Frankincense, an age old herbal remedy, could just be the solution for treating painful arthritis, reveals the latest research reports from Cardiff University.
Frankincense, is an aromatic gum resin obtained from an African tree (genus Boswelia), and is usually burned as incense.
The scientists at Cardiff University were examining the potential benefits of Frankincense in alleviating the symptoms of arthritis. The research particularly focused on determining if the extracts of frankincense, when taken as a traditional herbal remedy, could help in bringing relief from the inflammation that causes pain.
The scientists have been able to demonstrate the treatment with extract of Boswellia frereana, the rare frankincense species. They found that it inhibits the production of major inflammatory molecules that prevent the breakdown of cartilage tissues which causes the condition.
According to Dr. Emma Blain, the Research Lead, and her co-investigators, Proff. Vic Duance from Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, and Dr. Ahmed Ali of Compton Group, this research has managed to achieve usage of innovative chemical extraction techniques in determining the active ingredient in frankincense.
Further, the chemical entity identified could be compared with other anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat this condition, they said.
A similar study was also conducted two years ago, using an enriched extract of Índian Frankincense’ herb, Boswellia Serrata, and it was found to reduce osteoarthritis symptoms. This study was published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy, and the patients who took to this herbal remedy showed considerable improvement within a week.
Boswellia Serrata has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda, and this study was the first among them to prove that this enriched plant extract can prove to be a successful treatment.
Tags: arthritis
Kumkumadi Thailam is an ancient formulation comprising more than sixteen precious Ayurvedic ingredients, although saffron is the main ingredient. Saffron, the spice derived from saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), renders the skin its natural golden glow.
Some of the ingredients that go into the oil are jasadbhasma, an ayurvedic sunscreen which can protect the skin from darkening and damaging UV rays of the sun, while other ingredients that go into the oil such as lotus, sandalwood and vetiver, help in reducing appearance of fine lines and in plumping up the skin. Extracts of Indian Madder and Banyan tree, help lighten brown spots caused due to acne scarring, and the patches in the skin. Licorice, another ingredient included in the oil helps in protecting blemish-prone skin from bacteria and impurities.
Usira is another herb used in this formulation that helps improve complexion, while the sandalwood (chandana) renders a cooling effect on the skin, reducing perspiration and improving skin tone.
In general, Kumkumadi thailam reduces dark spots, blemishes and lightens sun tan. Apart from being good anti-ageing oil, it also prevents fungal and bacterial infections.
Given the good anti-ageing properties of Kumkumadi thailam, it can easily substitute an effective night cream. Kumkumadi thailam is also used in several face-packs, as it is excellent for obtaining a vibrant skin.
Method of Application: Wash face and pat dry. Massage face with 10 to 15 drops of the thailam. Leave on for 15 minutes and wash (using green gram powder if required). For best results leave on the application for longer duration.
Ingredients: The main ingredients of the thailam are Kesara (saffron), Manjishta (Rubia cordifolia), Daru haridra (Cocinum fenestratum), usira, laksha, kaliya, chandana, padmaka, padmakesara, nyagrodhapada, jasadbhasma, nilotpala, pattanga, ajakshira, and Taila.
Eating strawberries and pomegranates regularly can keep aging at bay, while also preventing several deadly diseases including cancer, according to latest study.
According to researchers, the fruits, being high in antioxidants, helps combat the effects of oxidative stress, lessening effects of aging, and the chances of contracting diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart diseases.
Researchers from Marche Polytechnic University in Italy and University of Granada in Spain, for their study, fed healthy volunteers with half a kilo of strawberries for a two-week period. Blood samples were collected from volunteers at four, eight, twelve and sixteen day intervals and a month later.
The results showed that eating fruits such as strawberries that are high in antioxidants can prevent red blood cells undergoing haemolysis.
The Study Author, Dr. Maurizio Battino, says that certain varieties of strawberries make erythrocytes more resistant to oxidative stress. This could be of immense help considering the fact that oxidative stress leads to serious diseases.
Pomegranate is another antioxidant-rich fruit, and one of the few plants that comprise a range of phytochemicals with antioxidant properties, but different in chemical makeup. In fact, the antioxidant levels in Pomegranate, is three times the amount in green tea or red wine. Pomegranate contains catechins, flavonoids, anthocyanins and gallocatechins, whereas majority of other plant-based sources contain only one group of antioxidants. Pomegranate seeds are also an excellent source of dietary fibre, carbohydrates and unsaturated fatty acids.
