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Ayurvedic Medicine

In 1987, Marc Halpern was finishing his degree in chiropractic medicine when he was crippled by a connective-tissue disorder that caused joint pain, weight loss, fatigue and fevers. "I was able to heal myself with alternative therapies, such as homeopathy and Chinese medicine, but not enough," he recalls, Then he discovered ayurvedic medicine, an ancient comprehensive lifestyle and dietary approach to healing from India. "Through ayurveda I rebuilt and restored my body. Today I'm entirely free of my original illness," says Halpern, who went on to found the California College of Ayurveda in Grass "Valley.

Ayurvedic medicine first came to this country three decades ago in the work of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In 1991, it entered mass consciousness through Deepak Chopra's Perfect Health. "In its broadest sense, ayurveda is the understanding that all your choices are metabolized into biology," says David Simon, M.D., medical director of the Chopra Center in San Diego, which he co-founded with the bestselling author. "What you hear, taste, smell, touch, how you think, your relationships--all of these influence your health."

Practitioners of ayurveda follow a balanced lifestyle that includes rising around dawn, practicing meditation and yoga, eating a diet tailored to their constitution, and enjoying input through all five senses.

Ayurveda teaches that each person is a blend of three doshas, or guiding principles within the body--vata, pitta and kapha--though usually one or two are prominent. Disease is thought to arise from an imbalance in one's doshas, explains Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D., ayurvedic practitioner and co-author of A Woman's Best Medicine: Health, Happiness, and Long Life Through Maharishi Ayur-Veda.

Vata (air and ether) tends to be dry, cool, light, airy and creative. A predominantly vata type will likely be thin, with cold hands and feet, and dry skin. If imbalanced, vata can manifest as anxiety, insomnia, constipation, arthritis, restlessness and lack of focus. CompenSate for bodily instability with regular rest and warmth. Warm water is balancing, as is a warm climate, a soft bed, warm-oil massages, warmhearted friends, and stability at home and work.

Pitta (fire and water) is described as hot, fiery, sharp and vibrant. Those who are mostly pitta will be more likely to have medium builds, oily skin, strong appetites and quick reactions. When imbalanced, pitta can erupt in anger, impatience and aggression; pitta types can suffer from inflammatory diseases ranging from heartburn to colitis to rashes. Offset the body's heat with cooling influences. Open windows, even in winter, are beneficial. Living in cooler climates, eating a cooling diet of sweet juicy fruits and watery vegetables, and taking time to relax all help balance pitta's innate sharpness and tendency to hotheadedness.

Kapha (water and earth) is considered serene and grounded, Those who are predominantly kapha may be overweight, slow, calm and deliberate, with strong bones and teeth. Too much kapha can lead to congestion, swelling and problems like diabetes, as well as resistance to change. To balance kapha's tendency toward lethargy or excess weight, participate in a regular exercise program, eat smaller quantities of food and look for opportunities to break out of a rut. Movement, dance and travel are beneficial.

According to ayurveda, each dosha has different dietary and lifestyle requirements. To complicate matters, different seasons, ages and cultures have doshas as well. Summer, for example, is the time of "hot" pitta, according to Lonsdorf, while winter accentuates cool rata. As we age, she adds, we all become more rata. "And in many ways we are a rata culture: rootless, mobile, creative."

How does this translate into a practical healing approach? An ayurvedic practitioner will take a detailed history to determine an individual's constitutional makeup and to evaluate whether each dosha is in balance. Based on this, guidelines for diet, herb and lifestyle are recommended. "The herbs are prescribed according to the doshas that are out of balance," says Lonsdorf, who supervises in-house ayurvedic treatment programs at The Raj, a spa in Vedic City, Iowa, near Maharishi University in Fairfield.

If the condition is chronic or the individual wants fast relief, then a practitioner will usually prescribe a series of balancing and cleansing treatments called panchakarma. Special care to diet is critical before, during and after panchakarma.

"First off, people start eating a simple vegetarian diet," says Lonsdorf. The diet includes mostly cooked vegetables and simple grains. For four or five days, those undergoing panchakarma also take clarified butter, or ghee. on an empty stomach. It is thought that ghee is absorbed into the body and helps move toxins out of tissues and into the intestines. After four to five days, the person takes a laxative to move the accumulated toxins out of the intestines. Then, over the next three to seven days, herb-infused sesame oil is gently massaged into his or her body daily, opening the circulation and moving additional deep-rooted toxins into the bloodstream.

Steam is offered to further speed detoxification; and finally, mild herbal enemas may be prescribed. In addition, practitioners recommend proven stress-reduction techniques like transcendental meditation.

This approach has proved extraordinarily beneficial in some cases. Tracy Marks, a 38-year-old Minneapolis resident, suffered from severe fibromyalgia and herniated disks in her neck after a car accident. "I tried every type of [conventional] medicine." she says, "including pain medications and physical therapy. Then I went to The Raj in August 2003, and I'm a lot better. I don't feel like I'm fighting with my body anymore. Most of the pain in my neck is gone."

