Ayurvedic Herb- Gokshura - an Excellent Aphrodisiac

Gokshura is widely used in Ayurveda to boost libido as it is an aphrodisiac. A study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine says that Gokshura (gokhru) can improve fertility. It also says that it can improve sperm count and motility. One of the important properties that make gokhru an aphrodisiac is the fact that it boosts testosterone levels and hence improves libido.

The whole plant is full of biologically active compounds, and every part of it has different health benefits.
Its fruit is rich in alkaloids, resins, saponins and certain aromatic oils.
The stem contains phytosterols, alkaloids such as harman, tannins and carbohydrates.
The roots and leaves contain flavonoids, alkaloids, resins and proteins.
All these active compounds are responsible for its different health benefits.

Apart from being used as an aphrodisiac, gokhru can also be used to improve kidney and liver function and treat urinary diseases. It is known to control blood pressure levels as it has cholesterol-lowering properties.
Method of using Gokshura
Various Gokhru supplements are easily available in Ayurvedic medicine shop.

Caution: gokhru should be consumed under medical supervision as its continuous use is known to increase the risk of prostate disorders. One should also avoid using it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Interested in learning more about Ayurvedic Mediinal Herbs?
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This Ancient Ayurvedic Plant May Be The World’s Most Important Herb

Sayer Ji from Greenmedinfo explains just why turmeric is so miraculous:

Indeed, turmeric turns the entire drug-based medical model on its head.  Instead of causing far more side effects than therapeutic ones, as is the case for most patented pharmaceutical medications, turmeric possesses hundreds of potential side benefits, having been empirically demonstrated to positively modulate over 160 different physiological pathways in the mammalian body.

While no food or herb is right for everyone, and everything has the potential for unintended, adverse side effects, turmeric is truly unique in its exceptionally high margin of safety vis-à-vis the drugs it has been compared with, e.g. hydrocortisone, ibuprofen, chemotherapy agents. Furthermore, nothing within the modern-day pharmaceutical armamentarium comes even remotely close to turmeric’s 6,000 year track record of safe use in Ayurvedic medicine.

There are over 600 potential health benefits of turmeric, and/or its primary polyphenol known as Curcumin. These can be viewed on a turmeric research  page

Read more about this Miraculous Ayurvedic Medicinal Herb- Turmeric

ZIKA virus

Zika virus is spread to people through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.

Symptoms

About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus become ill (i.e., develop Zika).
The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week.
The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week.
People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika.
Zika virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for about a week but it can be found longer in some people.

Treatment

-- There is no vaccine to prevent or specific medicine to treat Zika infections.
-- Treat the symptoms:
-- Get plenty of rest.
-- Drink fluids to prevent dehydration.
-- Take medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to relieve fever and pain.
-- Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Aloe vera – An agricultural option

Of late, because of skyrocketing prices of allopathic medicines with its known side effects, medicinal plants and ayurvedic medicines are becoming popular.

According to research the world trade on these medicines is worth about $80 million now and this is likely to increase by 35-40 percent within five years. USA dominates the market (65%) while India and China have a share of 10 percent each which could be enhanced by its commercial cultivation. With increasing interest in ‘natural’ products across the world and the resultant upsurge in the demand for medicinal plants, this trade is expected to grow up to $5 trillion by the year 2050.

Aloe Vera is among the few medicinal plants by virtue of their extensive medicinal, nutraceutical and other uses, enjoys a major chunk of the market across the globe. The major markets for Aloe Vera and its extracts are Australia, US and the entire Europe.

Aloe Vera is a plant of great potential and value in the field of therapeutic pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries, and in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicines, it is particularly useful for treatment of burns, bleeding wounds, as eye drops for sore eyes. The gel contained in Aloe Vera leaves reportedly comprises 75 nutrients, 200 active compounds, 20 minerals, 18 amino acids and 12 vitamins.

It contains 200 different types of polysaccharides, and various kinds of glycol- protein which are used for human health. Aloine A, and Aloine B, are principles of the ayurvedic medicine.

Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a popular medicinal plant. It belongs to liliaceae family. It is a perennial plant, growing to the height of 0.5m – 0.8m. Its leaves are long and thick, juicy with a wheel like phylotaxy. The two sides of the leaves have thorny structure with a thorny tip. The inner substance of the leaves is jelly like, with bad odour and bitter in taste. The length of the leaves ranges from 25-30 cm, while the breadth ranges from 3-5 cm.

