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This monthly e-feature “Ayurpatra” is a sincere effort for
the welfare of the mankind through Ayurveda. Our web site
(www.ayurplanet.com)
has helped millions of people. Ayurpatra is loaded with
lots of information, events and happenings related to
Ayurveda including featured articles, details of very
useful herbs, beauty tips and various herbal products and
health supplements. The aim of this Newsletter is to serve
humanity from health aspect by natural means.
FEATURE HEALTH ARTICLE: ANOSMIA
(Gandhras)
ANOSMIA comes from the Greek; an [no] -osmia [smell]. Of
the five senses, smell ranks fourth in importance for
humans, although it is much more pronounced in other
animals. Taste, considered the fifth sense, is mostly the
smell of food in the mouth. The sense of smell originates
from the first cranial nerves (the olfactory nerves).A
small area on the mucous membrane that lines the nose (the
olfactory epithelium) contains specialized nerve cells
called smell receptors. These receptors have hair like
projections (cilia) that detect odors. Airborne molecules
entering the nasal passage stimulate the cilia, triggering
a nerve impulse in nearby nerve fibers. The fibers extend
upward through the bone that forms the roof of the nasal
cavity (cribriform plate) and connect to enlargements of
nerve cells (olfactory bulbs) that form the cranial nerves
of smell (olfactory nerves). The impulse travels through
the olfactory bulbs, along the olfactory nerves, to the
brain. The brain interprets the impulse as a distinct
odor. Also, the area of the brain where memories of odors
are stored—the middle part of the temporal lobe—is
stimulated. The memories enable a person to distinguish
and identify many different odors experienced over a
lifetime.
A
reduced ability to smell (hyposmia) and loss of smell (anosmia)
are the most common disorders of smell and taste. Because
distinguishing one flavor from another is based largely on
smell, people often first notice that their ability to
smell is reduced when their food seems tasteless.
Ayurveda says that everything in this universe is made up
of 5 elements so is our body.
From
Akasha (Ether) came the Shrotendriya (organ of hearing)
From Vayu (Air) came
the Tvagindriya (organ of touch)
From
Agni (Fire)came the Chakshrindriya (organ of vision)
From Jala (Water)came
the Jihvendriya (organ of taste) and
From Prithvi (Earth)came
the Ghranendriya (organ of smell).
It must be borne in mind that Indriya does not mean the
physical organ,these are are sense perception medias.
Thus it
carries connotations of dominance or control.
For
example, the nose is an organ. In it is situated a subtle
Indriya called
Nasa (nose). If this
Indriya is defective, the person will not be able to smell
although his nostrils are normal. Just as Prana is vital
for the
physical body, Indriyas
are vital for the organs of perception. It should
therefore be understood that the subtle elements give rise
to the Indriyas and not the organs."
The Ayurvedic texts define the source of all disease and
suffering as pragyaparadh, or "the mistake of the
intellect." This occurs when individuals (or even single
cells) "forget" their connection with the wholeness of
life and believe themselves to be isolated entities.
Creating, and then eating, genetically engineered foods
exposes us to pragyaparadh.
We are all threads in the fabric of creation, say ancient
Ayurvedic texts. To believe ourselves to be the weavers,
capable of successfully manipulating nature's
intelligence, is a symptom of pragyaparadh—and the
assumption reveals our ultimate naiveté.The genetic
program of a living organism is vastly more powerful and
more complex than limited human intelligence.
To keep our nasal strength good we all must be very
careful for the smells. Be it in the form of perfumes,
aromas, spices, cooking, fumes, or smoke.
Causes
and symptoms
Anosmia occurs from either an obstruction in the nose or
nerve damage. An obstruction prevents odors from reaching
the delicate nerve fibers of the nose. The most common
cause of anosmia is nasal occlusion caused by rhinitis
(inflammation of the nasal membranes). If no air gets to
the olfactory nerves, smell will not happen. In turn,
rhinitis and nasal polyps (growths on nasal membranes) are
caused by irritants.
Anosmia
can also follow a head injury or an acute or chronic
attack of allergies. Many medications may change or
decrease the ability to detect odors. The sense of smell
is often lost with disorders like tumours,
or surgery of the brain. It may also be due to zinc
deficiency. Tobacco smoking is the most concentrated form
of pollution that most people will ever be exposed to. It
impairs the ability to identify odors. Hormonal
disturbances or dental problems are also a cause. Anosmia
can occur as a part of other loss of function of the
brain.
With the loss of sense of smell there can also be a loss
of taste. Distortion of function-foods or odors that
normally are pleasant may taste or smell odd or distorted,
perhaps with an unpleasant smell. Victims may not be able
to distinguish flavours.
MANAGEMENT
- Treatment depends on the cause of a smell or taste
disorder.
Nasal steams
with essential oils offer relief of the blockage and
tonification of the membranes. Karpooradi oil,Eucalyptus
oil can be used in nasal steam.
