Ayurveda

Taraxacum officinale.

Proposed Sanskrit: tooth of the lion, simhasyadADAkaH

bitter,sweet/cooling/pungent.

PK- V+

On an herb trip one of the instructors had a printed T-shirt that said ” If you can’t beat em eat em”. This is referring to the plant with the yellow flowers that appear in the spring time. Flowers that open with the morning sun and close in the evening and in gray weather.

By the way - spring time is time to clean our liver not just our house.

Our Dandelion, considered an obnoxious, annoying weed that won’t go away despite our efforts to eradicate it.

It is hardy, abundant, and ever there. It is thought that Dandelion was introduced to America by the pioneers from Europe and Asia. Why? Because since ancient times it was widely and successfully used as a food, a medicine, and a dye.

In the U.S. it is seen more and more in the grocery stores. The systems affected by Dandelion are the liver, stomach, kidneys, and bladder. Its properties are diuretic, hepatic [medicinal action on the liver], chologogue [stimulates bile in the liver], anti rheumatic, laxative, and tonic.

Dandelion plant is traditionally used as a tonic, blood purifier, for constipation, and liver, gall bladder, kidney ailments, inflammatory skin conditions, joint pain, eczema, weak digestion, and rheumatism. Chinese medicine uses Dandelion for lung, breast tumors abscesses, and hepatitis.

A red dye is made from the Dandelion root.

Dandelion contains vitamins A [ a richer source than carrots], B [thiamine, nicotinic acid], C and D. And minerals magnesium, zinc, potassium,manganese, copper. And more iron and calcium than spinach. There is boron, silicon, and hi carotenoid. More beta carotene than carrots, more potassium than broccoli or spinach.

The root is dried, roasted and ground for a coffee substitute that has no caffeine. The roots are used in the treatment of rheumatism because they are a mild anti-inflammatory. Root is used for dyspepsia, loss of appetite, a diuretic, and for disorders associated with inhibited bile secretion from the liver.

Young leaves are less bitter - with the flowers are eaten raw in salads. Leaves can be cooked or boiled as a pot herb.

The leaves are a diuretic with a good source of natural potassium. Thus, can be use for water retention and bloating with the flatulence and loss of appetite.

The fresh juice is applied externally to kill bacteria and help heal wounds. The white sap from fresh leaves eases pain from sores and bee stings, removes calluses, corns, warts, and acne.

However, some people may be allergic to the milky sap.

People with gallstones should be under a physicians care when using Dandelion. The bitter compounds in the root help stimulate digestion are are mildly laxative. The acidity may cause hyperacidity in some people and may increase pain in those with ulcers.

Because of the increased bile secretion, people with bile duct obstruction or other serious gall bladder and gall stones should avoid Dandelion or be under a physician’s care.

There are no known drug interactions with Dandelion. But, the drugs used to decrease blood sugar levels [hypoglycemic medicines] may work with Dandelion root to lower the blood sugar levels further. And the physician may adjust the medicine doses.

People taking blood thinning drugs or anti-inflammatory drugs be in contact with your physician. Because, in Dandelion there are chemical compounds similar to warfarin [coumadin]. If you plan on taking herbs for treatment of an illness first talk to a certified herbalist or health practitioner.

Always be aware of the side effects of the modern, experimental, pharmaceutical drugs. Is it better to take care of one symptom or organ while the others are being damaged?

After all of that here is a tasty receipe:

Dip full bloom Dandelion flowers in a bowl of water, then dip in corn meal, and saute [not fry] 2 minutes in butter or ghee or an oil you like. You can add spices that you like. Yummmm. ‘

Here is a Dandelion wine receipe from Ann Drucker’s herb class:

3 quarts dandelion blossoms 2 1/2 lbs. sugar 2 lemons 1 orange 1 yeast cake [any variety] Pour 5 quarts boiling water over the blossoms. Let stand between 3 hours to 3 days.

Strain, add the sugar, lemon and orange rinds. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Cut up orange lemons. And pour cooked mixture on top of fruit.

When mixture cools to just above body temp. add yeast which has been dissolved in 1 cup of the warm mixture. Let entire mixture stand 12 hours, then strain.

Let it stand for 2 months and strain again. Sample in 4-6 months.

It is traditional to make the wine at the summer solstice and drink it in the winter.

A Dandelion Italiano receipe from Ann’s class:

Put 3-4 cups dandelion leaves in a pot. Boil water separately and pour over the leaves. Let water come to a boil, then strain. Repeat with new water.

In a skillet saute 6+ cloves garlic. Turn off heat and add the dandelions. Mix in 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp. vinegar, 1 tbsp tamari. Adjust to your taste.

References: class notes takes over the years. And the dictionary.

Louise

Holy Moley.

Here is a study in the New Scientist that is just about as positive as can be.

“It can almost completely correct the measurable defects of the disease,” says Michael Caplan at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, US, part of the research team.

It doesn’t get any better than that, at least in mice.

Caplan cautions that this does not necessarily mean that curcumin will work in humans. He notes that Asian people do have a much lower incidence of the disease, but says this may have more to do with population genetics than with more turmeric in their diet.

“It would be great if people had figured out 2000 years ago that this stuff works and we’re just rediscovering it,” he says. A human clinical trial is now being launched by the US Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

I am keenly interested in cystic fibrosis these days, having just written a long paper on a case study using Ayurveda and astrology.

