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14 episodes with Rasayana
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2 episodes with Rasayana
4 episodes with Rasayana
2 episodes with Rasayana
4 episodes with Rasayana
3 episodes with Rasayana
Addiction, from an Ayurvedic lens, is more than just a physical dependence—it's a deep imbalance in the body, mind, and spirit. It often arises from a disconnect from one's true self (Prakriti) and an accumulation of toxins (Ama), whether physical, emotional, or energetic. Many turn to substances in an attempt to soothe inner suffering, regulate emotions, or fill a void left by trauma or unresolved pain. • Vata imbalances can manifest as anxiety, restlessness, and a pervasive sense of emptiness, driving the urge to escape through addiction. • Pitta imbalances fuel intense cravings, impulsivity, and self-destructive tendencies. • Kapha imbalances create stagnation, attachment, and emotional heaviness, making it harder to break free from addictive cycles.Substance use depletes Ojas (vital essence) and Prana (life force energy), but Ayurveda offers a path to rebuild through nourishment, breathwork, meditation, and detoxification practices like Panchakarma and Rasayana (rejuvenation therapy). By restoring balance through daily routines (Dinacharya) and sattvic living, we cultivate clarity, resilience, and self-awareness—key elements in long-term healing.Today, we're honored to sit down with Rob Loud, a yoga teacher whose journey through drug and alcohol addiction led him to a path of deep transformation. Rob describes his teaching style as embodied vinyasa, drawing wisdom from multiple yogic lineages. His passion for yoga is evident—not just in his classes, which are creative, intelligent, and dynamic—but in the way he lives his practice.In this conversation, Rob opens up about his early struggles with addiction, the trauma that shaped him, and how rewiring his nervous system through yoga became the foundation of his recovery. We discuss how yoga not only supports sobriety but also helps navigate both daily stressors and the deeper emotional wounds that addiction often masks.This is a raw, vulnerable conversation—one that invites us all into a deeper intimacy with ourselves, our inner child, and the universal thread that unites us: compassion for the suffering we all experience as human beings.Rob, thank you for your wisdom, your presence, and the light you bring to your students, on and off the mat. Send us a textSupport the showTo learn more about us, please visit www.OjasOasis.com Connect with us @ojasoasis on Instagram
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Send us a textAs I head into winter here in the Northeast United States, I am renewing my restorative practices. Restoration is an important component of both the somatic and Ayurvedic practices that I do.And although restoration embodies simplicity in its nature it is not always an easy thing to do.In this episode I dive into the crucial yet often overlooked stage of restoration within the stress response cycle. Journeying through the stages of activation, mobilization, actualization, deactivation, and ultimately, restoration, the episode highlights the transformative power of proper rest and rejuvenation. Emphasis is placed on how modern lifestyles and cultural norms frequently sideline restoration, leading to burnout and reduced resilience. I share personal practices and Ayurvedic wisdom to foster restoration, from yoga nidra and meditation to herbal remedies. The episode also addresses the broader cultural implications of valuing rest, advocating for a shift in societal norms toward recognizing rest as essential rather than a luxury. In this episode:Understanding the Stress Response CycleThe Importance of RestorationPersonal Practices for RestorationAyurvedic and Herbal ApproachesCultural Norms and the Value of RestRelated Episodes:Episode 59 - Befriending Stress: Riding the Waves of the Stress Response CycleEpisode 15 - Vibrancy is a Long Game (on Ojas)Episode 62 - Cultivating Ojas for a Healthy Libido with Larissa CarlsonReferences:Doshi GM, Une HD, Shanbhag PP. Rasayans and non-rasayans herbs: Future immunodrug - Targets. Pharmacogn Rev. 2013 Jul;7(14):92-6. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.120506. PMID: 24347916; PMCID: PMC3842000.My resources:Deep Rest MeditationNourished For Resilience Workbook Book a free Exploratory CallFind me at www.nourishednervoussystem.comand @nourishednervoussytem on Instagram
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Das Konzept: Rasayana" ist ein ganz besonderes und individuelles Konzept, um in die eigene Kraft zu kommen und diese zu erhalten.Egal, ob Du nun Vata, Pita oder Kapha als Konstitution hast - für alles ist ein "Kraut " gewachsen. Für alle Dosha-Typen gibt es spezifische Rasayanas.Höre Dir diesen Podcast an und erfahre, welche Rasayanas für Vata, Pitta und Kapha förderlich sind.Und wenn Du tiefer in die Welt des Ayurveda einsteigen möchtest, dann gibt es hier die Gelegenheit, Ayurveda zu verinnerlichen.Ich wünsche Dir viel Freude beim Zuhören.Herzliche GrüßeWolfgangAyurveda-Lehrer der Ayurvedaschule
sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Video Course: “Ayurvedic food and Nutrition”https://www.easyayurveda.com/nutrition/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Willkommen zu dieser neuen Podcastfolge, in der ich in das faszinierende Thema des Well Aging eintauchen werde. Hast du dich jemals gefragt, wie du nicht nur länger, sondern auch gesünder und glücklicher leben kannst? Die Antwort könnte im Ayurveda und seiner speziellen Rasayana-Therapie liegen. In dieser Folge erfährst du: Wie alte ayurvedische Weisheiten uns heute helfen können, vital und jugendlich zu bleiben. Warum Ernährung und tägliche Routinen eine zentrale Rolle für ein gesundes Altern spielen. Welche natürlichen Heilmittel und Praktiken dich dabei unterstützen können, Stress zu reduzieren und deine mentale Gesundheit zu fördern. Die Bedeutung von Schlaf, Bewegung und sozialen Verbindungen für ein erfülltes und langes Leben. Und schließlich, wie du durch präventive Maßnahmen und Anpassungen deinen Lebensstil optimieren kannst. Lass dich inspirieren von bewährten Techniken und modernen Erkenntnissen, die dir helfen, das Beste aus deinem Leben zu machen – unabhängig von deinem Alter. Mach dich bereit für praktische Tipps, tiefes Wissen und spannende Einblicke in die Welt des Ayurveda und Rasayana. Ich wünsche dir gute Erkenntnisse in diesem Podcast. Deine Annette ⭐Du möchtest das Well-Aging Retreat buchen? Das freut mich sehr. Schreibe mir an folgende E-Mail-Adresse eine kurze Nachricht: kontakt@drannettejasper.de ⭐Hier findest du den Link zu meinem kostenfreien Parodontitis Workshop. https://parodontitis.drannettejasper.de/ ⭐Besuche mich gerne auf Instagram und teile deine Gedanken zu diesem Podcast. https://instagram.com/dr_annette_jasper ⭐Sehr gerne kannst du mich in meiner Online Sprechstunde besuchen: https://drannettejasper.de/online-sprechstunde/ ⭐Oder möchtest du mich in meinem Zentrum in München aufsuchen? Du bist herzlich willkommen: https://drjasper.de/
Veda Spirit - Dein Podcast für mehr Lebenskraft und ganz viel Herz
Ein stabiles Vata hat unglaublich wertvolle Eigenschaften für dein Leben. In dieser Folge erfährst du: ➤Wie ein erhöhtes Vata aussehen kann ➤Warum ein stabiles Vata dir Resilienz gibt ➤Was Rasayana und Ojas - deine Lebensessenz damit zu tun haben ➤Warum das altern mit Vata schöner und gesünder wird ➤Warum das Vata deine Hochsensitivität und den 6.Sinn unterstützt
Sign up to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes by clicking the link belowhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Bookhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/tridosha-made-easy-3/Buy Tridosha Made Easy Book in Spanish LanguageEl corazón de los doshas: Nuevo librohttps://www.easyayurveda.com/el-corazon-de-los-doshas/Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Buy our new course on Marma Therapy Part 1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Click to know more about Easy Ayurveda Hospitalhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/hospital/Buy our new course on Marma Therapyhttps://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1Subscribe to Easy Ayurveda Video Classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/Subscribe to our free Easy Ayurveda newsletter here (you can unsubscribe and stop them anytime) - https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Buy our course on diabetes reversal, powered by Madhavbaug https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes Buy our online video course on Treatment of cardiac disorders with Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/heartMaster ECG in one week. Sign up for video course https://www.easyayurveda.com/ecgContact Dr. MB Gururaja BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja Contact Dr. Raghuram YS BAMS MD (Ayu)https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram Buy Easy Ayurveda Ebooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book Buy Easy Ayurveda Printed Books https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
Wir sind mittendrin im Dezember – und damit in der kalten Jahreszeit angekommen. Diese Zeit eignet sich perfekt dazu, den Körper zu regenerieren und unsere Ressourcen aufzufüllen. Sorgen wir mit der richtigen Zuwendung und den richtigen Nährstoffen für uns, können wir unser Körpergewebe nähren und sogar verjüngen. Diese Verjüngung, die im Ayurveda als Rasayana bezeichnet wird, möchte ich dir heute näher vorstellen. Ich hoffe, du kannst sie nutzen, um dich zu regenerieren und in der kalten Jahreszeit in Balance zu bleiben! Viel Freude beim Zuhören! Namasté, Christiane. Mehr zu Christiane und zum FlowingOm findest du hier. Du möchtest dein Yoga-Wissen vertiefen und dein persönliches und berufliches Potential voll ausschöpfen? Informiere dich gerne über die FlowingOm-Yogalehrer*innenausbildung! Wenn du noch mehr über das Lebenskonzept des Ayurveda erfahren möchtest, kannst du dir auch die Ayurveda-Ausbildung für Yogalehrende ansehen.
Thu, 07 Dec 2023 05:06:00 +0000 https://genussfreudig.podigee.io/33-new-episode ea4c14493120dbde5f1bea0ecbc2f799 Rasayana - Verjüngungs- und Stärkungsmittel - werden Superfoods im Ayurveda genannt Im Ayurveda kennen wir viele tolle Superfoods, Rasayana genannt. Für diese Folge habe ich 5 davon ausgewählt, die du unbedingt kennen und möglichst häufig in deine Ernährung integrieren solltest. Du möchtest mehr über die hormonfreundliche Wohlfühlernährung mit Ayurveda erfahren? CYCLE WISDOM - in 8 Wochen zu einem harmonischen Zyklus frei von monatlichen Schmerzen & Drama Start im Januar 2024 - Trag dich jetzt in die Warteliste ein! Meine aktuellen Angebote findest du auf meiner Website Folge mir gerne auf Instagram: @genussfreudig_ayurveda 33 full Rasayana - Verjüngungs- und Stärkungsmittel - werden Superfoods im Ayurveda genannt no Angelika Hauser
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00:00 Introduction00:29 Case Study- Nasal Polyp, Its Ayurveda Management05:10 Septilin Tablet - Uses07:46 Kanchanara Guggulu VS Triphala guggulu in cysts and growths 12:29 Case of Fatigue with vitamin deficiency15:53 Panchakarma for OsteoArthritis 20:49 Herbal Oils for Arthritis 28:59 Upakarma therapies for Osteoarthritis 35:11 Liniments for Arthritis 36:33 Rasayana – anti aging therapy for arthritis 38:33 Guggulu tablets, Kashaya for arthritis 44:19 Diet Sign up to Online Course on Marma Therapy https://www.easyayurveda.com/marma1/ Sign up for Easy Ayurveda weekly video classes https://www.easyayurveda.com/video-classes/ Sign up for Easy Ayurveda Diabetes Course https://www.easyayurveda.com/diabetes/ Sign up for Treatment for Cardiac disorders Course https://www.easyayurveda.com/heart Subscribe to free Easy Ayurveda Email newsletter https://forms.aweber.com/form/58/2129766958.htm Contact Dr Gururaja https://www.easyayurveda.com/gururaja/ Contact Dr Raghuram https://www.easyayurveda.com/raghuram/ Buy Easy Ayurveda EBooks https://www.easyayurveda.com/my-book/ Buy Books on Ayurveda https://www.easyayurveda.com/books/
In part one of this discussion on Ayurveda's empowering approach to aging and longevity, Colette covered five of the six components of aging according to Ayurveda: Physical health Mental health Diet Sleep Stress management In this episode Colette talks about the sixth component of aging, rasayana. Rasayana is the study of anti-aging, longevity and rejuvenation in Ayurveda. The main purpose of rasayana therapy is to slow down aging, delaying the degenerative process of the body, preventing disease and promoting health and wellbeing. She covers four types of rasayana: Ahara rasayana - food Aushadha rasayana - herbs and formulations Vihara rasayana - lifestyle Acharya rasayana - behaviour * Thanks to the sponsors of this episode: Kerala Ayurveda Academy For $100 off tuition, use the Reference Code Elements100 when you join a first level certification Mount Madonna Institute Receive $100 off tuition when you register before December 31st, 2022 with discount code Elements22 * Visit Colette's website www.elementshealingandwellbeing.com Online consultations Discounted Group Digestive Reset Cleanse starting Sept 2nd, 2022 Private at-home Digestive Reset Cleanse tailored to you Educational programs - Daily Habits for Holistic Health Have questions before you book? Book a FREE 15 min online Services Enquiry Call * Join the Elements of Ayurveda Community! * Stay connected on the Elements Instagram and Facebook pages. * Thanks for listening!
Wie bei den Episoden zu heimischen Wildkräutern versprochen, erzähle ich Dir in dieser kleinen Serie etwas über die wichtigsten Ayurvedischen Heilkräuter. Inzwischen sind diese ja sogar bei uns problemlos erhältlich – weil sie halt wirklich gut sind
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha's incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha's superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis boost various components of the immune system protect the brain and nervous system slow down or even kill abnormal cells enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it's standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let's take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha's benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we're stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body's response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body's internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body's response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body's early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha's Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. Resources: [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study. KSM-66 Ashwagandha: A Superhero Herb for Body & Brain
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha's incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha's superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis boost various components of the immune system protect the brain and nervous system slow down or even kill abnormal cells enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it's standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let's take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha's benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we're stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body's response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body's internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body's response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body's early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha's Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. Resources: [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study. KSM-66 Ashwagandha: A Superhero Herb for Body & Brain
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34. I am without attributes and actions; Eternal (Nitya) without any desire and thought (Nirvikalpa), without any dirt (Niranjana), without any change (Nirvikara), without form (Nirakara), ever-liberated (Nitya Mukta) ever-pure (Nirmala).35. Like the space I fill all things within and without. Changeless and the same in all, at all times I am pure, unattached, stainless and motionless.36. I am verily that Supreme Brahman alone which is Eternal, Pure and Free, One, indivisible and non-dual and of the nature of Changeless-Knowledge-Infinite.37. The impression “I am Brahman” thus created by constant practice destroys ignorance and the agitation caused by it, just as medicine or Rasayana destroys disease.Please support this podcast by pressing the follow button and support Chinmaya Mission Mumbai projects taken up by Swami Swatmananda, through generous donations. Contribution by Indians in INR can be made online using this link: https://bit.ly/gdswatmanFor Foreign contributions please request an Indian National with Indian passport to use the above link and make the contribution.For any queries please send a mail to sswatmananda@gmail.com These podcasts @ChinmayaShivam are also available on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Podomatic, Amazon music and Google PodcastFB page: https://www.facebook.com/ChinmayaShivampageInsta: https://instagram.com/chinmayashivam?igshid=1twbki0v3vomtTwitter: https://twitter.com/chinmayashivamBlog: https://notesnmusings.blogspot.comLinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/in/swatmananda
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha's incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha's superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis boost various components of the immune system protect the brain and nervous system slow down or even kill abnormal cells enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it's standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let's take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha's benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we're stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body's response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body's internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body's response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body's early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha's Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. RESOURCES: [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study. KSM-66 Ashwagandha: A Superhero Herb for Body & Brain
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha's incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha's superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis boost various components of the immune system protect the brain and nervous system slow down or even kill abnormal cells enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it's standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let's take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha's benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we're stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body's response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body's internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body's response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body's early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha's Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. RESOURCES: [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study. KSM-66 Ashwagandha: A Superhero Herb for Body & Brain
Long-Term Allergen Support: Amrit & Triphala Super Herbs 30 min. With Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman If you listened to our last 3 episodes in this series, you've learned some natural, effective Ayurvedic strategies to help ease your discomfort in the short-term through diet, lifestyle, and herbs. But what about the long haul? Is it even possible to totally eradicate airborne and digestive sensitivities? We think so! But, as with everything in Ayurveda, it all depends on your individual constitution and lifestyle. In this episode, we'll share our number one secret for strengthening digestion and immunity long-term—the best way to alleviate discomfort. Join Shawn Diddy and Śankari Wegman and get the scoop. You'll learn: How working on your digestion and immunity, long-term, can dramatically reduce your response to common triggers like dust, dander, and certain food sensitivities. All about Amrit Kalash—the ultimate Ayurvedic super-antioxidant, and how it helps to shore up your immunity more than 1,000x better than vitamin C The Vedic history and modern science behind Amrit Kalash—what the ancient Vedic texts said thousands of years ago, and what doctors and research scientists are discovering now All about Triphala—another awesome, traditional Ayurvedic formula. This one's made of three synergistic fruits that tone and strengthen the digestive and GI systems, for better assimilation and immunity.
Episode Topics Warning So before we start, we’re going to go into Lost in Space - Warning Will Robinson - Warning Will Warning. What we’re going to be talking about today is about things that you put in your body to help your brain. We are not saying to take any of this. We are not endorsing anything. We are not recommending anything. We are just talking about it. So whatever you hear here, do your homework, study it and then decide yay or nay and go from there. Always be safe. Talking with Zack from BioHack Studios at 1010 Central Ave, in St Pete, FL Ghee - Ayurveda's favorite nootropic The influence of the real bitter taste on our emotional world and mental performance The influence of the real astringent taste on our emotional world and mental performance Horta - One of Greece's favorite superfoods Bait fish, lamb, sausage and olive oil are part of the ancestral way of cooking and eating in the Mani Peninsula, Greece - the Greek version of medhya rasayana What you can learn from observing dogs Ketogenic diet demystified Does our brain really need sugar? Was the Atkins diet a ketogenic diet? Time restricted eating according to Ayurveda Mitochondria and Divine Shakti Medhya rasayana through the real sweet taste Peptides - the future of biohacking? Can peptides be used in epigenetics? Prana vs Kundalini - Active life force vs potentiality Our chakra series can be found here: https://paleoayurvedapodcast.com/episode/crystals-chakras-and-your-mind-in-a-non-foofoo-way (https://paleoayurvedapodcast.com/episode/crystals-chakras-and-your-mind-in-a-non-foofoo-way) Zack can be contacted on Instagram @biohackzack and via email zack@biohackstudios.com Email us your feedback and any questions you may have at: ask.tim.and.vie@gmail.com You can help support our Podcast by giving as little as $1 per episode, our PayPal account is here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url ) May we all be well, adapt and thrive! - Tim and Vie Other Resources This series is brought to you by Yoga Energy School. It can be found at http://YogaEnergy.com (YogaEnergy.com) Yoga Energy School is offering Private Online Yoga Alliance registered 200-hr and 300-hr teacher trainings, continuing education and coming soon, retreats.. Both teacher trainings include three months of private mentorship after you complete the training in order to help you successfully implement everything you have learned in your professional and / or personal yogic / ayurvedic life. They can be found at http://YogaEnergy.com (YogaEnergy.com) Did you subscribe to the podcast? Did you share this episode with all your friends? Email us your feedback at: ask.tim.and.vie@gmail.com Yoga Energy's Training Library can be found at: https://training.asktimandvie.com (https://training.asktimandvie.com) You can help support our Podcast by giving as little as $1 per episode, our PayPal account is here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url ) May we all be well, adapt and thrive! - Tim and Vie For YA Registered Instructors Earn CEUs here: https://training.asktimandvie.com (https://training.asktimandvie.com) Disclaimer All information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this Podcast. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this Podcast. You assume all responsibilities and obligations with respect to any decisions, advice, conclusions or recommendations made or given as a... Support this podcast
Episode Topics Warning So before we start, we’re going to go into Lost in Space - Warning Will Robinson - Warning Will Warning. What we’re going to be talking about today is about things that you put in your body to help your brain. We are not saying to take any of this. We are not endorsing anything. We are not recommending anything. We are just talking about it. So whatever you hear here, do your homework, study it and then decide yay or nay and go from there. Always be safe. Talking with Zack from BioHack Studios at 1010 Central Ave, in St Pete, FL The definition of nootropics and their ancient Greek origins The definition of Medhya Rasayana and its Sanskrit origins Medhya Rasayana - the Ayurvedic version of nootropics Nootropics through history Nutrients - Herbs or organic material - Synthetics Coffee, cacao, coconut oil, MCT oil, butter, ghee, lard and tallow Brahmi, tulsi, shankapushpi, yashtimadhu, guduchi, shilajit Modafinil, Piracetam and Phenylpiracetam Nootropics according to Charaka Samhita What is the definition of health according to Charaka Ayurveda says that our digestion may not be as good as we think it is Insulin, ayurveda's nootropic gauge and nootropic regulator The ancient ayurvedic view on the hype of coffee enemas What is pancha karma Pancha karma according to ancient ayurveda Pancha karma and commodity ayurveda Internal oleation and internal heating From sipping hot water to saunas From donating blood to leeches Nitric oxide and beets vs nose breathing The dark side of the Kundalini energy manipulation The dark side of psychedelic experimentation Zack can be contacted on Instagram @biohackzack and via email zack@biohackstudios.com Email us your feedback and any questions you may have at: ask.tim.and.vie@gmail.com You can help support our Podcast by giving as little as $1 per episode, our PayPal account is here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url ) May we all be well, adapt and thrive! - Tim and Vie Other Resources This series is brought to you by Yoga Energy School. It can be found at YogaEnergy.com Yoga Energy School is offering Private Online Yoga Alliance registered 200-hr and 300-hr teacher trainings, continuing education and coming soon, retreats.. Both teacher trainings include three months of private mentorship after you complete the training in order to help you successfully implement everything you have learned in your professional and / or personal yogic / ayurvedic life They can be found at YogaEnergy.com Did you subscribe to the podcast? Did you share this episode with all your friends? Email us your feedback at: ask.tim.and.vie@gmail.com Yoga Energy's Training Library can be found at: https://training.asktimandvie.com (https://training.asktimandvie.com) You can help support our Podcast by giving as little as $1 per episode, our PayPal account is here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url (https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=7FDYKCGSKL3NL&source=url ) May we all be well, adapt and thrive! - Tim and Vie For YA Registered Instructors Earn CEUs here: https://training.asktimandvie.com (https://training.asktimandvie.com) Disclaimer All information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this Podcast. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this Podcast. You assume all responsibilities and obligations with respect to any decisions, advice, conclusions or recommendations made or given as a result of the use of this... Support this podcast
Chyawanprash-an ancient Ayurvedic formula made into a delicious jam that acts as a Rasayana to rejuvenate and heal the body. In this weeks episode I visit with Dr Jay Lokhande, product formulator for PIOR Chayawanprash and Selina Van Orden, PIOR Living Advisor about the history, benefits, ingredients and method of taking this ancient elixir. For a full transcript of the call, go to https://www.ayurvedalifeschoolpodcast.com/blog Get a 20% discount on a purchase of PIOR Chyawanprash use this link: https://piorliving.com/?ref=224 AND code ayurvedalifeschoolpior Reach out to Selina with Ayurvedic questions at https://piorliving.com/ask-selina Coming up soon-the Ayurveda 16 Day Spring Cleanse. Learn more and join this online guided cleanse at https://www.ayurvedalifeschool.com/seasonalcleanse See you online: https://www.ayurvedalifeschool.com Social Media: Ayurveda Life School Namaste.
