Homeopathy & Ayurveda

Ayur = life Veda = Knowledge Life science, biology, ecology, nature study Ancient Indian form of Naturopathy formed by observation of forms and processes in nature.

Context - Organon
Organon on Chronic disease 77: Lifestyle diseases Partake of harmful food and drink Intemperance = addiction Deprivation of necessities Lack of exercise or too much exercise Work stress - burnout

Context: Ayurveda revival

Maharishi 1970s advises the Beatles to drop mind altering drugs and start meditating eg. TM. Deepak Chopra in 1990s actually western educated Endocrinologist applies basic ayurvedic principles to Mind/body medicine. Becomes more interesting and accessible to the general public. Catches Hollywood attention. Limits for Ayur practitioners, materia medica knowledge and available medicines.

Context: Killer Modern lifestyle disease

Cardio-Vascular disease diet, stress, unhappiness, lack of fulfillment Late onset diabetes diet, exercise Obesity diet, exercise, lifestyle Depression stress, relationships, work, burn out Role of Homeopathic Physician???

Context: Purpose of lecture

Exposure to basic Ayurvedic concepts Where do these fit in with the treatment of disease and lifestyle advice for patients? How does a naturopathic based system such as Ayurveda fit in with Homeopathic practice? I.E. What lessons can we learn from Ayurveda.

Ayur Concepts: Doshas Mind/Body principle

Bio-energetic principle like a humour understand as a differentiation of the vital force. An interface that links pure energy and gross bio chemistry. That which gives specific expression to the life force. Tri-doshic theory: Kapha (Water/Earth); Pitta (Fire/Fluid); Vata (Space/Air). All of nature contains the above in varying quantities. Mind/body types (constitutional) single or multi and imbalances

Mind/Body Types- Kapha Dosha

Infancy as soft, watery, unformed Kapha predominates (earth/water principle) Consider a new plant shoot or sapling. Soft flexible etc. Fast growing. Not well differentiated. Nature: Cold, wet, sticky Tissues and organs: Mucous membranes, Respiratory system, all tissue formation. Diseases: Colds, flu etc. Remedy idea???

Kapha imbalance- Treatment

Keep warm and dry Avoid heavy overfried foods More exercise Use more heating spices eg. Ginger, Black pepper. Black pepper is part of the Piperaceae botanical family What are the Homeopathic sensations of this family?

Piperaceae botanical family: Homeopathic sensations

Sensation = Boredom, monotony, unexciting, bland, tasteless, insipid. Passive reaction = Dullness, sluggishness, tired, indolent (Sankaran Schema, 2005) If other wise indicated remedies such as Piper nigrum (Black Pepper) could be an antidote to excessive Kapha dosha.

Mind/Body Types-Pitta
IN THE FLOWER OF LIFE productive plant making bright flowers, fruit and seeds, changing, transforming, creating new life (human ages late teens to 40s) Elements: Fire & Fluid = Pitta Nature: Hot, excitable, angry, red Tissues & Organs: Liver, pancreas, stomach, skin, eyes Diseases: inflammatory, -itises Remedy Idea???

Pitta Imbalance Tx
Keep cool Take time to smell the flowers Use a cooling cooking oil like Virgin Coconut Avoid excessive amounts of pungent foods eg. Chillies, and other pungent spices Chillies (Capsicum) are from the Solanaceae family Others are Stramonium, Belladonna, Tabacum What are the Homeopathic sensations of that botanical family?

Solanaceae Homeopathic Sensations

Violence, sudden, splitting, bursting, explosive, spasmodic, jerking, shooting, sun stroke, apoplexy, violent terror etc. etc.
(SANKARAN SCHEMA, 2005: 22)

Other food members of the Solonaceae are potatoes, tomatoes, etc.

Mind/Body Types- Vata (space/air)

Old tree in winter, loses leaves, loses flexibility. Not reproductive anymore (human ages middle to old age) Elements: Space & Air = Vata Nature: dry, light, rough, cold, mobile Tissues and organs: skin (dry), nervous system, colon, reproductive system Diseases: functional eg. Hypertension, constipation, muscular-skeletal pain, pain in general. Remedy idea??

Vata Imbalance - Treatment

Keep Warm Keep calm Avoid raw food especially medicinal foods of the Cruciferae family eg. Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brusel Srouts, Lettuce What is the Homeopathic Sensation of the Cruciferae botanical family?

