Many of you have asked how you can learn more about Ayurveda in a live classroom setting…

I am so happy to let you all know that I will be teaching a course on Ayurveda at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco on Wednesday evenings during the month of April.  As a student and patient of Ayurveda you are invited and encouraged to attend. 

This 4-part course will be held on April 1, 8, 15 and 22 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  In addition there will be a day-long intensive on Saturday April 25 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

These Courses are being offered as part of the Public Programs section at CIIS. They are open to CIIS students and members of the public.  Continuing Education Units will be granted to professionals with licenses of RN, MFT and LCSW.

ABOUT THE COURSE

 This course offers a comprehensive and systematic introduction to Ayurveda-India’s 6,000 year-old health care system and is geared toward both the general public and health care professionals. Topics will include…

• Background and philosophy of Ayurveda
• Determining your Ayurvedic body type (dosha)
• Fundamental practices of Ayurveda
• General lifestyle recommendations
• Dietary practices

Participants will learn the basic fundamentals of Ayurveda’s unique diagnostic tool…pulse diagnosis…as well as therapies of the five senses: taste (spices), smell (aromatherapy), sight (color), hearing (sound) and touch (massage). 

Special attention will be given to Ayurvedic dietary recommendations.  You will learn how to buy, cook and use Ayurvedic foods, herbs and spices.

 Course materials include handouts that will be distributed during class and my e-book, Effortless Ayurvedic Living.  If you are interested in getting a preview of the course you can go to my website, www.effortlessayurvedicliving.com and download a free copy of my e-book.

REGISTER ONLINE or by PHONE!

You can call CIIS to register by phone at 415.575.6175

You can also register online at www.ciis.edu/publicprograms

The course fee is $125 for the Wednesday evening classes (all of them) or $125 for the Saturday Intensive.  OR get a discount for registering for BOTH classes for $225. 

Come join me and learn more about Ayurveda.  If you have any friends that might enjoy feel free to forward this!  I am looking forward to meeting you!

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	The Physical and Emotional Wear-and-Tear: Understanding the Medical Aspects of Menopause…
	My Dosha Needs Re-Alignment: Doshic Imbalances and Their Menopausal Symptoms…
	The Easy Ayurvedic Solution to Menopausal Symptoms: Attain “Sama Dosha” (All 3 Doshas In Balance) During Menopause and Beyond…

Menopausal self-care is essential on many levels, and I’m so excited to see women taking their care into their own hands! As programs like The Oprah Show and others begin to address options for women in menopause we get information to help us make the choices that work for our bodies.  The physical and emotional wear-and-tear menopause has on a woman’s “young-gevity” and longevity must be properly understood and addressed. And Ayurveda provides the tools - in its principles and practices - to confidently lead the way toward vitality and life through the menopausal cycle and beyond.

A lifting of what Oprah calls our “veil of silence” regarding menopause is happening as prominent female media moguls move through this time in their life and bring information forward on approaches to easing the symptoms of menopause. If you are in peri-menopause or menopause you do not need to suffer!  There are easy and inexpensive solutions for your hot flashes, irritability, emotional surges and skin flare ups…and most of the solutions are found as close as your pantry…

MENOPAUSE: AS IF WE NEED MORE COMPLICATIONS IN LIFE!

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is the “leading nonprofit scientific organization devoted to promoting women’s health and quality of life through an understanding of menopause.” NAMS defines menopause as “a normal, natural event - defined as the final menstrual period and usually confirmed when a woman has missed her periods for 12 consecutive months (in the absence of other obvious causes). Menopause is associed with reduced functioning of the ovaries due to aging, resulting in lower levels of estrogen and other hormones. It marks the permanent end of fertility. Menopause occurs, on average, at the age of 51.”

NAMS also cites the changes that the body goes through during “perimenopause” (the “transition phase between menstruation and menopause”) and menopause itself: “In addition to irregular menstrual periods, some women experience symptoms of hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, and/or vaginal dryness.” Other symptoms can include: mood swings, changes in libido, and headaches.

But there are other more serious health issues that women may face an increased risk of during menopause. NAMS lists them as: heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer. (Visit the NAMS website to learn more about the medical aspects of menopause.)

Scary stuff to be dealing with during this “fall and winter” (or Vata) time of life when we should be enjoying the fruits of our lives thus far and focusing on our own self-discovery.

LOOKING AT MENOPAUSE THROUGH THE LENS OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda considers menopause to be a tri-doshic condition; that is, all three doshas (”governing principles”) - Vata, Pitta and Kapha - are involved. We possess all three doshas inside of us; however, each of us is predisposed toward one particular dosha. To understand your predominant dosha, read more about doshas in my downloadable guide “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types” (available through my Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program - details below).

The symptoms of menopause are a result of our doshas being out of balance. The physical and emotional tendencies and issues you’re facing are a red-flag as to which of your doshas is out of balance and needs to be re-aligned.

A VATA IMBALANCE is present when you feel a loss of concentration, distracted, and often confused. A PITTA IMBALANCE occurs when you feel anger, rage, and jealousy. And a KAPHA IMBALANCE is the culprit when you feel cluttered, stagnant emotionally, and engage in “greedy thinking.”

The physical signs of these imbalances can be painful, embarrassing and extremely uncomfortable, and may even force you to seek medical attention - i.e. hormone replacement therapies - that can be even more toxic to your body.

THE PHYSICAL AILMENTS OF DOSHIC IMBALANCES

What are you feeling in your body? Look through this list and count the number of symptoms you’ve been experiencing and note which doshic imbalance is causing it.