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Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha’s incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha’s superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis • boost various components of the immune system • protect the brain and nervous system • slow down or even kill abnormal cells • enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it’s standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let’s take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha’s benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we’re stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body’s response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body’s internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body’s response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body’s early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. Deeper Dive Resources [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study.
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha’s incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha’s superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis • boost various components of the immune system • protect the brain and nervous system • slow down or even kill abnormal cells • enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it’s standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let’s take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha’s benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we’re stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body’s response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body’s internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body’s response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body’s early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent. Deeper Dive Resources [1] An Overview on Ashwagandha: A Rasayana (Rejuvenator) of Ayurveda. [2] Scientific basis for the use of Indian ayurvedic medicinal plants in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders: ashwagandha. [3] Scientific Basis for the Therapeutic Use of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review. [4] Anti‐stress activity of sitoindosides VII and VIII, new acylsterylglucosides from Withania somnifera. [5] A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. [6] KSM-66 Ashwagandha Documentary [7] Society for Endocrinology: You and Your Hormones – Cortisol. [8] An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. [9] Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. [10] Withaferin A Protects Against High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Via Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Insulin Resistance. [11] Treatment of osteoarthritis with a herbomineral formulation: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. [12] Efficacy & safety evaluation of Ayurvedic treatment (Ashwagandha powder & Sidh Makardhwaj) in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a pilot prospective study. [13] The relationship between chondroprotective and antiinflammatory effects of Withania somnifera root and glucosamine sulphate on human osteoarthritic cartilage in vitro. [14] Efficacy of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera [L.] Dunal) in improving cardiorespiratory endurance in healthy athletic adults. [15] Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. [16] Effects of an Aqueous Extract of Withania somnifera on Strength Training Adaptations and Recovery: The STAR Trial. [17] In vivo effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on the activation of lymphocytes. [18] In vivo enhancement of natural killer cell activity through tea fortified with Ayurvedic herbs. [19] In vivo, Extract from Withania somnifera Root Ameliorates Arthritis via Regulation of Key Immune Mediators of Inflammation in Experimental Model of Arthritis. [20] Effects of Ashwagandha (roots of Withania somnifera) on neurodegenerative diseases. [21] Neuritic regeneration and synaptic reconstruction induced by withanolide A. [22] Combinations of Ashwagandha leaf extracts protect brain-derived cells against oxidative stress and induce differentiation. [23] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) Root Extract in Improving Memory and Cognitive Functions. [24] Medicinal Plants from Near East for Cancer Therapy. [25] Withaferin A: From ayurvedic folk medicine to preclinical anti-cancer drug. [26] Identification of Withaferin A as a Potential Candidate for Anti-Cancer Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. [27] Withaferin A inhibits expression of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase and enhances sensitivity of human breast cancer cells to cisplatin. [28] Subcritical water extraction of withanosides and withanolides from ashwagandha (Withania somnifera L) and their biological activities. [29] Cytotoxic Withanolides from the Roots of Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera). [30] Clinical Evaluation of the Spermatogenic Activity of the Root Extract of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Oligospermic Males: A Pilot Study. [31] Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng) in male infertility: An evidence-based systematic review and meta-analysis. [32] Efficacy and Safety of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) Root Extract in Improving Sexual Function in Women: A Pilot Study. [33] Safety assessment of Withania somnifera extract standardized for Withaferin A: Acute and sub-acute toxicity study.
RASAYANA, l'anti-aging (ringiovanimento) ayurvedico
¡Bienvenidos a Relatos de un Cerebro! En este episodio, conversamos con Andrea Fernández y Daniela Ponce, miembros del grupo psicológico Rasayana. Andrea y Daniela nos compartieron sobre temas muy interesantes que existen dentro de la terapia infantil. ¿Cuáles son los beneficios del juego y la arteterapia en el proceso terapéutico? ¡Escucha este episodio de Relatos de un Cerebro para descubrir detalles sobre estas terapias tan únicas!
Enter the mindful world of Ayurvedic Medicine as Mason and practitioner/teacher Wayne Celeban go deep into the holistic layers of Ayurvedic cleansing; A revered ancient system with a unique and gentle approach. With a focus on the importance of springtime cleansing, the undeniable health benefits of being in flow with the seasons, and the sophisticated system of Ayurvedic cleansing, Wayne takes us on a complete journey into bringing the body back to a state of balance and optimal health. ''In Ayurveda, everything can be used as medicine. Everything is potential medicine, but everything is also a potential poison. It means the right application is key". - Wayne Celeban Mason and Wayne discuss: The importance of adaptability in business, personal life, health, and how the season's interplay with these aspects. Getting into the flow of the intent and energy of different seasons. The value of gearing rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations to seasonal changes; How this aspect alone can bring us closer to nature, connect us with the foods that grow seasonally, and build our understanding of the kinds of foods to prepare. The importance of cleansing in spring as a necessary means of supporting that natural elimination process and bolstering our health. The concept of Panchakarma; the five actions of elimination used in Ayurvedic cleansing (Nasal administration, Vamana, Virechana, Basti, and Rakta Moksha). Addressing cellular health and cleansing tissues at a deeper level to ensure that channels of elimination are working optimally when cleansing. The importance of membrane health, gut biodiversity & microbiome health. Enema therapy within Ayurvedic medicine; looking at the large bowel as a route for administering medicine, the relationship it has with the nervous system, mind & endocrine system. The Ayurvedic diet, what it provides, and the role of specific food preparations for vitality and maximum nourishment. Medicated ghee and its vital role in Ayurvedic cleansing. Herbal Steam Therapy to support cleansing; the positive effects it has on dopamine/serotonin levels and how it regulates the nervous system. The importance of cleansing to keep the sense organs healthy and functioning, as ultimately all the things that we love in this life, we experience and perceive through our sense organs. Who is Wayne Celeban? Wayne Celeban is a Naturopath and Ayurvedic practitioner with over 18 years experience in clinical practice. Wayne has studied in numerous Ayurvedic clinics and hospitals in India including JSS Ayurvedic University, Mysore. In 2012 Wayne was accepted into the SDM Ayurvedic Hospital and College post-graduate internship program in Hassan, India where he continues his clinical training. To achieve successful outcomes for his clients, Wayne combines the 5000-year-old traditions of Ayurveda and Yoga philosophy with western medical science and nutritional medicine. Wayne's experience and knowledge is evident in his professional practice and dedication in developing practical and effective health care programs to support his patients in becoming the best version of themselves emotionally, mentally and physically. Resources: Yukti Facebook Yukti Website Wayne's personal Instagram Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus we're on Spotify! Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: (00:04) Hey, Wayne. Thanks again for coming on, man. Wayne: (00:06) You're very welcome. Nice to see you again. Mason: (00:09) Yeah, nice to see you again as well. At least we get to have the... at least we've got the podcast there to keep us catching up and we've always got to... Wayne: (00:17) Yes. Mason: (00:17) ...leave a bit of space for us to catch up before we jump on the phone. Wayne: (00:23) Yeah, definitely. Mason: (00:25) And hearing about how you guys have made some beautiful adjustments to your business and life during the whole lockdown period. And sounds like you've really, just from everything you were saying, it's all about adaptability and seems like it's a real, you're seeing a lot of reward coming from the internal work that's been done for years and years. When something so huge happens to the world, to your business, you had a retail shop, you got... You guys are practitioners and yet you're able to adjust and come through in a place. You've seem way more expressed and at ease, probably compared to when I met you like two years ago, when we went and sat on the beach up the South of Noosa and that's after a huge pandemic, I always just find that it's always proof's in the pudding there, so good on you and your fam man... Wayne: (01:21) Yeah, thank you. Mason: (01:22) ... for knocking that out of the park. Wayne: (01:22) Yeah. Well, it's largely about adaptability, isn't it, it's adjusting to situations and trying to find the best out of whatever presents, I guess. Mason: (01:32) Well, and I guess a lot of the practise comes to the slight adjustments and being adaptable in the seasonality. Quite often in the West, we let seasons happen to us, but can we get into the flow of the intent and energy of a different season. I find that is a micro exercise that when the huge changes happen, you've got, you've been strengthening yourself so much because you've been constantly lifting weights of adaptation through the season. But I'm really interested to hear about how your unique perspective through the lens of all your years as an Ayurvedic practitioner and student and teacher, how, what it is we do in spring. I like that Ayurveda has a big focus on cleansing. I came from the raw food world. We were all cleansing. I was all big salt water flushes back in the day. So yeah, I'd love to hear your... What does spring represent for you? What is it that you start getting up to around this time? Wayne: (02:42) Yeah. In Ayurveda spring is considered as the King of seasons especially for cleansing. So we've just come through winter. So during early and late winter, our digestive systems become stronger, our metabolic activity becomes heightened. So we're needing to increase our energy to regulate our temperature. So as it gets colder, we need to generate more energy to stay warm and maintain that homeostatic balance. And what that reflects is that our digestive system becomes stronger because we need to be consuming more energy in order to maintain those extra layers of fat that create that nice insulation for our bodies. Wayne: (03:35) Early and late winter are my favourite seasons, because basically this is when we get to eat more food and we can get away with eating more food as well. So if you have a look at your shopping bill, you usually spend more money during winter and you're having more heartier foods and more bulky foods and tastier foods and your appetite's just good. So you just naturally enjoying eating food. It's a wonderful, wonderful time of the year. I think we should have Christmas in the middle of winter because it's a good time to just sit around and eat- Mason: (04:09) That's my theory as well, 100%. Wayne: (04:12) ...yeah, it's conducive to good health. Mason: (04:15) Well, it was in the middle of winter [crosstalk 00:04:17]. Wasn't it in the North ? Wayne: (04:19) Yes, exactly. I think we should change it. I think it needs... I think if we started to gear our rituals and ceremonies and celebrations to seasonal changes, I think it would just work better. And I think it would bring more attention to what's actually happening outside. We'd be getting in touch with when food's growing, what food's growing, what sort of foods to prepare. We go for those traditional foods that we have during Christmas, the baked potatoes and the roasts and all of that, the fermented foods, but they're actually more suited for the middle of winter. They're the things that we should be eating at that time. So the winter seasons in Ayurveda are considered as strengthening times of the year. So if we look at the whole four or six seasons, however you look at it, we've got more of a six seasonal thing up on the sunshine coast. We have that kind of rain season that comes in as well. So yeah- Mason: (05:25) That's the same thing we are as well, Mob had six seasons. Wayne: (05:28) Yeah. Mason: (05:28) Yeah. Mm-hmm (affirmative) Wayne: (05:29) Yeah. So that's... And that's real, we might cover that a little bit later in the talk, the importance of managing the detrimental effects of rain season and high humidity periods, because this is generally when our immune systems and our bodies are at their weakest. So what we're doing during winter is we're getting the body as robust and as strong as possible. So when the sun starts to make its way back to the Southern hemisphere, we start basically going into stages of depletion. So during the summer, this is where the body's at the weakest. So generally you are more inclined to eating salads, light foods, fruits, you don't really feel like eating too much and you generally don't need to eat that much, but just in that transitional phase, you've got the spring season where all of that accumulation. Wayne: (06:21) So when you're eating more food, you producing more metabolic byproducts. So basically your output increases, your waste load increases because you are just churning up more energy. And so in the spring season, all of that, as the body starts to dilate, as the temperature starts to warm, you get a lot of accumulation moving from the deeper tissues of the body back to the superficial tissues. So we're accumulating muscle fat, bone, marrow. All of these tissues are getting really well-nourished and then, and also a little bit more contracted. So as, when the body's cold, it'll actually constrict. So the circulation's probably not as efficient during the winter, as it is coming into the hotter months where your body's trying to move, push more heat towards the peripheries. So it's kind of like the river Ganges when the ice starts to melt and you get these larger river systems that start increasing the amount of water that's moving downstream. Wayne: (07:34) But as that ice starts to melt, you get all the debris that's been building up on the banks of the river. So what we're doing during the spring is, we want to collect as much of that debris as possible and bring it out to the areas where we can expel it from the system. So this is where a lot of people notice that they're more susceptible to seasonal rhinitis and hay fever and sinusitis and chest infections, because we're getting a lot of that excess gunk moving back to these channels of elimination. So the upper respiratory tract, also the digestive system and the large bowel. Wayne: (08:17) So if we're cleansing that we're supporting that natural elimination process, we actually bolster our health. So this is why spring is such an important, spring and autumn are the transitional pivotal times of the year where we're either prepping for the time where we're most depleted or we're prepping for the time where we really have to nourish our systems. So when I'm seeing patients during winter, unless it's absolutely necessary, unless there's a disease condition that needs to be treated and can't wait until spring. I want to get those patients as strong and robust as possible because whatever they develop and whatever they accumulate in terms of their body strength, that's what's going to tie them through during summer and then into that rainy season. So if you're cleansing during winter, chances are, come January, February, you're going to experience greater states of depletion and compromised immunity Mason: (09:21) So straight up when you get into that spring system, where are you at with your patients and for yourself, I'm sure it's varied. But in terms of, are you at a point where you are still liking, have you got a thorough cleansing routine, intense cleanses every now and then, or you were saying before we jumped on, you were saying how you've been getting up and gone bush for the night and doing lots of meditation and breath practise. Is it just for you at this point, you know sticking to your bread and butter practises as the weather warms up and allowing that to naturally open up your detox channels, or are you then enjoying going deeper and doing some nice deep removal of debris? Wayne: (10:06) Yeah. Look, I think for Ayurvedic practitioners that practised traditional cleansing methods, this is the season where our clinical practise comes alive because Ayurveda has this beautiful system of cleansing. It's very sophisticated, very well established. It's been practised, these traditions go back 3000 years, at least the classical texts that I use as references they're, they describe in these texts, ancient systems of Ayurvedic medicine. But these books were written two and a half thousand years ago. So the system goes way back, maybe 5,000 years, who knows, but there's a concept in Ayurveda known as Panchakarma. So "Pancha", means five and "Karma", means to action. So there's five actions of eliminations. So when we've got all of this gunk that's starting to move out of the system. Wayne: (11:13) We want to expel it from the body as efficiently as possible. So there's five main methods that we actually move what's called excess doshas or excess dry, cold, light, rough qualities, or excess acidity or sharp qualities that might lead to inflammation, burning and overproduction, like overstimulated metabolic systems, or just sluggish, dull, sticky, slothy stuff that is just building up that can't build the tissue or can't build waste product. So the way that we expel that from the body is we use the nasal cavity. So this is a really efficient way to move those excess Doshas from areas that are above the clavicle. And we use what's called Vamana, which is Emesis. So we... If there's, the patient's got more Dosha or gunk accumulation in the upper regions of the body, we want to expel it through the mouth because it's just the most efficient way to get rid of that excess. Wayne: (12:22) And there is Virechana, which is a purgative treatment. So basically we're flushing out the lower portions of the stomach all the way through the small intestines, that whole abdominal cavity and we're moving it down and outwards. So that's just really strong bowel motions for a period. And then when we have what's called Basti, so this is the area where we use Enema therapies. So I might go into that a little bit later too, because there's a strong trend with using coffee enemas, water enemas. Whereas with Ayurvedic Enema therapy, we use a combination of medicated oils to prep, lubricate, support, protect the bowel. And then we will then follow that up with decoction enemas, which are specifically developed for the patient, their body type, time of year, age, season, all that kind of stuff. Wayne: (13:23) We use salt. We use honey. We use other medicated oil that is emulsified into that. So what we're doing is there's a really strong emphasis with over cleansing that we don't stress the tissues. We don't put the tissues in a state of discomfort or discord or aggravation. So every time, every cleansing method is propping, supporting and lubricating the tissues. So we get this really nice process of eliminating gunk, but we don't cause stress. So it's possible that when we are just using water for Enema therapies, that we're not taking into consideration of microbiome, we're not looking at electrolyte balancing in the large bowel. We're not looking at specifically what qualities need to be rebalanced and supported. And we're not looking at the actual organ itself and making sure that it's actually, it's well-supported so we can start doing these cleansing eliminations. Wayne: (14:26) So generally what you do is you do an oil enema and then you'll do the decoction the following day and oil decoction. So we always start with oil. We always end with oil. So that's the fourth one. And the fifth one is known as Rakta Moksha. So Rakta Moksha translates as bloodletting. So traditionally in Ayurveda we were using leeches and incisions to remove excess gunk and morbid qualities that impair the proper functioning of the tissues through just allowing the blood to move and those toxins to move straight out. So leeches are commonly used in Ayurvedic hospitals in India. So the last time I was there, I got to learn how to apply leeches and to treat during that way using those methods, I don't use them in the clinic here. I'm not even sure whether it's legal to use leeches. Mason: (15:23) I think it is. I've got a friend who gets calls every now and then from the emergency room asking for him to bring in leeches. He said into mainstream hospitals, but they just don't advertise it obviously. Wayne: (15:37) Yeah, they're fantastic cleansers. Just spending time in the hospital where I do my internship training, the results, even just with pain relief, like osteoarthritis and really severe sort of inflammatory conditions in the joints. And these, if we were, we'd be using really strong anti-inflammatories that are having severe, well not severe, but they're having some sort of detrimental effects on liver function and other organ systems. Whereas using these leeches locally, they're reducing all the inflammation. Some patients I was watching, coming in wheelchairs and heading out just walking, complete pain relief. It's fantastic. Wayne: (16:28) So yeah, that's the fifth one, the ones that I use mainly in this clinic here are the Enema therapies, the nasal administration and the Virechana. I will use the vomiting mode of elimination, but I'm very careful with the patients that I select for that. So I want to make sure that they're quite strong, robust, so yeah. Augation is probably the safest and most effective because we can move excess doshas and excess gunk from the upper regions of the body and the lower regions through that purging process. Mason: (17:08) And everyone's a bit used to it. Wayne: (17:12) Yeah. And it's just easier, having somebody killed over a bucket, vomiting milk and salt, licorice decoction is, can be pretty intense, but having somebody sitting on the toilet for four to six-seven hours on a Saturday morning is much more palatable. Mason: (17:31) But he