In lieu of hands-on treatment with a practitioner, you can adopt some of the insights of ayurveda into your own life. The ayurvedic lifestyle is an early-to-rise, early-to-bed approach that is in harmony with nature's rhythms; it advocates setting aside quiet time in the morning for meditation and yoga, and daily massage with appropriate oils. The vegetarian diet emphasizes healthful cooked grains and vegetables.

"The root of disease lies in our choices and our lifestyle" explains San Francisco-based practitioner Pratichi Mathur, who healed her own illness, a painful and progressive condition of the spine, through ayurvedic techniques. "I used to take painkillers but they disturbed my entire system. Now I follow the ayurvedic way and I'm on top of my disease. The symptoms are much less. I can stand straight, I practice healing. I try to lead my life from the inside out. With ayurveda, you learn who you are and what your body really wants."

massage therapy

A daily massage with essential oils that have specific energies to balance the doshas is not only soothing to the skin, but the scenes also affect your mood and nervous system, says Hilary Garivaltis, an ayurvedic practitioner at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, Mass. To do at-home ayurvedic massage, Garivaltis recommends mixing 2 ounces of a base oil with 10 drops of an essential oil and massaging it into your skin first thing in the morning.

vata

To a base of sesame oil, add sweet, warming essential oils, such as cypress, geranium, rose or lemon.

pitta

To a base of coconut or sunflower oil, add sweet, calming, cooling essential oils, such as sandalwood, lavender, ylang ylang or jasmine.

kapha

To a base of sesame off, add stimulating, pungent essential oils, such as peppermint, rosemary, cloves, cinnamon or eucalyptus.

vata

is dry, cool, creative, sensitive and alert, with a tendency toward restlessness. Sleep and stability are called for, as are warming massages and warming foods.

indian guacamole

SERVES 6

This recipe allows vata types to enjoy the
popular summer dip without violating the
dosha's principles with onion or garlic.

3-4 ripe medium avocados
1/4 cup lemon juice (or to taste)
  1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
  2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/3 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground celery seed
  1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
    Sea salt and freshly ground
    black pepper to taste

(1) Mash avocados to a chunky
consistency.

(2) Gently mix in lemon juice, vinegar,
yeast flakes and spices.

(3) Add tomato and cilantro.

(4) Season to taste.

PER SERVING: 167 calories; 75% fat
(14 g; 2 g saturated); 19% carbs (8 g);
6% protein (3 g); 5 g fiber; 16 mg calcium;
1.5 mg iron; 14 mg sodium.

pitta

can be quick, passionate, detail-oriented and high achievers, with short tempers and strong appetites. Cool air and cold foods are advised,

cucumber raita over quinoa

SERVES 6

This cooling but satisfying dish will soothe
fiery pittas.

    2 medium cucumbers,
      peeled and chopped
    3 cups plain low-fat yogurt
    1 cup finely chopped cilantro
  1/4 cup minced dill
  1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger root
    2 teaspoons toasted cumin seeds
  1/4 cup lime juice
  1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 1/2 cups water
    2 cups quinoa
      cup diced celery

(1) Mix together cucumbers, yogurt, cilantro,
dill, ginger, cumin seeds, lime juice and sea
salt, Put in refrigerator to chill.

(2) Bring water to a rolling boil. Add quinoa
and celery. Return to a boil, then reduce
heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes
or until liquid is cooked off.

(3) Set aside to cool.

(4) Top with cucumber mixture just before
serving.

PER SERVING: 307 calories; 15% fat (5 g;
1 g saturated); 67% carbs (51 g); 18% protein
(14 g); 5 g fiber; 241 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;
302 mg sodium.

To find a reputable practitioner, ask about his or her training, practice and philosophy, says Kathryn P. White, Ph.D., board member of the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine. "There are certificate programs that require about 300 to 600 hours of training, and people can provide some treatment with that. The ideal is to find someone who has undergone in-depth education and training as they give in India."

Kapha

is deliberateand serene, but sometimes troubled by lethargy and weight gain. Energize with exercise and be careful about portion size.

spicy millet salad

SERVES 6

Kaphas are often sluggish, and this zesty salad
can give them a lift. You can substitute spinach
for arugula, if you wish.

    2 cups millet
    1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 1/2 cups water
    1 cup diced celery
  1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
    1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 cups loosely packed arugula
  1/8 cup lime juice
  1/2 cup pine nuts
  1/3 cup sesame seeds
    3 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
    2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar

(1) In a heavy pan over high heat, toast millet and
cumin seeds, until you begin to hear them pop.

(2) Add water, celery, salt, pepper, ginger and
turmeric. Boil for 1 minute, reduce to low heat,
cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until
water is cooked off.

(3) Remove from heat and stir in arugula and lime
juice. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.

(4) In a heavy skillet over low heat, toast pine nuts
and sesame seeds until lightly browned.

(5) Grind toasted nuts and seeds with a mortar and
pestle or in a spice grinder. Remove to a bowl
and add yeast flakes and vinegar.

(6) Sprinkle mixture over millet and greens.

PER SERVING: 3go calories; 31% fat (13 g; 2 g
saturated); 56% carbs (55 g); 13% protein (13 g);
8 g fiber; 114 mg calcium; 5 mg iron; 128 mg sodium.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group