Vata Imbalance:

• Excessive hair loss
• Irregular periods with excessive or scanty bleeding
• Vaginal dryness and itching
• Sleeplessness
• Lassitude

Pitta Imbalance:

• Anemia and weakness
• Feeling intense heat in your body
• Profuse sweating at night
• Burning and increased frequency of urination

Kapha Imbalance:

• Oedema (excessive fluid in the tissue; swelling)
• Joint pain
• Lethargy and dullness
• Weight gain

In Ayurveda, we first treat the dominant dosha that’s out of balance, and then we address the secondary doshic imbalances. My downloadable pamphlet “Menopausal (And Menstrual) Remedies for Your Body Type” (available through my Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program - details below) will give you the safe, natural ways to regain your doshic balance during and after menopause and menstruation.

EASY WAYS TO ATTAIN MENOPAUSAL BALANCE

The science of Ayurveda provides a self-observation examination process that helps make Ayurvedic self-care choices easy, clear and correct. Learning and sharing the Ayurvedic system means good menopausal care for you and your loved ones!

One of my favorite Sanskrit words is Sama Dosha. This means that all the doshas are in balance, and that’s our goal in diagnosing menopausal signs and symptoms and treating them with Ayurveda. By simply chanting “samadosha” 108 times a day, we can practice a little Ayurvedic sound therapy to restore the vibrational balance of our doshas through menopause.

But I want to go beyond that remedy and give you the gift of my knowledge on Ayurvedic treatments for menopausal symptoms. That’s why I’ve created my Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program, a combination of guides, recipes, regimens and an audio CD that highlights questions from patients on specific symptoms and my solutions.

*STEP 1: The “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types” downloadable PDF booklet. Determine which of the three doshas - Vata, Pitta, or Kapha - guides you and discover which regimens will work with your body type and digestive tendencies.

*STEP 2: The “Menopausal (And Menstrual) Remedies for Your Body Type” downloadable PDF pamphlet. Soothe your menopausal and menstrual symptoms with five-sense therapy and daily lifestyle regimens to re-align your doshic imbalances.

*NOTE: Both booklets will be presented in one, easy-to-download PDF file, available after you finish the purchasing process.

STEP 3: The “Ayurvedic Menopausal Balance CD” on Wednesday, September 17th at 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET. There’s only so much information I can give you in my e-zines and booklets, and because every woman’s journey through menopause is unique, I want to address YOUR specific issues and offer you personal Ayurvedic insights and knowledge. On this audio CD I highlight questions from patients on specific symptoms and give detailed solutions.

We’ve only scratched the surface of the wonders of Ayurvedic treatments for menopausal balance! By purchasing my Ayurveda 3-Step Menopausal Balance Program for the low price of $29.95 (or you could spend thousands of dollars on other “remedies” that may do more harm than good), you’re opening yourself up to a world without the suffering of menopausal symptoms.

Enjoy this beautiful time in your life by attaining balance through menopause the Ayurvedic way!

Ordering this program is safe and easy (brought to you by Michelle Y. Drake and The Cove Group, Inc.). When you complete the purchasing process, you’ll be e-mailed both pamphlets - in easy-to-download PDF format - and the information on the tele-seminar call-in number and access code.

Take your menopausal care into your own hands and order today!

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	Meditation 101
	Gandhi’s Mantra! Yes, You can use it too!
	Affirmations for Abundance…Remain centered in financially stressful times

As we begin 2009 we have an opportunity to “reset” some of our habits.  No matter where I turn…the TV, newspapers or the Internet I hear noise about financial struggle. 

No wonder our inner voices are having a difficult time remaining positive. 

No wonder there is a stress and tension in the air. 

No wonderI am seeing so many more patients…struggling with anxiety, digestive issues, acne, insomnia (just to name a few!). The stress is killing them, or at least significantly altering the quality of their lives.

Again, Ayurveda has simple and gentle answers to the emotional and physical by-products of all of this external and internal chatter.

Today’s ezine is about Mantras, Meditation and Affirmations. I am including the old and the new to help calm your mind and body to meet the challenges and opportunities of 2009. 

THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION…Why Meditate? 

Meditation has traditionally be integral to many cultures and religions around the world, from Roman Catholicism  to Jewish mysticism to Tibetan Buddhism.  It is as varied as these religions and cultures are themselves.  Meditation has many goals, techniques and effects. 

Meditation allows mental chatter to quiet and eventually cease, at first for moments and then, with practice, for minutes at a time.  During those moments the consciousness and the body are cleansed and your experience a state of pure being, of oneness with the universe…transcendence. 

With regular meditation you can experience a profound shift in your inner life which affects your physical health. 

Research on hundreds of meditators has resulted in our understanding of what happens physically to our bodies when meditating.  Researchers found that meditation…

• Reduces blood levels of stress hormones
• Reduces levels of lactate, a substance related to high levels of anziety
• Lowers/normalizes blood pressure and pulse rate
• Lowers respiration, oxygen consumption and metabolic rate
• Lowers abnormally high cholesterol levels
• Enhances immune system response
• Increases alpha brain-wave activity, which is present during times of creativity and relaxation
• May increase concentration and memory

There are many schools of meditation, but what they all have in common is that they bring your attention to rhythmic breathing, to an object, or to a word or thought…a Mantra!

GANDHI’S MANTRA!

 Fearlessness was not something Gandhi was born with.  He had been terrified of boys much less his size.  An old family servant, Rambha, helped him with the tools to begin to overcome his fears.  She assured him that admitting you are afraid was OK, but advised him to hold is ground and repeat a mantra whenever he felt threatened.  She told him that repeating the mantra RAMA, RAMA over and over in his mind would turn his fear into fearlessness.

The seed Rambha had sown deep in his consciousness continued to grow throughout his childhood, and when the storms of conflict and racial hatred began to break over him in South Africa, the mantra…RAMA, RAMA…came to him again from deep within.  It became his greatest support and and infallible source of strength. 

Gandhi teaches us …”The mantram becomes one’s staff of life and carries one through every ordeal…Each repetition has a new meaning, each repetition carries you nearer and nearer to God.”