The chemical combination in pomegranate is said to reduce cell damage, and will potentially kill cancer cells. Antioxidants help by destroying free radicals in the body, which are associated with a range of diseases including cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Free radicals are also responsible for hastening aging process.
Several laboratory and clinical studies suggests that pomegranate juice may have severe positive impact on several conditions including those linked to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, like reducing thickening of arteries, increasing blood flow, and plays a vital role in improvement of erectile dysfunction.
Apart from this, it has been lately proven that pomegranate has the ability to slow down the progression of certain cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. In a study at the University of California, the researchers asked 50 men with prostate cancer to have half a glass of pomegranate juice daily, and kept track of the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels of these men. PSA is a protein which is widely linked to prostate cancer. The PSA levels of the patients who drank the juice did not rise for an average of 54 months (usually the PSA levels of a cancer patient doubles in about 15 months).
What’s more, while keeping such deadly diseases at bay, the high antioxidant levels of these fruits also help in maintaining that youthful glow when taken regularly. Having said this, why not try to include them as part of daily diet and enjoy the immense benefits that these fruits have to offer?
Ayurveda is gaining world-wide recognition in preventing and tackling chronic diseases, according to an article published in ‘The Week’ health supplement, June edition. With continued research and several therapeutic benefits that ayurveda offers, it is now understood that ayurveda is much more than herbal shampoos and wellness massages. With increasing chronic ailments striking at an early age, ayurveda is now being considered seriously for therapeutic and pharmacological management, and for prevention of range of health conditions including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and toothache. The very fact that the mainstream medicine does not have strong preventative measures, and has greater side effects, makes ayurveda the preferred option in many cases.
Dr. G.G. Gangadaharan, Medical Director, Institute of Ayurveda and International Medicine, Bangalore, agrees that there is no miracle cure in Ayurveda. For instance, the ayurvedic treatment for Type 1 diabetes in Ayurveda involves Panchakarma, or purificatory procedures including virechana (laxation), massage therapies such as abhyanga, dhanyamla, dhara, udwarthana, all of which help in removing accumulated toxins in the body and in cleansing the system.
Apart from this, some herbal medicines are also used, which helps even if the patient has had diabetes for five years. When these are followed strictly over a period of time, even medications can be stopped after some time, he adds.
Ayurveda adopts a preventive approach and emphasizes that a combination of diet, lifestyle and medicine can help in remaining active and fit. Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala in Kerala claims to have cured nearly 20 cases of cancer including cases of urinary bladder cancer, lung cancer, and leukaemia, in initial stages.
Although no allopathic medicines or radiotherapy were used, there has been no recurrence, says Dr. K.M. Madhu, Senior Physician, Clinical Research unit at Kottakkal. The patients were asked to modify their lifestyle, diet, and continue using the recommended ayurvedic medicines. Kottakkal has treated nearly 10,000 patients for cancer in the past ten years.
Ayurvedic medicines do not actually destroy the cancer cells. Based on the the tridosha principle (vaata, pitta and kapha), the treatments involving mineral and herbal preparations are administered to improve the immune system of the body. Kottakkal mostly uses dried and fresh herbs as medicines to treat cancer, and they are given orally. Although cure cannot be assured, the ayurvedic anti-cancer medicines help in improving quality of life of the patients, says Dr. Madhu.
It is said that an Ayurvedic formulation made of 60 herbs, namely Ámrit Kalash’ helps prevent the side-effect of cancer treatment, particularly the hairloss. The burning sensation experienced by the body following a chemotherapy session can be reduced when using badam oil, sandalwood oil and ksheerabala thailam (cow milk and ayurvedic herbs concentrate treated with oil).
Among the other unique therapies used in treating several ailments in Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, are Leech therapy, used to treat non-healing ulcers, gout, wounds, poisonous bites, snake bite, and psoriasis. In Ayurveda ‘Leech’ symbolizes surgery. Ayurvedic principle believes that if the blood is impure, healing will not happen. The leech actually sucks away the impure blood and helps by releasing Hirudin, the natural peptide, into the bloodstream of the patient. Hirudin is an anti-coagulant which dilutes blood clots. The blood is purified and circulation improves, and there will be more oxygenated blood in the body. This whole process improves healing.
