GASTRITIS:
Gastritis is a broad term for inflammation or irritation
of the inner lining (mucosa) of the stomach. In some
case, it can even lead to an ulcer. In Ayurveda, this
condition is known as urdhvaga amalpitta. You are
prone to this disease, if you have pitta body constitution,
according to Ayurveda.
The causes of gastritis include:
- Ingestion of caustic poisons, alcohol, and certain
medications like aspirin or steroids.
- Physical stress from flu, major surgery, severe
burns, or injuries.
- A drug allergy or food poisoning.
Atrophic gastritis is a form of gastritis found if
the elderly, where stomach cells are destroyed, potentially
leading to pernicious anemia.
A bacterial infection, helicobacter pylori, is believed
to be a major cause of gastritis during the recent
years. When addressing gastritis, many researches
now look for substances that eradicate helicobacter
pylori.
If suffering from gastritis, you can adopt these dietary
and lifestyle changes and take the following herbal
supplements to keep yourself comfortable.
SELF-SELF
APPROACH
- You can take almost all foods in moderation except
chilies, spices and sour food. Avoid chilies, meat
soups and extractives, tamarind and unripe citrus
fruits such as orange, sweet- lime etc. Restrict the
use of garlic, ginger, coriander (dhania), and cumin
seeds (jeera). Avoid papad, chutney or pickles. You
can use ghee in cooking as pacifies pitta. However,
restrict the fried food and recycled cooking oil,
as they are difficult to digest. Restrict the intake
of salt as it irritates the stomach lining. Bland
diet such as khichdi, that contains cooked rice and
dal, is perhaps the best diet in gastritis. Always
prefer the old rice that has been preserved for one
year. A snack of small meal every three hours does
the trick in most of the cases.
- Milk has always been known to relieve pain in the
peptic ulcer. Always choose milk instead of coffee
or tea.
- Caffeine found in coffee and tea, some soft drinks,
chocolate and many medications increase stomach acid.
Avoiding these substances can therefore, aid in the
healing of gastritis.
- In some individuals, food allergies of intolerance
may cause gastritis. If you are suspecting food sensitivity
of allergy, you should consider discussing an allergy
elimination programme with your physician.
- When helicobacter causes gastritis, free radical
levels rise in the stomach lining. These unstable
molecules contribute to inflammation of gastric damage.
- Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps squelch free
radical molecules, is low in the stomach juice of
people with chronic gastritis. This is the reason,
some of the vitamin C rich fruits, such as amla are
found to be helpful in gastritis. There is some evidence
that the antioxidant beta-carotene may also reduce
free radical damage in the stomach, and eating foods
such as carrots, that are high in carotene, has been
linked to a decreased risk of developing chronic atrophic
gastritis.
- Moreover, people with active gastritis have been
reported to have low levels of beta-carotene in their
stomach. Combining vitamin C rich foods and carotene
food lead to improvement in most people with chronic
atrophic gastritis.
- Avoid tobacco. Smoking damages the mucous membrane
and may even increase acid secretion. Smoking also
causes pyloric incompetence and reflux of duodenal
juice into the stomach. Tobacco chewing causes shedding
of the stomach lining and may have a role in the production
of gastritis.
- Avoid alcohol. Alcohol inhibits the secretion of
the protective prostaglandin, thereby causing gastritis.
- Many medications, such as aspirin and related drugs,
can induce or aggravate stomach irritation. People
with a history of gastritis should never take asprin
or aspirin kike drugs without first discussing the
matter with their doctor.
- Mental tension is usually associtated with gastritis.
Frustrations and inner resentment regarding matters
connected with the family or palace of work not only
predisposes you to gastritis, but also contributes
to the perpetuation of symptoms and subsequent recurrences.
AYURVEDIC
REMEDIES
- Licorice root has been traditionally used to soothe
inflammation and injury in the stomach. It also stalls
the growt5h of Helicobacter pylori. Take one teaspoonful
of this powder and mix with half a teaspoonful of
pure ghee and one teaspoonful of pure honey. Take
this medicine twice daily on an empty stomach, once
in the morning before breakfast and once in the afternoon
before tea when the stomach is nearly empty.
- If you are having constipation along with gastritis,
then Avipattikar choorna is the medicine of choice.
Take two teaspoonfuls at bedtime. This neutralizes
the acid, stimulates the liver, and thus works as
a laxative.
- Asparagus racemosus (shataavari or kurilo) is a
refrigerant and antispasmodic. It allays internal
heat. Several studies have demonstrated that the root
of this plant is an effective drug in hyperacidity.
Mineral contents, which are biochemically important
for the human system, were found in significant concentration
in different parts of the herb. This powder should
be taken three to six grams, twice daily.