A mantra is a spiritual formula which seekers from all traditions have found can transform what is negative in the personality into what is positive:

• Anger into compassion
• Anxiety into peace
• Hatred into love

RAMA, Gandhi’s mantra, is a formula for abiding joy.  Gandhi used to walk for miles every day repeating it to himself until the rhythm of the mantra and his footsteps began to stabilize the rhythm of his breathing which is closely connected with the rhythm of the mind. The principle of meditation is that you become what you meditate on.  Gandhi meditated “with an undivided singleness of mind” on the ideal of the Bhagavad Gita:  the man who renounces everything for love of serving others, and lives in freedom and joy.

HOW TO MEDITATE? 

Before beginning choose a word or mantra to bring your attention to:  It can be RAMA, like Gandhi or the ancient Sanskrit mantra HAM SAH, which means “I am that” or one of your own like, I am love.  

Most people start out meditating for 20 minutes, and even that short amount of time can be a challenge.  As you go deeper into this practice you will find the time just flies by and you will want to try 30 or 45 minutes.   Here is how you get started!

1. Sit in a comfortable position that you can hold for at least 20 minutes, in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed by the phone or other people.  A traditional posture is to sit cross-legged on the floor, but a chair is fine too.
2. Close your eyes; you may prepare yourself by doing some deep abdominal-breathing.
3. Let you eyes roll upward and inward a bit so that you focus on the spot on your forehead between your eyes, tongue resting behind your upper teeth, and all of your muscles as relaxed as possible. 
4. Smile inwardly in order to very subtly raise the corners of your mouth.  As you either listen to a meditation CD or repeat the focus word(s) silently, thoughts will enter your head.  Observe them and then let them go, bringing your attention back to your mantra. It is normal-no matter how many years of practice-for the mind to be caught chasing its own tail!  smile inwardly and let the thoughts drift by as you breathe deeply and rhythmically.
5. You can time your words with your breath, keeping the inhalation broad, deep and easy and the exhalation silent and effortless.
6. You can easily lose track of time in deep relaxation, so you may need to set a timer if you don’t have unlimited time.
7. Remain seated for a minute or two with your eyes closed and then slowly open them and begin to move your body…ease yourself back into your world. 

AFFIRMATIONS… 

If you need some help with affirmations, my good friend Michelle Yozzo Drake has a great CD that guides you through an 11-minute series of Abundance Affirmations…here is a sample from the CD.

If you are stressed out and feeling anxiety but are finally ready to begin to feel better a daily affirmation practice that incorporates affirmations, mantras and meditations could be your answer!  Abundance Affirmations is a great place for a beginner to start!  To order Abundance Affirmations Audio CD… click here now!

P.S. Don’t forget to order your copy of my “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types”. It’s available now - in an easy-to-download PDF file - for only $5 here!

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	Adolescence and Menopause: What they have in common…
	Turmeric! The Secret Spice to Quench a Hot Red Face…
	Acne and Your Emotions: Anger’s connection to Acne…

Dr. Craig and I just bought this year’s Christmas tree and we are decorating our house for this special time of year.  Traditional Christmas colors are red and green…but red in the face and green with envy are not exactly festive!  These signs are all about a Pita imbalance which I will be discussing today. 

The holidays can be a time of great stress, and with these difficult economic times we are all feeling a bit of a crunch.  What these feelings of stress (even positive stress) can sometimes do is reak havoc on our skin and digestive system!  Dry, hot, burning, red skin…complicated with breakouts are just no fun! 

Ayurveda offers a soothing soultion to this burning problem. I encourage you to make the holidays a time to care for ourselves as well as our families.  There is no better way to care for yourself then Ayurveda’s gentle practices. 

I am going thru Menopause but

I have Acne Like My Teenage Son…Help!

Most people consider acne to be the bane of adolescence, but it can also happen to adults, even those who went through their teens blemish-free.  Think about what is going on in our bodies as  teenagers…hormones raging, mood swings, erratic behavior, skin breakouts or rashes and tendencies toward depression…if you are going through menopause these symptoms may sound familiar to you. In teenagers acne may plague otherwise healthy kids and so is considered an acute condition.  However, in Ayurveda adult acne is considered to be a sign of important underlying imbalance…of your PITTA Dosha .

Do I Have Acne?

The signs of acne–red, inflamed pimples; whiteheads; blackheads–occur when oil glands produce too much oil (sebum) or oil that contains ama (the toxic by-products of poorly digested food such as junk food!).  Bacteria on the skin interact with the sebum and cause inflammation and plugging up of the hair follicles near the glands…Yes!  You have a breakout!  If infection sets in you may end up with scarring.

If you have a mild acne episode with only a few intermittent eruptions, follow the general suggestion for Ayurvedic self-care I have listed below or try one of the Ayurvedic remedies I have included in this article. 

((Do remember that with severe cases you should seek professional Ayurvedic evaluation and care!  So feel free to contact my office if you need an appointment.))

If you are new to Ayurveda, you may need some help to understand your dosha and how to best use the reccomendations below so I have created a resource for you.  I’ve described the dosha Daily Lifestyle Regimens, outlined the 10-Day Ginger Treatment, and included a delicious recipe for kicharee in my pamphlet “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types.” The PDF downloadable version is available right now for only $5.00, and you can order your copy here .

Acne is usually a sign of a pitta imbalance, so follow the Daily Lifestyle Regimen for pitta that is in the pamphlet above. 

As Yoga comes to the rescue again, pratice the Sun Salutations and the Lion Yoga Pose described below as a part of your daily routine:

Sun Salutation Video: Watch as I guide My patient, Michelle Yozzo Drake, through her first time doing the Sun Salutation at her home in Mystic, CT.

Lion Pose: Sit on your feet, knees apart, facing the sun if possible.  Place your hands on the floor between your knees, with the fingertips pointing toward your body.  Lean forward, keeping your arms straight and tilting your head back.  Open your eyes wide as you open your mouth and stick out your toungue as far as possible, exhaling with an AHHH sound the length of your exhalation.