kind of gets it over and done with it. Doesn't it, if you're drinking the milk, the licorice. I mean that's what I- Wayne: (17:42) Yeah. Mason: (17:43) Yeah, I do appreciate just the gentle approach that Ayurveda always has. In the scenes that I was running in when we were so hardcore into our catabolic lifestyle, you know always itching about a feeling of another parasite in us and needing to get of this impurity and this impurity... It was very healthy, very healthy psychologically, always. Wayne: (18:09) It's that Northern Rivers environment. It's that subtropical environment, you know there's some nasty bugs and up here and down where you are, [inaudible 00:18:18] but these are things that they get in it, and they're nasty. They're very stubborn things to get rid of. Mason: (18:27) Yeah but as you said, though, when that, there's a season for it, and when that cleansing mentality kind of takes over your mindset and gets a little far in the Ayurvedic approach was, always a... It always started to buffer everyone in that, like I could see people getting attracted into that system and all of a sudden gaining some kind of responsibility and even using oils rather than friends that did like a 100 days straight of doing coffee enemas. Well, that was a 100 days straight of mushrooms and coffee. So it was a different journey that they were on... Wayne: (19:02) Interesting journey. Mason: (19:04) ...yeah that's an interesting journey but nonetheless, it's, I just think about coffee. I just think about what happens when I just pour coffee onto my skin, I don't particularly enjoy it. And we're just, the constant pouring of coffee onto the membrane within the colon. Ayurveda coming through with this medicinal oil intent and the decoction intent always took it to, it always took it to another level. I kind of lost my trust a little bit in Enema therapy and even colonics to an extent. Wayne: (19:37) Yeah. So just using coffee for an example, in Ayurveda everything can be used as medicine. Everything is potential medicine, but everything is also potential poison. It means the right application is key. So if we were looking, if I was to consider using coffee in enema therapy, I'd be looking at the qualities that are presenting in the patient that need to be rebalanced and I'd be looking at, or what qualities are inherent within that coffee bean that I can actually use effectively. So if I look at qualitative effects of coffee, it is sharp. It is penetrating, it is also having stringent and bitter qualities. So I know that it's going to have a drying effect, and I know that it's going to have a stimulating effect. So if I was looking at a patient that would fit that, that would do well on a medicine like that, I would probably be looking at a bowel that is quite congested, quite sluggish. Wayne: (20:42) I know that there's anti-microbial, anti-bacterial activities in there as well. So you know if there was some sort of dysbiosis playing out and there was congestion, if their stool was sluggish slimy, and they weren't having sort of good timely bowel eliminations or their transit time was a little bit slow, then I would implement that substance. But I would use it in conjunction with other medicines and substances that are also going to support the inherent qualities of the large bowel. So I could get a good cleansing effect from that. And that would be really effective. And then I could sort of back it up with supporting and nourishing and then introducing different medicines that are actually going to start fixing that transit time, working on the nervous system, introducing the right nutritional practises, the right lifestyle practises and things like that. Wayne: (21:39) It's looking at what's presenting what needs to be done. Whereas what I do notice these days is you've got some people that are doing coffee enemas and their system is already dry, they're already in flames, they're already you know sort of prone to losing weight or being in a state of deficiency. And then they're introducing a substance that is actually going to compound on that deficiency and then further dry the bowel out. And then you've got more complications of constipation that might follow that up. And then if you get banked up and then you think maybe I need to go and have some more enema treatments and you further compound. You're actually moving in the other direction. You need to apply the opposite qualities to bring them about that harmony within the organ, and then introduce the substances that are actually going to start building and strengthening. Mason: (22:30) Do you just offer your enemas specific to a patient in clinic, or do you have places where you educate, for people who are maybe not in New South Wales, and are looking to learn how to get a little bit more intention, the way that they're providing their own home enemas? Wayne: (22:47) Yeah. We can offer that through ZOOM consultations. So what I would do if somebody was interested in doing an enema treatment, we would go through, we'd do a full case study. So we'd be looking at their body type, looking at their age, looking at their presenting symptoms, all of these sorts of things are going to play into providing information of the nature of that digestive system. So in Ayurveda we're looking at the mind, we're looking at the central nervous system, we're looking at that whole vagus nerve access and the qualities of the digestive system. So understanding somebody's mental tendencies is going to tell me a lot about what their digestive tendencies are. So if it's irregular, if it's prone to, you know if the endocrine system, the homeostatic balances is out there and there's sleep issues, or there's hormonal imbalances or reproductive menstrual issues, that's still going to give me a lot of information as to what the large intestines and the qualities of the large intestine are presenting. Wayne: (24:03) So I will incorporate those... that information into establishing or what's the best means to bring this body back into balance. So in [crosstalk 00:24:16] one of the classical Ayurvedic texts, he says that the majority of diseases can be treated through enema therapy. The large bowel is a fantastic route for administering medicine, just with the absorption, with the relationship that the large bowel has with the nervous system, the mind, the endocrine system. Mason: (24:35) Well I think what you're...Sorry. Wayne: (24:37) It's just that the ... You need to implement the right qualities to bring about that balance. Mason: (24:41) Yeah. Well, I mean just the awareness around the membrane health. I see that this style of cleansing, so much cleansing, if you'll see say if we're talking to someone who's in, whether they're in Western medicine or more likely in a naturopathic field, and they're getting into a place where they say doing a test, a microbiome tests or they're testing the biodiversity that's within the large intestine, they're the ones that are going to start sounding the alarm for people just constantly going in and doing enemas and doing coffee enemas. So then we have a dichotomy there. And so quite often that's going to create this inner conflict in people that they want to cleanse. But oh hang on, the data is actually showing that I'm lowering the diversity of my bacteria by doing this. Mason: (25:35) So this conversations I was so keen to keep on going down this is because that butting of heads between those two kinds of principles like testing, and Microbiome health, and Biodiversity, and not doing anything to jeopardise that colony, yet the desire to get in there and support the systems in our body in a way that's integrated. And then this Ayurvedic and this enema model, it creates such a beautiful bridging I think in an appeasing of... People are wanting to take something which can be seemingly conflicting inside of themselves yet come to a place where you can have your cake and eat it too. Mason: (26:18) Awareness of the membrane, awareness of protecting the home, the tissue walls and what you said there, which I think is something that a lot of people... I could have probably used hearing eight years ago when I was into this, Is that the impact of the tissue, I can't remember the words, but you were saying, you can sit up the impact or, how much you're going to, like how much you're going to hit or stress. The tissue of the body Wayne: (26:46) Health is a fine line between keeping the channels clear, and maximising communication pathways. So, the body is made up of channels. It's how the body communicates with itself. So we want to make sure that we're using these cleansing procedures to support maximum communication and clear pathways of moving things from one place to another. And then we need to back it up with nourishment and stability, stabilising tissues. So cleansing without strengthening is never going to give you maximum results. You know you have to... the objective is to have a strong body, it is to have good mental stability and sturdiness, and these strong tissues are going to reflect a good immune system. And if the Immune system is strong well, then it's going to support a good quality Microbiome, because the bugs are essentially only going to inhabit an environment that is healthy. Wayne: (27:59) It's like, less people are going to go live in a desert then, on a coastline because the environment's just, more appealing, you've got good weather, you've got good rainfall, you've got, good quality air. Whereas if those bugs aren't living in an environment that is conducive of what their needs are, they're gonna leave. So we can keep continuing to look at what the diversity is, or we can start looking at well, what is going to encourage a good, healthy, diverse range of good quality bugs that are going to have this beautiful symbiotic relationship with supporting our tissues, supporting our cognitive function. So, they're going to be more inclined to living in a strong environment. So, I think that's like the emphasis that we need to bring into cleansing is the importance of the off season. Wayne: (28:56) The off season is key and you need to have good regular off season. Winter gets strong, clean out the excess, and then your tissues are just robust. Whereas if we're kind of like every time we feel imbalanced, we just consider, or we just have to go towards cleansing. If that's the key word that keeps coming up, because that's pretty much what happens if you Google search something that you're suffering from, you're going to find "I gotta do a cleanse". You do a cleanse once, and then three weeks later, you do another cleanse, and then two weeks later you do another cleanse, and then six weeks later, you do another cleanse. You're actually creating destabilising environments. And I just don't think that it works that well. Wayne: (29:42) I think if you've got a regular routine... Like Everything in Ayurveda comes back to regular routine, everything that is... everything that reflects balance and harmony in nature is governed by a regular team. If the rout... If natural routines go out of balance, this is when we get floods, we get intense bushfires, we get some tsunamis. It's all about that balance, strong, seasons where everything grows and is nourished, and then you have a dry season, which is a good time to clear stuff out. Mason: (30:15) Yeah. What are you doing dietarily at the moment? Wayne: (30:21) At the moment, This is a good time to be staying off heavier foods because just coming back to that, talking about the rivers starting to swell, and the ice starting to melt, we wanted to clear those pathways as much as possible. At the moment, like I've got a bunch of people that are going through panchakarma at the moment, and their diets primarily, strong liquid diet, lots of vegetables, lots of steamed vegetables. So even when we're looking at food, it's not enough just to consider that a broccoli is going to be sufficient based on its nutrient content. We need to actually prepare and manipulate the quality of that broccoli, so it's easily digestible, so it still maintains like maximum nourishment, nutrient composition, but it is supporting the vitality itself. Wayne: (31:19) The way that we were doing that in the cleansers that you just lightly steam the broccoli, so it just starts to perspire and it kind of becomes a little less brittle. So you're still getting that rich chlorophyll kind of colour that comes out. So when the broccoli's steamed correctly, it actually becomes brighter. And actually it's almost like it's starting to come alive. So, you would take that, you'd have it with a little bit of olive oil, a little salt, a little bit of pepper just to stimulate digestive function. So you get better absorption of that food. So we kind of... we have different broths. We use Kicherie in Ayurveda traditionally for cleansing which is a Mung Dahl and it's combined with Basmati rice. So when you combine those two food groups, you'd get the complete amino acid profile. Wayne: (32:14) So you're still getting everything that your body needs. You know If we look at an Ayurveic diet during these cleanses, we're getting carbohydrates, we're getting a really good range of fats, we're getting proteins, we're getting a lot of... Plenty of fibre through the vegetables and, we're getting a lot of minerals as well. So, everything's there, it's just presented in a way where the body can still let go and it's not having to... we're just creating, especially these days, A lot of my patients will probably, I'd say 95% of them, they're still working, they still have children. We've got to sort of manage that practicality where we just don't have a setting where they can just be in a retreat type environment and just relax and have everything done for them. So I need to make sure that my patients are still strong and they're still able to go about their responsibilities. So it's finding that kind of sweet spot where we're getting the job done, but we're not putting the body into a state of depletion. Mason: (33:19) Do you keep them vegetarian during that time as well? [crosstalk 00:33:23] Wayne: (33:22) Yeah generally. Some patients, I might consider say chicken broth because it's still very easily digestible. Especially if there's a bit more depletion, if the patient is prone to weakness or what we would call a Vata dominance, or if there's a Vata aggravation, we might, you use that as a... Just to, prop up and to provide extra nourishment, but it still enables the body to let go and cleanse all the excess gunk. There's actually... Well, are you happy for me to talk about how just the whole procedure of Panchakarma, because what we've discussed is, the five... Mason: (34:04) Absolutely, and we've got 11:11 right now, down here in New South Wales. So we're numerological giving you the thumbs up. Wayne: (34:11) Well, I've got 10:11. And what does that mean? Mason: (34:15) Well, that's why I added in the New South Wales. So maybe the Queenslander don't wanna Want to hear about it, but the New South Walsh men and women do. Wayne: (34:21) All right, well, I'm happy to share. Mason: (34:24) Yeah, super happy to hear about that process. Wayne: (34:28) Right? Because this is a really unique... these concepts are really unique to Ayurveda and it's... I think it's really important for people just to at least entertain what's potentially involved in proper cleansing and the extent of cleansing because we do a lot of juice fasts. We do a lot of enema things in the West and I see from my Ayurvedic background, I see gaps, I see areas where we could actually be making much... Providing much more effective cleansing programmes. So we only have to do it once or twice a year. So the way that.... Mason: (35:07) Do you want to throw in the other ones? I'm going to throw in liver cleansing is another one, the incredible liver gallbladder cleanse that's another one that happens big time. The... what I used to do the yogic, well, I can't remember the name, but that saltwater cleanse and get up at five in the morning. Wayne: (35:34) Yeah. What was that called? Shankha prakshalana Mason: (35:35) Yeah something like that, I've got it there from when I did my teacher training. Five litres of basically brine warm salty water. So I'm throwing that down, I'm throwing that up, I'm doing my five movements. I'm doing my Crow, my cobra, I'm doing my spins, doing that. Then it's all coming out of my bum and then doing the Neti pot, that's another kind of like hardcore approach I think. Wayne: (35:58) These are the Yogic Kriyas, the Yogic cleansing procedures. But what we have to consider also is if we're looking at the context in which those procedures were used. Generally these yogis, they had very simplified living situations. There's a lot of Asana practise, a lot of meditation, karma yoga, a little bit of karma yoga in there. Probably not a great deal, but you know, a lot of inward introspective activity. And the Kriya's aren't... From an Ayurvedic perspective, I would say that the Kriya's are more geared around cleansing the elementary tract. So these types of cleanses are going to like remove a lot of debris and gunk that has accumulated in the digestive system, but it's not going to be efficient enough to get into the actual tissue systems. And these are the areas that we're not so much getting into. Wayne: (37:06) If you're doing liver cleansing and bile flushes, I think these are fantastic things to adopt, Because what we do in Ayurveda is we'll divide the body into two different parts. SO we've got, what's called Koshta and what's called Shaka. So Koshta is the abdominal cavity and all the organs that inhabit that space, and also the pleural cavity and the pelvic cavity. So when we're doing liver cleansing, we're kind of cleansing those regions more. So, that we'll get into the blood, we'll probably get a good sort of effective plasma and blood cleansing activity, but really, I think you'd have to do those liver cleansing herbs for at least four to six weeks. You want to be exposing the liver and the blood to those substances for long enough for the liver to completely renew and reproduce itself. So if you've got that, four to six weeks exposure, you're probably going to have a really healthy liver after that period of time. Mason: (38:18) Normally just looking at like these, what we do in the West, we're looking for a wham, bam, thank you. Ma'am, we're doing something potentially beneficial in excess, maybe not, but what we are talking or going into now is that balancing out when we are actually going deeper into the tissue. Wayne: (38:34) We've got to have an effective cleansing. We need to get into the cells, we need to get into the muscle, the fat, the marrow, the bile. These cleansing... I'm not putting these cleansing techniques down. There's definitely an important space for them. And I think everything needs to become... Needs to be practical. Taking a liver cleanse for six weeks and then maybe doing Bile flush with magnesium salts, and citric acid, grapefruit juice. That's going to be really effective, but if we're looking at maintaining and supporting the communication of deeper tissue systems, we need to start looking at kind of more sophisticated processes that really get into those areas. So what we do with the Ayurvedic cleansing is, there's preliminary treatment. And then there is the main treatment, which is the expulsion of the gunk either through the bottom end, top end through the nasal cavity or through the bloodstream. Wayne: (39:40) Then there's the post-treatment. So we want to carefully prep the body for that kind of intense elimination process. And then we want to follow that up with supporting and re-establishing good digestive function afterwards. So the way that that looks is that initially for say three to five days, depending on the patient, and their present health, and what they're presenting with is we will introduce specific medicines, and diet, and lifestyle activities that are going to start eliminating the... I guess you could say the superficial Gunk that is accumulated in the pipes. So every time you digest food, you're potentially going to... you break down substances into absorbable nutrients and you separate the waste product that then gets moved down into the large bowel. But sometimes if you're eatings a little bit of irregular, or if your digestion is weak or you're a little bit stressed when you're eating, you might produce a by-product, which is not suitable for building tissue, but it's not suitable for creating a good quality bowel motion or good quality stool. Wayne: (40:53) So we call this Ama in Ayurveda and it's largely interpreted as toxin, but it's not really a toxin, it's just gunk. That's just like a by-product of separating through chemical activity. So this gunk will accumulate and it's going to start lining the digestive wall. And this is where we start getting probably potentially dysbiotic sort of environments, where we get more aerobic bacteria starting to generate the digestive system. So these are the kind of like early signs of a digestive system starting to kind of turn sour and away. You'll notice that if you have a look at your tongue first thing in the morning, so you might notice that it can be like a white coating, a yellowish coating, excess saliva. Basically what you're looking at is kind of gunk under or Ama that's accumulated, but we can't build tissue with that substance and it's not making a good quality waste product and it's breeding bacteria essentially. Wayne: (42:03) So we wanna... The word is Ama Pachana which means to digest and cook or ripen this gunk. So we want to loosen that from the, you know, the whole, whole intestinal wall from the, from the mouth all the way down to the anus and get that digestive system functioning really well. So we want to stimulate that digestive fire and all those enzymes and acids so they're really strong and working efficiently. So we, we introduce a lot of the time I'll use, what's called a [inaudible 00:42:36] which is a herbal paste. It's a... it's herbs that have been cooked for long periods of time, decocted mixed with jaggery and honey, and a little bit of ghee. And then we'll take that, and I'll administer that three times a day before food and just start getting that digestive system really strong, because if we need to get herb's in to start really addressing cellular health and cleansing tissues at a deeper level, we need to sure that the channel of elimination is working very efficient, but we also want to maximise the absorption of these drugs. Wayne: (43:16) So they're getting to where they need to act. So, if you've got a gunky digestive system and you want to do a tissue cleanse, or you're potentially limiting to like the amount of the potential for that substance to get to where it needs to go. So we want to clear that area out to begin with. Wayne: (43:36) So once we get that done, the second part of the preliminary treatment is called [inaudible 00:19:44], which is the internal oleation. So this is where we start introducing a medicated ghee. So there's loads of different formulations where drugs are infused into a clarified butter, and you know Ayurveda is very big on the clarified butter. Nutritionally, It's very good for you, but one of the key reasons why we're so big on ghee is because it has this really amazing capacity to imbibe the constituents of whatever substance it's mixed with. Wayne: (44:24) So if, if I combine a group of herbs that I want to use to address the nervous system, or address the skin, or address the fat tissue, I can insert those drugs through these preparations, infuse them into that fat and a likelihood of those Herb's getting to where I want them to act is going to be much more efficient. So what I do is with the cleansing is we introduce about 30 mls of this medicated fat on the first day, and we have a very light diet. So your body is almost going into a ketogenic state. Where you start increasing the fatty acid load over a period of time. So we introduced 30 mls on the first day, and we just observe to see how well that digests and if all goes well, it's not sort of sitting there, there aren't ghee burps three or four hours later, and this will be determined by the