- Emblica officanalis (amla) is found useful in dyspepsia,
burning sensation, anorexia, vomiting and heaemorrhage.
You can take this in powder form, two teaspoonfuls
four times a day.
- Dhaatri loha, Sootasekhara rasa, Sukumaara ghrita,
etc. are some of the Ayurveda medicines that are prescribed
commonly to treat gastritis. Always consult your physician
before using them.
- Other useful medicines are Kaamdudha ras, Leelaavilas
ras, Chandrakala ras and Amalpittantak ras.
CONSTIPATION:
Medically, constipation implies failure to evacuate
waste matter from the body, on a regular basis. In
Ayurveda it is referred to as Aannnha. Koshtha baddhata
is the other term also in use.
Passage of faeces takes place in two phases. Propulsion
from the colon and expulsion from the rectum. Interference
with any aspect of this process may give rise to constipation.
According to Ayurveda, it is usually a vaata disorder,
particularly if it is long standing condition or in
the elderly. It may also due to high pitta or high
kapha.
The normal duration between the times the food is
eaten until the faeces are expelled is normally between
16 to 24 hours. If the residue remains for 24 hours
or more, it gives rise to aama. There is a simple
test to know whether you are suffering from constipation
or not. Just consume small amount of charcoal and
watch the stools thereafter. The black color will
make its appearance eventually in the stools. If it
does not make its appearance in 16 to 24 hours, you
are suffering from constipation. Also, you should
note carefully how long the color continues to be
conspicuous because if it is observed several hours
after it makes its appearance, it indicates a true
colonic congestion.
The causes of constipation are many constitution of
the individual (prakriti), habit of suppressing the
urge over long periods (veg dhaarana), absence or
non-availability of articles habitually used before
defecation, such as smoking tobacco, drinking coffee
or tea, frequent use of laxatives and purgatives etc.
taking of vaata promoting food which are dry, powdery,
cold, astringent, bitter, plenty of exercising; intestinal
obstruction by foreign body or due to intussusceptions,
worms (krimi), impacted faeces; slow peristalsis due
to debility during fevers, nervous diseases, tuberculosis,
anemia etc; psychological factors like grief, sorrow,
hatred; ingestion of certain drugs; inadequacy of
water intake or excessive water elimination as in
cases of vomiting, diarrhoea (ateesaara), diabetes
(premeha).
SELF
HELP APPROACH AND AYURVEDIC REMEDIES
One can treat oneself it through three fold-diet,
drugs and daily routine.
DIET: Drink a glass of water early in the morning
after washing the face and mouth. It is better, if
the water is kept overnight in a proper vessel. Or
soak twenty to thirty black raisins in a glass of
water at night and drink the water after adding juice
and pulp of lemon to it. Some people are in the habit
of taking bed tea for this purpose. The reflex action
produced by bed tea is different from the one produced
by the cold water. The latter only produces pressure,
thus stimulating the intestines to start their movement
for evacuation. Tea, being hot stimulates the intestines
so strongly that its stimulating effect loses its
significance after some days and the individual develops
constipation apart from the diuretic action, which
produces fluid loss thereby causing constipation.
In case of vitiation of vaata, oily food should be
taken. Adequate oil and ghee should he included to
ensure lubrication of the colon. It is a better idea,
if you can take a glass of worm milk at bedtime after
adding grains of bran. Beans, dry grains, cabbage,
family plants, mushrooms and other light or dry food
should be avoided. Spices, which balance digestion
asafoetida (Hingha), ginger, cardamom or fennel, should
be taken with food to alleviate gas and promote the
downward movement of vaata.
Pitta type of constipation often involves liver dysfunction
with congestion or obstruction of the bile. Hence,
hot spicy food should be avoided. Adequate fluids
should be taken. If you are having kapha type of constipation,
then you have to avoid foods like sugar, cheese, curd,
bread, potatoes and pork.
- Wheat is better than rice in case of constipation.
- Eat plenty of fruits and leafy vegetables.
- Use whole meal flour and not refined flour.
- Papaya and sugarcane are very effectives in relieving
constipation.
- Avoid fried food. The body takes a long time to
digest them.
DRUGS:
The best evacuant is castor oil (oil
extracted from Ricinus communis, aader,aranda). Castor
oil is not only useful for bowel evacuation but also
has therapeutic and curative values. All other purgatives
produce roughness while castor oil produces unctuousness
(snigdhata). The castor oil used should be purified
and diluted. Castor oil prepared through ghani or
indigenous expeller is found better than the present
market preparation. 20-30ml of this oil is to be taken
with warm milk. The Ayurveda physicians for the treatment
of chronic constipation very popularly use Triphala
powder. It contains three drugs namely harro, barro
and amla. Of these three drugs, harro alone works
as a purgative. But while manifesting its action,
it produces certain adverse effects like gripping
pain and wind formation in the stomach. To avoid these
adverse effects and to make it more useful as a tonic,
the remaining two drugs are added. Triphala powder
is used in two different ways. One or two teaspoonful
of this powder is mixed with a cup of milk and some
sugar is added to it. It is to be taken at bedtime
and its purgative effect is manifested early morning.