Herbal Remedies:

Use one of the following when you experience an acne breakout or rash:

Five-Senses Therapies:

• Taste: Bitter is better for digestion, and since acne is a result of clogging from undigested junk food you should emphasize foods, herbs, and spices that have a bitter taste; you will also benefit from sweet and astringent tastes as well.  Using the summer churna every day is a simple, easy way to use taste therapy.
• Smell: Use aromatherapy with sweet, sour, bitter and warm aromas such as sandalwood, orange and mint.
• Sight: Choose yellow-orange and green colors; also look in the mirror and deliberately smile at your image for 60 seconds every morning!
• Hearing: Listen to soft, gentle, classical music generally and avoid hard, electric and pounding music.  Play the sunrise raga between the hours of 7AM and 10 AM and the late aternoon raga between 4pm and 7 pm.
• Touch: Tap your temples gently to calm your thought process; pull your earlobes to stimulate the immune system. 

Seek medical care if: the condition is severe or if the following signs appear in an adult:  general illness such as weight change, change in hair distribution, change in menstrual cycle, change in general energy or body temperature.

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	“I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing!” When Belly Pain Strikes…
	“Double, Double, Toil and Trouble” Stomach Burn and Acid Bubble…
	Herbs and Motion: Taming Your Tummy with Ayurveda…

To my Western friends who celebrate the upcoming holiday: Happy Thanksgiving! I never wait for a holiday to be thankful for all of the blessings in my life, but Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to focus on all of the good that surrounds us - especially those people who we take for granted. This year, I’m especially thankful for the continued strides my husband, Dr. Craig, is making with his health after suffering a stroke.

And I’m ALWAYS thankful for the healing science of Ayurveda!

Holidays are a time of celebration and often include gathering with friends and family to partake in a delicious meal. And overdoing it at the dinner table can result in painful digestive issues that, thankfully, can be controlled and eliminated through gentle Ayurvedic practices.

THE PAIN! THE PAIN!
EASING ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT

Pain can occur in many locations of the large area known as the abdomen. Much abdominal pain is due to indigestion, which has symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, burping, and intestinal gas sometimes accompanied by pain.

Here, we’re concerned with what is medically known as left-epigastric pain, in which the discomfort is located on the left side under the rib cage. Pain in this area is specifically associated with the stomach. Sharp abdominal pain is the number one sign of a Vata imbalance; burning pain is due to aggravated Pitta, and dull pain characterizes Kapha imbalance.

STOP ABDOMINAL PAIN IN ITS TRACKS WITH AYURVEDA

The number one preventative treatment and remedy for abdominal pain is following the appropriate Daily Lifestyle Regimen for your dosha, paying particular attention to your diet and eating habits. As with abdominal bloating, eat a light diet of primarily vegetables and rice, or kicharee, and practice the 10-Day Ginger Treatment

I’ve described the dosha Daily Lifestyle Regimens, outlined the 10-Day Ginger Treatment, and included a delicious recipe for kicharee in my pamphlet “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types.” The PDF downloadable version is available right now for only $5.00, and you can order your copy here (ordering provided by The Cove Group, Inc. and Michelle Y. Drake).

Yoga can come to the rescue again as well, particularly the Leg Cycling Pose illustrated and described below:

Leg Cycling Pose: Lie flat on your back and raise your right leg. First, make ten forward-cycling movements and ten reverse-cycling movements. Repeat with your left leg. Second, if you have enough abdominal strength to prevent your lower back from popping up, use both legs to make alternating cycling movements, ten times in both directions. Third, keep your legs pressed together and again make ten cycling motions in each direction. It will help to tuck your palms under your buttocks. Repeat the first and third movements, making big sideways circles instead of cycling.

Herbal Remedies:

Use one of the following when you experience abdominal pain:

Five-Senses Therapies:

Seek medical care if: the pain is severe; the pain begins near the navel and then moves to the lower right abdomen (a possible sign of appendicitis); the pain is severely disabling; you have vomiting or diarrhea that is persistent or contains blood; or there is a possibility of poisoning.

QUENCH THE RAGING STOMACH FIRE

Acid stomach is often a result of indigestion. If you have poor digestion, you compromise the absorption and assimilation of food. According to Ayurveda, your digestive system begins to increase the digestive liquid and fire to compensate: your system becomes overheated. As a result, you have high Pitta and this creates excess acidity in the stomach.

I can’t say this enough: to prevent and treat issues like acid stomach, follow the appropriate Daily Lifestyle Regimen for your dosha, focusing on diet and eating habits. So many of our troubling health issues can be cured and even prevented if we know our prevailing dosha and engage in practices to keep it in balance. The Thunderbolt Pose in yoga is especially helpful to relieve acid stomach (illustration and description below):

Thunderbolt Pose: This is especially effective after a meal. Kneel with your knees apart and feet stretched back; your heels are not touching but your big toes are crossed. Lower yourself down so that your buttocks rest on the soles of your feet. Hold for at least five minutes, with eyes closed, and breathing normally.

Herbal Remedies:

• Take 1/2 teaspoon shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) mixed with 1/2 cup warm water or milk before eating; and 1 cup fennel tea three times a day until the acidity is relieved.

Five-Senses Therapies:

• Taste: Bitter and astringent foods, herbs and spices reduce acidity; it may be helpful to use the summer churna plus a little salt and lemon flakes every day.
• Smell: Use aromatherapy with sweet, cool aromas such as sandalwood, jasmine, cinnamon, and fennel.
• Sight: Use yellow if your problem is related to feelings of anger or rage. Use blue if the acidity is related to lack of communication of suppressed emotions such as grief or sadness.
• Hearing: Listen to the midmorning raga between the hours of 10AM and 1PM.
• Touch: Apply one drop of coconut oil and slight finger pressure to the marma point known as Oorvee (see illustration here).

Don’t put up with an acid stomach! If symptoms don’t subside within one week of Ayurvedic treatment, consult a physician. This symptom could indicate an ulcer or pre-ulcerous condition.