previous treatment. Wayne: (45:24) If I get the digestive system functioning really well, the gee's going to digest very well. So the next day I'll introduce 60 ml the next day, 90 ml, possibly up to one 120 ml. Basically we keep going until the body becomes completely saturated in this medicated fat. Mason: (45:42) Just straight down the gob. Wayne: (45:44) Yeah, it's the hardest part of the cleanse, especially when you're getting into the higher, you know the one 120 ml but you have it as hot as you can take it and then you can just follow it with a little bit of ginger tea and that sort of clears the palate and helps it digest. Mason: (46:02) Yeah that's okay. I'll have to chat to you later. I've got two things, smells that nearly make me vomit on, cue. Canned tuna from a kid, and ghee and I've just recently been able to say to myself now I'm going to overcome that one because ghee is not something I wish to have that aversion to. Maybe I can chat to you about it later because I'd like to partake and I think that maybe that would be my initiation back into being able to palette ghee, especially having it warm with a bit of ginger tea afterwards that might be it but I just thought, I'd throw that out there. It's amazing how much that makes me gag when I smell it. Wayne: (46:48) Well the medicated ghee's can taste very different to just plain Ghee. So, there's one medicine that I use a lot called [inaudible 00:46:58] , which has made with a [inaudible 00:47:01] which is a resin that's found in the Mocho tree, which is very good as an anti-inflammatory. I use it a lot in rheumatoid arthritis cases, very good for regulating cholesterol levels, but the ticktum is bitter. Wayne: (47:17) So there's a whole range of different bitter herbs that are infused, and it changes the whole composition of the fat. So, say it's August, it's still pretty cold and I've got 10 different medicated fats in jars sitting on my shelf. One fat will be completely solid. Whereas I might have another fat that's going to be almost liquid or semi-liquid. And the reason is because the ghee has imbibed the qualities of those herbs. Wayne: (47:48) So those herbs are influencing the actual texture and the composition of the fats. So if I look at how those fats are going to interact, like if I've got a really bitter fat, I know that it's going to be predominantly cooling, and I know that it's going to be, it's going to have. Wayne: (48:03) sort of those qualities that are going to be soothing. So it's more compacted. Whereas, if I have a Ghee that is very sharp in its attributes, because of the way that it's been infused with these herbs, it's going to have more of a liquid composition by nature. Wayne: (48:22) So if I was wanting to get those drugs into the deeper parts, like if there were say, growths you know lymphatic congestion. I would be looking at these types of vehicles for drugs to get that drug in to start breaking down. And those deposits, those fatty or congested deposits that might be accumulating the body. Wayne: (48:47) So every step of the way of Ayurvedic cleansing, everything is carefully considered. Because what we're essentially doing, is we're looking at what the presenting qualities are of the tissues in the body and what needs to be done and we're looking at which drugs matched and support bringing that body back to balance most efficiently. Mason: (49:09) Mm-hmm. Wayne: (49:09) So when we start getting into those higher doses of Ghee, I'll notice that the skin will become oily. The lacrimal secretions of the eyes can become sticky and eventually the Ghee will be passed as stool. So what that tells me is that the body is saturated and can't take any more fat. Wayne: (49:35) That means we've reached [inaudible 00:01:37]. According to classical texts, that means that the fat has penetrated the deepest tissue level. It supposedly goes into the marrow and it takes those constituents into the cells. And then the cells are forced to excrete excess metabolites, because the cells are saturated. So it pushes the gunk out of the membrane of the cell back into those channels of circulation, the extracellular compartments, and it starts making its way back to the digestive system or the cavity. Wayne: (50:18) So what we're doing is we're taking drugs in, and we're actually using them as a vehicle to bring the gunk back out into the areas where we can expel them from the body. Excuse me. Wayne: (50:32) One of the beautiful things about using these fats is, it's going to support the elimination of fat soluble toxins as well. When we're looking at lead, mercury and cadmium, we're looking at potential binding agents for these toxic elements that are not able to be excreted from the body naturally. We have a very efficient detoxifying system, but water-soluble substances are more efficiently excreted through those pathways. If we're using the fat soluble constituents, then we're able to be more effective with what we're actually bringing out of the body. Excuse me. Mason: (51:22) That's what's really striking me as the most significant thing here. Having the wham-bam cleansers in the repertoire, if you do have a strong body and maybe not, as you were saying, like a Vata dominance at the time when you're doing a cleanse. Beautiful, it's like me going and having a sauna or doing my thing here and there. I'm probably after so many years of deep cleansing, I'm happy having my little break, but then when you... I was just dropping into the significance, especially getting deep enough into the tissue and the marrow into those cells where they can offload those fat-soluble toxins or gunk for that better way to look at it. Just if you can drop in and feel the amount of degeneration that could potentially be avoided and the amount of vibrant health that would be procured and grown in the population. Mason: (52:23) That's why I do like Ayurveda. After really having that time in Taoism and I've had my little obsessive time and now I'm out. I'm just looking everywhere. I'm looking at that strength of Ayurveda and what it's like. It's nice to see... In some places it's always been strong, like in places in India and in the community. Mason: (52:46) I'm seeing in my world, this resurgence. Especially in this sensible cleansing scape, it's the contribution that it's going to be able to potentially offer into the, hopefully integrated medical system in the future, but people can just start taking it on now and saving themselves a lot of hassle in the future when they have all this gunk stuck in their body. Wayne: (53:10) Yeah. Well as you say it's preventing that degeneration. Fat's considered as the preserving agent of life in Ayurveda. So when we're cleansing, we're also introducing a preserving action. So we're actually supporting that cellular activity at the same time with the use of fatty substances. You can use them for nourishment. You can use them for palliative care and you can use them for cleansing. It's such a versatile medium that supports human health. It's fantastic. We need fats. They support nourish... And especially with cleansing, because what we're doing is, we're actually... It's quite an aggressive kind of impact on the body. And we need to make sure that we're kind of like buffering those harmful impacts. So once we actually get the body to that level of saturation, that's when all of the hard work finishes. Wayne: (54:24) After that, usually I'll book my patients in for three to five day therapies. So this is where Ayurveda just has this beautiful neurological calming, mental calming, cleansing procedure, where you come in and you have medicated oil massage. Wayne: (54:44) What we're doing is, we want to manipulate all of the Ghee and the herbs that we've introduced into the body. So we're going to start actually physically squeezing, pushing and supporting the lymphatic system and basically encouraging physically the gunk or the armour to come back to the abdominal cavity. So we do that through hour to hour and a half massages. Then you go into a herbalist steam bath. So you can probably see that steam bath behind me. It looks kind of like a coffin. What we do is we use a combination- Mason: (55:20) It's a nice coffin. Wayne: (55:20) Yeah it's pleasurable coffin. Mason: (55:27) For those of you on audio, there isn't just some generic, modern... Wayne: (55:33) It's a nice handcrafted, hand-carved coffin. Wayne: (55:37) Yeah so we put the 10 root herbs generally in the decoction and you have this herbalised steam pumped into the steam chamber. This is another little thing that Ayurveda takes into consideration too. You're lying in the steam chamber and you're having your body pumped with herbalised steam. It usually sits at about 42 degrees, or around there. But your head sits out the end. So we're not exposing the eyes to excess heat, and we're still allowing the body to have that nice fresh air coming in. What I do is I get organic Rose water and douse it in tissue and you just sit it over the eyes so it keeps the eyes really cool. Your body's cooking, but your head stays cool. What we're looking for is signs that heat is starting to move above the clavicle. Wayne: (56:25) You'll see that where the ears start to get red, you'll start to get droplets of sweat. So I leave the patient in there until they start breaking a sweat, but there's a point where they do feel hot and they're ready to get out. Wayne: (56:44) From the studies that I've looked at, there's these heat shock proteins that are released and you get all of these really nice anti-inflammatory actions that come with that herbal steam therapy that is supporting cleansing as well. It affects the dopamine levels and serotonin levels, so it's very good for regulating the nervous system as well, really calms the mind. Wayne: (57:06) So what we do is, we manipulate the body and then when we cook the body, so it dilates. It expands. So you get these channels where you've got these extracellular spaces that are starting to move gunk back to the channels of elimination. Through the heat, you're actually supporting a wider berth to allow these substances to move. Because you've got that saturation of the Ghee, you've got this nice lubrication within those channels of circulation, so it prevents anything from getting stuck or just ending up lodged somewhere down the pathway. So It really encourages everything to come back to the gastrointestinal tract as well. Wayne: (57:49) So you're getting these three to five days of super relaxing therapies. Then, depending on the success of that, if it's done properly, everything runs smooth. So on the fifth day, the evening before we actually eliminate all the gunk from the system, you have quite a tasty meal. What we're doing is, we're encouraging a lot of acids and enzymes and a lot of activity to come back to the gastrointestinal tract. The tastier your food and the more varied it tastes... If you have something that is a combination of sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent, you're going to draw out all the potential enzymatic and gastric activity that is going to digest that spectrum of taste, which is pretty much all the tastes that we have. Wayne: (58:44) So for every taste there'll be an equivalent digestive substance to break that down. So what we want to do is, we want to encourage that to come in, back into the elementary tract. Then the following morning, on the rise of the red sun, you take a particular... This is with the purgation. It's different with the Amacethes, but you'll take a substance, it might be a paste. Generally what I use in my clinic is, I use castor oil at a fairly high dose. And I mix that with either almond milk, depending on the patient's preference or milk. Castor oil on its own is disgusting. It's really gluggy, it's a horrible oil. But when you combine it with a little bit of sugar and milk is actually it's quite palatable. Wayne: (59:36) So you have that on the rising of the red sun, according to classic texts. So as soon as that sun comes up, it's when you drink this castor oil. Then usually you'll have triphala powder about 10, 15 minutes after that. Wayne: (59:52) Then you just relax and you just sit back and enjoy the ride. So you're on the toilet generally four to six hours. Mason: (01:00:06) If you don't mind explaining what the movements are like? Is it gluggy? Is it running out? Is it spurting out? What do you expect there? Wayne: (01:00:17) Basically, using Ayurvedic inflammation knowledge, we can predict what the dose is going to be. So the thing is, I don't want to... Each dose will be different for each patient, because we have ways of gauging whether the bowl has a tendency towards dryness or whether it has a tendency towards oiliness, or if it's somewhere in between. So the dose is determined based on all of these different variables, based on the patient's body type. So it can be a little bit delayed. Everybody's transit and peristaltic kind of activity is slightly different. My experience is that I might have a patient that is going to start having bowel motions within 45 minutes, somebody might not have one for two hours, and then somebody might have a strong one after an hour and nothing for a few hours after that. Wayne: (01:01:22) So it does vary. But what I'm looking for is, I want all of the solid matter to be evacuated. Then it usually goes into a semi liquid state, then it goes to a liquid state and then usually there can be a bright orange pigment in the stool or a little bit green. What that's telling me, is that I'm getting into the areas where the bile duct is starting to cleanse. So I'm able to gauge how efficiently I've cleaned out that digestive tract. That's what we want to get to. Once we can get to that point, usually it just becomes a clear water. At that point I want to turn the tap off, because we've eliminated the gunk, it's been a successful procedure. But, if we keep going after that, and this is why dosage is really important, we start going into dehydration. We start getting into the point where we start draining the body and we start affecting the electrolyte and fluid balance. Wayne: (01:02:26) There is a formula, or a drink that you usually take. It's called Takra. It's a buttermilk that has a combination of spices. It might have a combination of a formula called Hingwashtak Churna, which is a combination of eight different spices. It's got hing in there. It's got black cumin seed, cumin seed, coriander, it's got some salts in there and ajowan seed. Mason: (01:02:58) Yum. Wayne: (01:02:59) It's actually quite- Mason: (01:03:00) That was a sincere yum. Not the yum when I was referring to the triphala. That was a sarcastic yum. Wayne: (01:03:07) Yeah, triphala is not very good. Apparently, when your body is balanced triphala should actually taste sweet. Wayne: (01:03:16) I've never- Mason: (01:03:17) Oh, God, I'm a mess. Wayne: (01:03:18) I've never experienced it either. Usually the- Mason: (01:03:21) Back to the drawing board. Wayne: (01:03:24) The feedback from the taste perception will determine the qualities, or the imbalanced state that your body's in. So some people do find it quite sour. Some people will find it stringent. Some people find it really bitter. So it does vary. And that's usually the present health that determines that. Mason: (01:03:44) Schizandra berry does that for us. It gives us an insight for them depending on what they're tasting. Wayne: (01:03:51) Yeah. Taste receptors are really important and they provide a lot of information. Wayne: (01:03:55) So you'll have this Takra, and what that does is it acts as a little bit of a binding agent. So it helps to turn that tap off and then that's pretty much done. But the thing is, if you're doing a strong purge, or if you're eliminating all of this gunk, you're also losing a lot of bile, salts, gastric acids, enzymatic activity as well through that purge. So we need to start building that back up. This is a really critical time. From my experiences, this is one of the most important parts of cleansing, because what people do is they do these really intense elimination processes, but they don't put the time into rebuilding that digestive fire. Without a good strong digestive system, you're just going to go back into creating partially undigested substances when you're eating. Wayne: (01:04:50) You're not going to be able to build healthy tissues and you're not going to build waste products. So it's kind of like a campfire. You've got to start with that kindling, little bit of paper, and then you listen to the fire. The fire will tell you what it needs. You know when to put the sticks on, and then you can start getting back to that point where you've got nice, good, hot coals and good hardwood sitting on them, burning for long periods of time. That usually, depending on how intense the elimination and the purge is, would determine how many days it will take to get the digestive system back on track. So good digestion is key. That is one of the most important things for health. If you're not breaking down food efficiently, you're not producing good quality, healthy tissues and your metabolic system is going to mirror that as well. Wayne: (01:05:47) If your digestion is sluggish, your metabolism will sluggish. If it's erratic, your metabolism will be erratic. If it's too sharp, then you're going to be hungry all the time. You're going to need to eat six meals a day. We spend about four days just building that food back up. There's specific recipes that we'll do. Generally, we just introduce some rice water. We'll cook some rice and basically you're just drinking that water with a bit of cumin, a little bit of salt. All we're doing is we're trying to stimulate the digestion, but we're introducing basic sugars into the system. We just build the energy back up because the body's tired, it needs to be hydrated. The salt supports the electrolytes, and then we start introducing a little bit of food and then we build up, and then we get back to normal. Once we get to that point, this is a really good time to start introducing your tonic herbs. Mason: (01:06:46) The convalescence stage. Wayne: (01:06:49) Yeah. Wayne: (01:06:50) You're going to have really good absorption... Are you there? Mason: (01:06:55) Mmm-Hmm. Wayne: (01:06:56) I think I just lost you. Wayne: (01:06:57) You're going to have really good absorption. So chances are whatever tonic herbs you're having for whatever... We've all got strong and weak tissue systems. Some people have good muscles. Some people have good bones. Some people have good nervous systems. We want to prop up and support the weakest tissues with those tonic herbs. Because we've cleaned that system out and we've improved pathways of communication, we're going to get those active constituents getting to where they need to act. This is the most important thing, because this is where the immune system comes online. It's strong where the tissues... They're robust and healthy. Then we'll introduce... We call it Rasayana in Ayurveda, which means just rejuvenation or strengthening. Wayne: (01:07:50) It's super important to cleanse, but it's super important to build. If you can always just make sure that whatever cleansing that you're doing, you've always got an element where you, prep, you support, you cleanse, you rebuild, you strengthen. That's key. If you can get that right, you're not going to feel like you need to do a cleanse, because you've gotten everything back to normal. It's like taking your car to a mechanic. You get everything cleaned out, the car just runs better. You don't feel like you need to go back to the mechanic and clean the oil out a week or two later, because you've gotten the job done properly. Mason: (01:08:31) Especially if you're doing routine maintenance, that's possible just at home. Maintaining that with diet, with saunas, tonic herbs. Just to be in that diet that keeps you running and strong. Wayne: (01:08:49) Sorry. Mason: (01:08:50) Go on. It's all good. We're just both too excited. No, go for it. Wayne: (01:08:56) The maintenance was super important. This is where the daily practises come in. Like tongue scraping every day. Having freshly grated ginger tea first thing in the morning. The Ayurvedic oil massage and also not just considering health as being healthy skin, healthy tissues, healthy digestive system. When we look at what the definition of life is in Ayurveda, it's a combination of the body, the tissue systems, the mind and the sense organs. Wayne: (01:09:36) Ideally, if we look at what our objective is as Ayurvedic physicians, we want to have really healthy functioning digestion, really healthy functioning tissue systems. We want to have clear cognitive function and we want to have really well functioning sense organs. We want to be able to see clearly, hear clearly, smell clearly, taste and have good tactile perception. The objective is to... Ayurveda considers that the central factor of existences is the [foreign language 01:10:12], or the soul or the witness. Whatever is operating through that medium is the witness. Whatever's in me, whatever's in you that is just there that's watching. That's aware of thought, aware of essential perception and aware of its body. That is the central factor. We want that soul, or that witnessing factor to be able to come into this physiology and just relax, just relax into being. Wayne: (01:10:42) If the body's healthy, if the sense organs are healthy, the feedback is clear, if the cognitive function is working. Well that can be a really beautiful experience. It's when all of that distortion comes into the mind and all of the stories. Then that sets off hormonal and endocrine dysfunction and digestive dysfunction. The body becomes sluggish or irregular. We want that to be really clear. Wayne: (01:11:09) Coming back to the sense organs, this is our communication bridge. Our pathway to the external reality is determined by how clearly we can see. A lot of these practises, these maintenance practises are geared up to support that cen
Lungs and Longevity - A multidiscipline discussion with Dr. Christie Smirl and Craig William LAC Topic: Lung health, Immunity, Longevity, Food as Medicine Subtopics: Zinc, Vitamin D3, Rasayana herbs, Pranayama Links discussed 1. YOUTUBE VIDEO FULL DISCUSSION: https://youtu.be/_DpzEViHeIg 2. Pranayama Breath Practices ** Kapalbhati breathing exercise: https://youtu.be/Bz1SMXmM5KU ** Dirgha pranayama: https://youtu.be/ZwOv8_gr0kY ** Alternate nostril breathing: https://youtu.be/OvBNFYwLdlY ** 1 hour class on breath technology: https://youtu.be/OINvt9ap5XE 3. Garlic poultice https://nofussnatural.com/garlic-poultice/?fbclid=IwAR3se9szEht-kudsgf82wDykkpqD2CNfjHSkq91copUZCCOYb6CYo9q04Bc 4. Onion poultice for deep seated coughs https://planetherbs.com/blogs/michaels-blogs/onion-poultice-for-deep-seated-coughs/?fbclid=IwAR1fJ01-KzVGcrHJspe1wDaKJatnjdRCCaSIUvsiGp_jLBFrwFa7rRzdIgg Dr. Christie Smirl is a Doctorate of Ayurveda (AUCM), Master of Science, Nurse Practitioner, professor and author. Contact/connect at HealthierVibrations.com Craig Williams has a Master's Degree in Oriental Medicine and is a Licensed Acupuncturist, a certified Ayurveda Practitioner, Certified East/West Herbalist - member American Herbalist Guild, a Certified Health Coach, Holistic and Fitness Nutritionist Trained in Ayurveda. Contact/connect at AyurvedaAustin.com
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha’s incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha’s superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis • boost various components of the immune system • protect the brain and nervous system • slow down or even kill abnormal cells • enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it’s standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let’s take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha’s benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we’re stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body’s response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body’s internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body’s response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body’s early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent.