Cruciferae- Homeopathic Sensations

Obstruction, stopped, blocked, stuck mentally as well as physically (SANKARAN
SCHEMA 2005: 15).

In Vata see problems of constipation, gas build up, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Cruciferae in homeopathy: Thlaspi (Cabbage + fungus), Raphanus (Raddish), Sinapsis Nigra etc. Should these patients avoids these foods?

Vata Imbalance Treatment cont.

Avoid astringent foods: brown lentils, hard biscuits etc. Avoid excessive stimulation: computer, TV games, etc. Nervous system is sensitive to overstimulation followed by collapse. Pour oil on troubled waters: massage often with cold pressed sesame oil. Use more high quality natural oils in diet: eg. Extra Virgin Olive, Butterghee.

Ayurvedic theory of disease formation

Food is taken in and cannot be properly digested and assimilated there are toxic by products formed and these accumulate in the body causing damage at a cellular and tissue level. There is a lack of proper nutrition to the being. Definition of food: anything that passes the senses. What can prevent complete digestion?

Digestion limitations
Weak digestive (Agni fire) capacity through worry, bad habits, snacking, by nature etc. Inappropriate foods: too much hard, dry, raw foods for the Vata type Devitalised foods: highly processed foods, eg. White bread, canned/frozen foods, left overs, sunflower/canola oil, margarines, tub spreads.

Disease formation modern understandings

Free radical overload, esp. from left overs leads to cell wall damage thereby disrupting endocrine cellullar control or epithelial damage in arteries leading to artherosclerosis. Cross linking of proteins: damage to arterial walls, lens cataracts, etc.

Classical Ayurvedic treatment and prevention of disease

Analyse patient according to tri-doshic system Remove toxins via Pancha Karma (5 actions) Rebuild Agni appetite, desire Educate in the realm of appropriate lifestyle management Give specific Ayurvedic remedies as indicated by the materia medica Make seasonal changes to regimes as indicated

Vitality central to Homeopathy & Ayurveda

Feeling of aliveness, nowness, responsiveness Vital force the beings animator (Hahnemann) Treatment of the deranged Vital force needs a dynamic medicine homeopathic similimum Post successful homeopathic treatment patients report increased vitality as outlined above. How to maintain & enhance this vitality ?

Naturopathic lifestyle advice

1) Breathe more deeply 2) Drink more filtered water 3) Eat more freshly prepared food 4) Do more exercise 5) Have more fun! All the above costs nothing or next to nothing!

Kitchen Ayurveda
No medicines, just use shop products Ginger and Turmeric tea radically improve digestion and ward off Alzheimers disease. Fennel seeds after eating close off appetite Hot water on awaking clean digestive system Cook with good quality natural oils eg. Butterghee, Virgin Coconut Oil.

Ayurvedic inspired lifestyle advice

Meditation and relaxation practices More regularity in daily routines Appropriate physical activities eg. Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and other more cardio sports. Finding more soul in work, relationships, home, religon, cooking, entertainment, art etc. Honing and sharpening the senses so as to become more discerning and aware of what of the body needs.

Sensuality & Good taste

Ayurveda is sensual way of life and healing There is relationship between taste and the doshas. Therefore all medicines should be tasted. A major part of the effect is the sensual reception of the herb/spice/food. Senses are the bridge beween mind and body.

Senses as the bridge between mind & body

Senses receive outside information Senses evaluate circumstances & food Senses express desire for certain tastes Dulled senses cannot pick up environmental cues. A deranged vital force can express itself in strange desires cravings and aversions

Vitality, Sensuality & Desire

Three concepts that tie up good health Inner vitality depends on clear senses that can evaluate what is needed. Desire is then stimulated to provide the force and impetus to make the correct lifestyle choices

Vitality, Sensuality & Desire in Practice

A female patient with a history of eating disorders is given Alumina as her similimum. She now starts to feel glimpses of her identity but feels unhappy about her dietician advice to eat 6 small meals a day I explain to her that such a practice will reduce her digestive fire which is felt sensually as deep hunger pangs in the stomach. I suggest 3 meals a day and paying attention to actual hunger sensations. This resonates deeply with her and we will monitor the development of desire over the course of her deep classical homeopathic treatment

Homeopathy & Lifestyle Advice: a question of timing

During initial interview?? Follow up??