Whether you’re planning on sitting down to a great Thanksgiving feast or you simply suffer from these common stomach ailments, I hope these Ayurvedic tips and treatments will soothe your discomfort and increase your well-being tenfold!

Until next time…

P.S. Don’t forget to order your copy of my “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types”. It’s available now - in an easy-to-download PDF file - for only $5 here! (Ordering is safe, easy and provided by The Cove Group, Inc. and Michelle Y. Drake.)

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	Oh, My Stomach! Don’t Let Abdominal Bloat Get the Best of You…
	What’s Going On In There? The Ayurvedic and Western Views of Bloating…
	Forget Over-The-Counter Bloat Band-Aids: Fix the Problem the Holistic Way with Ayurveda…

It can strike anyone at any time: abdominal bloating! The discomfort can disrupt our lives and make it difficult to work and to have fun - and no one wants that. Before you invest in a supply of stretch-band pants, ease your bloating with the help of Ayurveda!

Abdominal bloating occurs when the abdomen distends and gas builds up in the abdomen or the intestines. It’s the cardinal sign of dysfunction in the “agni” - the digestive fire - and it’s usually caused by a Vata imbalance. In Ayurveda, we describe it as the first sign of an imbalance in the “gastrointestinal consciousness.”

Bloating occurs when the gastrointestinal tract is unable to split food into its smallest particles and release the nourishing enzymes into the system. If your body doesn’t have strong enough enzymes, it cannot break down food. This disrupts the normal peristalsis (muscle movement) in the intestines, causing gas to form and bloating to occur.

ABDOMINAL BLOATING: THE WESTERN VIEW

According to WomenFitness.net, digestion results in waste materials that are “odourless gases and under normal circumstance the amounts are managed easily by the elasticity of the intestinal canal. That is, the small volumes of methane, oxygen and nitrogen do not overly stretch the gut wall and pass along painlessly.” While this is the normal process, when there’s a disruption in digestion or when we eat foods that we can’t tolerate, “different gases are produced…often at higher temperatures and pressures…” bloating and flatulence can then become the result. 

The website’s article goes on to list some of the possible causes of bloating, including: too much salt and/or processed foods, too little protein, carbonated beverages, lactose intolerance and other food intolerances, too much fatty food, and even diseases like Crohn’s disease or colon cancer.

I also discovered an interesting report by Syed Thiwan, M.D. at the UNC School of Medicine - UNC Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders. It is reported that abdominal bloating affects “10-30% of people…In a US household survey, 16% of the population reported having bloating or distension, and three quarters of them found it to be moderate to severe. Almost half (43%) reported using a medication for it.”

When people are suffering from bloating - as well as indigestion and gas - they often treat the symptom with antacids designed to reduce the acidity in the stomach. That may work in the short-term, but then it’s on to the next meal to begin the eat-pain-medication cycle all over again.

STOP THE CYCLE WITH AYURVEDA!

The number one way to combat abdominal bloating is to follow the appropriate Daily Lifestyle Regimen for your dosha, paying close attention to your diet and eating habits. Eat a light diet of primarily vegetables and rice, or kicharee. Follow the 10-Day Ginger Treatment is also recommended.

I’ve described the dosha Daily Lifestyle Regimens, outlined the 10-Day Ginger Treatment, and included a delicious recipe for kicharee in my pamphlet “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types.” The PDF downloadable version is available right now for only $5.00, and you can order your copy here (ordering provided by The Cove Group, Inc. and Michelle Y. Drake).

In addition to diet and ginger treatments, yoga can be an effective way to release the build-up of gases in the body. There are several yoga movements that can accomplish this, including toe bending, ankle bending, ankle rotation, hand clenching, wrist bending, leg rotations, and the posture known as Rocking and Rolling pictured below: 

Rocking and Rolling: Sit on the floor and pull both legs up to your chest. Interlock your hands over your knees. Roll your body backward and forward ten times in each direction, keeping your elbows close to your legs.

Herbal Treatment:

Triphala treats the entire digestive tract. Take 1/2 teaspoon of triphala mixed with a 1/2 cup of warm water every evening at bedtime.

Five-Senses Therapies:

• Taste: Emphasize sweet, sour, bitter, and salty foods, spices and herbs. Consuming the summer churna with a little salt and lemon flakes is an easy way to get all these tastes in the appropriate proportions.
• Smell: Use warm, sweet, and sour essential oil aromas, such as rose, cloves, cinnamon, basil and orange.
• Sight: Green and blue are recommended to relieve bloating.
• Hearing: Listen to the midmorning raga between 10 AM and 1 PM or the midday raga between 1 PM and 4 PM.
• Touch: Apply a drop of warm sesame oil and pressure to the marma point known as Oorvee (see illustration below) 

If you have persistent abdominal bloating or if it’s accompanied by severe discomfort or pain, this could be an indication that you have a possible obstruction of the bowel. This is a serious condition and should be checked out by your physician.

However, if you’re plagued by occasional abdominal bloating, utilize the treatments found in Ayurveda to relieve it now and in the future! 

Until next time!

P.S. Don’t forget to order your copy of my “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic Body Types”. It’s available now - in an easy-to-download PDF file - for only $5 here! (Ordering is safe, easy and provided by The Cove Group, Inc. and Michelle Y. Drake.)

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Revealed in this week’s issue…

	Beyond “Fight or Flight:” How Do YOU Deal With Stress…
	Stress Does WHAT?? The Secret Root of Most Diseases and Illnesses…
	Tearing Your Hair Out? De-Stress and Re-Vitalize With the Help of Ayurveda…

Hi everyone! It’s so great to be back here on the e-zine, speaking with you about Ayurveda and the positive impact it can have on our lives! I hope you enjoyed Dr. Craig’s posts about his healing journey to India. It’s wonderful to have him home again and doing well.