For those having chronic constipation and simultaneously
a costive bowl, the powder alone does not help. It
is to be taken as a decoction prepared by boiling
20 gm of the powder in 16 times of water and reducing
it to one-fourth. The powder is to be filtered and
the liquid is taken. Since it is strong, two to four
teaspoonfuls of honey may be added to it, if needed.
There are other medicines, which help eliminate chronic
constipation by straightening the intestinal valves
and their functions. One such drug is known as Agastya
rasaayan. Two spoonfuls of this drug should be taken
regularly, twice a day, along with any hot drink of
choice. Other drugs include pancha sakaara chorine,
Abhayaadi modaka, Madhu yashyaadi choorna etc. This
should be taken under medical supervision only.
POINTERS
- In cases of severe constipation, Ayurveda detoxification
procedures like Vasthi karma (enema therapy), Virechana
karma (purgation therapy), Udvartana massage therapy
(to strengthen the abdominal organs) are recommended.
- As constipation is a habit, the overcoming of it
must become a habit too. One dose not feel urge for
it. It should be a part of our daily routine.
- Deficient mastication is unquestionably one of the
most important causes of constipation. The digestive
process cannot be carried out properly when the stomach
and the small intestines are called upon to do the
triturating and macerating, ordinarily done in the
mouth.
- Physical exercises are must.
- Cut down your mental worries and anxieties. Avoid
over exposure to severe heat or wind.
- Sukhavirechana vati, ½ to 1 tablet with warm
milk at bedtime. is an effective remedy for constipation.
Dry ginger powder along with senna leaves powder in
equal quantities taken with a cup of lukewarm water
at night can help in easy passage of stools.
PILES:
Hemorrhoids are dilated or swollen veins (low pressure
blood vessels that return blood to the heart) under
the rectum around the anal opening. They can be classified
into internal and external haemorrhoids.
There is dentate line in the anal canal, which separates
two types of anal skin. While the skin above the dentate
line is not sensitive to pain, the skin below this
line is quite sensitive to pain. Internal haemorrhoids
occur above the dentate line and are, therefore, usually
painless. They can cause bleeding or they may push
out of (prolapsed) the anal opening when they become
quite large. External haemorrhoids occur below the
dentate line and are generally painful. External haemorrhoids
can become very distressing when the blood in the
haemorrhoid clots and inflammation irritates the nearby
pain sensitive skin.
Symptoms include: rectal bleeding, pain or itching,
painful bowel movements especially with straining,
a lump that can be felt in the anus, and sometimes-mucous
discharge after a bowel movement. Piles are common
and most people have some bleeding from them once
in a while.
Though disturbing and discomforting, haemorrhoids
are never a serious health problem. Still the reasons
to seek medical treatment for haemorrhoids include;
the presence of a painful blood clot in the haemorrhoids,
excessive blood loss, infection and the need to rule
cancer of the rectum or colon.
SELF-HELP
APPROACH AND AYURVEDIC REMEDIES
- Drink plenty of water and other fluids- at least
10 glasses a day. Eat foods, which are good sources
of fiber, such as whole grain or bran, cereals and
breads, fresh vegetables and fruits, and, if necessary
add bran to your foods (about three to four tablespoonful
per day). This will make the passing of stools easy.
- Pass the bowel as soon as you feel the urge. Don't
strain yourself to have a bowel movement.
- Lose weight if you are over weight.
- Exercise regularly.
- Keep the anal area clean. Use a sitz bath with water.
- Don't sit too much on a hard surface because it
can restrict blood flow around the anal area.
- Take warm baths.
- With a cotton swab apply on your anus, any one of
the following preparations before going to bed:
I. Half a teaspoonful mustard powder with a tablespoonful
of honey.
II. Half a teaspoonful of turmeric with a tablespoonful
of mustard oil, papaya juice, aloe vera gel or juice.
- Kaaseesaadi taila, when applied externally, shrinks
the piles and cures itching in the anal region.
- Peel a clove of garlic and insert it in the rectum.
Put in a fresh clove at bedtime, pushing it up high,
to make sure it stays in overnight.
- For painful and protruding piles, you can use the
ointment prepared out of turmeric , the leaves of
Indian hemp and onion with hot sesame oil.