Ashwagandha is an important herb used in the ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda to promote general health and well-being. In Ayurvedic practice, ashwagandha is classified as a Rasayana, which means an herb or preparation that rejuvenates, extends life, and promotes a youthful state of physical and mental health. Listen in to discover more about ashwagandha’s incredible health benefits in general and a special potent “superhero” form known as KSM-66 ashwagandha. What Does Ashwagandha Do? Ashwagandha’s superpower is that it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are non-toxic therapies that normalize our bodily functions – both physical and mental – that are thrown out of balance when we are exposed to chronic, uncontrolled stress. They do so by correcting imbalances in the neuroendocrine and immune systems [2]. In short, adaptogens enhance our ability to cope with stress. There are more than 35 natural compounds in ashwagandha including alkaloids, steroidal lactones, saponins, and with anolides. These compounds have been shown to have anti-stress activity in multiple laboratory models of chronic stress and in some human studies as well [1-5]. Additionally, ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds present in this plant – primarily in the roots – have been shown to help: counter pain and joint swelling associated with arthritis • boost various components of the immune system • protect the brain and nervous system • slow down or even kill abnormal cells • enhance both male and female sexual desire and function What Is KSM-66 Ashwagandha? KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a high-concentration ashwagandha root extract manufactured and sold by Ixoreal Biomed, located in Hyderabad, India [6]. Ashwagandha KSM-66 is made solely from ashwagandha roots, which contain its main bioactive ingredients, without using any other parts that are considered to be less effective. A unique feature of KSM-66 ashwagandha is that it’s standardized to a withanolide content of at least 5 percent. Withanolides are a group of around 300 naturally occurring steroid compounds, some of which are naturally present in ashwagandha. One example is Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory compound that has also been shown to stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, and perhaps even shrinking them. Last but not least, KSM-66 ashwagandha is produced by a unique extraction process, based on the principles of “green chemistry,” without using alcohol or any synthetic solvents. Let’s take a closer look now at some of KSM-66 ashwagandha’s benefits for health. What Too Much Cortisol Does to the Body Any stressful event in our lives causes our adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a steroid hormone that acts to control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, lower inflammation levels, influence memory formation, and manage salt and water balance [7]. The more stressed we are and the longer we’re stressed, the more our adrenals respond by releasing cortisol into our bloodstream. Too much cortisol in the blood over a prolonged period of time can lead to: rapid weight gain high blood pressure osteoporosis muscle weakness mood swings anxiety, depression, or irritability increased thirst and frequency of urination [7] Ongoing high cortisol levels can also eventually cause a lack of sex drive in men. In women, periods typically become irregular, less frequent, or may even stop altogether (amenorrhea). How Can Ashwagandha Help Us Cope With Stress? To answer this question, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of KSM-66 ashwagandha (which, as mentioned above, is a high-concentration, full-spectrum ashwagandha root extract) in 64 adults [5]. After 60 days of treatment, the study authors observed a “substantial reduction” in four separate measures of stress in the study participants. KSM-66 ashwagandha also reduced levels of the hormone cortisol in the blood. By lowering cortisol, ashwagandha tones down the body’s response to stressful situations, in effect “calming us down.” No serious adverse events were reported [5] and the study researchers concluded that: “High-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual’s resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life.” Similarly, in another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 stressed but otherwise healthy adults were randomly assigned to take either a placebo or an ashwagandha root extract once daily for 2 months [8]. At the end of the study, participants given ashwagandha showed a significant reduction in their stress, anxiety, and depression scores. Once again, ashwagandha consumption was associated with a greater reduction in the levels of cortisol in the blood, when compared with placebo [8]. The Connection Between Stress and Obesity Chronic stress has been associated with many illnesses, including obesity. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, ashwagandha consumption was seen to lead to significant reductions in emotional and uncontrolled food cravings while also lowering cortisol, body weight, and body mass index (BMI) in 52 subjects subjected to chronic stress [9]. Indeed, laboratory experiments in mice have shown that one of the main active ingredients in ashwagandha known as Withaferin A can protect against obesity caused by a high-fat diet by reducing inflammation in the liver, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance [10]. These and other findings make it clear that ashwagandha is a powerful tool in our battle against ongoing stress, likely by regulating various specific aspects of our hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is an interactive neuroendocrine system that plays a key role in maintaining our body’s internal equilibrium, along with orchestrating our body’s response to stress. Ashwagandha Benefits for Joint Pain Ashwagandha is a key ingredient in many Ayurvedic formulations prescribed for joint-related conditions such as osteoarthritis. Indeed, many research studies show that ashwagandha and its bioactive ingredients help to manage and reduce inflammation levels. For instance, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical trial published in 1991, 42 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized to receive a formula containing ashwagandha, frankincense, turmeric, and zinc – or placebo – for three months [11]. Clinical efficacy was evaluated every 15 days in terms of severity of pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie articular index (a weighted score of tenderness and swelling in 53 joint groups, each scored on a 0-3 scale), joint score, disability score, and grip strength. Throughout the study, the herbal formula was seen to significantly reduce the severity of joint pain and disability. No significant adverse effects were reported. In another study, 86 patients with joint pain were given 5 grams of ashwagandha powder twice a day for three weeks with lukewarm water or milk [12]. Then these patients took another Ayurvedic preparation known as Sidh Makardhwaj – a formulation used in rheumatoid arthritis and neurological disorders – daily for the next four weeks. Treatment with ashwagandha and Sidh Makardhwaj for seven weeks led to significantly improved scores of joint swelling, tenderness, and pain, indicating that this combination treatment is likely to be beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis. Indeed, in laboratory experiments, an ashwagandha root extract was seen to reduce inflammation in knee cartilage taken from chronic osteoarthritis patients [13]. Ashwagandha for Boosting Endurance, Muscle Strength, and Recovery Ashwagandha has long had the reputation of being able to enhance cardiovascular endurance and physical performance. As stated earlier, consuming this herb is said to impart the strength and stamina of a horse [1]. In a prospective, double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study, KSM-66 ashwagandha was shown to significantly boost cardiorespiratory endurance and improve self-reported quality of life (QOL) in 50 healthy male and female athletic adults [14]. In another randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study, 57 young men with little previous experience in resistance training were randomized into treatment and placebo groups [15]. Participants in the treatment group consumed 300 mg of ashwagandha root extract twice daily, while those in the control group took starch placebos instead. Multiple measurements – including muscle strength, muscle size, body composition, testosterone levels, and muscle recovery – were made before the start of the study. Both groups then went through resistance training for 8 weeks and the measurements were repeated when they were done. Promisingly, the group of men taking ashwagandha root extract had significantly greater increases in muscle strength and arm muscle size relative to the placebo group. They also showed significantly less exercise-induced muscle damage, higher testosterone levels, and a greater reduction in body fat percentage. In other words, ashwagandha supplementation is associated with significant increases in muscle mass, strength, and recovery after exercise. In another randomized, double-blind strength and conditioning study known as the STAR trial, 500 mg of an extract of ashwagandha roots and leaves was consumed by recreationally active young men for 12 weeks [16]. Body composition, muscular strength, power, and endurance, cycling time trial, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the study. Consuming the ashwagandha extract was seen to improve upper and lower body strength and improve distribution of body mass in these men, once again without causing any serious adverse effects. Ashwagandha as an Immune System Enhancer Ashwagandha enhances immune function. In a small study, ashwagandha root extract was seen to activate multiple types of immune cells in the participants [17]. Similarly, a tea fortified with five herbs including ashwagandha was seen to activate so-called “natural killer” (NK) cells in not just one, but two independent double-blind intervention studies conducted in India on healthy volunteers [18]. NK cell activity is an important aspect of our body’s early immune response to infections. Interestingly, in other situations, ashwagandha extracts have also been shown to suppress specific components of the immune system. For example, one of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the continuous production of pro-inflammatory compounds known as cytokines in joint cavities, triggering inflammation and cartilage destruction. In laboratory experiments in rats, a root extract of ashwagandha was seen to suppress production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduce oxidative stress [19]. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Ashwagandha Numerous laboratory studies show that ashwagandha – traditionally used in Ayurveda to boost intellect and memory – can slow, stop, and reverse damage to brain cells and may even help to reconstruct brain cell networks. For instance, ashwagandha extracts have been shown to promote nerve cell growth in culture [20]. Withanolide A, withanoside IV, and withanoside VI were identified as the bioactive compounds responsible. Ashwagandha extracts as well as specific bioactive compounds (e.g., withanolide A) have also been shown to protect nerve cells in culture against damage caused by various toxic agents [21]. Amazingly, the administration of withanoside IV for 21 days led to recovery in a rat model of spinal cord damage [20]. It is well known that toxic free radicals damage brain cells and contribute to both normal aging and aging-related health conditions. In a 2015 study, both ashwagandha extracts and a bioactive compound known as withanone were seen to protect nerve cells from oxidative damage [22]. Not surprisingly, ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurveda to enhance memory and improve mental faculties. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, 50 adults suffering from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – who are considered to be at a greater risk of developing dementia later in life – were treated with either 300 mg of KSM-66 ashwagandha twice daily or placebo for 8 weeks [23]. After 8 weeks, the ashwagandha KSM-66 group showed significant improvements in both their immediate or short-term as well as general memory, relative to the placebo group. The ashwagandha group also showed significant improvements in executive function, sustained attention, and information-processing abilities. Can Ashwagandha Even Help Protect Against Abnormal Cell Growth? Ashwagandha and other species of Withania are well known in folk medicine traditions for their anti-cancer properties and their extracts have been shown to be toxic for multiple types of cancer cells in laboratory experiments [24]. They appear to act by slowing down or even stopping cancer cell growth by inducing programmed cell death or “apoptosis.” As stated earlier, Withaferin A, an anti-inflammatory withanolide, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic. In other words, it can help stop tumors from growing their own blood vessels, slowing down their growth, or perhaps even shrinking them. As reported in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology in August 2019, growing evidence suggests that Withaferin A is very effective against cancer [25]. For instance, low response rate and recurrence are common issues in lung cancer. Withaferin A has been shown to exhibit potent toxicity against several lung cancer cell lines in laboratory experiments. Not only that, the combination of Withaferin A and chemotherapeutic drugs were shown to have additive effects on lung cancer cell survival [26]. Withaferin A has also been shown to be toxic for breast cancer and cervical cancer (HeLa) cells in laboratory experiments [27,28]. Similarly, other bioactive compounds in ashwagandha have also been shown to be toxic for cancer cells in laboratory experiments [29]. KSM-66 Ashwagandha’s Impact on Libido and Infertility Ashwagandha root extract has been shown to enhance sexual desire and function in both men and women. For instance, ashwagandha has been described in Ayurvedic medicine as an aphrodisiac that can be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and infertility. In a pilot study conducted to evaluate the effects of ashwagandha in patients with a low sperm count (known as oligospermia), a total of 46 male patients were randomized either to treatment with KSM-66 Ashwagandha or placebo for 90 days [30]. At the end of the study, participants given KSM-66 ashwagandha showed a 167% increase in sperm count, a 53% increase in semen volume, and a 57% increase in sperm motility relative to baseline. In comparison, only minimal changes were seen in the placebo group. Further, a greater improvement in hormone levels was seen with KSM-66 ashwagandha. In other words, ashwagandha is likely to be very effective in treating oligospermia, which is a leading cause of male infertility. Similarly, a meta-analysis showed that ashwagandha significantly improved sperm concentration and sperm motility even in men with normal sperm parameters, without any adverse effects [31]. Ashwagandha has also been shown to enhance sexual function in women. At the Trupti Hospital and Santati Fertility Center located near Mumbai in India, 50 women were randomized to either ashwagandha treatment or placebo (300 mg twice daily) for 8 weeks [32]. In this study, ashwagandha supplementation was shown to lead to significantly higher scores in multiple markers of sexual desire and function. But Is Ashwagandha Safe? Ashwagandha root powder has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, and it is believed to be completely safe and free of any toxicity. Extracts of ashwagandha made using alcohol and water will likely contain higher doses of its natural ingredients, relative to raw powder. So far animal studies with such extracts have shown no evidence of toxicity, even at relatively high doses [33]. However, it is always advisable to take an herbal supplement only after consulting your healthcare provider, especially if you have any ongoing health conditions or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Organixx Turmeric 3D Contains KSM-66 Ashwagandha The Organixx Turmeric 3D formula has always contained ashwagandha extract. As part of our commitment to seeking out the cleanest and most effective supplement ingredients, we upgraded to KSM-66 Ashwagandha in 2019 – the most clinically studied ashwagandha on the market. KSM-66 is a full-spectrum extract produced using a unique proprietary extraction process, based on “Green Chemistry” principles, without using alcohol or any other chemical solvent.
Tara Sutphen will interview Dr. Seeta, she holds a clinical doctorate in Ayurvedic Medicine. In her training, she studied classical Indian massage therapy, marma point (acupressure), energy medicine, herbalism, western & ayurvedic nutrition, panchakarma (advanced detoxification procedures) and Rasayana
Die über 5 Tausend Jahre alte Heillehre Ayurveda gibt uns viele Empfehlungen für ein langes und gesundes Leben. Es handelt sich um jahrtausendealte Beobachtungen und Erfahrungen. Der Ayurveda hat ganz genaue Vorstellungen davon, welche Nahrung uns Menschen zuträglich ist und welche wir lieber meiden sollten. Unser Körper ist darauf angewiesen, dass wir ihm in ausreichender Menge Vitalstoffe und Mineralien zuführen. Im Ayurveda ist Nahrung die wichtigste Medizin. Kräuter und Gewürze, die für die Zubereitung der Speisen verwendet werden, sind teilweise wahre Booster für unseren Körper und auch für unseren Geist. Was aber, wenn wir uns nicht so gut, so lebensdienlich ernähren können? Was wenn die Qualität unserer Nahrung zu wünschen übrig lässt? Und was, wenn wir krank sind und mehr brauchen, als in unserer Nahrung enthalten ist. „Gibt es auch ayurvedische Nahrungsergänzungsmittel?“, diese Frage wurde mir schon häufig gestellt. In der Tat hat sich der Ayurveda natürlich auch mit dieser Frage beschäftigt. Die Antwort darauf lautet: Rasayana. Was Rasayana bedeutet und wie Du die Mittel für Dich nutzen kannst, erfährst Du in dieser Folge. Ich möchte nochmals betonen, dass ich nur DInge und Mittel vorstelle, die ich aus eigener Erfahrung kenne, teilweise in der Praxis verwende und daher empfehlen kann. Hier findest Du mich: Praxis Dr. Jasper: https://drjasper.deMuskanadent: https://muskanadent.comYouTube: http://bit.ly/drjasper-youtube Podcast iTunes: https://bit.ly/drjasperFacebook Dr. Jasper: https://www.facebook.com/ZahnarztpraxisJasper/ Facebook Muskanadent: https://www.facebook.com/muskanadent/ Instagram Dr. Jasper: https://www.instagram.com/zahnarztpraxis_drannettejasper/ Instagram Muskanadent: https://www.instagram.com/drannettejasper_muskanadent/ Gratis Checkliste “So halten Deine Zähne ein Leben lang”: https://verzahnt.online Buche deine persönliche Sprechstunde mit mir: https://drannettejasper.de/online-sprechstunde/ Buch “Verzahnt”: https://www.m-vg.de/riva/shop/article/15075-verzahnt/?pl=3887e229-9ea5-4043 Buch "Yoga sei Dank" von Dr. Annette Jasper: https://www.komplett-media.de/de_yoga-sei-dank-_112788.html
Brihad Bhagavatamrta by Sanatana Gosvami --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dhruva-maharaja-dasa/support
I heard a talk by Dr. John speak when I was a student in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition years ago, before starting medical school. As a yogi, Ayurvedic philosophy deeply resonated. The concepts of balance and aligning with rhythms of nature makes so much sense, and just feels good! Dr. John recommended that I see and interact with the world through an Ayurvedic lens. Even though I haven't taken any deep dive into Ayurveda, I've allowed basic ayurvedic concepts to guide my lifestyle and clinical practice. I was thrilled to connect with Dr. John for a deep conversation about longevity through the lens of ayurveda. It turns out that there are indeed ancient ayurvedic traditions that have now been proven to promote longevity in many ways. Some highlights include... How Dr. John stumbled into Ayurveda in the 1980s The topic of contaminants and heavy metals in Ayurvedic herbs The branch of ayurveda known as "Rasayana" known to promote longevity Lifestyle practices that are important to promote longevity How eating with the seasons extends your healthspan Optimizing the microbiome through cultivating peace and kindness Ways to transmute chaotic, "rajasic" energy to extend telomeres The importance of withdrawing the senses and going inward to activate stem cells You may also be interested in another Ayurveda episode... Episode 7 with Meredith Klein - https://alter.health/episode7 Hope you enjoy! Please feel free to leave a comment, rating, or review on whatever platform you choose to tune in on! Links to learn more SHOW NOTES: https://alter.health/episode142 JOIN EMPOWERED SELF-HEALERS FB GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alterhealth/ TAKE OUR ONLINE COURSE: https://alter.health/course SUPPORT US ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/alterhealth JOIN THE HEALING COMMUNITY: https://www.alter.health/healing-community GET OUR BOOK: https://amzn.to/2tmiOz3 APPLY TO WORK WITH US: https://alter.health/membership CONNECT ON FACEBOOK: https://fb.me/alterhealthinc CONNECT ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/alter.health
Brihad Bhagavatamrta by Sanatana Gosvami --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dhruva-maharaja-dasa/support
In today's podcast Mason chats to Susan Van Daal. Susan is a passionate practitioner of the Ayurvedic healing sciences. Susan believes that the "potential for healing lies in understanding nature, connecting with nature and adjusting to nature.“ Specialising in digestive health, with a focus on food as medicine, Susan incorporates her knowledge in the areas of Qigong, postnatal care, the emotional freedom technique (EFT) and biochemical science to guide her clients on the path of their own good health. Mason and Susan discuss: Ayurvedic medicine. Digestive health. Food and plants as medicine. Mindset as a tool for creating health in the body. The power of intention when using herbs to heal. Ayurveda and postnatal care. Who Is Susan Van Daal? Susan van Daal is an Ayurvedic practitioner, doula and founder of Inanna care. Inanna care is the embodiment of her call to inspire vital living, health, and longevity. Susan guides people through the healing of digestive disorders, such as IBS, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's and supports women through different stages of feminine health: from fertility through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. A significant vector of her work is healing through food and plants as medicine. Her ambition is to transform other people’s lives by sharing nature’s laws and rhythms based on Ayurveda. Resources: Susan's Website Prakriti by Robert Svoboda Textbook of Ayurveda by Vasant Lad The Yoga of Herbs' by David Frawley and Vasant Lad Dravyaguna for Westerners' by Atreya Smith *A few of the Ayurvedic terms Mason asked Susan to pronounce in the chat: Cedrus deodara (latin name) Devdaru (sanskrit name) (Himalayan Cedar wood) - is a very powerful herb especially for the Kapha dosha. This herb is a strong tonic that acts as a expectorant, carminative and laxative, while creating a calming effect on the mind. The moment before sunrise is called Brahma - muhurta Anupanus - is a substance, such as ghee, that helps medicinal herbs reach deeper or more specific tissues in the body. Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus we're on Spotify! We got you covered on all bases ;P Check Out The Transcript Here: Mason: Hey, everybody and hello to you, Susan. How are you? Susan: I'm good. I'm losing my... Mason: Thank you for inviting me into your home. So, Susan Van Daal, you're up here in the Topanga Hills. Well, I'll let you explain what you do, but where do you have your Ayurvedic practitioner clinic? Are you working out of here or are you nearby? Susan: Yeah, I work from home, but I work also as a doula, so then I'm visiting clients. I give massages at people's place, but most of the sessions I do actually through Skype now, if I'm not working in postpartum areas. Mason: Okay. This conversation's just blown out into so many different areas that we're going to be able to go at it from. Just to give everyone a world... you're from Netherlands. Whereabouts are you? Susan: Yeah. I'm from a small town actually in the south of the Netherlands, which I've lived in for quite awhile. Then I moved to Lisbon and now I came here in half a year ago, building up my practice here. Mason: Okay. And you were practicing in those places as well? Susan: In Lisbon, I had my Ayurvedic practice, yes. Mason: Okay. Where did you study? Susan: I'm still studying, because I think it's a more lifetime commitment. I think that you... Mason: Good, trick question. Susan: Exactly. Once you start Ayuveda or yoga, whatever the sutras are endless. So I can keep on studying forever- Mason: Yeah, and a better question is, what's been your track and your inspirational path to learning so far? Susan: I think my personal experience was really the trigger to go down this route. I mean, nine years ago, I got an autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis, and I came in touch with this book, it was called, just David Frawley, a book about Ayurveda and herbs. And I came in touch with Sankhya philosophy and felt really for me- Mason: What philosophy was it? Susan: Sankhya philosophy is one of the six Hindu philosophies of how matter or substances are created and how the universe exists. And it was not even related to my disease, necessarily, not directly, but it opened up a certain, whatever, channel. I don't know what it was. But it was familiar like, "Okay, this is truth. This for me true." And- Mason: But you went from a static mental model of what it was going to look like for you with an autoimmune disease, kind of like- Susan: Yeah, I was in Western and Western process and doctors had said, "Well, you need to take this medication for the rest of your life." Mason: You were like- Susan: And I thought, "Well..." Mason: It's such a common story, but and at the same time very unique. And, obviously, as you know in your experience, you go from you've bought into an official story that you're getting from an industry or a culture, which doesn't even have to be sadistic in nature, it's just their official story and their world. And, boom, and all of a sudden you crack the egg with something like that on your own. Susan: Exactly. I was reading that, how that [inaudible 00:02:22], so how consciousness and matter came together and how that's actually the subtlety of our existence of the universe. And then I thought, "Well, if this is how life is about, then I should connect in a different way with food, with my lifestyle, because I was not living a very good lifestyle. At the moment, I was studying and enjoying whatever, everything. Mason: Yep, partying. Susan: Food, parties, and everything. And it was just a radical shift, the book was more like kind of a spiritual awakening or something and triggered me to go more into the Ayurvedic philosophy. So first I started to study myself. For a few years I was just reading books and trying to heal my own foundation and basically I'd gotten really quite far with that. Then I thought, "No, I really need to change my life and help other people with the same kind of conditions." And then I started to study with a few Indian doctors, Dr. Shailesh, he's based in Pune, and then- Mason: By correspondence, or? Susan: No, I started at the Academy of Ayurvedic studies in Holland and they were collaborating with these two Indian doctors. Yeah. And then I continued afterwards. Mason: So, I know we can go down a rabbit hole on this, with the autoimmunity- Susan: Yeah. Mason: From your perspective, coming at it from an Ayurvedic lifestyle and medicine approach, herbal approach, were there... I know, and we've got a very high IQ listener here, so, permission to simplify. They know how huge it is to shift something like that and to get to the point now whether you feel like you're clear or in management more it'd be great to hear as well. But what are some of the pillar steps for you that you took in to get on top of that? Susan: Yeah. So it's like a process that took a few years, right? I couldn't change... although I quit it almost after a few months that I was working with some sort of Ayurvedic principals I could equate with the medications. But it's longer transition that I've been going through, of course, and I think it will end when I die, of course. So, it started, I think, to take out some elements of my diet. Mainly the standard things like dairy, meat, things that are hard to digest, because ulcerative colitis is a- Mason: Do you want to explain it a little bit? Yeah. Susan: Yeah, ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the large intestine. It's fairly similar to the disease of Crohn's, but then Chron can expand also to small intestine, stomach, and everything. So ulcerative colitis is only in the large intestine. So, yeah, the first question that I asked seeing the doctor, I was like, "Okay, the food, maybe, that I eat might affect my intestine, right?" And then he said, "Oh, it's not scientific. No food for that." Susan: And then I started to read about these things and, for example, pork meat sits for like 72 hours in your digestive track before you eliminate it, compared to 18 hours that fruit takes, for example. So, from that perspective, actually, it's almost like a biochemical approach, right? You just look at what does this substance do to your body and how much effort and energy does the body needs to put into it to digest it? And you can have a- Mason: Well, especially if you're in a place of deficiency and inflammation. Susan: Exactly, exactly. It's not meat or dairy at all, it just means that you need to select the foods carefully that meet your digestive fire. Mason: Ama? Susan: Yeah. Mason: I hear some things. I pick up some Ayurvedic [crosstalk 00:05:31] Susan: Yeah, yeah. I was doing a [inaudible 00:05:34] maybe I'm maybe a little bit drifting off. Mason: That's okay, I mean, diet of course was that first step. Susan: Diet was the first thing, and then of course meditation, having a routine. Routine was maybe the most important thing. Having dinner [inaudible 00:05:45] Mason: What's that? Susan: Kind of like a famous thing in Ayurveda is actually how you organize your life, your routine in the morning, especially. How to tune into circadian rhythms so you wake up at a set time at Brahama Muhurta, the most ideal time to wake up so actually around sunrise. Mason: Was that term, what was the word you that just used? Susan: Brahama Muhurta? That's the time before the sun rises, basically, because then the energy on earth is different. Mason: The hive mind hasn't awoken yet. Susan: Exactly. So if you wake up then, meditate... Nowadays I include different modalities. I don't believe that you just have to stick to just Ayurveda and yoga because yoga and Ayurveda are related. So I include a lot of [00:06:25] in my practice because for me, that's the most soothing practice I've encountered. And I'm a Vatta-Pitta, I need to have very soothing practices in the morning. Yeah, to calm to start the day in a peaceful and mindful way. Mason: I'm curious about your being a practitioner now. So you've gone down that route where you are helping and creating. Susan: Yeah. Mason: You've experienced it yourself. I'm sure you have practitioners, especially going down you had that route. It sounds like you really took it on yourself. You had your structure, so you're in a healing pattern, you limited your diet for a few years while you were healing, you had a structure for a practice in the morning while you were healing. Now, you'd be utilizing those in your practice but yet you're stepping beyond that place where you're needing to consider yourself somewhat of a patient or treat yourself because it's appropriate for times. I'm always fascinated when you've been through it and then you have patients. What I see so often is practitioners then getting trapped in, "This is how now your lifestyle needs to look for the rest of your life." And there's a bit of a stunting in staying in that, "Well, I'll always be a patient." There's a subtle fear. Susan: Oh, yeah. Mason: You know what I mean? Susan: I understand exactly what you mean, yeah. Mason: So I'm just curious because you're in it. Susan: To be honest, I really don't consider myself as a patient anymore. I don't know I that's the question. Mason: No, but that's what I get. You're not. And so that period when you were healing, healing, healing, healing and then with say, your diet or your rigid practice that is required, then how did you successfully bridge over into a lifestyle that was more dynamic? Susan: [crosstalk 00:08:02] Yeah, yeah, yeah. I understand what you're saying. You mean what it took from me to get to that stage. Mason: Either that, or how do you then inform your patients of that process? Susan: So, I work with people, or I'd prefer to work, it's not always working like that, for a couple of months. Especially when you need to heal severe diseases like ulcerative colitis or something. You need to work for at least three to four months or maybe six sometimes. And I always tell them, "It's a process," right? And now I might recommend to eliminate pork or meat, more heavy meat, from your diet, but this is temporary, you know? It's just to get rid of excess amount. That's what we talk about in Ayurveda when you have a buildup of toxins in your digestive tract. It's more like mucus, kind of, sticky substance that stays in your large intestines. And that can permeate through the intestinal wall and then interfere, actually, with the proteins that are running through your own blood, your own proteins. And then they start to fight because your body cannot recognize any more which proteins are yours or from undigested. Mason: Yes. Susan: So, I really believe that it's all a temporary imbalance and that you need to go through this stage of elimination and detoxification. And then afterwards, when the symptoms diminish or even are gone, then you need to start build up with Rasayanas, for example. Mason: Rasayanas, yeah. Susan: Rasayanas. Yeah, and then I'd think then you can also become a little bit more... You always need to be mindful, I think, what you're eating and how you're eating. And, or course, at the same time, you need to allow yourself, also, to relax and not to create this mental thing about food because that's a very tricky thing and there is a very fine line between these two. Mason: Well it's interesting you bring up the Rasayanas there, and I feel like in Rasayanas I think everyone, if you've heard the [00:09:44] episode I go over this a lot more, you might be able to learn a little bit more, but it's not about the fact that we're just like, "Now you just take Rasayana herbs. Now you take tonic herbs." It's more about the philosophy that revolves around that. It's a philosophy when you go from being sick, because, I don't know why, just bear with me as we go through this, but I feel like it's something that a lot of people would really appreciate hearing again and again and again and again. Because, you know, I just came from that mindbodygreen Revitalize weekend, right? And it was great, you know. When I'm hearing people on stage, I'll take everything with a grain of salt at all times while still respecting peoples' work heavily. Mason: But there was this one really well regarded MD doctor, it was basically he's just like, "Look, this is how I am with my patients. It's no spinach, no meat, no nightshades, no grain, no quinoa, no chia..." So it was very lectern-based. Anyway, it was just like the whole argument of a gorilla gets all its protein from vegetation, That really old kind of thing. And then just telling everyone they should be having tons of olive oil every day. But anyway, he was a keynote, right? I was sitting there going like, "This guy gets people who are very sick and tries to get them well and is then very confused about the fact that people need to then branch out and open up after that fact and not remain on this "I'm sick" diet." Susan: Exactly, yeah- Mason: So, this is where I get the sense that you're going through it with Rasayanas. So what's the intention there? Because you're trying to get well when you're sick, then when you're essentially well you don't have a reframing that occurs. So you're still just trying to stay well and that dictates something, there's no momentum. But it's confusing with Rasayanas, I think at the talk you came to the other night, because you were there it reminded me to mention it, with the Rasayana intent of taking an herb like Shatavari and Ashwagandha to bring spontaneous joy, allow spontaneous joy to emerge from the body. It's a very subtle intention, yet it's one that you can wrap your head around long-term, right? Susan: It is like a bill is a nourishing thing. It's more like, "Oh, I'm taking care of myself and my body." It's not like, "Oh, I need to..." I mean, it's more like, indeed, what you're saying. That's a good perspective, actually, to look at it from a pleasure kind of side, rather than, "I need to heal," or something. But in the stages that I go through with most of my clients, first there's kind of a lot of elimination. So maybe, also, you can lose maybe a little bit of body weight or something. Susan: And then you need to build up the tissues again, which is also a very nourishing practice and I would not see it as "You're still sick." I would say like, "Oh, you're taking care of yourself and you understand your body better and what is compatible with your body." And not like, "Oh, I eat maybe now french fries. So I know maybe tomorrow I might have some discomfort, but it's fine. It's fine and I know how to counteract that the day after," or something. More to understand which foods affect your body in a certain way, which is all fine, without any judgment. But then also learn from it and be mindful like, "Okay, I do this and I enjoy it, and I'm fully present in that and enjoying it. And then after, I might use some herbs or something or another [00:12:58] diet to balance it out [inaudible 00:12:59]." Mason: Yeah, you've got tools, right? Susan: You have tools, you have tools, yeah. Mason: You've got tools and then you embody some of the tools and then, as you go forth, you get to explore different intentions. And you've got such a vibrant lifestyle, I think. I love practitioners. And there's so many emerging that just embody... Because you need to teach that bridging, I'm getting a sense of, that bridge from, "I'm sick" towards like, "All right, now were healing. Now you need to take it on yourself." I feel like a practitioner needs to maintain that and communicate it via osmosis, that ownership and sovereignty they have within themselves, so the patient can see, "Right, now I've come to the end of my journey. I can see through the corner of my eye what the next step is," and then they can move beyond that paradigm. Mason: I want to go into herbs. We've had a couple chats about the herbaceous world around us, including having more and more experiences just over the past weekend, where you're deepening your relationship and entwining and little bit more. I'm going to leave it very open-ended. Where did that love affair with especially herbs begin for you personally? And then let's start diving into the way you relate to herbs through Ayurveda. Susan: I think my deep respect for food and for herbs came from my own experience and I think, too, deepening my meditation and some other spiritual practices and learning from Lakota elders from different tribes and how they relate to herbs and how they treat the plants. Because, yeah, you have vegan people... I'm not against vegan, I'm not necessarily in favor of it. I think everyone needs to decide what feels best for their own body. But what you see, for example, that the Lakota tribes, they treat plants in the same way as they treat animals. Also in Ayurveda there is the concept of [00:14:40], the soul of the plant. You can call it "soul," you can call it maybe, "consciousness" or "higher intelligence" resonates more with some people. But- Mason: And with the veganism thing, you're talking about the fact that plants are conscious? Susan: Always a sacrifice is made for your meal, even as plants like, effect on the environment. I mean, yeah, of course meat has a bigger impact on the [crosstalk 00:15:03] Mason: Well, meat has such an in-your-face impact. Susan: Exactly. Mason: There is a central nervous system that we can relate to. Yet we can't relate to the pain and emotional receptors of a plant. Susan: No, exactly. But I think, too, this learning with different tribes and not just with Ayurveda, but more indigenous tribes from the Amazon or something. I felt that plants have a spirit and that you can connect with it. There is a reason why in Ayurveda we're singing mantras when we prepare herbal decoctions or infusions or whatever. And why also, in the Amazon, they are connecting with the plant by singing whatever [00:15:40] or whatever to it. And I have felt it doesn't matter if you believe if there is this higher intelligence in plants or if you see that your mind is connecting in an intentful way with the plant. And that helps the acceleration of the healing, you know? I think it can work both sides. It doesn't matter how you explain it. Susan: But for me, with my meditation practices and other practices I've learned, I've cultivated a deep respect for plants and herbs, yeah. Because it has helped me in a symptomatic, very clear way. It just improves my life by smudging, working with cedar, different types of cedar and sage, and see how it changes my energy, the way how I feel, literally. And also I can see, for example, in post-partum, if you work with certain herbs and you come into the room with a woman who just gave birth, you feel that the aromas all the senses are stimulated by plants. And it's, do you say "undeniable?" Mason: It is "undeniable." Susan: Yeah, I mean, it's so present. Mason: In terms of ingesting the herbs at the same time? Is that what the example's there? Especially with the sage, of course. I feel like what you're talking to is a fanaticism in the medical system around herbs and drugs is, "Go, go, go, go, go, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick. We don't have time for that, you know?" Susan: Quick fix. Mason: Yeah, quickly. And that's just hocus pocus bullshit. Susan: Yeah! Yeah. Mason: And if anything, as you said, whether you believe that here is a consciousness or a personality and an energy, you know... I'm sure with herbs you're using for treatment, you might be using teas or powders or capsules or something in that sense. It doesn't detract from that fact that slowing down and having a little bit of a connection, whether you're in the harvesting process or the usage process, I think what it does, and what you're speaking to, is as you slow down and you connect that little bit, I think that's the space where what I call the "placebo" is activated. Susan: Exactly, yeah. You could see it like that. So, even if it's just smelling the herb before you take it or just ask to help, I mean, yeah maybe it sounds a bit out of air, but I really believe it, that if you ask for... No, maybe if you're like really trying to connect with it, and not just like, "Okay, I use it as a, whatever, it's there." If you use it with a certain intention and with a certain respect, yeah, it's a really big difference if you take in herbs in that way, rather than just on the go, in the car, and I take a few capsules because I need some supplement, or something, some minerals. Mason: Give me, give me, give me, give me- Susan: Give me, exactly. Yeah. Mason: Were there any herbs in particular? I'm sure it's many, and I know it's not about just one herb, but there are any herbs that really swept you off your feet? Susan: Yeah, like Boswellia Serrata. Mason: [inaudible 00:18:15]? Susan: Frankincense. Yeah, also already its aroma is super strong. But I also felt, after working it for a month doing mono diet and then just trying to ingest it and try to feel what's happening with my body- Mason: Explain the mono diet. Susan: Ayurveda, there are some fasting methods. But for certain types of people like more Vatta dominating people, predominately Vatta types, fasting is not always the best thing because it can disrupt their digestive fire and everything and make them less grounded. So then you have mono diet. You eat three times a day, basically the same meal like, one type of grains, most of the time it's kitchri, but you can use one type of grain if another grain appeals more to you, I'm not very rigid around that. Mason: Including the herb at the same time? Susan: I take it before eating the food. I take ingest it before. Mason: That's kind of like your [00:19:04]. Susan: Yeah, kind of, and I did that also. I mean, I wish I did it with all the herbs that I'm using. But this is a long lifetime practice to connect with herbs on a more deeper level than just in a mind, how do you say, it ventures from... Mason: Like a materia medica sense? Susan: Yeah, exactly More from a mind perspective rather than really feeling into it. Mason: Yeah, that's beautiful, I like- Susan: Also that devadaru seed is actually the Himalyan ceder wood. Mason: What's it called? Susan: Cedrus deodara. In Sanskrit it's devadaru I had also incredible experiences with that because I was reading in the sutras about it, what kind of effects it would have, and then [inaudible 00:19:43] more biochemical approach. But then, when I was using it, I realized that, because it was actually in the ancient text it says it's heating to the body and I have a high Pitta, so high heat in my body. But I was working with it and then I felt like, whoa, I don't feel that aspect of it. So I think it's also very important to sometimes detach from all the knowledge that you have. Is it not that Lao Tzu once said that you need to get rid of everything that you learned in order to really like- Mason: That's frustrating. Susan: It is! Mason: Like, when you feel kind of like, "Gosh, I know my shit." That's why I think it's like, whether you're someone like myself, who was previously like, "No, I'm not going anywhere near that practitioner realm because I want to guard the image that I have" or if you're a practitioner that's like, "No, I know the energetics, I know that this one's heating and that one's cooling and that that's a heating disease so you use a cooling herb." And that is sense where there's no nuance in both cases. It's the ultimate maturity, right? To be like, "Cool, I know a lot, but I know nothing. And I'm willing for it to be colorful." Susan: And to open up to the experience, right? Without any preconceptions that you have. Just, okay, let's allow yourself to let the herb do it's work and then see what's happening. If it's expanding, or is it contracting? Whatever is happening in the body. It's so fascinating. I love to work with it. Mason: Unfortunately, you're going to have to look outside of the box sometimes in order to get the most amazing results. That's kind of like I felt in my beginnings because, especially in the beginning, I was such in that multidimensional world. I felt like a tripper. I couldn't quite connect it to a symptomatic response which would ground this way of approaching. I was just in that instinctively feeling, "I think you should go and explore this direction of health. I think you really need to work on your skin and detoxifying your skin" or "I really think you need to be working on your estrogen." And just take these long-winded parts connecting it to whatever the symptomatic response was. And I think everyone, especially in the medical and practitioner community, doesn't trust that instinct that emerges. Susan: I really fully agree. I think so. Because we are so trained to look at herbs into that system that I have a lot of respect of this heritage of all this kind of knowledge, but then- Mason: Of course. It's beyond useful. Susan: But still, for me it's very important what my own experience is with a herb. And that can only build it after months of using it on a consistent basis. Mason: Before I ask you about being a doula, is there some other herbs that you use in practice that you just want to give a little shout out? Susan: So you asked also something about what my relationship was with Ayurveda and herbs. I feel nowadays I really want to explore the herbs that grow around my surrounding, right? In Topanga. So what is growing here and what helps me here, rather than just working with the traditional Ayurveda herbs. Although, I feel if you're talking about Rasayanas, it's for me very difficult to find the same kind of quality, that nourishing tonic kind of, more what you talk about tonics. I think the tonics and Rasayanas are very similar. And I feel like, in that aspect, I didn't encounter yet the same kind of quality and profoundness of herbs in my own area. So then I reached back to indeed Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Amalaki, Triphala, like whatever, these kind of more- Mason: Triphala, delicious Susan: They are so delicious. Everyone loves it. Maybe then capsules is sometimes the right thing. Mason: Yeah. Susan: And Mustaka whatever, Brahmi, these kind of things, feel very profound. But, for example, if I have a client or something, or even myself, a UTI, for example, a quite clear symptom, then I would really recommend to just use Uva Ursi or burdock or marshmallow or other kind of herbs. Mason: Right, well that's it. Yeah- Susan: Sometimes the symptomatic approach is not- Mason: Well, it's ideal. Just like, I'm not sure what the other classifications. It's a bit like a Rasayana has its own clinical intent. We know what Ashwagandha does. But if the whole, "Oh, they're adaptogens, you can use them for anything at any time," it's not... Like, a Rasayana mostly, a tonic, is to strengthen the body, make it resilient, allow spontaneous joy to come forth because you know the system is calm and you can work on yourself. And that's why that's the superior herbs and tonic herbalism. That's they're intent. Susan: Are you nourishing the Qi, right? With tonics. Mason: No, not necessarily, I mean, with a herb like astragalus, is pure Qi. It's a Qi tonic, so you're nourishing lung and spleen, right? And so it's tonifying from that angle. And in terms of everything building and sealing, it's just not quite the case with a tonic. It's like it's too much of a broad brush, over a tonic. No, we only use tonic in times of sickness to build back the body after it's been emaciated. Whereas, if you then get an appropriate dose and keep your finger on the pulse of your own energy, the whole point is that you're strengthening systems of the body so they can do what they need to do, rather than just purely tightening and toning the body or the system. You know, of course Cordyceps in instance of autoimmunity as is Reishi, has been shown to be bringing back the capacity for T-cell regulation to return and so we see autoimmunity or antibodies implicated decreasing. Susan: Similar effect as [inaudible 00:24:51]. Mason: Yeah, exactly. In particular instances. But, I think that's where people don't realize that there is those tiers. So that's the superior herbs and then in the regular herbs, like [00:25:02], and, as you were talking to there, herbs that I used to treat symptoms specifically, and they have a slight toxicity about them. Susan: Yeah, so you need to use it, indeed, for a limited period of time. Mason: For a limited time- Susan: And that's prefect- Mason: Rasayanas and tonics, I feel like they're just nontoxic. Which people think, "Oh my god, I can have them as much as I want?" No, that's not the case. Susan: No, no. Exactly, exactly, exactly. And from an Ayurvedic is always because Rasayanas are a little bit harder to digest, in general, than other herbs, so from that aspect Ayurveda always would include some sort of [00:25:37], that's what we call [00:25:38] as a vehicle that you ingest a herb with. So like some sort of substance that can be like gi or aloe vera that helps to- Mason: Did you say, "aloe vera?" for a Pitta? Susan: Yeah. Mason: For someone inflamed or [crosstalk 00:25:50]. Aloe vera's one of my favorites, I grew up with it. Susan: Or with a ginger decoction or something that helps the digestion of Rasayanas- Mason: I think that's a crossover. Humans necessarily created a hot elixir for themselves, or they would pair the herbs with a delivery system, quite often a flavoring, or a fat-like gi, or whatever it was, in order to buffer the releasing of all the medicines. And especially ginger, an absolute perfect example of the amount of, especially paired with licorice, the amount of blends in TCM that are just rounded out with ginger or rounded out with mint. These herbs, they weave everything together, you know? Especially licorice, it's just the ultimate weaver- Susan: Is licorice more well known for that property than ginger in Chinese medicine? Mason: Yeah, licorice I believe is the most used herb in Chinese medicine. Susan: Interesting, so that's maybe the ginger of- Mason: It's the great magnifier. But it's a wonderful Qi tonic at the same time . And so it's a digestive... You know, so much starts with digestion, ama, spleen. It's like Hippocrates, "All disease begins in the gut. All disease, then, ends in the gut." Susan: Exactly, yeah, I really believe that. Mason: Yeah, so from Taoist perspective, we're trying to maintain our vital Xing. I'm not sure what is like- Susan: That would be [00:27:02] I think in- Mason: [00:27:03]. But, it's like yes, your [00:27:05], Xing, like a pilot light, I'm not sure if this is the same correlation, a pilot light for ama. But, it's like these are kind of like