His e-zine posts have hinted at my new Ayurvedic Approach to Health Heart Care Program for the past few weeks, and I’m pleased to announce that you can order it starting today! You have the power to help prevent heart-related ailments and diseases (like hypertension and cholesterol which can lead to heart attack and stroke) by tapping into the healing power of the ancient science of Ayurveda. This program can help strengthen your heart and keep it pumping strong for years and years to come.  

In that same vein (no pun intended), today I want to talk to you about the connection between stress and disease and how to relieve stress the Ayurvedic way.

WHAT IS THIS “STRESS” YOU SPEAK OF?

In order to fully appreciate the powerful role of Ayurveda in restoring overall health, you need to understand how it helps you handle stress. Stress is at the root of many ailments and diseases big and small. Dr. Hans Selye, the pioneering researcher who practically invented the concept of stress, defined it rather poetically:

“Stress is anything from a passionate embrace to a boring game of chess.”

Stress can be a fight with a loved one, getting fired from your job, sitting down with your checkbook, watching the evening news, or even going out on a first date. Stress can be anything that comes knocking on your door, but the stress itself is not necessarily the “Big Bad Wolf”…it’s how we handle the stress that can cause problems and wreak havoc on our health.

When dealing with stress, you have two basic options:

1. You can either digest the stressful feelings and convert them to useful energy that helps you grow and develop, or…

2. You can have trouble digesting stress and instead, create ”ama” (toxins) which tires out and depletes the nervous system and overworks the immune system…leaving the door open to illness. 

STRESS: THE BODY’S RESPONSE

So what happens when we’re under stress? When a stressful situation comes along, an internal alarm goes off within us, triggering a cascade of physiological changes. Dr. Selye called them “Fight-or-flight responses.”

Does this sound familiar?

• Adrenaline floods the bloodstream…
• The heart beats faster…
• Digestion screeches to a halt…
• Muscles tense up…
• Blood pressure skyrockets…
• The brain and senses become hyperalert!

This response is designed to enable us to fight for our lives or get us away from the danger as fast as possible. It worked well for our ancestors because their stresses were mainly of the saber-toothed tiger variety, and once dangerous situations were over, their bodies were able to quickly return to normal.

Not so with us modern folk. Maybe that’s because instead of saber-toothed tigers, we face a constant barrage of stressors day in and day out that are difficult to fight or escape from. And our stress response isn’t so simple and clear-cut. The way a person responds to stressful situations depends in part on the way he or she has learned to cope.

We must remember that so-called “negative” emotions like fear, anger, grief, etc. are all good, natural human emotions under certain conditions. But if they aren’t resolved and metabolized (or digested), they become stressful. The more stress we perceive (and the less we’re able to cope with it), the less we’re able to recover from it, and the less we’re able to deal with new stressors.

CONSTANT STRESS = DISASTER!

Prolonged stress wreaks all sorts of havoc on your body, your mind and your spirit. It can contribute to: fatigue, diabetes, hypertension, ulcers, loss of libido, reduced resistance to disease - and that’s just to name a few!

Emotional upset and feeling stressed can affect your ability to work, to think clearly, and to have satisfying social relationships. In animal experiments, stress has been shown to accelerate aging and even DEATH, hasten the spread of cancer, and promote heart attacks.

In 1993, the U.S. Public Health Survey estimated that 70-80% of Americans who visit physicians suffer from a stress-related disorder! There’s no doubt that the mind has an enormous affect on your body.

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) studies the interaction between the mind, the nervous system, the immune system and the endocrine system, and PNI acknowledges the unity of our complex interacting systems. Studies have shown that people were more likely to become ill after suffering severe emotional trauma, and recent studies have been able to actually measure the dip in immune defenses!

Modern immunobiologists routinely refer to the immune system as a circulating nervous system, and this system has a huge significance in our daily lives. In Ayurveda, restoring and revitalizing the stress-prone nervous system is the key to preventing and treating disease.

So how can we de-stress and return to health?

AYURVEDA CAN HELP! I CAN’T STRESS THAT ENOUGH…

While many of the stresses in are lives are seemingly unavoidable, how we deal with them is within our control. By employing the following Ayurvedic practices in your daily life, you can begin digesting stress properly and turn it into fuel for your body, mind and soul.

1. FOLLOW YOUR DOSHA’S DAILY REGIMEN AND DIET: 

If you haven’t yet figured out which dosha is predominate in you - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - it’s not too late. My booklet “What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types” (now available as part of my “Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care Program“) can help you discover your dosha as well as give you a daily regimen to support balance and wellness. What foods should you eat…what foods should you avoid…which churnas (spices) will promote health for your dosha…all this and more is right in this booklet!

2. EXERCISE YOUR STRESS OUT:

Exercise has been shown to improve a whole host of areas related to the body: improve lung function; burn fat; increase stamina; reduce risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, and even types of cancer; lower blood pressure; reduce stress and anxiety; relieve depression; and improve resistance to disease.

Wow! All that benefit from a little exercise? Amazing!

Ayurveda has long advocated a moderate approach to exercise, so don’t overdo it. The rule of thumb is: avoid spending more than half of your energy on exercise. So if an hour of running exhausts you, don’t run for more than half an hour at a time. Exert yourself enough to sweat on your forehead, under your arms, and along your spinal column. This level will stimulate “agni” (digestive fires), relax you, and even help you sleep (a vital part of a healthy mind and body!).

3. THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION THROUGH MEDITATION:

Meditation allows the mental chatter to quiet and eventually cease, and during those moments, the consciousness and the body are cleansed and you experience the state of pure being, of oneness with the universe. Many people have found that with regular meditation, they experience a profound shift in their inner lives…this in turn can also affect physical health.

Hundreds of meditators have been studied and their physiological processes have been measured. Researchers have found that meditation:

• Reduces blood levels of stress hormones
• Reduces levels of lactate, a substance related to high levels of anxiety
• Lowers blood pressure and pulse rate and even abnormally high cholesterol levels
• Enhances immune system response
• Increases alpha brain-wave activity (present during times of relaxation and creativity)
• May increase concentration, memory and creativity
• And is deeply relaxing and rejuvenating!

