Journal of Natural Remedies

Veena ¹, Vandana Verma ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Kriya Sharir, IMS, BHU, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of food in relation to maintenance, growth, health and disease of an organism. The history of nutrition science and dietetics can be traced back as far as history of civilization across the world. The food habits, cooking and food processing have been evolved with cultural development of human beings. The ancient physicians from Greek, Hippocrates, Galen, Plato, Chinese civilization and Indian physician of Ayurveda like Charak and Sushruta have duly recognized the importance of diet and dietetics along with physical activity in health and management of various disorders.

Although the advancement in nutrition science has added the discovery of various micronutrients and fortified food substances, still a large number of populations worldwide is suffering from disorders of malnutrition, food-borne diseases, neurotoxins and other non-communicable diseases due to wrong cooking, storage, packaging practices and intake of food in wrong combination. Ayurveda has advocated that to get the optimum benefits from the consumed food (Aahara), people should give due consideration to their psychosomatic constitution (Prakriti), state of digestive power (Agni), age, dietary rules, nature and combination of food etc.

It is very surprising fact that scientific development of nutrition science was started in between 18^th and 19^th century, but the researchers and academicians working in the field of nutrition and medicinal health science have not incorporated the valuable, time tested knowledge of Ayurveda, which could be applied for development of nutrition science, and will be helpful in treatment of diseases and maintenance of health too.

Keywords

Aahara, Ayurveda, Dietetics, Nutraceutical, Nutrigenomics, Nutrition.

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Niraj Srivastava ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ², B. M. Singh ³

Affiliations
1 Department of Kaumarbhritya/Balroga, Government Ayurvedic PG College and Hospital (Sampurnan and Sanskrit University), Varanasi – 221002, Uttar Pradesh, IN
2 Department of Kriya Sharir, FOAy, IMS, BHU, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN
3 Department of Kaumarbhritya/Balroga, FOAy, IMS, BHU, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India, IN

Abstract

Background: Prakriti has important role in prevention, diagnosis, treatment of disease and forecast of future disorders. Infants are more prone to develop various health problems like infections, due to poor immune system. This study shows relation between infantile age morbidity and their Prakriti (physical constitution) in present scenario. Material and Methods: For this longitudinal study 100 infants were registered for Prakriti assessment and their relationship with incidence of diseases. Performa for Prakriti assessment in infants was developed by Department of Kaumarbhritya/Balroga and Department of Kriya Sharira. This study was conducted in Kaumarbhritya OPD, SS Hospital, Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Observation and Result: In the present study, rate of morbidity in infantile age was found maximum in Vata Prakriti (6.6 episodes/infant/year) and minimum in Kapha Prakriti (1.54 episodes/infant/year). Incidence of morbidity was 2.41 episodes/infant/year. The commonest morbidities were respiratory tract infections (40.66%) and diarrhea (30.29%). Respiratory tract infection is most common morbidity in Vata Prakriti (33.3%), Kapha Prakriti (73.5%), Vata-Pitta Prakriti (48.1%) and Vata Kapha Prakriti (53.3%) infants. Diarrhea was the most common morbidity in Pitta Prakriti (32.2%) and Pitta-Kapha Prakriti (50.0%) infants. Discussion and Conclusion: Rate of morbidity was found more in Vata Prakriti and less in Kapha Prakriti infants which justifies the concept of Ayurveda that feature of Vata Prakriti is Shighravikara and Kapha Prakriti have Ashighravikara. Vata and Kapha Prakriti infants mostly suffer from respiratory tract infection and Pitta Prakriti infants mostly suffer from diarrhea. In present study incidence of morbidity was 2.41 episodes/infant/year and most common morbidity was respiratory tract infection and diarrhea.

Keywords

Ayurveda, Diarrhea, Infants, Respiratory Tract Infection, Vata-Pitta-Kapha.

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Sonam Agrawal ¹, Vandana Verma ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Human physiology and pathophysiology of diseases have been proved to show rhythmic variation in response to temporal factors. This behavior is intertwined in field of clinical physiology in form of chronomedicine and chronotherapy for the better outcomes of treatment. Ayurveda scholars have also described rhythmic variation in biological entities like Dosha, Agni, Bala, presentation of diseases in relation to diurnal, meal intake and seasonal factors. They have well documented different domain of drug i.e. collection of drug, preparation of medicine, intervention of therapeutic procedures and administration of medicine in accordance to variation in biological entities and time. This article is aimed to summarize all these documented observations of Ayurveda regarding chronomedicine and chronotherapy and discuss in view of contemporary sciences, so that it can be utilized by the researchers of this field to generate evidence based data and may be applied by the physician for the better prognosis and management of the disease.

Keywords

Aushadha Kala, Dosha, Panchakarma, Meals, Seasons, Time Factor, Vyadhi.