the pilot light for the spleen, and therefore cooking the pot of the stomach, right? Susan: Hmm. That's interesting. Mason: Everyone, continuously, we need to restore the Xing first in the West from, this is just my perspective, it's not definitive. But then, you need to psychologically make the transition towards managing your Qi, digestion, and your breath. And so the focus, to keep our finger on the pulse in what we're talking about, getting to a place where you're no longer exhausted or sick. You're watching yourself in the way that your capacity to digest and your capacity to utilize your food and breath, or lack thereof, and stay warm, continue to circulate and stay somewhat in harmony emotionally. That's all kind of comes back to the spleen. Mason: And so, when you see one of the primary spleen and Qi and harmonizing tonics is licorice, there the proof is in the pudding that long-term it's that middle ground where you can sit really long-term, keeping your finger on the pulse, and it gives you a real long view of your life. It's like a real tortoise and the hare, an amalgamation of both. And I feel like I hear ama being brought up so much, and unless you've embodied your ability to take responsibility for yourself once you've healed, I feel like then you can reapproach digestive Qi, digestive capacity, and ama with a whole new light. You don't feel like you're sick and you're just limited. Susan: Yeah, that's very true. Mason: This is the reality, yeah. You want to elaborate on that? Susan: Elaborate on that? No, I think I agree, yeah, what you're saying. I mean, I don't know if the spleen and the ama... I mean, the ama is a result of indigestion, right? So I think where the focus in Chinese medicine is on the spleen, I think in Ayurvedic it's really about the stomach, the small intestine, the large intestine, that area more. Mason: But it's the same world, just different points of view. Susan: Exactly. Mason: So, I'm really curious about what talked you into being a doula, as well. Susan: Oh, yeah. Mason: It comes up so much on this Podcast, you know? Just that sacred space and that sacred realm that I didn't realize we were going to be heading into that direction. And yeah, just go nuts. Susan: Part of my Ayurvedic training included some post-partum work, and I started, basically, just to help first friends that gave birth. And I came there and then I had such a profound experience with one of my friends that had a very tough labor. And then I started to give her a massage. And in Ayurveda there's this concept of that the soul of the baby and the could of the mother are connected for the first two years of their lives. And I experienced, at least in this first few weeks of the life of the baby, I felt like as soon as the mother was nourished and taken care of and relaxed, as soon as I started to massage her for example, the baby started to calm down. For me, it was like, "Whoa, this is quite profound." [crosstalk 00:29:56] or something. It was just amazing to see the effect and that's where it came from that I wanted to focus more on that transition that women are going through when they gave birth. Mason: Looking at post-partum, fourth trimester, what's your approach? Susan: You mean for the women that I supported? I mean, what my approach is? I mean the fourth trimester, yeah, in many indigenous tribes and cultures, or ancient cultures, that fourth trimester women need to be taken care of and nourished by family or friends. And that's what I would like to being a little bit more in this modern society. I think more awareness of that transition that women are going through and that fourth trimester is almost even more important. Because you see often women are pregnant and then there's a lot of attention in these first nine months. And then the baby's born and then I think, "Okay, the baby's born." Susan: But I think it's very important to support women in this period afterwords because, I mean, one in ten, I think it was one of the statistics recently published, that one in ten women get post-partum depression and these kind of things. And it can be very well treated if there is the right attention and support for these women. There is this hormonal imbalance, of course, that can be treated with herbs, for example, Vitex is very good for that, mugwort- Mason: Vitex is magic, yeah. Susan: Balances mood. And also like when people go through miscarriages it's very important that women have support in that recovering. It's such a transformative thing, spiritually, emotionally, physically- Mason: Are you personalizing a lot of the herbal approach post-partum? Or are there herbs like Vitex that you feel are quite across the board, essentially appropriate for most people? Susan: Yes, I have to say yes. Although I know Vitex is a little bit heating but I've really seen good results in many cases- Mason: Yeah, it's like keep your finger on the pulse. Susan: Yeah. And Borage oil, for example, is very good, I think. It has an antidepressant-like action. Giving massage for that, I know that in traditional Ayurveda they use [00:31:53] after pregnancy. But Borage, I have a personal connection with Borage oil. Mason: What's the practice where you're just oiling yourself up? Susan: That's called a [00:32:03] Mason: A [00:32:03]. Susan: Yeah, and that's very important after giving birth because the nervous system and everything needs to calm down. Mason: I mean, [inaudible 00:32:10], my fiance, when she gets the chance, she practices that and I can always get the sense of absolute parasympathetic emerging. I mean, I can't believe- Susan: It's very soothing. Mason: Yeah, I mean, I can't believe we don't... When there's an athlete that's done an ultramarathon, there's so much focus placed on their recovery in order to get themselves to be able to compete again. And for themselves, they're... But culturally, I think this is obvious to everyone that's going to be listening, but culturally that fourth trimester we completely underestimate just how much you need to regenerate after birth. Far out. Susan: Completely, yeah. Mason: Okay, Vitex, any other general, obviously this is general- Susan: Abhyanga is one of the most important, I think, practices. But also to bring in some devour of an aroma or sage baths or some sort of more rituals of something to honor that stage of a woman's life. I think it's very important. And just holding space for women in that period is very important. I mean, it's all a combination of things, of nourishing food is also very important. Suggest food that gets [inaudible 00:33:19] for them, herbal soups but also bone broth, they need to build up- Mason: Build it back. Susan: Yeah. Mason: Is watermelon seed a thing in India? I might have made that up. Completely. Susan: Watermelon seed? Especially in post-partum or? Mason: Yeah, I mean I just remember looking through all the post-, this is almost three years ago, looking at them all, of course, it's like wherever you're at it's nourishing Xing-building herbs a lot of the time or broths and soups. Soup are nourishing. I'm sure it was in China, it's pork after birth, you know? And in India it's many things. But watermelon seeds, I was like, watermelon seeds [crosstalk 00:33:52] Susan: I didn't hear about this. So I haven't learned about [crosstalk 00:33:56] Mason: I was like, you know, sometimes you get into that frame of mind you read something you're like, "Okay, cool, I'm down." Susan: "Yeah, I need to do that." Mason: "Yeah, okay got to do pork, and I've got to do watermelon seeds, I've got to do Cordyceps, I've got to do that..." And you're like, "Okay, no, maybe I can just drop a couple of these and get back to what the real intention is here." Susan: Yeah, exactly. And Shatavari is the most famous one. Mason: Shatavari? Susan: Yeah. Mason: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Asparagus magic. Susan: Yeah. Mason: Well, it would be interesting to get your two cents. When women ask from our collective what's going to be useful, quite often Reishi's one that's there to be considered. It's got the, I don't know what you'd call it, the brand? Around being good for sleep, but essentially, it's a Shen tonic. So, the calming the mind, maintaining adaptability of the mind in unifying with the body, so that you can continue to develop your conscious awareness of what's going on. So number one, essentially, because you're changing so heavily and if you've got stuck mental patterns that you haven't dealt with during that child-bearing stage, you'll get stuck in quite often depression can emerge, so on and so forth. Mason: Shatavari, from the Taoist perspective, is considered one of the most beautiful Shen tonics. Reishi gets in and really can change your direction. Shatavari in my experience creates this atmosphere and this adapting atmospheric pressure for your mind and for your consciousness, which is just really beautiful, present space. The Taoists, their main intention for long-term for using it was to enable you to fly. To fly with your consciousness and fly with your dreams and be free, right? Susan: And can see it from the perspectives as Shatavari is working on the blood, right? And the blood and Shen are very much related? Mason: Yes. Susan: So I can imagine that case is the seed of the Shen right? So, if the blood is built, and good, and especially very important after post-partum, right? That the blood is built again, and nourished. Mason: Obviously so much of yoga is- Susan: And raspberry leaf. Mason: Oh, raspberry leaf Susan: [crosstalk 00:35:51] Mason: And nettle. Susan: And nettle, indeed, yeah. I've been now reading a little bit into the blue cohosh thing and that's what I find biggest in the Native American traditions, blue cohosh was used to, even in giving labor, to dilate the birth canal. But then I reading like what kind of pop med studies. Mason: Pop med? Susan: Yeah, studies like more biochemical approaches and then they show that it can create some birth defects or something. So I'm still figuring out what I feel for that. I didn't feel confident yet to prescribe that herb. But, anyway, I really feel like those Native American traditions, they have a deeper understanding, maybe, than some scientists nowadays have. You never what agenda is behind a study. So that's a bit of a tricky thing sometimes with herbs. Mason: Yeah, it's a double-edged sword. Susan: Yeah. Mason: Because sometimes we find out these amazing little nuances from herbs from these studies and sometimes, of course, people are like, "Oh my gosh, this herb is really toxic to the liver. Oh, I'm never taking it again." You'd look at the dose that they gave the rats and it's just unreasonable. Susan: Yeah, exactly! Or they just extract one compound, right? And then they magnify that thing. And that's, I think where Chinese medicine and Ayurveda meet, is that we look at plants as a holistic being, right? Nothing is like for no reason there. So everything is working together, all the compounds, and they interact and they create synergy together and that's how it affects the body and you cannot really just extract. That's also, they never found, I think, in ginseng the active compound, right? If I'm not mistaken? Mason: Ginseng asides are being variously discovered and they're trying to attribute different aspects to those compounds [crosstalk 00:37:21] Susan: But they can never extract, right? They could never extract the particle of the herb that was the- Mason: No, they don't know what it is. Susan: No. Mason: It's like with St. John's Wort. Different countries associate different active constituents to be the primary. And that's just my favorite example. There's so much of Chaga mushroom and Reishi mushroom that haven't been identified yet. And we could assume the same of majority of herbs. And I like what you said. With pregnancy especially, it's like, "Are these herbs safe during pregnancy?" Susan: Yeah, it's even more important than treating individual clients. I mean, I feel more confidence prescribing a herb when it's just small infection, of course, than when it's a pregnancy concerned or even childbirth. I mean, yeah- Mason: Of course, I mean- Susan: Such a fragile state. Mason: Well, it's a fragile state but I think the difference when we look traditionally, they had a different understanding. And I think they had a different understanding because they slowed themselves down. They understood in their administering. Some people will be like, "Oh, they used Eucommia bark and Reishi in pregnancy traditionally. So they're cool to go." And it's like, "Well..." If you look especially at any point you introduce something slowly, so you can take that pause that we were talking about earlier, the awareness of the herb, allow yourself to experience it. Mason: Now, then the other thing that comes about is the fact that you were saying "herbal interactions." So, some herbs are friends, some are enemies, some lift each other up, some dampen each other, some kill each other, and some are complete servants to others. Although it seems complicated, it's generally not. Especially in a Rasayana or a tonic herb perspective, it's like a do-it-yourself at home experiment. It gets a little bit trickier when you get down into treatment herbs. But, at the same time, in the instances of herbal application during pregnancy, traditionally, they knew that slow response and indifferent states herbs were going to have different reactions with each other. And so they just took it slow. They just went and started with minute amounts, or they knew each other so intimately that they went, "I know this herb and I know you, you're going to get along really well." Susan: Yeah! And I also think they were way more conscious about the setting, what they created around how they administered it. And I think the setting is very important also. Mason: What kind of setting do you create? Susan: I mean, I'm not like a birth doula, right? Mason: Yeah. Susan: Sorry. Okay. Mason: Yeah, just like in general, creating that healing environment, especially post-partum. You've talked about aromas- Susan: Yeah. It depends what the woman needs in that specific moment, right? So sometimes it's just listening. But, I mean, there's always an aspect that first checking in, what are the needs at the moment? Does she need protective sleep? Is the main priority? But then still, I'm bringing in essential oils or some baths, sage baths or something else. That connects them more with it's a sacred space and time in life, right? So that connects them with, a little bit more, with their body and it brings them back to their heart basically. Mason: And what you were saying in terms of just asking, I feel like that's- Susan: Checking in. Mason: Just checking in. Susan: It's very important. Maybe she didn't eat for six hours or something. So at first we'll prepare some food, you know? It depends. I always, every time when I visit, it's bring in in some sort of connection with a herb. It can be essential oils, just bring a diffuser. Can be like an oil that I've prepared myself. Mugwort or Borage or whatever. Mason: Oh, so good. Susan: Yeah. Mason: That must be fun work. Susan: It is. For me, the doula work brought in all aspects that I really love. This deeper connection with one person, or actually a family. And I like to cook, I like to prepare herbs. What I like in the doula work is that I prepare the oils myself. It's more like a personal longer-term connection that's built. That's what I really like. And the effect that you can see. Mason: Yeah, that's so real. So non-superficial Susan: Yeah. Yeah. And it's very humbling. I mean, the only thing that you're doing there is to serve and checking what does the person need? You know? And, I don't know, it's just beautiful. Mason: So, before we completely rewind, first of all, what are the two... So, we're in your room up here- Susan: This is mugwort [inaudible 00:41:24]- Mason: So you've got a mugwort brew. Susan: Tincture, yeah. Mason: Why is it a- Susan: It's a tincture. Mason: What's the menstruum? Susan: You mean this [crosstalk 00:41:30]? It's like 40%. Mason: It's kind of vodka. Susan: Yeah. Yeah. I just, yeah. I could only find this online to buy a high percentage but I think it's fine. Mason: Yeah, 40% gets the job done. Susan: And this one is royal [inaudible 00:41:40] it's like a good kidney tonic. It works. So this is, I just forawrd these herbs. Mason: From the area? What was that other one, sorry? Susan: Royal [00:41:48] Mason: Okay. Susan: It's used by the Chumash Indians for kidney disorders. It's a kidney tonic. Also a bit of a diuretic. Help with a little bit with UTIs and these kid of things. And because the tincture is fast-acting so it works on infections quite well. Mason: Just bringing it in to land, are there any texts or YouTube channels or anything that you'd like, or have you got any resource, if anyone wants to go bring a little bit more of the Ayurvedic practices into their lives? Especially- Susan: Yeah, I mean, I really try to combine to balance out a little bit the ancient text with just biochemical studies, like modern science. So the ancient text that I use is Charaka Samhita. Yeah, it's I think the most fundamental text that's written about it. And then Ashtanga Hridayam is a little bit more easy to understand. So I think maybe you start with Ashtanga Hridayam. Yeah, it' describes basic principals of Ayurveda. And some people like argue a little bit against a modern interpretations, but I like the books of [00:42:53] a lot, and David Frawley. I like it. I mean, I think- Mason: I know David Frawley. Michael Tierra's got a good book that came with his course called The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs that was really nice as well. Susan: Who, sorry? Mason: Michael Tierra. Susan: Michael Tierra. Mason: Yeah, he's interesting. He's doing a lot of what a lot of people are doing. Doing a lot of bridging and helping people interpret Ayurvedic TCM and Western herbalism and saying where they cross paths. Susan: Yeah, that's interesting. And Robert Svoboda. Mason: Svoboda, okay. Susan: Yeah, he has interesting... And actually one of my teachers is Atreya Smith, and he has also for me very easy to understand interpretations of Charaka Samhita. So, one of his book is Dravyaguna for Westerners. That's one of the books that I use most oftenly because he uses Western herbs and has Ayurvedic monographs of them. Mason: Nice. Susan: So very, very useful, yeah. Mason: Beautiful. We'll get those in the notes. It's 11:11am. That sounds like a perfect time for us to wrap it up. Thanks heaps for coming on. So, yeah. Your website, best way to connect with you? Susan: Is inanacare.com Mason: How do I spell it? Susan: I-n-a-n-n-a-care.com Mason: Perfecto. We'll put it in the notes plus all those texts that you were talking about. Thanks so much for coming on. Susan: Thank you too, Mason. Was nice.
When Dhruva Mahārāja became perfect by austerity and saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, he was offered any kind of benediction he wanted. However, Dhruva replied that he did not want anything, for he was perfectly satisfied with the benediction of seeing the Lord.
Devotional service is a special attainment which can be acquired only by a person who has surrendered unto a pure devotee.
Actually everyone is suffering within this material world due to ignorance. Every day we see that a person without knowledge commits some criminal act and is later arrested and punished, despite the fact that he actually may not have been conscious of his sinful activity. Such ignorance prevails throughout the world.
I dagens avsnitt pratar jag med den kompetenta ayurvediska läkaren Sangeeta Balaprakash och ämnet är kvinnohälsa, Sangeeta Balaprakashs specialitet och det hon brinner allra mest för. Sangeeta är en av landets mest erfarna ayurvedaläkare. Hon kommer från Kerala i Södra Indien och flyttade till Sverige för närmare 20 år sedan. Sangeeta växte som så många indier upp med ayurveda i familjen, och gick senare själva universitetsutbildning till ayurvedisk läkare. Hon har i Sverige startat mottagningen Rasayana, utbildar hälsorådgivare i ayurveda, tar själv emot klienter och arrangerar retreat till Indien. I avsnittet pratar vi om frågor som många av mina klienter har: hur vi kan hantera besvär kring mens, graviditet och klimakteriet. Ofta är alla tre doshorna involverade i dessa perioder och vi behöver veta när vi går i och ur de olika faserna för att kunna lindra de besvär vi upplever. Som vanligt handlar det både att anpassa både vad vi äter och den livsstil vi har för att ta som bäst hand om oss själva genom de här viktiga perioderna i våra liv. Sangeeta delar supergeneröst med sig av sin kunskap! Du hittar mer om Sangeeta Balaprakash och hennes utbildningar på rasayana.se. I det här avsnittet har vi också gått till botten med ljudet som har skojat lite med oss i föregående avsnitt. Jag har fått några rapporter här och där ifrån om att volymen på de tidigare avsnitten varit för lågt, men nu borde det problemet vara löst. Inom kort kommer vi att justera volymen även på tidigare avsnitt! Den superfina vinjettmusiken kommer fortfarande ifrån www.purple-planet.com. Jag önskar dig en fin lyssning!
From the beginning of creation it can be seen that the first creature is the most intelligent. It is not that so-called modern intelligence has developed by the gradual process of evolution.
The conclusion is that even if one is busy executing his occupational duty, his business in Kṛṣṇa consciousness need not be hampered. He has simply to execute the devotional service of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam — hearing, chanting and remembering. One need not abandon his occupational duty.
The topmost yogī is he who constantly thinks of Kṛṣṇa within himself and chants the glories of the Lord. In other words, this system of bhakti-yoga has been existing from time immemorial and is now continuing in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lord Śiva personally offered his prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead just as he was taught by his father, Lord Brahmā. Similarly, he was also preaching to the princes according to the paramparā system. One not only should practice the instructions received from the spiritual master but should also distribute this knowledge to one’s disciples.
Topics This material is for educational purposes only Coffee, tulsi and L-theanine Micro-dosing nicotine Link to the referenced podcast episode https://spartanmindstrength.libsyn.com/sms-007-an-ayurvedic-look-at-cigars The cheapest nootropic ever - fasting Modafinil, Adrafinil and a**hole personalities Piracetam Micro-dosing LSD Fat, one of ayurveda’s favorite nootropics Noopept Phenylpiracetam Creatine The ultimate purpose behind smart drugs is the state of flow Consider the source The two instant nootropics Resources Brought to you by Raja Ayurveda - Ayurveda for the Mind - Raja Ayurveda's Training Library: https://squareup.com/store/training-courses - The Spartan Mind Strength Calendar: https://spartanmindstrength.com/events/ - Global Ayurveda Conferences can be found at: https:// www.globalayurvedaconferences.com/ For YA & AAPNA Registered Instructors Earn non-contact CEUs here: https://squareup.com/store/training-courses Disclaimer All information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this Podcast. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this Podcast. You assume all responsibilities and obligations with respect to any decisions, advice, conclusions or recommendations made or given as a result of the use of this Podcast. Support this podcast
Topics The definition of Medhya Rasayana The definition of Nootropics The four aspects of Medhya Rasayana The first step - Clean up your environment The second step - Clean up your gut The third step - Breathe properly The fourth step - Move The fifth step - The overall purpose Brahmi aka Bacopa Monnieri Ashwagandha - In today’s translation means “horse strength”, however in the literal translation it means “horse smell” Gotu Kola Licorice- Yashtimadhu Guduchi - Tinospora Cordifolia Shankapushpi The two main categories of Medhya Rasayana herbs Tulsi (holy basil) and coffee Resources Brought to you by Raja Ayurveda - Ayurveda for the Mind - Raja Ayurveda's Training Library: https://squareup.com/store/training-courses - The Spartan Mind Strength Calendar: https://spartanmindstrength.com/events/ - Global Ayurveda Conferences can be found at: https:// www.globalayurvedaconferences.com/ For YA & AAPNA Registered Instructors Earn non-contact CEUs here: https://squareup.com/store/training-courses Disclaimer All information provided here is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not to be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this Podcast. Please consult your physician or a qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and well being or on any opinions expressed within this Podcast. You assume all responsibilities and obligations with respect to any decisions, advice, conclusions or recommendations made or given as a result of the use of this Podcast. Support this podcast
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb which has been repeatedly shown to be effective at quelling anxiety, improving a person's response to stress, and having neuroprotective properties. There is even some evidence that it may increase physical performance, as well. Here's one study (randomized double-blind, placebo controlled, etc) showing Ashwaganda's effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/ Conclusion: "The findings of this study suggest that a high-concentration full-spectrum Ashwagandha root extract safely and effectively improves an individual's resistance towards stress and thereby improves self-assessed quality of life." Another scientific overview can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/ Conclusion: "The available scientific data support the conclusion that Ashwagandha is a real potent regenerative tonic (Rasayana of Ayurveda), due to its multiple pharmacological actions like anti-stress, neuroprotective, antitumor, anti-arthritic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory etc. It is useful for different types of diseases like Parkinson, dementia, memory loss, stress induced diseases, malignoma and others." ... How to Be Better at (Almost) Everything Be sure to snag a copy (or two!) of Pat's book How to Be Better at (Almost) Everything while it's still on sale over at Amazon here for just $14: ==> https://amzn.to/2MHdHSh Want some cool bonuses to go with, including an intense 5-day fitness plan, and a collection of 1-page skill building cheatsheets? Then simply email us at PatFlynn(at)Chronicles(of)Strength(dot)com with your receipt, and we'll send them right along. … The Pat Flynn Show If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world to me if you could subscribe to, and leave a review for, The Pat Flynn show on iTunes HERE or Stitcher HERE. Reading your reviews and hearing your feedback is what keeps me fired up to make The Pat Flynn Show happen. Thank you!
