Ayurveda FAQs
How Can Ayurveda Help Me?
According
to Ayurveda, many types of chronic, recurrent and seasonal disorders can
result from deficiency or aggravation of
the doshas. Ayurveda’s aim is to balance
the doshas in order to restore health, rather than directly treat the
symptoms of disease. Some typical signs of
imbalance include:
Pitta
– skin disorders, boils, allergies, burning urination, impatience, easily
angered
Vata
- headache, aches and pains of the joints, mental instability, confusion,
insomnia, anxiety, indigestion.
Kapha - coughs and
colds, mucous formation, constipation, lack of energy, wanting to
oversleep.
Your
doshas can become imbalanced for many reasons, but two crucial areas that
can make significant improvements to your mental and physical wellbeing
are :
- a diet
of fresh unprocessed foods, ideally prepared daily, and suitable to your
dosha type
- following practical, daily routines for cleansing, elimination, water
intake, sleep and exercise.
Ayurveda can show
us how to restore balance in ALL areas of our lives.
What does an Ayurvedic
consultation with Raman Das involve?
In
the initial consultation, which is for a minimum of an hour,
a pulse diagnosis is done. This is to assess the
amplitude, rhythm, volume, temperature, movement and
strength of the pulse. The eyes are also checked to see the
color, shape, movement and shine. Tongue diagnosis is done
to check the color, coating, thickness, shape and surface.
The breathing is observed to watch its rhythm for example
slow, rapid, deep, shallow, long or short. The breath is
checked to see its temperature, moisture and how far it can
be felt from the nose. The skin surface is also touched to
assess whether it is soft, dry, rough, smooth, cold, warm,
clammy, moist or oily.
Your
aura is read and face diagnosed by looking at its shape. The
morphology (shape) of your body/limbs are assessed, and the
palm lines and your hands examined.
Questions about your lifestyle and diet are asked. If you
are a woman you would be asked about your menstrual cycle
and any pregnancies.
Through checking all of these things and asking questions a
proper assessment can be made, then Ayurvedic preparations
and lifestyle/diet advice can be given.
When should an Ayurvedic
Practitioner be consulted?
You can consult a practitioner at any time whether sick or
not. If you are in a state of imbalance, a customised
Ayurvedic treatment plan can be advised. If you feel
basically healthy then you can be advised on how to keep
your body in a balanced and optimised state and
according to your prakriti be told in what ways your body may
react if the balance is not kept.
How much time
does it take to feel the effects of Ayurvedic preparations, dietary advice
and life style changes?
Typically it takes one week to six
weeks according to the individual body type to feel the effect of
Ayurvedic preparations, dietary advice and life style changes. In
chronic cases it takes longer to balance the doshas, but you should feel
changes in symptoms, physical and emotional changes or improvement within
that timeframe. After every consultation gradually you should feel
improvement - the lessening of symptoms and improvements in vitality and
energy, texture of skin and appearance.
What are the Ayurvedic
remedies made from?
Ayurvedic preparations are
made from a combination of many herbs and minerals.
Traditional Ayurvedic herbs are those native to the Indian
subcontinent. Raman Das formulates and prepares
a customised blend of these Indian
herbs according to your needs after consultation.
Generally they are from the whole plant, not an extract, and
are in a powdered form for maximum assimilation by the
digestive system. They are taken mixed with a suitable
anupana - such as honey, milk, water (hot, warm or
cold), juice, ghee etc, which helps to activate and assists
the absorption of the preparation into the body.
Are there any side effects to
Ayurvedic medicine and treatments?
Changing your diet and daily regime to suit your dosha type
may take some time to adjust to, if it is quite a bit
different to what you have done in the past.
With Ayurvedic preparations, generally there are no side
effects,
however occasionally some discomfort or nausea may be felt
as the herbs take effect and the body is adjusting.
This can be alleviated by taking certain foods or juice
after the preparations. Often, discomfort is a result
of weak digestion and a build up of ama (toxins),
hence treatment is also focused on strengthening the
digestive system along with any other imbalances.
Ayurvedic medicine has many positive effects; it can
indirectly help with other conditions apart from the one
being treated. This is because the herbs have been chosen
due to the fundamental principles of the body.
How Ayurveda works for beauty and skin
care.
The Centre
has a number of Ayurvedic products and preparations for internal
consumption as well as for external application, which are beneficial for
both men and women in promoting
radiance in the skin, hair and nails. For dry
skin, I have preparations which help to increase the production of
mucilaginous substances in the body, balance the lubricants of the skin,
and detoxify the internal channels, resulting in softer more supple skin.
Vata balancing oils are also helpful for dry skin. According to the
Ayurvedic concept, dry skin conditions are due to Vata imbalance in the
digestive tract. So all the internal preparations given are for balancing
Vata.
Often the beauty of the person is
enhanced through the taking of Ayurvedic preparations which
were prescribed for another condition but have an indirect
effect on the skin, hair and nails.
Can Ayurveda help in the case of bone
injury, sports injury or chronic pain due to an accident?
In the case
of bone injury, sports injury etc, Ayurvedic preparations are working as a
supplement to strengthen and heal the system internally. For
accident and trauma injuries it is best to receive immediate attention
from your Medical Doctor or Hospital. In many cases, Ayurveda can
assist in the recovery and healing process and is complementary to any
ongoing treatment given by your Medical Doctor.
Can Ayurvedic medicine be
taken at the same time as orthodox prescribed medicine?
In
my experience to date I have not seen side effects occurring
as a result of taking Ayurvedic medicine alongside
orthodox medicine. You may find over time you are able
to gradually reduce the dosage of your pharmaceutical
medicine, as your body comes back into balance through
Ayurvedic treatment. This would need to be done under
the guidance of your Medical Practitioner, and depends on
the specific condition being treated.
Can Ayurvedic medicine help
after a course of orthodox medicine has been taken?
According to individual needs Ayurvedic medicine can help to
alleviate the after effects of orthodox medicine in
conjunction with the Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle changes recommended.
Is there anything in Ayurveda
which can be helpful during Chemotherapy?
During chemotherapy people can have problems with nausea,
constipation and hair loss. I have been able to help them
considerably in the relief of all these side effects.
What kinds of Ailments can
Ayurveda help with?
According to Ayurveda, many diseases arise as a result of
dosha imbalance, so by bringing the doshas back into balance
according to your constitutional type, through the use of
dietary and lifestyle modifications and Ayurvedic herbs, can
result in reduction or elimination of many disease symptoms.
Some typical health concerns helped through Ayurvedic
principles are given below:
Management of Chronic and
Recurring Sickness