Dr. Amitabha Gosh, Senior Consultant and head, Department of Neurology and Cognitive Neurology unit, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, agrees that it is true that curcumin (the main compound found in turmeric) has a protective effect against Alzheimer’s, while Brahmi may be good for memory and intelligence. However, it is best to keep your doctor informed if you decide to use both medicines together.
Mainstream medicine has now acknowledged ayurveda, which recently witnessed a boom, thanks to its wellness segment. Several hospitals in India now have dedicated departments for ayurveda. Meanwhile, Ayurveda is also opening up to methods of modern medicine. In fact, even Ayurvedic curriculum is being updated to include few relevant portions from allopathy.
“As physicians, we should not be too dogmatic, and each stream should be recognized in its own way, as it could prove beneficial to the patient’s well-being,” Dr. Ghosh concludes.
Source: ‘The Week’ June 2011 edition.
A recent United States study, funded by National Institutes of Health, U.S. and by Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, Coimbatore have proven the efficacy of Ayurvedic medicines in curing Rheumatoid Arthritis.
The study confirmed that personalised Ayurvedic interventions are clinically significant in improving rheumatoid arthritis on par with allopathy treatment, apart from having the added advantage of fewer side effects.
The study was conducted by University of Washington, Seattle, together with University of California Los Angeles. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of Ayurvedic medicines and was a randomised double-blinded placebo controlled study. This is considered to be the gold standard in clinical research in modern medicine.
The nine-month treatment and evaluation study involved three groups with 15 patients each, suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. One group was given only Ayurvedic medicine along with placebo of allopathid medicine, another group was given only allopathic medicines with placebo of ayurvedic medicines, and the third group was given a combination of ayurveda and allopathic medicines.
Various combinations of internal and external ayurvedic medicines were prescribed to the patients, while the allopathic treatment comprised of the usual doses of drug Methotrexate. No ayurvedic massage or dhara were given to patients, nor was any other in-patient treatment method adopted. The patients who were administered the ayurvedic placebos and medicines had found significant relief and cure in symptoms.
The Head of Research team, P. Ram Manohar, Director, Research at Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, and the principal investigator, revealed that although this is only a pilot study with small sample size, the study received a major stimulus with Dr. Edzard Ernst, the First Professor of complementary medicine calling it as blue-print for research in Ayurveda.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology in June 2011. This study result serves as a major boost for the Ayurveda stream of medical management, given its lack of evidence-based medicine techniques that it has had to deal with so far.
There have been plenty of positive reports on the healing power of Acupuncture, the Chinese art of healing, which include its ability to relieve pain, irrespective of the cause of pain. When acupuncture is performed, there is an increase of morphine-like substances called endorphins in the body, which block the ability of brain to perceive pain.
Discussed here are few less-known facts about this great alternative healing technique.
Fights infection
Acupuncture has the unique ability to stimulate body’s immune power by increasing white blood cells, antibodies and gamma globulins that help fight infections. Acupuncture is particularly useful in fighting chronic infections including sinusitis and bronchitis. Acupuncture has the ability to clear the infection, apart from assisting in sinus drainage and in dissolving fibrosis.
A recent clinical study involving 85 patients with chronic rhinitis was taken as test group. The patients were subjected to fifteen acupuncture sessions at the rate of one treatment per day. On completing thirty such sessions, an effectiveness rate of 96.5 percent were reported, with 61 patients reporting total recovery, while 21 reported significant improvement in symptoms, although 3 of them reported no changes. Rhinoscopy and absence of symptoms were used to confirm results, with a two-year follow-up, which confirmed total recovery.
Brain functioning
Acupuncture helps normalize secretions of various neurotransmitters in the brain, thereby regulating physiological and psychological functions of the brain. Acupuncture is particularly helpful in cases of essential hypertension, as it restores the balance of neuro-transmitters in the brain by releasing endorphins which help relax the body and bring down blood pressure. This soothing effect of acupuncture is therefore one of the reasons for it being recommended as an effective treatment for insomnia, anxiety, addictions and other mental disorders. According to the latest findings published in Brain Research, acupuncture has considerable effect on particular nerve structures.
