In the past we’ve discussed CCF tea(cumin coriander and fennel seeds) to bring about cooling in the urinary tract in patients with IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, vulvodynia, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, GERD, and chronic prostatitis) Each of these herbs target specifically the urinary tract and have a cooling affect So CCF reduces the severity of IC flares due to its reduction in inflammation
But as we’ve discussed in the several blog posts agni is an important aspect of health and healing IC As a matter of fact agni or digestive power must be addressed in any chronic disease in order to have any chance of healing
Agni is all the enzyme and bacterial systems for digestion, absorption, and assimilation from the mouth to the anus So you can see how all encompassing this system is But there’s more The energy science states that the central system of agni indicates the strength of all metabolic systems in the body including cellular metabolism because agni is in essence the metabolic fire of the body
The matter science talks about agni but in a way that does not make the association between the GI tract(GIT) and the rest of the body This primary difference in the disciplines allows the energy science to state the origin of disease is known while the matter science continues to struggle to find the molecules responsible for chronic illness
But there’s more If you have strong agni you’ll have better mental clarity You’ll make better choices for your health and healing chronic disease Disease is often self perpetuating due to this “brain fog” For most people they dont realize they’re fogged until they look back and compare with where they are now and where they were back then(whatever that timeline is) and realize that now they have more clarity This is the benefit of rejuvenative herbs They help us with mental clarity….eing able to see things with better understanding and awareness Sometimes it’s hard to see this because we’re in a fog and the proverbial “Whatever” occurs
Whenever energy is low then agni is low This may or may not be associated with a change in bowel habit(diarrhea, constipation, or both) This is the first symptom of disturbed agni and needs to be corrected
So CCF tea is not only medicinal to the urinary tract and helpful in the IC bladder pain syndrome but is also very valuable in building agni Ahh that’s a tremendous benefit But it gets even better….CCF tea helps improve agni without heating the system up as well Spices(using the terms spices and herbs interchangeably because spices ARE herbs) can heat the system and provoke IC flares such as garlic, oregano, sage, rosemary, and thyme
And some of the best rejuvenatives you have for improving mental clarity are in your kitchen How so? Spices are agni builders which as we discussed earlier enhance the mind, reduce “brain fog”, and create better decision making
You can make CCF tea by placing equal amounts of the seeds(not the powder) in a ziploc bag, toss them around so there is an even mixture of the seeds and then add a 1T of the mixture to 6oz of boiling water for 5minutes If you want more volume, more tablespoons and boiling water
So the first item on the agenda in healing IC is to improve digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the GIT
1 CCF tea Cumin, coriander and fennel tea is elemental to improve digestion because it stokes agni That’s why sipping on this tea all day, everyday is helpful for clearing AMA
2 Stop putting wet logs on your digestion When I entertain foods that don’t resonate with my energy makeup(Pitta diet at icdiet or VP diet at foodsheal) or use IFC(incompatible food combinations at foodsheal) it’s like dampening my agni which is all the enzyme systems of the GIT from the mouth to lower rectum including the bacteria which are also part of agni And avoid difficult to digest proteins like gluten(wheat rye barley), lactose, and fats found in nuts and dairy
3 Using other agni enhancers Fresh ginger tea with a dash of cayenne(agni tea), cardamon, vanilla, cinnamon, turmeric are all excellent agni enhancers that you can use in my cooking or beverages to enhance agni
4 Breathing techniques(pranayama) Interestingly the yoga tradition has many different ways to physically enhance agni These breathing techniques can change the course of IC due to the power of clearing AMA
5 Yoga postures The digestive system is represented in the space of the abdomen and when you do postures that engage this area you literally engage agni and improve it From a molecular point of view this cannot be understood but energetically it makes perfect sense
So there you have it A starter sequence that can get you on your way to healing IC Oh, BTW, if you have poor agni chances are you have undigested and unprocessed food And because you feel OK, doesn’t mean you don’t have toxic load
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
read more
From an energy science point of view irritable bowel syndrome(IBS) is a collection of bowel symptoms related to disturbed digestive fire or what Ayurveda terms agni As I have written in the past most people’s agni is not up to par The reason for this is quite simple The concept of agni is not even in our health vocabulary
How would you know about it and hence take care of it if you don’t know it exists?
