enlarged prostate puts pressure on the urethra, compromising complete emptying of the urinary bladder. Urine stays in the bladder, concentrates and causes kidney stones.
The solution to your problem is two-fold. Lowering uric acid levels is first and foremost and secondly, increasing the emptying of the urinary bladder is crucial.
You mentioned you eat five ounces of chicken dily. What about other protein foods such as eggs, dairy, soy, beans and legumes? Eating balanced meals is important. Favoring low glycemic-index carbohydrates such as oats, rice, wheat, barley and rye help maintain blood sugar. Moderate protein, lots of vegetables and fruits such as cherries, berries, pomegranate, plums or peaches should be part of daily meals. Include pungent and bitter tastes to improve digestion.
To encourage bladder emptying:
- Drink plenty of water to help dilute the urine.
- Reduce salt intake. Salt retains water and increases blood pressure. Many ready-to-eat foods are loaded with salt.
- Soak a teaspoon of coriander seeds in a glass of water overnight; drink the next day. Coriander has a diuretic effect.
- Bhasrika and kapalabhati pranayama will reduce kapha (earth and water elements), as long as blood pressure stays under control.
- Guggulu, gokshura and punarnava are excellent. Guggulu and punarnava can help reduce the swelling of the prostate. Gokshura can help dilate the urethra and improve urine flow. All the three together are used to dissolve urinary stones, increase urine output and empty the bladder completely.
A word of caution: See an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner to use the herbs. Your case is complicated, so the practitioner has to have the knowledge of such complex cases.
Q: I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease one year ago. I see an Ayurvedic doctor in India who claims he can cure it, and on other web sites I see Ayurvedic medication. Do you know if there are any documented people that were cured or what to expect from the medication?
A: According to Ayurveda, Parkinson’s disease is a vata (air/ether) disease. Vata governs movement and controls the nervous system. Symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, slow movement (bradykinesia), poor balance and difficulty walking are signs of vata aggravation. Generally people suffer from Parkinson’s in the vata, or elder, phase of life.
Kapikacchu (atmagupta) has been researched in modern laboratories and found to be beneficial. Triphala (haritaki, bibhitaki, amalaki), brahmi (Gotu kola) and shankhapushpi are beneficial herbs to balance vata and the nervous system.
It is difficult to give exact figures about numbers people cured because there is lot of variation. People have different constitutions and they may start treatment at different stages. Since you were diagnosed a year ago, you have great chances to see improvement. Getting treatment from an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner can be beneficial. Ayurvedic treatments are individual-specific, not disease specific.
Q: I am 47-year-old woman. I practice yoga daily, have a healthy diet and quiet lifestyle. I am healthy and do not take any medications. I have just encountered my first missing period. Am I heading towards menopause? Do you recommend any herbal supplements to be taken instead of hormone pills that doctors recommend? Do you agree with the hormone pills offered in the U.S.?
A: I do not recommend hormone pills. Menopause is a natural milestone in woman’s life. For hundreds of thousands of years women went through this phase without taking any hormone pills.
From the Ayurvedic view, our lifespan is divided into three phases. From birth to puberty we are in kapha (earth) phase. From puberty to menopause, we are governed by pitta (fire) dosha and we are under vata’s spell thereafter. Menopause is a natural transition from the pitta to the vata lifecycle.
Generally, vata or pitta predominant or out-of-balance women complain of menopausal symptoms. Pitta experiences heat-related symptoms: hot flashes, excessive perspiration, mood swings and irritability. Vata causes dry or wrinkled skin, dryness in the vaginal area, constipation and tendency to osteoporosis. Kapha women zoom through menopause. They may ask “What is menopause?”
As during menarche (puberty) we get periods off and on for few months and then the cycle regularizes, around menopause o you may miss few periods for some time and then they will stop.
If you are a pitta person and have related symptoms, follow pitta-balancing guidelines including: cooling foods and drinks, fewer pungent spices, more veggies, fruits and grains, coconut oil massage, early morning or late evening walks. Herbs such as shatavari, amalaki, guduchi, brahmi and turmeric are helpful..
If you suffer from vata-related symptoms take haritaki, ashwagandha, licorice, jyotishmati along with Vata balancing life style – warm and moist foods and drinks, following the set routine, sesame oil massages, rest, meditation, yoga, tai chi or chi kung.
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.
