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AYURVEDIC HERBALISM AND LIFE EXTENSION

‘Avert the danger which has not yet come’ – Yogi Patanjali

Ayurveda is probably the oldest health system of the world. It covers various disciplines used to ‘purify’ the body (including diet, herbal medicine and lifestyle recommendations).

One aspect of Ayurveda is ‘Rasayana’ – the development of elixirs to increase vitality and prolong life.

Many centuries ago, the ageing seer, Rishi Chyawan, found himself compromised into marrying the teenage daughter of a local Rajah. In order to increase his strength and vitality Chyawan prepared a food paste containing 49 ingredients, this became known as Chyawan Prash and is still commonly used to restore health after periods of weakness.

A major ingredient of Chyawan Prash is Amla: (Emblica myrobalans) commonly known as ‘Indian Gooseberry’. Amla is extremely rich in a thermostable form of Vitamin C. (20 times that of oranges) and is the mainstay of many Ayurvedic preparations.

Another compound, which includes Amla, is the almost legendary Triphala a simple three-herb formula known in India as ‘The Mother of all Medicines’.

Triphala has a cleansing action on the blood, the colon, the liver, the skin and the eyes.

The importance of maintaining ‘digestive fire’ in the Indian diet makes the selective combining of spices vital. Spice herbs such as peppers, cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric and ginger are used for their potent digestive properties.

A commonly used ‘churna’ or spice blend in India is known as ‘Hingashtak’. Hingashtak is centred around the herb Asafoetida (Hing), a root resin rarely found in health stores due to its overpowering smell, earning it the folk name ‘Devil’s dung’.

A latex taken from the root of Asafoetida (Ferula foetida)is dried, ground and mixed with rice flour to add to the cooking of beans and pulses. Medicinally this resin is used to aid indigestion, treat flatulence, intestinal pain, peptic ulcer, parasite infestation etc.

Two other herbs included in Hingashtak are Ginger and Pippali,

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a common culinary and medicinal herb used in both Chinese and Indian cultures, it can be used in cases of constipation, dysentery, nausea (including morning sickness), asthma, rheumatism and poor circulation.

The fruit of the aromatic pepper Pippali (Piper longum) is commonly used in the treatment of coughs, colds, tonsillitis, flatulence and diseases of the spleen and liver.

Pippali root is also used in decoctions to treat both high blood pressure and insomnia.

The herbs and formulations I have mentioned above are commonly used in India and usually discovered by westerners who survive prolonged periods of travel throughout the Indian subcontinent.

In India the principles of cause and effect are understood, prompting people to take greater personal responsibility for their health.

© John.E.Smith