Read more about Aloe vera - http://ayurveda-foryou.com/ayurveda_herb/kumari.html

Kasani- 'sugar ka ped'

Over the past 18 months, authorities have sold 20,000 Kasni herb plants that traditional medicine experts say are effective in treating kidney , liver diseases and high blood sugar

Forest officer Madan Singh Bisht discovered the herb in the state’s Dehradun district around two years ago. He says he knew about its medicinal properties and wanted to pass on the benefits to the people.
Bisht says the benefits of Kasni build up on chewing the leaves when the juice mixes with the saliva.

Kasni, with the scientific name Cichorium intybus and English name- endive / chicory, is found in nature in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
But the plant is reportedly on the verge of extinction because of weeds and excessive use of pesticides.
The medicinal properties of Kasni are well-known in ayurveda and one of the varieties is used in preparing the liver-care Liv 52 tablets by Himalaya Herbals.

According to Ayurveda it is kapha and pitta suppressant. It is relaxant and induces sleep. It acts as pain reliever and anti inflammatory agent. It works as appetizer, liver stimulant and increases digestive powers. It acts as blood purifier and provides strength to heart. It is a diuretic. Its roots reduce menstrual disturbances. It has good effect in lowering down the burning sensations in the body. It also helps in lowering the blood pressure. It decreases the raised body temperature in fevers.

If you are interested in doing ----Interactive Online Herbology Course- with certificate from International academy of Ayurveda Click Here.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) improves sexual function and satisfaction in women

According to results of a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

Data from 50 women indicated that eight weeks of supplementation with the Ayurvedic herb at a daily dose of 600 was associated with significant improvements in sexual interest, arousal, lubrication and in achieving orgasm, compared to placebo. Ashwagandha supplementation caused a marked reduction in sexually related distress in women during the study, wrote the researchers in the journal - BioMed Research International

Ashwagandha has been gaining traction in the mainstream US market with consumers embracing its wide-ranging body of health benefits, which include supporting stress, cognitive function, sleep, metabolic wellness, adrenal function, sports performance, and more.

Ashwagandha has a history of use in ayurvedic medicine that dates back as much as 4,000 years.Ashwagandha root has traditionally recommended for use as an enhancer of sexual function in both men and women. While there are other published studies demonstrating the effectiveness of ashwagandha in improving sexual function in men, this is the first study using a standardized, branded ashwagandha extract and demonstrating significant positive effects on sexual function in women.

From the scientific literature, we know that the Ashwagandha root is a calming agent, and promotes balance in the body to increase or decrease key hormone levels to bring them to appropriate levels. These effects are perhaps responsible for the significant effects we see in this study. Female sexual dysfunction and satisfaction is a complex phenomenon with both psychological and physiological dimensions. standardized ashwagandha extract is one of the very few ingredients shown to be clinically effective for this application. Supplementation was also associated with significantly greater improvements in FSFI score for “arousal”, “lubrication”, “orgasm”, and “satisfaction”, said the researchers. The explanation for why [ashwagandha root extract] treatment was useful in reducing [female sexual dysfunction] may lie in two pathways: (1) ashwagandha’s role in reducing stress, which in turn is associated with [female sexual dysfunction], and (2) ashwagandha’s role in increasing Testosterone which is a factor in androgen deficiency syndrome which is associated with [female sexual dysfunction].

Ayurveda globally relevant due to its holistic approach: PM Modi

"Today, Ayurveda is globally relevant because of its holistic and comprehensive approach to health.

The ayurvedic 'Dincharya' (daily routine) helps to bring about peace and harmony in one's life. Ayurvedic daily routines are meant to enhance the health of a human being, both mental and physical," Modi said at the ongoing Global Ayurveda Festival here.

He said non-communicable as well as lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cancers had become the greatest health challenges to the world community.

Modi said the escalating cost of treatment and side effects of allopathic medicines had prompted medical experts to think of widening their horizons to traditional systems of medicine.

He said India has had a long tradition of saints and hermits who evolved the indigenous systems of health care like Ayurveda, Yoga and siddha.

However, Modi said, the real potential of ayurveda remained untapped due to inadequate scientific scrutiny and concerns regarding standards and quality.
If this problem is resolved, India could be a leader in making affordable, holistic healthcare available to the world, the prime minister said.

Grass Valley College Is First In US To Offer Doctorate In Ayurvedic Medicine

A California college is now offering doctorate degrees in alternative medicine in a first-of-its-kind program.

California College of Ayurveda President Marc Halpern is a pioneer in alternative medicine, and he’s thrilled that after months of applications, there’s now a major step forward for the profession.

“This is the first time a doctor of ayurvedic program has been offered and one that’s accredited and recognized in the state of California,” he said.

Halpern says ayurvedic medicine is nothing new or new age, and it’s a traditional form of medicine in India where doctors are fully licensed.