This is a significant problem for the present day health consumer but unfortunately she is duped by the matter science model into believing it is complete Suffice it to say the majority of the population suffers from symptoms of IBS
The types of IBS fall into four categories: Vata Pitta Kapha and combination patterns By far and away the latter makes up the majority of those affected by symptoms The most common symptom of IBS is bloating after eating for short or extended periods of time
Many people don’t know that they bloat and some who have an exaggerated bloat know it very well Abdominal distention occurs as a result of the gaseous bowel distention Other symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, or a mixture of diarrhea and constipation At times flatulence or excessive gas that may be malodorous may occur
When the Kapha energy pattern is manifested in large degree mucous will be present in the stools but the worst IBS of all is when the mucous becomes dried in the GI tract This creates a marked problem for elimination This latter group of IBS can become severely debilitated professionally, physically, and often emotionally drained due to the chronicity of the disease This is the ultimate in the manifestation of IBS and the matter science has little to offer in such cases
IBS and IC go together The bowel dysfunction related to disturbed agni is fundamental to the unfolding causative process of interstitial cystitis
IBS as part of the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, IBS, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and fibromyalgia) is the cause of the accumulation and migration of the vibrational frequencies of hot, mobile, dry, rough, heavy, static into the pelvic nerves leading to the symptoms of the pelvic syndrome itself
So treating IC requires that IBS is treated as well According to my last post there are essentially two levels of therapy for any energetic imbalance in the mindbody The first level is to stop the condition from getting any worse The second level is to remove the offending vibrational frequencies using specific therapeutic modalites that have already been discussed
But one of the integral therapies in IBS treatment is to deal with the cause of the problem…..disturbed agni This is paramount to successful management and since the matter science doesn’t even have the concept all bets are off that IBS management will be successful
Many many of the blog posts done in the past have made suggestions about how to promote better agni CCF tea, agni tea, ginger tea are all about promoting better balanced agni Herbs can be very impactful in this regard and it’s beyond the scope of this dialogue today to address them
Using a nutritional format appropriate for your energy constitution and avoiding incompatible food combinations can be very helpful in not aggravating the condition In this regard the daily use of churans as talked about in the past is very advantageous
A specific pranayama(breathing exercises) flow sequence can really help impaired disturbed agni by balancing it Dependent on the severity of the IBS other methods can be employed And yoga asana practice has been successfully employed in the matter science literature
As in all energy work however it’s not just one thing that creates healing….healing requires a multifaceted approach to bring about real healing and the eradication of the IC bladder pain syndrome completely
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
read more
In the energy science of Ayurveda there are basically two ways to deal with clinical problems such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstital cystitis, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) The first is palliative treatment
The second level of treatment to deal with clinical problems involves balancing procedures which correct the imbalances that produce the tissue disturbance leading to the symptoms in the first place I’ve covered these methods in detail in previous blogs and will touch briefly on them again But I think it’s useful for you to understand why and what methods are available in order to get an overview of the energy science methods of treatment
These methods can be lumped into a broad category of doing lifestyle behavioral changes such as the use of nutritional formats according to energy constitution Many people who I have seen over the years who have mild IC flares on occasion can be helped by this change alone as many IC bladder pain syndrome patients have experienced Having said that no matter how far along one chooses or needs to go with respect to treatment methods nutritional change is necessary as it becomes foundational to all other therapies If one is not willing to change one’s nutritional choices it is best to not go farther or one will be wasting time and money
Herbs as I’ve talked about in other blogs are supportive and adjunctive to other therapies and at any point can be beneficial in supporting the process of healing at any level The common antiinflammatory herbs that I’ve talked about in the past like aloe vera gel, tea(cumen, coriander, fennel or CCF). turmeric used in formula or in cooking are common herbs to reduce the heat in the system causing IC flares
Marma therapies can be both diagnostic and therapeutic in terms of helping with symptoms during a flare used with essential oils such as sandalwood with castor oil Acupuncture is most often palliative and is akin to the marma therapy that I’ve discussed in the past
When you pay attention to proper rest and sleep, reducing stress, eating habits(such as no snacking, eating at appropriate times of the day, avoiding ice, stimulating digestion), and exercise, it can be amazing how such simple things can make a big difference in the flare rate, length of flare, and severity of the flare
As I’ve discussed in the past therapies that deal with the imbalances of qualities in the pelvic nerves that are often associated with most of the symptoms that revolve around the interstitial cystitis syndrome such as IC, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis
These therapies deal with imbalances in the peripheral tissues(nerves primarily) that have disseminated from the GI tract and are lodged in these tissues As I hope you can appreciate palliative methods address not aggravating the condition and further
But procedures directed at the causative agency leading to the symptoms are unique and not for the average health consumer to undertake but they do offer patients the opportunity to eliminate the IC bladder pain syndrome completely These techniques and methods are not for everyone but represent a clear divergence from what is presently available for IC
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
read moreMind and body are intimately spliced We cannot separate them physically What happens in the mind happens in the body and vice versa But we do separate them because the symptoms of mental stress seem different than physical stress But anyone with a painful bladder flare will tell that it’s intimately associated with mental duress Chronic disease such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystistis, vulvodynia IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, and GERD) no matter how minor the symptoms takes a toll on mental function
Also as our population ages, declining mental faculties can take first place on the list of one’s health concerns. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of senile dementia affect some 25 percent of all people over 80.1 Research, though, is revealing Ayurvedic approaches in helping to support the natural strength of the mental faculties.