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Shriti Singh ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ¹, N. K. Agrawal ²

Affiliations
1 Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN
2 Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Ayurveda and contemporary science comprehends human body as model to understand disease state from very different perspective hence their methodology to describe disease manifestation also seems very different as they observe same problem from different viewpoints. For more precision in healthcare system it is essential that best of both systems need to be integrated, In Ayurvedic texts, the description of concept of basic constitution/Prakriti in health and disease states is well described. The scripts are not clearly understandable and hence its importance has not been properly understood by contemporary biological researchers and thus not utilized. According to Ayurveda individual’s basic constitution (Prakriti) influences and directs one’s disease status, its treatment & lifestyle regimen. In genomics, individual’s basic constitution is decided by its genetic makeup. The current trend in Ayurveda-related biomolecular studies is establishment of high correlation between Prakriti and Genomics. This approach of Ayurgenomics would facilitate the development of alternative methods for cost effective screening of predisposed individuals in the population. This would result in development of an integrated approach to systems biology for disease and health state. For the establishment and success of this concept the prerequisite is integration of Ayurveda into mainstream contemporary biology to achieve global acceptability for the concepts and science of Ayurveda, and for this Ayurvedic concept based phenotypic (Prakriti) assessment needs to be made so that difference among individuals from large population based on their physical, physiological and psychological status can be observed and they can be categorized by their specific predominant Prakriti i.e. Vata, Pitta, Kapha. Information about individual predominant Prakriti can be further analyzed on certain genomic parameters related to gene expression, genetic, epigenetic and biochemical factors, which can be further utilized for Integration of Ayurveda with Genomics for systems biology approach in predictive and personalized medicine.

Keywords

Ayurgenomic, Genome, Prakriti, System Biology.

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Vandana Verma ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ¹, Sonam Agrawal ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Physiology of sweating and thermoregulation was well conceived by Ancient Ayurveda scholars. The detailed description of Svedavaha Srotas (channels carrying sweat), Sveda (sweat) as Mala (waste), its mechanism of formation on exposure to heat, therapeutic application of heat for inducing sweating under the concept of Svedan Karma (sudation) for purification and balancing the Dosha for management of disorders reflects the deep understanding of Ayurveda scholars about the physiology of sweating and temperature regulation. Keeping these facts in mind a detailed review has been done as an attempt to understand the physiology of sweating and temperature regulation mechanism described in Ayurveda in view of contemporary sciences and recent researches.

Keywords

Dosha, Mala, Swedan (sudation), Temperature Regulation.

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Deeksha Singh ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ², B. M. Singh ³, D. C. Rai ⁴

Affiliations
1 Home Science, Allied Discipline, Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN
2 Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN
3 Department of Kaumarbhritya and Balaroga, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN
4 Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Introduction: Mother’s milk is considered to be the supreme food for neonates, infants and toddler. It is also regarded as the finest gift form a mother to her baby. The individual characteristic of a person enumerating external and internal body features is known as Prakriti. It is the sense of personality or constitution or temperament of an individual. The aim of the present study was to assess “variations of human milk composition as per Prakriti”. Materials and Methods: Total 64 lactating mothers of 20-35 years age group, not suffering from any acute or chronic illness and who were on similar diet regardless of their mode of delivery were registered and included in the study while lactating mothers not falling in this age group or who were taking any specific drug for the illness or suffering from any disease including- moderate (9.97-7 g/dl) to severe (6.94-4 g/dl) anemia were excluded from the study. Result: On applying One Way ANOVA, the mean values of fat percentage in milk varied significantly as per Prakriti (p = 0.0287). On applying Post Hoc Test the significant pairs were for Vata vs. Pitta (<0.05) and Vata vs Kapha (<0.05) Prakriti. In all other parameters of milk, no significant variation was found. Conclusion: We can conclude that the composition of mother’s milk varies as per Prakriti.

Keywords

Ayurveda, Body Constitution, Fat, Lactose, Milk Composition.

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Sandeep Singh ¹, Sangeeta Gehlot ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Kriya Sharir, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi – 221005, Uttar Pradesh, IN

Abstract

Background: Circuit training and Yogasana are good for the development of physical and physiological fitness of an individual. These training methods are useful to develop the individual’s fitness component like strength, speed, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and agility as well as physiological components like Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Inspiratory Capacity (IC) and Expiratory Capacity (EC). Thus, this study was planned to find out the variation of cardiovascular endurance, inspiratory capacity and forced vital capacity among sport persons through circuit training and Yogasana practice in different Prakriti individuals. Materials and Methods: 60 young and healthy male of age group 18-28 years, inter university level sport players were selected and divided into three groups, two experimental group (Yogasana and circuit training group) and one control group. Prakriti of each player was determined by the standard proforma. Harvard step test and PFT was done before and after completion of intervention. Result: After intervention significant changes were found in cardiovascular endurance, forced vital capacity and inspiratory capacity. Pair wise comparison of groups resulted in significant difference between circuit training group v/s control group and Yogasana group v/s control group in FVC and IC, circuit training group v/s Yogasana groups in IC. On Prakriti wise analysis significant changes were observed in all the three parameters of all Prakriti players of circuit training group while, Yogasana group showed significant difference in different parameters. No change was found in control group. Conclusion: Circuit training and Yogasana practices produced almost similar response on all studied parameters.

Keywords

Circuit Training, Prakriti.

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