AYURVEDA: AN OVERVIEW

Ayurveda (Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda comprises the words āyus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'.Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia. The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India. The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era. Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.
Ayurveda has become an alternative form of medicine in the western world, where patents for its medicine have been passed, and the intellectual property rights contested by Western and Indian institutions. Ayurveda is considered to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the United States of America, where several of its methods—such as herbs, massage, and Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine—are applied on their own as a form of CAM treatment.

Overview

Ayurveda believes in 'five great elements' (Devanāgarī: पन्छतत्व‌; earth, water, fire, air and space) forming the universe, including the human body. Blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, chyle, and semen are the seven primary constituent elements (Devanāgarī: सप्तधातु) of the body. Ayurveda stresses a balance of three substances: wind/spirit/air, phlegm, and bile, each representing divine forces. The doctrine of these three Dosas (Devanāgarī: त्रिदॊश्)—vata (wind/spirit/air), pitta (bile) and kapha (phlegm)—is important. Traditional beliefs hold that humans possess a unique constellation of Dosas. In Ayurveda, the human body has 20 Guna (Devanāgarī: गुन, meaning quality). Surgery and surgical instruments are employed. It is believed that building a healthy metabolic system, attaining good digestion, and proper excretion leads to vitality. Ayurveda also focuses on exercise, yoga, meditation, and massage.
The concept of Panchakarma (Devanāgarī: पन्छ्कर्म‌) is believed to eliminate toxic elements from the body. Eight disciplines of Ayurveda treatment, called Ashtanga (Devanāgarī: अश्ताग्), are given below:
Surgery (Shalya-chkitsa).
Treatment of diseases above the clavicle (Salakyam).
Internal medicine (Kaya-chikitsa).
Demonic possession (Bhuta vidya): Ayurveda believes in demonic intervention and—as a form of traditional medicine—identifies a number of ways to counter the supposed effect of these interferences. Bhuta vidya has been called psychiatry.
Paediatrics (Kaumarabhrtyam).
Toxicology (Agadatantram).
Prevention and building immunity (rasayanam).
Aphrodisiacs (Vajikaranam).

Scientific evidence

As a traditional medicine, many Ayurveda products have not been tested in rigorous scientific studies and clinical trials. In India, research in Ayurveda is largely undertaken by the statutory body of the Central Government, the Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), through a national network of research institutes. A systematic review of Ayurveda treatments for rheumatoid arthritis Yogaconcluded that there was insufficient evidence, as most of the trials were not done properly, and the one high-quality trial showed no benefits. A review of Ayurveda and cardiovascular disease concluded that while the herbal evidence is not yet convincing, the spices are appropriate, some herbs are promising, and yoga is also a promising complementary treatment.
Despite these misgivings, some ayurvedic products, mainly herbs used for phytotherapy, have been tested with promising results. Turmeric and its derivative curcumin appears to have beneficial properties. Tinspora cordifolia has been tested. Among the medhya rasayanas (intellect rejuvenation), two varieties of sage have been been tested; one improved word recall in young adults, and another improved symptoms in Alzheimer's patients. In some cases Ayurvedic medicine may provide clues to therapeutic compounds. For example, derivatives of snake venom have various therapeutic properties. Many plants used as rasayana (rejuvenation) medications are potent antioxidants. Neem appears to have beneficial pharmacological properties as well.
Mitra & Rangesh (2003) hold that cardamom and cinnamon are believed to stimulate digestive enzymes that break down polymeric macromolecules in the Human body. Research suggests that Terminalia arjuna is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease. Terminalia arjun may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia. Azadirachta indica is believed to have immunopotentiating abilities and is used often as an anti-infective. It has been found to enhance the production of IL-2 and increase immunity in human volunteers by boosting lymphocyte and T-cell count in three weeks. Both black pepper and long pepper find application in Ayurvedic medicine in conjunction with ginger to form trikatu—a the traditional mixture. Trikatu has been suggested to increase appetite, promote the secretion of digestive juices, and cure certain gastric disorders—particularly Achlorhydria and Hypochlorhydria.

List of herbs and minerals in Ayurveda

Ayurveda (Devanagari: आयुर्वेद ) is a form of traditional medicine in use primarily in India. Ayurveda believes that various materials of vegetable, animal, and mineral origin have some medicinal value. The medicinal properties of these materials are time tested and have been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicines to cure illness and/or help maintain health.
Ayurvedic medicaments are made from herbs or mixtures of herbs, either alone or in combination with minerals, metals and other ingredients of animal origin. The metals, animals and minerals are purified by individual processes before being used for medicinal purposes. Impurified materials are not allowed to be used as medicine.
The forms of Ayurvedic medicaments are:
Fresh juice of herbs
Quath (Malayalam: കഷായം
) : Crushed herbs, used as decoction or tea for internal and external uses
Churna : Fine powdered herbs, used as medicine with water or in food for internal and external uses
Taila : Herbs cooked in edible oil according to rules laid down for internal and external uses
Ghrat/Ghrit : Herbs cooked in clarified butter
Asav/Arista/Sura : a kind of light wine obtained from fermentation of herbs
Arka : A distillation of herbs
Rasausadhi/Kharliya Rasayan : Herbs mixed with metals, minerals and animal ingredients
Bhasma : Ashes
Parpaty : combinations of Metals, Minerals, Animal ingredients and Herbs
Kshar/Lavan/Salt/Drava : these are specially prepared medicaments
Guggula based medicaments
Lauha Bhasam : Mandoor Bhasam based medicaments
Avaleha/Modak/Paak/Prash : Herbs cooked in Jaggery or sugar
Bati/Gutika/Goli : Mixtures of medicines shaped in pills, pillules or tablets for ease of administration
Pralep/Anjan/Varti/Dhoop : Liniments, drops, paint, paste etc. for external uses

Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda

DIETARY MINERALS

Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen present in common organic molecules. The term "mineral" is archaic, since the intent of the definition is to describe ions, not chemical compounds or actual minerals.
Dietitians may recommend that minerals are best supplied by ingesting specific foods rich with the element(s) of interest. Sometimes minerals are ingested as mineral dietary supplements, the most common being iodine in iodized salt.
The dietary focus on minerals derives from an interest in supporting biochemical reactions with the required elemental components. Appropriate intake levels of certain chemical elements are thus required to maintain optimal health. According to nutritional experts, the requirements are met simply with a conventional balanced diet.


Essential minerals


Sixteen minerals are required to support human biochemical processes by playing roles in cell structure and function as well as electrolytes:
Calcium is needed for muscle, heart and digestive system health, builds bone, supports synthesis and function of blood cells. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines), green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Chloride is needed for production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach and in cellular pump functions. Table salt is the main dietary source of chloride.
Cobalt - vitamin B12. See pernicious anemia.
Copper is required component of many redox enzymes, including cytochrome c oxidase.
Iodine is required for the biosynthesis of thyroxine. See also Iodine deficiency.
Iron is required for many proteins and enzymes, notably hemoglobin. Dietary sources include red meat, leafy green vegetables, fish (tuna, salmon), eggs, dried fruits, beans, whole grains, and enriched grains. See also iron deficiency (medicine).
Magnesium is required for processing ATP and for bones. Dietary sources include nuts, soy beans, and cocoa. See also magnesium deficiency (medicine).
Manganese is a cofactor in enzyme functions.
Molybdenum - xanthine oxidase and related oxidases.
Nickel - urease
Phosphorus is a component of bones (see apatite) and energy processing and many other functions.
Potassium is a systemic electrolyte and is essential in coregulating ATP with sodium. Dietary sources include legumes, potato skin, tomatoes, and bananas.
Selenium, a cofactor essential to activity of antioxidant enzymes like glutathione peroxidase.
Sodium is a systemic electrolyte and is essential in coregulating ATP with potassium. Dietary sources include table salt (sodium chloride, the main source), sea vegetables, milk, and spinach.
Sulfur - cysteine and methionine
Zinc is pervasive and required for several enzymes such as carboxypeptidase, liver alcohol dehydrogenase, and carbonic anhydrase

The Nutrition Challenge

Eating truly healthy foods in proper balance is a challenging task. Our fast-paced and hectic lifestyle compels us to sacrifice nutritional value of foods on a daily basis. Rather than eating those foods for their nutritional value we eat foods for reasons other than nutrition.

Taste: We usually choose foods for their taste, rather than their nutritional value.

Eating –Out: Our fast-paced modern lifestyle does not allow us to prepare nourishing meals all the time. We conveniently tend to eat-out, resulting in less control on the nutritional value of our meals.

Skipping Meals: Many of us do not stick to regular meal times and often skip breakfast or lunch. We try to make amends by snacking up or over-eating later. These are poor eating habits.

Processing: Much of the food we buy today has been processed. Frozen vegetables often contain 50% less vitamin C than fresh ones; polished rice can lose upto 90% of its original B-vitamin content.

Effect of lifestyle choices: Dieting, medication, birth-control pills, smoking, alcohol consumption, excessive coffee and tea intake are all lifestyle factors which rob our body of essential vitamins & minerals.

Different Nutritional Needs For Different Life-stages

Childhood: Nutrient needs increase throughout childhood for optimal physical and mental growth.


Adolescence: This is a phase of rapid growth, both physical and mental. During this lifestage, the need for protein, calcium, iron and Vitamin A, C, E and B is the greatest. Supplementation is especially beneficial during this stage, due to poor nutrition. Pregnant and lactating women: To maintain the health of the expecting mother as well as the newborn baby, adequate quantities of vital nutrients like calcium, iron and folic acid are needed.

Nutrient needs for the elders: Ageing impairs absorption of foods into the system; our dental health detoriate, while the intake of medicines increases. All this necessitates the increasing need for certain nutrients while decreasing the need for calories.

Who needs supplementation?

Anyone not eating a balanced diet consisting of at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, as well as whole grain, low fat dairy products and small servings of lean meat, poultry, fish or pulses may not be getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals. As we age, the inability to chew and ageing itself may make the absorption and utilization of certain nutrients more difficult. Problem nutrients for older people are vitaminC, D, B6, B12 and folic acid, as well as some minerals, including zinc. Women of childbearing age needs iron, folic acid and calcium daily. Supplementation is the best way to get enough iron and folic acid due to better absorption by the body than when found naturally in foods.

Teenagers, especially teenage girls, do not consume enough iron. Iron supplementation during adolescence can prevent a decline in their body’s iron stores. Children need extra nutrition for their growing bodies. Children can be given special chewables and tasty multivitamin and mineral supplements along with protein and vitamin drinks and shakes.

Vegetarians, who do not consume animal products, may not get enough protein, iron, vitaminB12, zinc and calcium. People on low calorie diets, and persons who are heavy drinkers or smokers, are likely to be deficient in their requirement of vitamins and minerals.