Medhya is an Ayurvedic concept that implies intellect, or wisdom. Medhya remedies promote mental development and act as mental rejuvenatives, and they also suggest a mind that is mighty, vigorous and pure.
There are many ways to bring medhya into play in the mind. Anything that promotes the sattva guna can help in our quest, and the yamas and niyamas of Patanjali are aimed at this. Ayurvedic herbal medicines also play a role. They engender and summon intelligence, memory and mental perception. They make the mind worthy of sacrifice to higher consciousness.
Bitter taste is made from air and space energies, and these forces predominate in the mind. Bitter foods and herbs open the mind, increase sensitivity, awareness and mental functioning. Since bitter herbs are cooling and calming they combat mental dullness, allowing us to reach our full potential, becoming radiant and elevated.
Mind supplements include a large array of herbs and foods recommended to rebuild body tissues and restore lubricating juices.2 Five of these mind-nourishing herbs stand out as pillars of an Ayurvedic lifestyle.
Ashwagandha, sometimes named “winter cherry” or “Withania”, is a top mental rejuvenator. Ayurvedic herbalists use the herb to reestablish long-term sleep rhythms. Ayurvedic herbalism also uses ashwagandha for general strength for support in times of occasional fatigue and exhaustion; and to support healthy memory and a strong nervous system.
This tonic herb, a relative of tomatoes and potatoes, is not stimulating, but rather relaxing. That allows one to use this in larger amounts on a regular basis without concern for overstimulation, so this root is a superb remedy for nervous system support.
Study after study continues to confirm the benefits of this herb on stress tolerance, performance and endurance.3,4,5 One study indicated that the herb supported the brain in times of stress.6 In another, ashwagandha was shown to support strength and physical working capacity.7,8
Ayurveda considers it a “grounding” herb, one that nourishes and regulates metabolic processes and supports a naturally balanced mood. Ashwagandha also supports memory, helping those such as students for whom learning and testing are priorities.9 One recent study looked at sleep and stress. Ashwagandha was effective in supporting naturally healthy sleep patterns.10
As well as being a slow-acting tonic herb, ashwagandha is a superb herb for balancing elevated vata, a common problem as age advances and in chronic disease. It takes about a week to work up to an appropriate amount, and about another week for the herb to reach maximum effectiveness. Since ashwagandha is a slow-acting herb, you may take your daily serving at any time during the day.
A typical serving of ashwagandha is about a gram per day, taken over long periods, up to many years, as a rejuvenator, but, since ashwaganda is very safe, larger quantities are often used short term. In India, Withania is given with pungent, heating herbs (ginger, pepper, etc.) to ensure that it gets sufficiently digested.
Conscious communication is the essence of yoga. From your chakras to your nervous system to the words you speak, your very molecules are vibrating with the energy of your being, and transmitting that energy to all the other parts of our bodies and to people in your life.
Yoga exercises, pranayama and lifestyle practices all support conscious communication, and there is one special herb that yoga reveres above all others for clarifying and expanding that special spiritual voice we all share.
Calamus root is a major herb for the mind. Though it is not clearly allowed for internal consumption in the US, it can be used topically, either as a dry powder, paste, or as part of an herbalized oil. As a historical and international perspective, ancient yogis and seers used this herb, and it was said to stimulate the power of self-expression and to enhance intelligence.
This herb was often combined with gotu kola, which is cooling and mild. The complementary energetics made the combination suitable for a wide variety of people. To support attention and focus, it was combined with gotu kola, shankpushpi and licorice. Over the long term, calamus warms the body and pacifies the mind. Vacha was also combined with triphala as a general rejuvenative that bestows intelligence, longevity and good memory.11
Vacha has a long and very special history in Ayurveda.