- An oral mixture containing 10 grams of pulp of ripe
bael fruit, 3 grams of sugar, powder of 7 black peppers
and 3 cardamoms is very efficacious in checking bleeding
from piles.
- Abhayaarishta, a liquid preparation should be taken
in the dose of 30 ml in equal quantity of lukewarm
water before going to bed to control constipation
and piles. Nityodit Ras 250 mg and Arsha kuthaar ras
250 mg along with honey thrice daily are also effective.
JAUNDICE:
Jaundice is yellowing of the white portion of the
eyes, skin, and mucous membranes that is caused by
excessive amounts of bile pigments in blood tissues.
These pigments, normally present in the blood because
of the breakdown of hemoglobin, are filtered through
the liver and excreted in faeces. The excessive accumulation
of bile pigments is usually due to liver diseases
or hepatitis, in which case, the yellowing is referred
to as koshtaasrita kaamala in Ayurveda.
Saakhaasrita kaamalaa (surgical jaundice) on the other
hand, defers to yellowing caused by an obstruction.
Any thing from gallstones to a cancerous growth can
cause the blockage and surgery is often required to
remove it.
There are different types of hepatitis such as haemolytic
jaundice, in which there is an increased production
of bile pigment because of damage to red blood cells.
Antibodies created by a mismatched blood transfusion
can also cause damage.
Newborns can also have jaundice because of condition
known as hyperbilirubinaemia. In these cases, there
is a temporary defect in synthesis of the enzyme that
breaks down bile to an external form.
Obstructive jaundice follows physical obstruction
of the that transport pigment from the liver to the
intestine. Blockage can be due to gallstones, tumours,
or inflammation.
Hepatocellular jaundice occurs when liver cells are
damaged either by viruses or by excessive intake of
alcohol.
The disease is common during the rainy season. Poor
sanitation and overcrowding favour the spread of infection,
giving rise to water-born and food-born epidemics.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of hepatitis vary depending on the specific
cause of illness (virus, bacteria, toxin, etc) and
flu like symptoms, which may include fever, a generally
tired or ill feeling, loss appetite, nausea and vomiting,
diarrhoea and muscle aches. There may be itching all
over the body.
With significant liver inflammation, liver chemicals
may build up in the blood and urine, causing the following
symptoms: jaundice (a yellow tint to the skin and
whites of the eyes), bad breath, a bitter taste in
the mouth, dark teeth, colored urine and light clay
colored stools. There is also pain or tenderness around
the liver.
SELF HELP APPROACH
- Maintain personal hygiene and public hygiene.
- Wash your hands before eating and after going to
toilet.
- Follow sanitary methods while disposing of the excreta.
- Purify your drinking water by filtration, adequate
boiling and chlorination.
- Avoid raw milk and shellfish such as oysters especially
from unreliable sources.
- When you are away from home, you can take coconut
water. Fruits will also help quench thirst. But all
fruits should be washed and peeled personally with
clean hands. Avoid having ready-made fruit juices
or fruit salads, which are handled by others.
- You may take tea or coffee because water is boiled
before their preparation.
- When eating out, only fresh food served steaming
hot, should be taken. All foods served cold should
be avoided.
- If you have a post history of jaundice, then you
should not donate blood unless tested. Blood for transmission
and blood products must be checked for infection to
prevent post transfusion hepatitis.
- Choose safe sex. Practice monogamy with a uninfected
partner, or use condoms.
- Avoid injecting illegal drugs.
- If you are about to undergo a surgery, ask your
doctor about donating some of your own blood beforehand.
If necessary, this blood can be transfused back to
you during surgery
AYURVEDIC
REMEDIES
In Ayurveda, during the initial stages of jaundice,
usually mild purgatives are given. This is to stimulate
the function of the liver and to increase the flow
of bile in the bile duct. Trivrit, Kutaki and Triphala
are used for the purpose. You can use the root bark
of trivrit and rhizome of kutaki, either separately
of mixed in a powder form. Daily take one to two teaspoonfuls
with hot water. If you are preferred to use triphala
choorna, you can take one teaspoonful of the same
with warm water, twice daily. Two compound preparations
that are commonly used to treat jaundice are avipattikara
choorna and aarogyavardhini vati. However, take them
after consulting a physician.
Bhoomyaamlaki (phyllanthus niruri), a small herb with
numerous leaves, is commonly used in the treatment
of all types of jaundice. One teaspoonful of the juice
of the plant or fresh root in the form of paste can
be taken thrice daily mixed with honey.
Punarnava mandoor o tablet thrice daily should be
taken for 2 to 3 weeks. Navaayas Loha taken in the
dose of 125 mg thrice daily is an effective remedy
for jaundice. Other useful medicines are kumaaryaasava,
lohaasava and punarnavaasava.