Muscle recovery
Acupuncture is known to stimulate muscle recovery in patients suffering from paralytic strokes and facial paralysis. This is because the pressure on acupuncture points, relay repair messages to the part of brain that is responsible for body repair. According to a 2009 study on 30 patients who underwent single acupuncture treatment, the participants showed improvement in balance function, and muscle strength. Similarly, an earlier study on 33 stroke patients with chronic hemiparesis, reported that after about 20 acupuncture sessions, considerable improvement in their motor functions were reported. Another 2007 study involving 96 stroke patients suffering from spastic dyskinesia (difficulty faced in performing voluntary movements), revealed that all of them who underwent acupuncture sessions, reported considerable improvement in spastic dyskinesia and daily functioning. In fact, full recovery from stroke can be obtained if a patient undergoes acupuncture treatment within hours of a stroke attack.
Tags: Acupuncture, pain
About Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is a popular medicinal plant, well-known for its vitalizing properties. It is considered as a plant that renders stamina, vigour and endurance.
Ashwagandha is proven to help in treating anxiety, neurological disorders, and Parkinsons disease. It also aids in treating arthritis, rheumatism and leprosy.
Clinical trials have proven the ability of Ashwagandha in improving sexual performance in men aged 50 and above. It is mostly associated with increased libido, due to its ability to render vigour and stamina.
Ashwagandha thailam/oil
Ashwagandha thailam is medicated massage oil that helps improve muscle tone, nervine disorders, bodyache, and emaciation. The rejuvenating properties in this thailam helps strengthen muscles and tone up the nerves. It is therefore particularly recommended for nervous conditions, including muscular dystrophy, debilitation and emaciation.
Ayurveda suggests Ashwagandha thailam as being excellent in treating vata disorders. Apart from treating tired and sore muscles, this nourishing oil helps ease tension and strengthens the tired muscles.
Ashwagandha thailam, with its nourishing properties, restores natural suppleness and elasticity of the skin and is therefore recommended for dry and dehydrated skin. It prevents formation of wrinkles, thereby preventing premature ageing.
The thailam when applied to the feet, helps remove any stiffness, coarseness, and numbness in the feet, and strengthens them further. It benefits local veins and ligaments and alleviates Sciatica.
Among the other benefits of this thailam are that it is an excellent stress reliever, rejuvenator, sexuality booster, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, immune stimulant, analgesic and acts as natural diuretic.
In fact, Ashwagandha, when used in any form (capsule or thailam) is considered best for physical and mental fitness.
Ingredients: Among the major ingredients in Ashwagandha thailam are black sesame oil, Ashwagandha, Teaweed, Indian dill, Indian madder, Licorice, Nutgrass, turmeric, Himalayan cedar, vetiver, sacred pepper, blue water lily, Indian sarsaparilla, indian ginger, Frangipani and Indian lotus flower.
Application: The oil can be warmed and applied locally to joints and muscles as preventative measure by sportsmen, dancers, osteopaths, practitioners, tradesmen, and basically any individual involved in physical and repetitive activities. A self-massage is recommended atleast once a week, to reduce vata disorders. Massage the oil in circular movement first and then reverse to that for total of 15 minutes. Wait for two hours, and then wipe off with soft cloth dipped in warm water, or have a warm water bath.
Karpooradi Thailam (Karpooradi oil) contains tree camphor, which is considered to be an excellent healer gifted by nature. Since ages, camphor is known for its medicinal properties, and is also used during religious rituals in India.
Karpooradi Thailam is effective in treating vata dosha, healing injuries, and to improve circulation by clearing blockages, if any. It also acts as a good relaxant and regularizes breathing by breaking down excessive kapha (mucus-build up) in the chest, thereby relieving respiratory congestion. It is also useful when dealing with cramps, pain, numbness and swelling in the body.
Karpooradi thailam regulates body temperature, driving away any sort of sluggishness. It soothes muscles and nerves and relaxes the body, in general. Karpooradi thailam also helps relieve neck pain, arthritis, frozen shoulder, knee pain and swelling.
As for method of application, just as with any other massage oil, warm the oil and apply on the affected area and follow-up with hot fomentation.
Tags: herbal oil, massage
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