Thinking about thinking? Feel like you’re about to max out your personal hard drive? Gotu kola is an herb with a long history of brain support. Gotu kola, also called Mandukaparni, is a mainstay of herbal medicine in Ayurveda. Widely considered a superior herb for the nervous system, gotu kola has a host of benefits.12
Gotu kola supports healthy memory, concentration and intelligence, as well as the voice, physical strength and the complexion.
Gotu kola is a jungle creeper that grows in hot moist climates. After all, it’s the food of the elephants, and we all know about their memories! Fresh, it’s a delicious salad vegetable. The juice of the fresh leaves is available at some juice bars.
More recently, a study out of Korea shows that components in gotu kola show potential for supporting healthy memory, a very promising direction.13
Since gotu kola is basically a mild salad vegetable, the serving can be a larger quantity. Try one to four teaspoonfuls of fresh juice every morning. Many people use a modest amount of 1 gram per day in capsules or tablets for daily rejuvenation. Try a cup of gotu kola tea with honey.
Water hyssop (Bacopa monniera), also refered to as brahmi in certain parts of India, is a steadfast mainstay of traditional Ayurvedic medicine. An indication of the respect for this herb is the name: “brahmi” means “god-like”. It’s used in Asia for support of the nervous system, mental energy, and healthy memory—it’s a powerful brain food. Use it to increase comprehension, concentration and recollection. Because it traditionally supports a person’s natural ability to solve problems effectively, it is often found in Ayurvedic formulas to cope with stress.
With nearly 300 studies in the scientific literature, it has built up a solid base of scientific support for its many functions.
In support of the traditional use for promoting healthy memory, Australian researchers recently gave Bacopa to seventy-six adults, aged 40 to 65 years, in a double-blind randomized, placebo control study in which various memory functions were tested. Numerous memory tests before and after taking the brahmi showed that the herb significantly supported the learning process.14
Brahmi has traditionally been used for children as well. Indian schoolchildren take it at home. In 1987, Indian scientists gave brahmi to 40 schoolchildren aged 6-8 in a single-blind trial. The study showed support of learning, memory and perception. The dose was 1 gram per day for three months, of the dried plant extracted into a syrup form, and no side effects were recorded.15
The traditional serving can be up to two grams of the whole herb, in capsules, tablets or tea, twice a day with warm water.
When we need mental peace and sleep, we may call upon shankhapushi to help restore clear quality of the mind and relaxation. Its flowers resemble the shankha or conch shell, thus the name. It usually is a foot tall plant, with dome of flowers, in open fields in North India.
This herb is an outstanding rejuvenative tonic for the mind and nerve tissue. The plant is said to have profound mystical properties, with an affinity for the heart, throat, third eye and crown chakras.
The herb is especially effective for mental peace and tranquility. Often taken with or prepared in ghee, it promotes serenity without dulling the mind. As it is balancing, its effect can be both uplifting and calming. Students traditionally use it to support a calm mind during exams. For support of focus and attention, it combines well with brahmi and licorice. For support of healthy sleep patterns, use shankpushpi at bedtime (traditional use allows for up to 6 grams). According to the Astanga Hridyam, ghee, cooked three times with shankpushpi juice and milk, makes even the dullest mind sharp.
Ayurveda places special attention on the health of the mind, and fundamentally teaches that, ultimately, all physical imbalances start in the mind, so a healthy mind is at the forefront of Ayurvedic practices. These five herbs form the core of a superb mental rejuvenative chest. They are waiting to help us stay calm, centered, intelligent and exalted, so now might just be the time to give this collection of herbs a try.
Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa is the lead instructor of the nutritional therapy and professional herbalist training programs at Portland Community College, where students pursue their credential online or in classrooms study, and on the founding faculty of Bastyr University Department of Ayurvedic Sciences. Khalsa is the President of the American Herbalists Guild and on the board of directors of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. He is the first person to be board certified in herbalism and Ayurveda.