More on that and how turmeric makes PERFECT sense in the case study when the paper actually comes from press.

Renay

In this video, two doctors on Medscape describe highly technical, mechanical and avant garde attempts to simulate valuable ancient analysis of complex pulsatile blood pressure.

When they speak of the benefits of accessing the wave interactions of blood flow and flowback from the entire arterial tree, I am reminded of Dr. Lad speaking of pulse analysis as really an effort to describe a tree using only words.

Stunning, the wisdom of ancient Ayurveda.

For a nice article on Ayurvedic pulse reading from a student at the California College of Ayurveda, click here.

Renay

Here is an article in the New York Times where WAM (Western Allopathic Medicine) shows some preliminary evidence that the mother’s diet affects the gender of upcoming children.

the consistency of the trend offers an explanation for the small but consistent decline in the proportion of boys born in industrialized countries over the last 40 years, where even though women in general appear to be consuming more, eating habits have changed

I am touched by the reader’s comments that basically say “No WAY is that possible.”

Yet, we were taught just such knowledge in detail in yesterday’s Ayurvedic class taught by Dr. Sarita Srestha. It is ancient knowledge by the village practitioners with aeons of combined experience.

Here’s another case of Ayurveda ahead of the WAM curve. Cool.

Renay

Um, yeah.

We know this as pitta.

A study in The New York Times also says that spicier night time meals lead to higher body temperatures as well. WAM (Western Allopathic Medicine) doesn’t know why, but it’s basic to Ayurveda. Such usefulness is Ayurveda!

Renay

In this excerpt, Deepak Chopra talks about being given primordial sounds by the Great Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

“By comparison, the drugs and surgery you are used to using are very crude.”

I think it makes all the sense in the world, using sound to cure.

We are vibrations, even physicists agree.

Like attracts like, Dr. Lad says, and how can an ocean of vibrations not be affected by a (so-called) external cone of sound.

Renay

On one side is scientific inquiry, with its breathtaking record of achievement and understanding. On the other side is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), an umbrella term for remedies that are based on tradition and spiritualism, which receives heartfelt anecdotal support but little else to vouch for its efficacy.

I am still amazed at this debate. On one hand we have a tradition that a short 150 years ago had their surgeons sharpening their knives on the bottoms of their boots (Western medicine) and on the other (CAM) there are treatises 3000 years old that describe the microscopic structures of virii and bacteria.

Medscape’s “Integrative Medicine Resource Center” has nothing on real Evidence Based Medicine, the results for thousands of years of billions of people treated with Ayurveda.

Suspicious doctors scoff at small study sizes for Western CAM while minimizing their active scope of practice.

See my bibliography for references to my attempts to bridge the two fields, CAM and science, that are not very far apart at all.

Neuroscientists tell us that children do science natively and naively. Adults do Ayurveda, globally and completely.

This information is for informational purposes only. Consult your health practitioner if you need health advice.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa, Zingi beracea) is an anti-bacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant. In Sanskrit it is Haridra.

For strains, bruises, itching, or swelling, 1/2 teaspoon and a pinch of salt are used for external application to the area.

One cup warm milk and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and a pinch of saffron or alum added is used as a healing drink and pain reliever.

For boils, equal parts ginger powder and turmeric (1/2 teaspoon of each) are mixed with water to make a paste and applied. The boil will come to a head.

Acne is said to be helped by equal parts turmeric and sandalwood with water added to make a paste.

For burns, a paste of fresh aloe vera gel and a pinch of turmeric is used, or ghee or coconut oil is applied.

For sore throat, one gargles a mix of one cup hot water with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gargle morning and evening or drink 1 cup hot milk boiled with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.

For sores and wounds, its anti-bacterial quality helps prevent infections. Mix turmeric powder with some coconut oil or aloe vera.

You can use this on your pets too.

For cuts, cover with turmeric, then tape or gauze.

For bites and stings, apply turmeric and sandalwood paste.

To keep ants out of your home: make a line of turmeric powder outside your doors.

Turmeric is also used as a culinary spice and in religious ceremonies, as well as a textile dye.

Put a bit of turmeric on the meat cooking so that it will be digested easier.

It is a good source of B6, dietary fiber, and potassium, as well as an excellent source of iron and manganese.

Doshic effect:

Vaata, Pitta, Kapha decreasing, Pitta and Vaata increasing in excess.

This is only touching on the surface of what Turmeric might be capable of helping to heal.

Scientific studies are showing that it might help major illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, Cystic Fibrosis and arthritis.

Louise

This is not medical advice, just showing what Ayurveda has successfully practiced centuries before Western Civilization.

Every once in a while there will be articles on this site about herbs for first aid by Louise.

Dr. Lad talked often about how much you can learn by looking at a person’s nails.

Diabetes, heart attacks, hyperthyroidism… it’s all there, with simple noninvasive rugna patrakam (physical analysis).

Now, Medscape has published a comprehensive article on this very subject, 40 some pages long, where the following are discussed:

• Overall vitality;
• Inner emotional state;
• Cerebral dominance;
• Occupations and hobbies;
• Medical history;
• Nutritional status;
• Cardiovascular function;
• Rheumatic conditions; and
• Dermatologic problems.

Lots of good information here!

I was so happy to see this article. Not only does it give plenty of really helpful tips, with pictures, it is a strong confirmation of Ayurveda’s validity.

You will need to sign in to view the article but it is quite worth it.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/571916

Renay