In my Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care Program, I’ve devoted a section of the “Heart Care the Ayurvedic Way” booklet to meditation pose illustrations and instruction!

We may never be able to completely remove stress from our lives, but by practicing Ayurvedic techniques like those I’ve mentioned here, we CAN learn how to keep it from ruining our health, our bodies and our emotional well-being.

Until next time!

P.S. Start taking care of your heart today with my Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program! Read more about it here!

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Sunday, October 26, 2008 - Sebastopol, California

Dr. Craig here for my final post on my journey to India. But before I go into this last update, I’d like to take a moment to once again extend my thanks to all of you who have supported me through this trip and my struggle to deal with the effects of my stroke. Your e-mails and comments were very much appreciated, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words and encouragement. I hope that my posts here have given you a clearer understanding of Ayurveda, insight into the wonder of India, and the knowledge that this ancient science can help heal you.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON MY TRIP TO INDIA AND MY AYURVEDIC TREATMENT

I’ve been back home for a few days now, and I wanted to wrap up this odyssey for you. My trip home was LONG: 36 hours from door-to-door. But fortunately, it went much smoother than any of my other trips to India. By that I mean, I felt better during this trip - certainly better than I did during the trip to India a few weeks ago - and I managed to get more rest along the way. That’s a sign that my physiology is working better! And the effects of jet lag have been milder and shorter - another good sign.

My healing and my treatments are definitely not over. My recovery from this stroke and its effects on my body and mind will require more than just the 4 weeks I spent in India (although, this trip was a huge step in the right direction and really jumpstarted my healing process). Fortunately, Dr. Pendse will be here in our clinic in a few weeks. Thankfully, Dr. Helen can take my pulse readings accurately, and we can do much of the follow-up treatments right here.

There were times during my stay in India when I questioned what I was doing. But I definitely think the trip and the intensive treatments were well worth it. This journey has offered me the best chance of a full recovery. It also gave me an excellent chance to retrack my physiology and to let the Ayurvedic methods and medicines work to their fullest capabilities.

There is still work to be done every day. I must follow my rather restrictive diet and take my herbs and supplements. This is a small sacrifice to make in light of the benefits they promise. Though I can’t say ALL of the effects of the stroke are gone, I can honestly say that I’m feeling better and even more so since I’ve been home.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED ABOUT THE “REAL” AYURVEDA

Being in India and receiving treatments at an Ayurvedic hospital, I’ve learned a few simple truths about Ayurveda that I want to share with you:

1. What is the Ayurvedic treatment for stroke? It depends. It depends on the underlying condition. And that holds true for every condition.

2. An examination by a trained Ayurvedic physician is ESSENTIAL, especially if you have a serious condition. I’ve been lucky enough to know Dr. Narendra Pendse, and you can have the opportunity to meet him too when he visits the U.S. in November. See below for details.

3. Ayurveda is a serious, 6000-year-old medical tradition. It is not a spa or massage event.

4. Ayurvedic procedures are not necessarily even particularly “comfortable” in the moment. But the discomfort is nothing compared to their benefits.

5. Ayurveda looks to the cause of the disease or condition, not merely trying to make the symptoms go away. It gets to the very root of the problem and works to heal it. It takes into consideration the entire body and all of its systems, not just the one area that appears to be in jeopardy.

I know we’re all looking for a quick fix to our medical woes - a “silver bullet” to fix our health problems. The truth is, there is no such thing. Ayurveda surely offers miraculous turnarounds, but it also requires hard work and persistence on our part.

Thanks for joining me on this trip to India and through Ayurveda. I’ll be turning over the reigns of this e-zine back to Dr. Helen next week, but I hope to be able to stop in once in a while to keep you updated on my progress. With the help of Ayurveda, I know there will be much more progress to come.

Be well.

Namaste,
Dr. Craig Thomas, D.C.

AND NOW, A QUICK WORD FROM DR. HELEN

Hi, everyone! It’s great to be back here on the e-zine, and I’ve missed talking with all of you over the past few weeks. I hope you enjoyed reading about Dr. Craig’s “heart healing” journey to India. Because I know the healing power that is Ayurveda, I wasn’t too surprised to find that he’s doing much better now than when he left a few weeks ago. And you better believe I’m going to be helping him stick to the treatment plan Dr. Pendse outlined for him!

Speaking of Dr. Pendse, I wanted to remind you again that he’s coming to the U.S. Dr. Craig, Dr. Pendse and I have planned a series of fantastic seminars and consultations right here at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic in Santa Rosa, California. We’ll be teaching Ayurvedic daily regimens and diets (including cooking demonstrations which I’m sure will prove to be a hoot!) to treat and prevent chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia; headaches and migraines; and pre-, mid-, and post-menopause.

Here are the dates of those seminars:

Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia - November 11th
Headaches and Migraines - November 13th
Pre -, Mid-, and Post-Menopausal Treatments - November 18th

We’re also going to be offering Dual Ayurvedic Pulse Examination and Treatment Plan consultations with Dr. Pendse (also available at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic) on: November 10, 12, 17, and 19th.

I’d love it if you’d join us because it’s going to be an incredible series. If you’d like more details or if you want to go ahead and schedule an appointment for a consultation with Dr. Pendse, give us a call at 1-707-527-7313 today.

Until next time!

P.S. HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR HEART TO YOU?

We have only one heart to keep our life blood flowing through us, so we’d better take care of it! Ayurveda has incredible healing techniques and all-natural medicines to promote heart health, and I want to share them with you through the Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program. 

The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program is three-fold:

Part I: Learn more about the ancient healing science of Ayurveda with my What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types downloadable PDF booklet. What dosha represents YOU? Which daily regimen - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - will lead you on a path of well-being and health?