http://www.pcc.edu/climb/health/
http://www.kpkhalsa.com/
http://www.internationalintegrative.com/
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
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When you subscribe to our site, you’re sent a short list of questions in order to get to know your interests One of the questions specifically asks about whether the topic of sour and pungent tastes interests you 50% of you have responded that you wanted to hear more…so here goes
In the energy science foods play a predominant role in creating imbalances which in turn produce disease such as the IC bladder pain syndrome(interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, vulvodynia, chronic prostatitis, GERD, and fibromyalgia) Of course not all foods will produce imbalance but HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH FOODS are good and those that are not good for our disease state
The energy science provides the answer in the form of food lists that have foods that you should avoid(NO column), those that can be taken in moderation, and those that can be used all the time See foodsheal.com or icdiet.com to review these formats
There are 6 energetic tastes that are recognized: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent Each of these are composed of specific qualities but for our IC bladder pain syndrome interest the ones that stand out are sour, salty, and pungent These are important because all 3 have the hot quality among others that will produce the imbalance that leads to the disease complex of the IC bladder pain syndrome
This is why the tastes of the sour and pungent can be provoking for those with IC The sour taste is the acid taste in Nature(bitter being the alkaline taste) and the pungent taste is the sensation we have when we eat a hot chili or horseradish
The importance of the lists is that they have built within them what predominance of tastes are within the food being evaluated, that is what qualities are present that may be provoking There are two benefits here 1 tells you which foods are imbalancing to you seeing your body as an energy field and 2 tells you which foods will produce disease for you And included within this construct is whether the foods are heating, that is have the hot quality or the sour and pungent tastes
1 As discussed we would want to follow the nutritional formats described at foodsheal.com(should take the questionnaire to determine your energy pattern constitution) or simply follow the icdiet format at icdiet.com The advantage of the former is that it gives you a broader choice range But both get the job done by cutting out the excessive hot quality
2 Avoid incompatible food combinations that are outlined at either of the above sites One of the fundamental principles of this list is the avoidance of fresh fruits in combination with other foods This is because the fruit with other foods can interfere with digestion and create as a byproduct toxic load called ama Ama is part of most disease processes and has to be cleared as a part of the IC syndrome
3 The use of a churan will give you all 6 tastes necessary for having healthy digestion but not giving the excess hot quality that will produce imbalance
Until next week To Health as a Skill Love DrBill
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
read moreFrom my experience with the IC bladder pain syndrome over the last almost 40 years it appears that two thirds of patients will have intermittent symptoms that appear last for a period of like a year or so and then there is a long hiatus where they are free of symptoms But one third of patients may have preceding symptoms but then come to a time when they have unrelenting symptoms and become debilitated by the symptoms So for two thirds of the patients identified as IC many don’t suffer chronic debility
Those with the chronic disease of the IC bladder pain syndrome(fibromyalgia, chronic prostatitis, vulvodynia, and irritable bowel syndrome) will suffer due to the unrelenting symptoms that are associated with not just interstitial cystitis but with its other attendant “sister disease labels” listed above Usually it’s the IBS that becomes a major problem because as I’ve written in the past, from an energy science view all disease begins in the gastrointestinal tract(GIT) and this is the major driving force for the development and perpetuation of IC in the first place
So healing IC is not so hard for two thirds of IC patients if they are fortunate to fall into the remission category but for the one third of patients it’s frankly a difficult but not impossible job
There will be a few brave souls who will embark on a healing journey because they are so miserable or so incapacitated that life is not worth living if they have to be unemployed and lose their social network
But to do so requires courage, determination, and discipline to stay on task because as I’ve talked about in the past real healing using the energy science approach takes time It requires a gentle correction of the quantitative imbalances that have occurred over time that gradually need to be resolved
1 Belief One of the sole purposes of this blog is to defeat the aphorism that is repeatedly stated in the IC community, “treatable but not curable” So a patient embarking on taking on the healing of IC must at least in part overcome this negativity that nothing can be done This mindset is probably the most difficult in healing any chronic disease That realizing that life will be better and that there is hope is the best medicine This belief then supports the next two requirements
2 Time/patience The imbalance of Vata/Pitta creates an impatient mind…..I want the result yesterday One can support the healing process but not rush it Expecting more often sabotages the process since energy science healing requires persistent and consistent work And it’s not like one doesn’t get positive reinforcement along the way There will occur improved quality of life and lessening of symptoms as one does the work but there will be ups and downs This is why journaling can be so valuable One is able to see that there is improvement as one marks the way
3 Peeling an Onion Even though no two imbalances are exactly alike the process of healing chronic IC requires that when one symptom seems to get better and resolve that there will be another that seemingly comes up for healing as one peels the onion This is true of any chronic imbalance that is created in the body and is corrected To realize this reduces the risk of discouragement as one goes forward in the healing process Some long time readers may remember the graph depicting the wave form of creating and healing disease
To Health as a Skill Dr Bill Dean
The reason that our website icdiet.com is listed number one and two in the Google search engine is that the information works People use what works for them not what’s written And I can confidently say based on the energy science of Ayurveda that it works when you work it for bladder pain There is no guess work(why did it work for Mary but not for me), no diet diaries, no elimination trials Just straightforward Yes and No The IC community(Interstitial Cystitis Association and Interstitial Cystitis Network) and the...