“There are ayurvedic hospitals in India, and we’ve been creating the infrastructure for that to happen here,” he said.

Now, their students can soon be doctors of ayurvedic medicine as well with a newly developed state-approved program that’s also been accredited by the National Council of Ayurvedic Education.

THE CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AYURVEDA ANNOUNCES STATE APPROVED AYURVEDIC DOCTOR PROGRAM!

A whole new era in Ayurvedic Education has begun! The most advanced Ayurvedic Education in the U.S.

NEVADA CITY, Calif. – The California College of Ayurveda is proud to announce a newly developed, state-approved Ayurvedic Doctor Program, accredited by the National Council on Ayurvedic Education. This is the first time that such a program has been offered in the United States.

The Ayurvedic Doctor curriculum provides students with highly advanced course work and hands-on training, integrating classical Ayurvedic medicine as it has been taught and practiced in India for thousands of years combined with a basic knowledge of Western medicine.

“California College of Ayurveda spearheaded Ayurvedic practitioner training in this country 21 years ago, and now we are at the forefront of bringing Ayurvedic Doctors to America through our new Ayurvedic Doctor program,” said Dr. Marc Halpern, founder of the college. “This, along with our other programs, helps Ayurveda build the necessary infrastructure in the United States for universal recognition. We are honored to help promote the advancement of this profession, increasing the availability and benefits of Ayurveda in this country, and to be of service to humanity in this way.”

Established in 1995, the California College of Ayurveda is the oldest state-approved college offering Ayurvedic medicine training. Ayurvedic medicine is both preventative and curative. As a preventative form of medicine...

Learn more: http://ow.ly/XS3s4

Ayurveda Helps shedding excessive weight!

There are Ayurvedic medicines which help in weight loss and are good for health. Consume these medicines under the recommendation of your doctor. Vrikshamla (garcinia cambogia), guggul (commiphora mukul resin), Ginger, Kothala Himbutu (salacia reticulata) a woody climber used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat diabetes and obesity, triphala (a combination of three herbal fruit like amla, bibhitaki and haritaki) and Kalonji (nigella sativa).

If you decided to shed the excessive weight to enter new life; you must start it from your home by consuming these things which will help in weight loss. Papaya and pineapple are the fruits which help in shedding the extra kilos. Include spice like cumin, mustard seed, ginger, black pepper and cayenne pepper in your food. Sip hot water after every meal (after half an hour) or throughout the day.

What is the best way to lose weight and maintain it ?
Read in our best seller ebook- Losing Weight with Ayurveda and Yoga. 

An effective remedy for treating urinary tract infections — Banyan tree bark

In Ayurveda, the bark of the Banyan tree is used for treating female genital tract infections caused by sexually transmitted diseases,’ says Dr H S Palep, Visiting Scientist at Haffkine’s Institute for Training, Research & Testing, Mumbai and Chairman, Dr.Palep’s Medical Research Foundation and also a practicing gynecologist trained in Ayurveda.

The bark of the tree can actually be effective in treating urinary tract infections like trichomonias, vaginitis and also pelvic inflammatory infections. Trichomonias is a common sexually transmitted infection and causes symptoms like vaginal itching, pain during intercourse and urination and abdominal pain. ‘Banyan tree bark is administered to patients in the form of capsules or even loose extracts. Other than this, bark decoctions can also be used as a vaginal douche, but that isn’t as effective as taking it in the capsule form,’ says Dr Palep.

In fact, a form of Ayurvedic treatment known as Panchavakal, uses barks of five trees from the Ficus family including fig tree, peepal, albizia lebbeck, plaksha and banyan tree for treating these disorders. Other than that, it is also used for healing wounds in the form of an ointment. Panchavalkal is also used for treating a wide range of skin disorders and other ailments.

Visit Here For Other Herbs useful in Urinary Track Infections

Eat slow to prevent obesity, Eat slow to loose weight.

"chew every bite 32 times" This traditional advice given by Ayurveda is perfectly scientific.It is proven by double blind trial,Published in an indexed journal.
When I counted 32 bites with a timer, it required 30 seconds.
The traditional 32 bites chewing advice was perfectly scinetific
and aimed to prevent obesity.

 It’s a proven fact that for most people diets don’t work. But now you can shed unwanted pounds. So what is the best way to lose weight and maintain it ?

Read in our best seller ebook- Losing Weight with Ayurveda and Yoga.  

An egg a day may keep diabetes away

The study, published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that men who ate approximately four eggs per week had a 37 percent lower risk of Type-2 diabetes than men who only ate one egg a week.

Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland assessed dietary habits of 2,332 men aged between 42 and 60 years during a follow-up of 19 years, 432 men were diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes.

The study found that egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of Type-2 diabetes as well as with lower blood glucose levels.Consumption of more than four eggs did not bring any significant additional benefits.

In addition to cholesterol, eggs contain many beneficial nutrients that can have an effect on, for example, glucose metabolism and low-grade inflammation, and thus lower the risk of Type-2 diabetes.

What are the precautions you should take to keep yourself away from Diabetes?
Ayurveda has provided right answer to this. 
In fact this is the theme of our Best seller e-book- "Ayurvedic Cure of Diabetes"

Ayurveda meets technology

 A software, exclusively meant for Ayurvedic doctors, is being developed so that they do not deviate from the classical Ayurveda methods while treating patients and also keeps them updated about the best medical practices. The software, ‘Integrated Clinical Decision Support System’ is being developed by National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad, based on exhaustive research and will be out in a year’s time.

The easy-to-use software will require the physician to just enter the symptoms of the patient. Based on probable science, a list of diseases will be shown as results that are most likely to be the cause of the patient’s illness. For each of the diseases, the software will guide the doctor in investigation, diagnosis and even treatment of the patient in the most traditional manner. “This is a first-of-its-kind digital tool that will make sure that Ayurveda doctors do not go wrong and also follow the prescribed treatments as per the ancient system.

As per famous Legendary sage of Ayurveda Charakacharya,The (physician) who first examines the patient and then start the treatment becomes successful.In Ayurveda, 50% medicine is correct diagnosis itself. It is not difficult to treat any disease, once correctly diagnosed.

An Excellent ebook - Ayurvedic Art of Diagnosis provides well organized knowledge about this hole process of Clinical Diagnosis.

Unable to understand why the baby is crying? This app can help you

An app that can differentiate between a variety of crying sounds made by babies has been developed by Taiwanese researchers.

The Infant Cries Translator was developed at the National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin and can differentiate between four separate crying sounds by recording the sounds of babies and comparing them against a vast database.

Over a two year period researchers collected around 200,000 crying sounds from approximately 100 new-born babies, and uploaded them to an online database. Analysis of the frequency of individual screams among these helped researchers, led by Chang Chuan-yu and Dr Chen Si-da, distinguish subtle differences in acoustics.

The resulting app shows analysis of a baby's cries on the user's phone within 15 seconds. Researchers say the app has an accuracy of 92 percent for infants under two weeks old, helping inform parents when their child is hungry, sleepy, in pain, or has a wet diaper. The analysis becomes less accurate the older the baby is.[msn-news]

Read more about Management of crying baby- Decoding the tears

Government hospitals in UP introduce music therapy

Two government hospitals in Lucknow have introduced music therapy to cure patients suffering from mental and lifestyle disorders. The doctors in these hospitals have introduced classical music for specific disorders, including depression, dementia and other related problems.

According to Dr Ashutosh Dubey of Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, a number of patients have started responding favourably to the therapy.
“A patient , Aarav Kumar, from Barabanki district was suffering from moderate depression and instead of prescribing medicine, we asked him to listen to a particular ‘raga’ in classical music. Two weeks later, he admitted he was feeling better and said he did not require any medication,” the doctor said.
Another patient, Mr Suhail Khan, in the same hospital, was suffering from severe depression and could not even recall his own name and address. Along with basic medicines, the patient was asked to listen to classical music and he also showed a marked improvement on his next visit. “In my own cabin, I make sure that the ‘Gayatri Mantra’ is played continuously because patients are required to wait for their turn. Majority of them say that they feel better sitting in the cabin,” Dr Dubey said.

Explaining the phenomenon, Dr Devashish Shukl, a senior consultant at the RML hospital said that the vibrations that emanate from music activate the glands and improve the blood circulation in the body, which soothes the nerves and bring a sense of relief to the patients.

The civil hospital also has found a positive impact of music, both vocal and instrumental, on patients.
“Some patients feel better listening to film songs on their radio and we allow them to play music with earphones so that others are not disturbed.
Doctors in Lucknow, in consultation with senior faculty members of the Bhatkhande Music College, have shortlisted the ragas that help in curing people.
For instance, Raag Darbari and Raag Sarang are beneficial in treating cardiac patients. Sitar recital also helps in improving the cardiac functioning. Insomnia can be cured to an extent by listening to Raag Bhairavi and Raag Sohni . Flute recital is also known to lull one to sleep. Raag Khamaj helps in relieving a patient from acidity, especially if one listen to this while eating.

