Ayurvedic helps you stay healthy
By Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurved), ND

Everyone ages; that’s inevitable. What does not have to be inevitable are conditions commonly associated with aging, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and cancer.

The answer to staying young and healthy may lie in Ayurvedic medicine, the science of balance. Ayurvedic medicine provides the tools to seek balance at the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical levels. Incorporate some of the following remedies into your routine to help you (and your patients) achieve balance and harmony:

• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). This herb improves health and increases longevity. Research on Ashwagandha has shown it to be a stress adaptogen. It promotes healing, serves as a diuretic, and is said to have anti-cancerous properties.

Ashwagandha is effective for insomnia, fatigue, stress, depression, anxiety, and cancer. It can also be used as an adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation.

• Amla (Emblica officinalis). Amla is an excellent rejuvenator. It has powerful antioxidant properties. It also protects the body from the toxicity of heavy metals, such as nickel, cobalt, arsenic, and mercury, as well as carcinogenic chemicals. It also has powerful anti-cancerous properties and has been used as an adjuvant in cancer therapy to cut down the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

• Sitawari (Asparagus racemosus). This herb has tonic, adaptogenic, alterative, and aphrodisiac qualities. It is used to treat debility, as well as chronic diseases, such as infertility, impotence, menopause, lung abscesses, and chronic fevers.

Asparagus has antibacterial activity comparable to chlorophenicol and gastric-emptying effects comparable to metoclopramide. It is often used to treat peptic ulcers and ulcerative colitis.

• Trifal. Trifal is a combination of three herbs: Terminalia chebula, Terminalia billerica, and Emblica officinalis. An Ayurvedic adaptogen, trifal produces digestive and eliminative actions. It works as an anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, antibacterial, and antihistaminic. It improves the flow of bile, lowers cholesterol, and can be used as an adjuvant in chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

• Shilajit (Mineral pitch). This is a rich source of naturally occurring minerals. Russian athletes have used it as a nonsteroidal body builder and stamina enhancer. Ayurvedic medicine considers it an aphrodisiac, as well as a tonic for the kidneys and prostate. It is also considered an immune enhancer.

• Pippli (Piper longum). This herb aids in digestion by enhancing acid and enzyme secretions. Pippli significantly helps the absorption of nutrients, herbs, and drugs and has shown anti-allergic, anti-asthmatic, and anti-parasitic actions.

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Virender Sodhi, MD (Ayurved), ND, CEO of Ayush Herbs, Inc., (www.ayush.com) was the first Ayurvedic and naturopathic physician in the United States. He practices at the Ayurvedic Naturopathic Medical Clinic in Bellevue, Wash. He can be contacted at drsodhi@ayurvedicscience.com.

Disclaimer: This article is purely informative and should not replace the guidance of your physician. If you suffer from an illness, you should consult a physician before taking any herbs, vitamins, minerals, or enzymes. Even at the peak of health, it is best to consult a qualified practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.