Jala Neti--
Blockages can sometimes be resolved through naso-specific
therapy--a way of realigning the nasal cavities.Neti can
be called a "nasal douche". Take warm water, which is
slightly above the body temperature. Add salt to this
water at the rate of half a teaspoon per glass of 300 ml.
This is equal to the salinity of the mucous secretions in
the respiratory system. Saturated salt water has high
osmotic pressure. It is a law in physics that fluid flows
from low osmotic pressure to higher osmotic pressure. In
inflammatory conditions of nasal cavity including sinuses,
there is congestion and edema of nasal mucosa. Naturally
during "Jalaneti" fluid from mucosal cells comes out which
relieves the congestion and edema very fast. This helps in
better functioning of mucosal cells and also opens up
closed openings of the sinuses in nasal cavity.
In our nose there are nerve endings of
olfactory nerve, which are responsible for our sense of
smell. During "Jalaneti" these nerve endings are
stimulated by saline that give us very pleasant
sensations. These pleasant sensations have a very
beneficial effect on centre of emotions located in limbic
systems of brain. Thus Neti improves sensitivity of the
olfactory nerves, helping to restore lost sense of smell,
and thereby benefits the relationship with taste and the
digestive processes.
Nasya
-It
is a process by which drug is administered through the
nostrils.
Nasyakarma enhance the activity of sense organs and
prevent the diseases of head (urdhwanga). The nose is the
gateway to the brain and to consciousness. Prana or vital
energy enters the body through breath taken in through the
nose. Nasal administration of medication helps to correct
the disorders of prana affecting the higher cerebral,
sensory and motor functions. Nasya is indicated for
dryness of the nose, sinus congestion, hoarseness,
migraine headache, neurodegenerative conditions (i.e.
multiple sclerosis), convulsions and certain eye and ear
problems.
Oils that can be used for Nasa includes Anu tel, Shadbindu
tel.
Shiroabhyanga -
The head massage serves to open the srotas in the head,
neck and shoulder regions. This treatment nourishes the
five senses by focusing on the ‘marma points’, many of
which are located around the head. These points, when
gently massaged have a hugely calming and balancing effect
throughout the body and nervous system.
Herbs and formulations
– Tulsi,Ginger,Garlic,Cloves,Vyoshadi vati,, Agastya
haritaki, Lavangadi churna,Panchamrit ras, Nardiya
Laxmivilas Ras are useful herbs and combinations in this
disorder.
You
may consult our Ayurveda experts through
on line consultation
or personally.
HERB OF THE MONTH:
LAVANG(CLOVES)
Cloves
have many medicinal virtues. They are stimulant. They are
useful in counteracting spasmodic disorders and in
relieving flatulence. They help stimulate sluggish
circulation and thereby promote digestion and metabolism
.In the Indian system of medicine cloves are used in
various conditions either in the form of powder or a
decoction made of them. Clove oil applied outwardly, has
stimulating effects on the skin, producing heat and
redness.
The
clove herb keeps food fresh because the main active
component of cloves is eugenol, which has long been known
to help kill bacteria and viruses" says Gary Elmer, Ph.D.,
associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the
University of Washington School of Pharmacy in Seattle.
By
killing bacteria, eugenol helps keep meat fresh and
prevents stomach upset, diarrhea, and wound infections.
Healing uses and benefits of Cloves:
·
Mouth
Care:
Clove oil is suggested for toothaches, and can help
freshen breath.You may have tasted the sweet-hot flavor of
clove oil in over-the-counter toothache medicines.
Try a
drop of this healing oil (available at drugstores and
health-food stores) to ease an aching tooth until you can
see a dentist.
-
Relieve indigestion:
The herb's usefulness in supporting normal digestive
system function has yet to be confirmed in humans, but
laboratory studies indicate that it may be effective.
-
Control diarrhea:
An
ingredient in clove fights the bacteria responsible for
diarrhea-the ailment you get from drinking the water in
regions where health standards are substandard.
Heals cuts and bites:
Studies show that the oil in cloves can help kill several
strains of staphylococcus bacteria and one strain of
pseudomonas-organisms that can cause skin infections.
BEAUTY TIPS:
Sun-Protection Lotion
It’s summer time. Time to cool off. So let’s wind up with
a good home-made sun-protection lotion. Take cucumber
juice and equal amounts of glycerine and rose water and
make a concoction. This should be refrigerated. Try it,
it’s really cool.
For
personalized beauty related queries mail to:
beauty@ayurplanet.com
FORTHCOMING
EVENT:
Venue:
MEDX 2007
Oman
International Exhibition Center, Muscat, Oman
Date(s):
July 17-19,
2007,
For details:
Visit us at:
www.vantagemedifest.com
NEWS:
Ayurveda India clinic in UK
In
the Light of spreading Ayurveda throughout the world we
have started with another Ayurveda clinic project in
Europe this month . This centre provides the consultation,
Ayurveda treatments and Ayurveda education. Dr.Raghunandan
Sharma is in UK for the developments of this endeovour. He
can be reached at
ayurplanet@gmail.com
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INDIA
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