Ayurveda Medicines

1. Ashwagandha
   Also known as withania somnifera, ashwagandha is an amazing adaptogenic herb. It can balance the nervous system and nourish muscle tissue. Given under the right circumstances, it strongly balances vata and with this, balances the nervous system and relieves stress. It is a member of the class of rejuvenating and strengthening herbs and it can be used as a single herb in the form of capsules and tablets or as part of different formulations like kashayams (decoctions), lehyam (herbal pastes) and arishtams (fermented liquids).
   
   
2. Triphala
   Triphala actually means three (“tri”) fruits (“phala”). It is a mixture of three dried fruits, namely amalaki (emblica officinalis or amla), bibhitaki (terminalia bellirica or baheda) and haritaki (terminalia chebula or harad). It is what we in Ayurveda call a tri-doshic rasayana. This means, it is able to not only regulate all three doshas in the body (vata, pitta and kapha), but also has rejuvenating properties. Triphala can be taken in powder form or in capsules. Besides before mentioned qualities, it also improves digestive functions by promoting regular bowel movements and improving fat metabolism. It is also an immune booster, an antioxidant and helps with hair growth.
   
   
3. Dhanwantaram Gulika
   Known also as vayu gulika, dhanwantaram gulika is often used to correct the movement of vata (vata anulomana) and to balance kapha. It is frequently prescribed for bronchial complaints, gas, bloating, menstrual pain and nausea.
   
   
4. Dashamularishta
   Dashamula stands for “10 roots” and it is indeed 10 roots from 10 different plants that are used to make this fermented liquid medicine. It is often used to correct digestion and improve metabolic functions by increasing agni. It has anti-inflammatory properties and analgesic effects. Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe it to alleviate arthritis, back pain and slipped discs and it is one of the key medicines in post partem care.
   
   
5. Chyavanprash
   Like ashwagandha, chyavanprash belongs to the group of rasayana or rejuvenating medicines. It is a complex mix of more than 40 different medicinal ingredients and amalaki, ghee and honey are its main components. Along with its anti-aging and immune boosting properties, it is also a respiratory tonic, commonly taken during rainy season prophylactically to prevent respiratory problems, cold and flue.
   

“Half knowledge is worse than ignorance.”

This saying by Thomas B. Macaulay can be very much applied to Ayurveda as well as to Chinese Medicine in the widest sense. Many people seem to believe that by just reading a few books on the subject, they can self-diagnose their constitution, imbalances and diseases and make correct decisions related to their diet, or, even worse, prescribe their own herbal medications. And just because “herbs are from mother nature” they seem to also believe that there won’t be any negative effects to the intake of herbal medications. This is not the case. In the absence of a Vaidhya or Ayurvedic Physician, self-medication is almost always done without even the slightest understanding about the complex state of dosha and agni and without taking into consideration specific circumstances necessary for the intake of the herbal medicines. Needless to say, this is foolish and should be avoided at all costs.

Improper manufacturing practices

The lack of precise quality control and improper manufacturing practices have tainted Ayurveda’s reputation, in particular when it comes to Rasa shastra, the practice of adding metals, minerals or gems to herbal preparations. Cases have been reported of heavy metal poisoning through toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, or mercury in Ayurvedic medicines and particular in bhasmas (ash products). The purification processes for herbo-metallic preparations called samskaras and shodhanas are complicated and the preparations are rarely submitted to in-depth toxicity studies. In the wrong hands, these preparation practices are hazardous to health but when done properly, they produce medicines that work miraculously. It is therefore very important to know Ayurvedic medicine suppliers, who have the highest production standards in place and the Indian government must further improve their controll of manufacturers of Ayurvedic medicines.

The analysis of your state of health starts by diagnosing the unique state of your doshas and in order to restore health and prevent the development of diseases, your doshas have to be balanced first. This can be achieved by Ayurvedic purification and rejuvenation procedures, dietary and lifestyle changes, herbal medications and various Ayurvedic treatment methods. It is also important you understand your personal constitution (prakriti) and your imbalances (vikriti) as well as the factors that stabilize and disturb your constitution. Once all this is understood and excess dosha removed from your body through various purification methods, you can actively take practical, and often easy to execute steps like dietary changes, lifestyle and environmental changes and the intake of Ayurvedic medicine to further improve your health or maintain your health. All of this is best discussed with a qualified Ayurvedic doctor. They are able to diagnose the state of your doshas, analyse the root causes of the imbalances and devise a strategy with you.

Amrtasiddhi offers Ayurvedic consultations as well as authentic Ayurvedic programs that are individually tailored to your needs. We determine your personal constitution and current imbalances and design your individual treatment plan accordingly. You can have complete confidence in the profound knowledge of our Ayurveda experts.

We at AmrtaSiddhi are looking forward to welcoming you soon!