read moreThe body is simultaneously an energy and matter field based on your perspective The bladder pain that is seen in IC flares can be viewed as either a molecular problem(matter science) or an imbalance in energy patterns in the urinary tract The predominant theory of the matter or molecular science is that the glycosoaminoglycan(GAG) layer becomes disrupted and allows urine irritants to infiltrate the bladder wall leading to the painful flares of IC The energy science of Ayurveda completely concurs that there is disruption due to acidic...
read more“Tomorrow I’ll begin that Pitta pacifying nutritional format for this bladder pain.” But as the saying goes,”Tomorrow never comes.” Procrastination is a form of fear and can be related to the Kapha energy pattern but any energy pattern can entertain inertia. It’s worthwhile looking at this fear as it directly plays into our human quest for chronic dis-ease. And if we are human and walking on this planet we have imaginary fears. Although imaginary fears have no basis, nonetheless they are locked away in our...
read moreIt’s estimated that 50 to as high as 70% of people experiencing IC have spontaneous resolution of bladder pain symptoms or after a period of time go away entirely or move to a more manageable symptom complex. This is typified in the accompanying bell curve graph which shows to the left of the line those that have resolved completely or have manageable symptoms and those to the right who have repeated flares for an extended period of time. This latter debilitated group of patients(CPPS) suffer not only unrelenting flares but lose...
read moreFrom an energy science view the symptoms of interstitial cystitis(IC) are related to the hot quality among others The burning on urination that feels like razor blades, the suprapubic or vaginal pain, the perineal pain of prostatitis are all related to this energetic quality that is in excess At this blog I have discussed extensively how the nutritional format is fundamental in clearing symptoms From my research 91% of patients doing aloe and a nutritional format that reduces this hot quality get 50% relief of symptoms in 6 weeks But...
read moreIf you have bladder IC and endometriosis you are experiencing a sort of double whammy You have two painful inflammatory pelvic conditions to deal with And that’s a bummer The pain may be doubly intense or at least seem like it And the social, physical, psychological, and emotional debility is energy draining But what if you could do something that doesn’t cost you anything and could reduce your symptoms by as much as 50%? All you have to do is take on the responsibility of nutritional choices and use aloe vera gel...
read moreFrom our last post you learned that from an energy science point of view interstitial cystitis is a Pitta provoked disease, that is, too much hot quality in the urinary tract – an imbalance created by the foods consumed So the obvious first step is to reduce those foods that are Pitta provoking One particular thread that I have seen come up is the question about IC and yogurt How should it be used and whether it is safe in IC, that is, whether it is Pitta provoking and causing bladder pain Yogurt is an amazing food and many...
read moreI had the opportunity over the weekend to interview Dr Vasant Lad who is a recognized authority of Ayurveda This is probably the first time that interstitial cystitis has been discussed from the classical Ayurvedic approach Applying the principles of Ayurveda in treating IC is obvious but what the classic texts that go back 5000 years have to say about the disease is very different as you will see Don’t be thrown off by the Sanskrit terms! Dr Lad has published numerous articles and books on the subject including a 3...
read moreWhen confronted with a chronic disease two questions usually come up 1 Why is this happening to me? 2 How can I get relief from these miserable symptoms that are plaguing me day in and day out? The first question will be difficult to answer based on the current model of healing and is based on theory And the second question is more to the point of “allow me to get comfortable so I can at least function” This question also has loads of responses doing online searches because you are empathetic to the other’s...
read moreI have found it interesting that quite often the physical problems that we have often seek their verbal expressions in the physically manifested universe This indirectly supports that we know we are intuitively part of Nature That we are not apart from Her but an aspect of Her We are Her in a real sense To divorce ourselves from Nature through technology and the study of molecules misses our ability to resourcefully look within for the answers As the saying goes, you haven’t lived until you’ve had a good bladder pain...
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