Episode #52 Colette talks about the Ayurvedic rejuvenation therapies called rasayanas. Rasayana, is the Science of Longevity and the main purpose of rasayana therapy is to slow down ageing, delaying the degenerative process of the body, preventing dis-ease and promoting health and wellbeing. Connect with Colette via a FREE 20min Online Discovery Call In this episode, Colette discusses the following: What is rasayana What are Ayurvedic rasayanas How rasanyas work in the body Why are they so important for our health How do rasayanas promote a Sattvic mind Why are holistic rasayanas so important How do we perform a physical rasayana What are rayasanas for the mind Why is behavioural rayasana important How do we perform rasayana for the Soul Check out Colette's Daily Habits for Holistic Health course here. Here's the link to the Pranayama (breath work) tutorial which was mentioned in this episode. Join the Elements of Ayurveda Podcast Facebook Group Stay connected by subscribing to Colette's newsletter. Thanks for listening!
Was ist Ayurveda? Was bewirkt Ayurveda? Was ist die Gesundheitstheorie von Ayurveda? Wie entsteht Krankheit laut Ayurveda? Was sind Prinzipien des Ayurveda? Welche Ayurveda-Therapien gibt es und wie verbindet sich Ayurveda mit Yoga? Das sind einige der Fragen, auf die Sukadev in diesem Podcast eingehen wird. Sukadev gibt also einen Ayurveda Einführungsvortrag. Hierin sind insbesondere Thema: Die 3 Doshas: Vata Pitta Kapha Prakriti und Vikriti Ursachen von Krankheiten: Dosha Übersteuerung Ama mangelndes Agni Ayurveda Therapien: Ernährung Gewürze Kräuter Lebensführung und Techniken: Dinacharya Massagen spezielle Anwendungen Reinigungstechniken u. Reinigungskuren Reinigungskuren: Ama Kur Rasayana Panchakarma Subtile, feinstoffliche Therapien: Mantra Der Beitrag YVS101 – Was ist Ayurveda? erschien zuerst auf Yoga Vidya Blog - Yoga, Meditation und Ayurveda.
Today we’ll be focusing on a specialized branch of Ayurveda called Kayakalpa. Kayakalpa is the conjunction of two Sanskrit words Kaya, which refers to the material subtle body and Kalpa, which means transformation or rejuvenation. It is a specialized branch of the Rasayana practice within the Ayurvedic system and Siddha Medicine. Prana is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, teacher of Ayurveda and CranioSacral Work. His passion is to help and educate people in resolving health issues effectively and efficiently. By integrating Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine and CranioSacral work he is able to treat different patients with a variety of conditions and provide natural remedies to activate the mind-body's innate ability for healing and longevity. He comes from and engineering background and has a master’s in business administration with 10+ years of leadership experience in working with executive teams of national and multinational companies and managing teams in creating and executing systems strategies. Born in India, Prana has spent over thirty years studying and practicing healing work in the lineage of the Siddha tradition. He has traveled extensively through the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal, and India, to learn meditative and healing practices. He practices a gentle style of acupuncture integrated with Ayurveda and CranioSacral work. He teaches Ayurveda and CranioSacral work in schools and workshops. Connect with Prana through his website: https://pranajiacupuncture.com/
Spring is the perfect time to cleanse and restore your body and Ayurveda is a gentle and effective system for both of these practices. In this episode, you'll hear about the Ayurvedic practice of Rasayana, a rejuvenating, anti-aging branch of Ayurveda. Learn a simple and easy way to cleanse and restore the body, and discover three, easy to find herbs, that support your body and mind. You'll also hear about a new book that reveals shocking information about our food supply and the companies that control it.
The third curse inflicted by Nandīśvara on the brāhmaṇas who supported Dakṣa is completely functioning in the Age of Kali. The so-called brāhmaṇas are no longer interested in understanding the nature of the Supreme Brahman, although a brāhmaṇa means one who has attained knowledge about Brahman.
The Vedic promises of elevation to higher planets for a better standard of materialistic life are compared to flowery language because in a flower there is certainly an aroma but that aroma does not last for a very long time. In a flower there is honey, but that honey is not eternal.
Those who have become as dull as matter by cultivating materialistic education and intelligence are nesciently involved in fruitive activities. Such men have purposely insulted Lord Śiva. May they continue in the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Persons who identify with bodily existence are attached to the fruitive activities described in the Vedic literature. For example, in the Vedas it is said that one who observes the cāturmāsya vow will attain eternal happiness in the heavenly kingdom. In Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that this flowery language of the Vedas mostly attracts persons who identify with the body. To them such happiness as that of the heavenly kingdom is everything; they do not know that beyond that is the spiritual kingdom, or kingdom of God, and they have no knowledge that one can go there.
The first curse by Nandīśvara was that anyone supporting Dakṣa was foolishly identifying himself with the body, and therefore, because Dakṣa had no transcendental knowledge, supporting him would deprive one of transcendental knowledge. Dakṣa, Nandīśvara said, identified himself with the body like other materialistic persons and was trying to derive all kinds of facilities in relationship with the body. He had excessive attachment for the body and, in relation to the body, with wife, children, home and other such things, which are different from the soul.
There is a long-standing dissension among some of the neophyte Vaiṣṇavas and Śaivites; they are always at loggerheads. When Dakṣa cursed Lord Śiva in harsh words, some of the brāhmaṇas present might have enjoyed it because some brāhmaṇas do not very much admire Lord Śiva. This is due to their ignorance of Lord Śiva's position.
How to reverse menopausal dryness, weight gain, mood swings, insomnia and more through natural Ayurvedic remedies. Acharya Shunya, our featured expert, is an internationally recognized spiritual teacher, ordained lineage holder, authority and scholar of the Vedic Sciences of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta and bestselling author of the book Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom. Key Questions and highlights: ----------------------------------------- 06:01 2. What are the principles of Ayurveda for healthy Menopause? - Stop excluding yourself from Nature - Be aligned with five Elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water, Earth 08:29 3. What is Ayurveda's perspective on Menopause itself? - A natural transition of the human biology and physiology - During Menopause, inherent fertility is going into deep ripening and changing. It will go seamlessly and naturally if elements in the body are in balance - It is a time of incredible creativity and time to go from making babies to making books, art and others works of great creativity - It is not supposed to be symptomatic but has become more so now Natural remedy for hot flashes? - Ayurveda says switch to a diet that "cools down" your diet. - Do not add more fire to your diet such as ginger tea and wine - Eat cooling foods like coconut and fennel, and garnish your food with petals. - Within 1 week you can experience a difference in hormonal activity as they are connected to the fire in the body 22:51 4. How can a woman in menopause look younger and richer? How to reverse aging? - What is Rasa? - Health is equal to beauty. - Evoke divinity and beauty. See that beauty is a natural state of existence. It is a natural manifestation of who we are deep inside. - Eat certain recipes that don't dry us, but juice us like Amalaki which nourishes whole being. - Rasa: Juice of life existence - Shatavari is a great herb for sensuality and rasayana 30:44 5. Rasayana recommendations - For Menopause, food-based rasayana - Amalaki juice and jam - Ingest Cow ghee, not Bufallo Ghee. - Be liberal and add one teaspoon of Cow ghee in morning with cold water as it can improve your mood and remove dryness of skin - Homemade Rose Sharbat gives courage to the heart, improves complexion, reduces heat, and increases Rasa in blood. Listen to easy to make recipe! - Recipe for a simple face scrub that Acharya Shuniyaji uses herself - Restore the magical soul inside through natures magical ingredients. Within 1 month see emergence of sacred health and sensuality. 34:25 6. Menopause and anxiety and anger? - Pure diet is important - Listen to your mood - Understand that behind anger is vulnerability - Deep down there is pain that needs acknowledgement 41:34 7. How to understand yourself? - Spend some time alone - Fill it with nature - Learn meditation 46:08 8. Menopause and weight management? - Hormones influence weight - Inflamation swelling of the body has got to do with the fire element in the body - Practice Pranayama or scientific breathing in the morning on an empty stomach. It balances out hormones and emotions, and redirects vitality so you will feel more energized 49:30 9. Please share a Spiritual Message to us - Take time to acquaint yourself with YOU - Fall in love with your 'I'. Everything else will fall into place. Learn all the details in the book Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom http://healcircles.com/ayurveda-lifestyle-wisdom-a-complete-prescription-to-optimize-your-health-prevent-disease-and-live-with-vitality-and-joy/ KEY LINKS: WEBSITE: https://www.acharyashunya.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/acharyashunya/ https://twitter.com/vedikaglobal https://www.youtube.com/user/vedikaglobal Liked what you heard? Love what I am doing with my mission of spreading the truth about how we can live healthier, happier and longer? Then please SUBSCRIBE, RATE AND SHARE with your loved ones!! They will thank you for it :) Till next time, wishing you health, love and joy!
The very name Dakṣa suggests that he was expert in all material activities, but still, because of his aversion towards such a saintly personality as Śiva, he was attacked by these three enemies — anger, lust and passion. Lord Caitanya therefore advised that one be very careful not to offend Vaiṣṇavas. He compared offenses toward a Vaiṣṇava to a mad elephant. As a mad elephant can do anything horrible, so when a person offends a Vaiṣṇava he can perform any abominable action.
Today’s podcast is our “Feel Good” show where we will be joined by Adriene Mishler who is the co-founder of the website findwhatfeelsgood.com, she also leads a Yoga community of over a million people on YouTube with her weekly class called Yoga with Adriene. When we talk about herbs and extracts on the show we often talk about how it makes us feel. It’s important to have a sense of connection with your body and this goes for anything you do, whether it’s things you put into it or things you do with it. If you have questions regarding herbal nutrition or are looking for a natural solution to something that ales you, please give us a call at 512 853 9005 and we will try our best to answer your question. This show is sponsored by Dr. Vim's Herbal Nutrition. Dr. Vim's herbal formulas are designed for men and women to mental focus, physical energy, stress reduction and a healthy libido. They use only filler free high potency botanical extracts. ensuring that every batch delivers a full dose of the most powerful phytonutrients on the planet. Herbs make you feel good! The modern lifestyle can be overwhelming stressful. We end up overworked We are overstressed We are over-critical We are restless and sleep deprived. The result: Improper Stress Response Cortisol is out of balance -constant release of cortisol and fight or flight hormones can have harmful results: weakened immune response problems with sleep over-stressed mind general fatigue harmful inflammation. Adaptogens and Nervines help you feel good: Adaptogens help us to decrease stress and fatigue, while promoting healthy levels of energy and boost mood. Herbal nervines can help calm the nerves allowing us to relieve stress and tension by calming the nervous system. Some nervines even act as nervous system tonics, strengthening and restoring the nervous system over time. Adaptogens - Rare herbs that are safe, non-toxic and generally normalizing to various systems and organs in the body. The help the body adapt to stress weather is be emotional, physical, or environmental. Nervines - Herbs that are nutritive to or generally support the nervous system with varying effects. Sedatives - Herbs that relax the nervous system and promote restful sleep. Tonic - Herbs that strengthen or tonify an organ or system in the body. Ayurveda - The traditional Hindu system of health and medicine, based on maintaining balance among the five elements earth, air, fire, water, and ether. The word Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words “ayur,” meaning life, and "veda,” meaning knowledge. Holy Basil (Tulsi) - Referred to as "The Elixir of Life", Holy Basil is a Ayurvedic herb famous for its ability to promote positive mood and relaxation. It's and adaptogen associated with adrenal health, respiratory tract function, and celebrated for its ability to help the body cope with stress and inflammation. It has a clove like aroma and makes a tasty herbal infusion. It's one of our favorite sipping herbs at the Power Plant podcast. Vana - known for its aromatic fragrance, Vana Tulsi is a powerful plant with green leaves and stem and white flowers. It’s been used for centuries and can be found in the Himalayas as well as India, Asia and Africa. Rama- Know for is sweet aroma and great taste, Rama Tulsi has been used for centuries to promote a calm, alert mind, promote relaxation, and to support strength and stamina. Krishna - known to be the most "medicinal" of the Tulsi family, Krishna Tulsi has an aromatic, sweet, and clove-like flavor. It is named after the blue skinned God, Krishna, because is dark purple leaves resemble the color of the widely revered Hindu God. Adaptogenic Herbs that help combat stress and boost energy: Ashwagandha - A key herb in Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, that is known as a Rasayana or herb that gives strength. It is one of the most popular adaptogens on Earth because of its ability to safely improve the bodies resistance to stress, restore youthful energy, combat inflammation, and balance the stress hormone, Cortisol. Ginseng (American, Chinese, Korean) - There are 3 popular types of Ginseng used around the world; Chinese, Korean, and American. Chinese Ginseng (Ren Shen) is considered the "king of herbs" in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is celebrated as THE premier tonic herb. Ginseng's active compounds, referred to as ginsenosides, are known to restore qi (pronounced "chi") or energy levels and to support a calm, alert mind. Korean Ginseng has similar properties, of course the Koreans report that Korean Ginseng is more potent than Chinese Ginseng. American Ginseng, known as the ‘Yin Ginseng’, has similar ginsenosides to its Chinese and Korean counterparts, although is traditionally viewed as a gentler tonic better suited to people with excess metabolic heat, including but not specific to menopausal women. It can also help promote a relaxed, calm attitude among those prone to stress and overwork. Rhodiola Rosea - A favorite among athletes and herbal practitioners, Rhodiola has a reputation as one of the world’s greatest mood and energy tonics. It's unique array of phytochemicals have been researched for their ability to regulate key neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Rhodiola Rosea is a versatile herb that can help you manage stress, boost your mood, restore your energy, and invigorate your workout. Tongkat Ali - Decoctions of Tongkat ali roots have been utilized for centuries in Malaysia and Southeast Asia to support energy levels and mood. In modern times body builders and athletes love it for its ability to promote lean muscle mass. Although commonly taken by men, Tongkat ali can also support women’s libido, mood, and energy. Nervine Herbs that promote GABA: GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) - the main inhibitory or calming neurotransmitter in the brain, GABA influences our mood by reducing high levels of the hormones adrenalin, noradrenalin and dopamine. It also affects the neurotransmitter serotonin. Having sufficient GABA in our brain is linked to being relaxed and happy, while having too little GABA is associated with sleep problems, and feeling anxious, stressed, and depressed. Lemon Balm - a member of the mint family, this calming herb has been used in Europe, the Mediterranean, Northern Africa, and India for thousands of years because of its myriad benefits. The rosemarinic acids present in Lemon Balm are believed to boost levels of GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, in the brain. Chamomile - One of the most famous nervine herbs used to calm the nerves and to promote restful sleep. Passion Flower - A calming nervine that help relax the nervous system, relieving tension and restlessness and promoting restful sleep. It's also a common ingredient in herbal aphrodisiacs. Magnolia - A calming nervine popular for keeping the stress hormone, cortisol, in check. In addition, Magnolia also promotes GABA making it a choice sleep aid as well. Valerian (Sedative) - Valerian is a potent nervine and a strong sedative. It is commonly used in herbal sleep remedies and formulas used to relieve tight muscles. There are some people that find Valerian to do just the opposite and act as a stimulant and cause paranoia. Passionflower – A nervine herb native to southeastern parts of the Americas, Passionflower is now grown throughout Europe and in the United States as well. It has been treasured historically for its' ability to allay anxiety, insomnia, seizures, and hysteria. It has also been used. It is believed that Passionflower works by increasing GABA levels. Other useful Nervine Herbs: Oatstraw – Although it is not a sedative, Oatstraw is a nervine tonic that is generally beneficial to the nervous system. It has also been used to gently restore vigor libido and acts as a restorative to the Adrenal glands. The amazing plant can get you through a stressful day or help you get a good night's rest. Lavender – A herb that's calming to the mind and uplifts the spirit. It's commonly used in Aromatherapy and is used in calming herbal infusions to relieve anxiety and promote restfulness. Some people refer to Lavender as "herbal valium". Herbs that boost immune function and keep you feeling good in the long run: Astragalus Root – Adaptogenic herb made famous in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) that helps boost white blood cell count and helps to normalize immune function. In TCM it is also celebrated as a powerful energy tonic. Lemon Balm - a member of the mint family, Lemon Balm is native to Southern Europe and India. It is classically used to calm the nerves, relieve anxiety, and to boost immune function. It's also used to treat cold sores, herpes, and shingles. Medicinal Mushrooms (Ex. Reishi, Corcyceps, Agaricus, Turkey Tail, etc) - Powerful adaptogenic mushrooms that boost white blood cell count and help normalize immune function. Don't get these mushrooms confused with the common variety store bought mushrooms. Button mushrooms and other hybridized mushrooms do not have medicinal value and could be toxic in some cases if not prepared properly. Adaptogens - in regards to long run immune health, Adaptogens work by normalizing the immune system. If the immune system is underperforming it strengthens it, but if it's over performing it normalizes it. Herbs that help you feel better when your sick: Oregano Oil - herb used to remedy the common cold, flu, and bronchitis. It's a versatile plant also used for ear aches, intestinal parasites, allergies and sinus pain. We at Power Plant prefer Wild Mediterranean Oregano in most situations. Echinacea Purpurea and Echinacea Angustifolia - an herb native to areas east of the Rocky Mountains, different species of Echinacea are used to fight the common cold, the flu, and other upper respiratory infections. Andrographis - plant native to Southern Asian frequently used for preventing and treating the common cold and flu. Thieves Oil - Legend has it that during the times of the Bubonic Plague that thieves went from house to house to rob those who had died for Plague. A special blend of oils to protect themselves from getting this deadly disease. The powerful blend of oils they used is known as Thieves Oil and continues to be used in modern times to support immune function. Holy Basil Oatstraw Infusion recipe: Makes 32 oz. of tea Ingredients: 1 Oz dried Holy Basil (Krishna, Vana, and Rama Blend) 1 Oz Oatsraw Pinch of Damiana Pinch of Passionflower Pinch of ground Vanilla bean Pinch of clove buds to enhance flavor Instructions: Separate the Damiana and Passionflower into a separate teabag. Combine the rest of the herbs together and place them and the Damiana, Passionflower teabag into a quart sized ball jar. Pour boiling water over the herbs, and tighten the lid. Steep for 20 minutes, then pull the Damiana, Passionflower teabag out. Tighten the lid back down and steep the Holy Basil, Oatstraw, Clove Buds, and Vanilla Bean for an additional 6 hours. This is done to extract the valuable minerals out of the Oatstraw and to maximize taste! Chill and Enjoy!
Lass dich inspirieren vom 37. Shloka, also Strophe bzw. Doppelvers, des Vedanta Werkes von Shankara, genannt Atma Bodha, die Erkenntnis des Selbst. Dieser Shloka behandelt das Thema: Die Vedanta Praxis der Affirmation. Auf deutsch lautet der Vers: Der Eindruck (Vasana) „Ich bin Brahman“, der auf diese Art durch ständige Praxis geschaffen wird, beseitigt die Unwissenheit und die Aufregung, die durch sie verursacht wird - wie eine Medizin oder ein Rasayana (ayurvedische Kur) Krankheit beseitigt. Dies ist ein Vortrag von und mit Sukadev Bretz, Gründer und Leiter von Yoga Vidya. Dieser Vortrag ist die Audiospur eines Videos zum Atma Bodha.In diesem Audio-Vortrag rezitiert Sukadev den Sanskritvers, liest die Übersetzung und gibt gibt einen Kommentar zu diesem Vers. Atma Bodha Portal- mit Devanagari, Sanskrit Text, Übersetzung, Kommentar und Videos Das ganze Atma Bodha mit Sanskrit Text und Übersetzung Atma Bodha als Buch bestellen Jnana Yoga und Vedanta Seminare
Sukadev kommentiert den 37. Shloka des Vedanta Werkes von Shankara, Atma Bodha, die Erkenntnis des Selbst. Thema: Die Vedanta Praxis der Affirmation. Deutsche Übersetzung dieses Verses: Der Eindruck (Vasana) „Ich bin Brahman“, der auf diese Art durch ständige Praxis geschaffen wird, beseitigt die Unwissenheit und die Aufregung, die durch sie verursacht wird – wie eine Medizin oder ein Rasayana (ayurvedische Kur) Krankheit beseitigt. Eine Inspiration des Tages von und mit Sukadev Bretz, Gründer von Yoga Vidya. Mehr Infos: Videos zum Atma Bodha Jnana Yoga und Vedanta Seminare Atma Bodha Buch kaufen Atma Bodha Portal Text Atma Bodha Der Beitrag Sri-Shankaracharya Die Vedanta Praxis der Affirmation- AtBo 37 erschien zuerst auf Yoga Vidya Blog - Yoga, Meditation und Ayurveda.
Acharya Pratichi Mathur, founder and director of Vedika Global, joins Yogacharya O'Brian for an inspiring exploration of the timeless wisdom, lifestyle practices, and spiritual contemplations that are particularly supportive of women's wellness. Ayurveda offers a comprehensive system for a woman's well-being through all the seasons and stages of life. Additionally, it offers women Rasayanas, which are special rejuvenating elixirs. By partaking in certain divinely-charged Rasayanas, women of all ages can reclaim balance, beauty, and sexual power.
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