Read more about Music Therapy--http://ayurveda-foryou.com/music/music-therapy.html

Turmeric with Omega-3 Prevents Onset of Diabetes

An Indian origin scientist from the University of Newcastle’s Nutraceuticals Research Group has found that curcumin in turmeric in combinatin with Omega-3 can delay type-2 diabetes and even prevent it effectively, if taken regularly.

Professor Manohar Garg says the cause of the type 2 diabetes is due to systemic inflammation that affects secretion fuction of pancreas glands and Turmeric can act on it effectively.

Curcumin, present in Turmeric, which is part of the ginger family, has several healing properties and is a key component in ancient Hindu Ayurvedic treatment for many ailments including diabetes combinations. It is used in traditional medicine to heal bruises, sprains, wounds and inflammation.
Since the modern food habits have dropped down the in-take of Turmeric in Indian traditional food items, “it parallels with a significant rise in type 2 diabetes cases. In fact the disease is now an epidemic in India and may soon be the number one health burden,” said Garg.

Diabetes is taking the status of a potential epidemic in India with more than 62 million diabetic individuals currently diagnosed with the disease. In 2000, India with 31.7 million diabetics topped the world with the highest number of people with diabetes mellitus followed by China (20.8 million) with the United States (17.7 million) in second and third place respectively.
According to WHO, the prevalence of diabetes is predicted to double globally with a maximum increase in India. It is predicted that by 2030 diabetes mellitus may afflict up to 79.4 million individuals in India.

Becoming Ayurvedic practitioner in the US

Ayurveda is a holistic approach to personal wellbeing and medical healing which has its foundations in India, but has pervaded to other parts of the world over time, including the United States. Alternative medicine has gained popularity among the population over the last few years, perhaps owing to the negative effects of manufactured therapies, and the fact that natural remedies are less intrusive and have fewer side effects than their counterparts.

The following is the most basic information for those interested in setting up a career in any field of Ayurveda:

Education – a degree is not required in the United States in order to practice Ayurveda. However, medical practitioners looking to add alternative medicine to their skill set must first pursue the required education. Degree programs are available in India, right up to Doctorate levels. In US however, you can get approved professional courses lasting a few months for each level.

Main practice areas – Ayurveda is concerned with the application of holistic treatments and specialized alternative medical/health plans to treat patients with various ailments

Licensing – the practice itself requires no licensing as yet, but any medical professional must be appropriately vetted and licensed in their chosen field

Certification– Full-fledged degree programs are currently only available in India, and these may take five years to complete, even more, depending on the specifics of the course. Medical practitioners in other fields in the US can complete NAMA-approved educational programs, which include short-term, seminar/workshop-style courses, distance learning programs and 500-hour programs. On successful completion, the practitioner will be duly certified.


The US has no instituted standards on Ayurvedic practice, since it is fairly new to the market. You can easily add Ayurveda to your existing repertoire of medical expertise, which is the most common way practitioners in the US are using to venture into the field.
[From -TheInscriberMag.com]

For Additional Information read - EMERGING CAREER IN AYURVEDA

PREVENT HAIR LOSS WITH TRIPHALA

--Take about 1 tablespoon of triphala powder and add it to 2 cups of water.

-- Boil this water on medium flame till it reduces to half.

-- Let it cool for some time.

--Apply this pack on your scalp and leave it on for 30 minutes.

-- Wash your hair with a mild shampoo, preferably a herbal one made of shikakai.

-- Repeat this process once or twice every week to see results.

Triphala will also enhance the volume of your hair and add a nice sheen to it.
Read more about Triphala.

Katuki--a rare Ayurvedic herb

Katuki is a goldmine of good health.
A rare herb found only in the high Himalayan region, Katuki is popular in the world of alternative medicine, especially in Ayurveda for its liver-protecting and healing properties. "Its botanical name is Picrorhiza kuroa, and it is a major ingredient in the well-known medicine 'Arogyavardhini'--a herbal formulation prescribed for skin disorders and hepatic (liver) conditions.
PROTECTS
A study in the Indian Journal of Traditional Drugs talks of the hepato-protective effect of katuki on lipid-lowering drugs (statins). Another has also found that katuki can reverse hepatotoxic (liver-damaging) effects of drugs like Paracetamol.

The highly-valued herb is used in many Ayurvedic medicines to treat asthma by helping in reducing allergen-induced bronchial obstructions. Katuki works on preventing asthmatic attacks by inhibiting the release of histamine in the lungs.
It is also beneficial for curing headaches, and intestinal worms.

Read More about Katuki and it's use in Liver Disorders at - http://ayurveda-foryou.com/treat/liver1.html