Part II: Discover the Ayurvedic methods and treatments to strengthen your beautiful heart with my Heart Care the Ayurvedic Way downloadable PDF booklet. This special report delves into the safe, natural practices of Ayurveda that will nuture your heart and improve your overall health.

Part III: Listen as I and Dr. Craig (with special guest moderator Michelle Yozzo Drake) discuss his personal treatments and dig more deeply into heart health the Ayurvedic way with the Ayurvedic Heart Health Audio Presentation.

I’m so very excited to be able to offer you this program because I want you - and your heart - to be balanced and healthy for years and years to come. Ayurveda has so much to offer, if you embrace it. Trust me, your heart will thank you for it.

Stay tuned for more details on the Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program!

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Sunday, October 19, 2008 - Pune, India

I can’t believe it: my journey is almost done! I leave in a few hours for Mumbai to catch the early morning flight to London and then on to San Francisco. By the time I get home, I will have been gone exactly 4 weeks, and though it will be good to be at home, I’m sure I’ll miss India. Despite its seeming frenzy, India really does have an inner calm we just haven’t been able to match in the West.

LEAVING INDIA ON THE ROAD TO WELLNESS

I finished up my last Panchakarma treatment on Thursday and have been trying to tie up loose ends: visiting acquaintances and doing some sight-seeing. I’m feeling very rested and hope that means minimal jet lag when I return to the States.

I’m still taking Ayurvedic medicines and will continue to do so under Dr. Pendse’s watchful eye for some time. He and Dr. Aruna will be coming to Santa Rosa in about two weeks, so I’ll follow up with him then. In the meantime, I’ll be following a much more restrictive diet consisting of mostly rice, dal and cooked vegetables.

MY FINAL PROGRESS REPORT

So how am I doing after all of these weeks of treatment? Well, this is really a beginning and not a finite event. I have definitely experienced a profound shift in both my physiology and my perspective. Going to India for Panchakarma treatment was definitely the right thing for me to do. I no longer experience that bone-crushing, jet lag-type fatigue. My digestion and elimination are greatly improved, and my bloating is diminished. My food cravings are mostly gone, too. I feel way more energized and my thinking is much clearer. I’m walking and talking far better than when I arrived. And of course, my pulse is improved - the changes Dr. Pendse was looking for have begun to happen! I’ve also lost seven pounds which is a great start.

Despite all of this great news, I’m not out of the woods yet. My blood pressure is still on the high side, and I have more weight to lose. But this has been a wonderful journey on the path of wellness.

MORE FROM DR. PENDSE HIMSELF: MY AYURVEDIC TREATMENT

I asked Dr. Pendse to summarize my treatment and give you the Ayurvedic explanation of how all of these changes came about. Here is his answer, transcribed from his own words.

The primary health condition with which you came to India is diagnosed in Ayurveda as Kapha Avruta Vata. It essentially means that your normal ability to have normal physiological functions appropriate to your prakruti - you have a Kapha prakruti - was getting slowed down and functioning very inefficiently. It was hypo-functioning, meaning your whole physiological system was in a mode where it was not functioning very well, beginning with the GI tract all the way to your sensory organs and motor functions.

Now, what happened when you had the stroke was that was the weakest link in your physiological system, so to speak. There was localization of the disease process which caused the stroke symptoms you had. The kind of treatment which we have initiated consisted of five primary components. And I believe that - at least in the Ayurvedic perspective - the search to find a single tablet or a single herb to set right all of the impairment of your physiological system is fruitless and just not there. You need to approach it using various modalities the way we did this time, according to the Ayurvedic classics.

THE FIVE PRIMARY MODALITIES OF DR. PENDSE’S TREATMENT

1. Adequately nutritious diet: A diet that will not contribute to causing more blockages in your body system and will not allow the disease or the body to accumulate more of the “channel blocking” kinds of food substances. Eat light foods and drink hot water.

2. Adequate exercise: Exercise consisting of making movements, walking around, etc. - not in excess. This is something that you need to follow up with - both the diet and exercise - once you go back home.

3. Herbs and tonics: The use of herbs and various tonics cleansed out the system to clear out all of the blockages which were present at various levels in your physiology, more so in your neurosensory apparatus, and removed them from the body without causing too much weakness. You did, as expected, pass through a phase where you were having a lot of weakness, but that was transient. Use herbs and tonices to cleanse out the system and help the body’s tissue mechanisms kick out all the debris that was lodged inside the body.

4. Panchakarma: Particularly the use of whole body massage, whole body steaming, and a specialized treatment known as Udvartana, which is very specifically used to correct the fat metabolism and the connective  tissue mechanism in the body.

5. Bastis: Lastly, we treated you with several types of Bastis - medicated enemas - because in the Ayurvedic perspective, this whole pathological process originated initially for a long chronic malfunctioning (or hypo-functioning) of the gastrointestinal tract. Correcting the basic body system where it all originated from was the primary requirement. We chose the types of oils and herbs which would be precise and specific for improving the neurosensory abilities.

So you are expected to keep doing all of this good work! Panchakarma has just initiated the healing process, and this is something which will help you in the long run. You must understand this as a unique line of treatment and not something which would be useful for each and every stroke patient. Some other cases with other kinds of manifestations or origins would require some modification in the Panchakarma, and it would have to be tailor-made to that person’s requirements.

You might - in the future - require another course of Panchakarma which may differ from this one. It would depend on the progress that we have achieved or the amount of independent improvement that your body shows and is able to sustain through the coming weeks and months. If required, we would make an intervention in the form of Panchakarma once again. In the meantime, continue with your diet, exercise, and proper herbs.

This all makes sense to me. The stroke was just the weak link in a malfunctioning system-wide process which had its origin in my gut. Treat the source of the problem and give the body back its ability to correct itself. Funny, the Western doctors - good as they are with all of their great tests and machines - never once asked me anything about my digestive tract.

CHIROPRACTIC AND AYURVEDIC HEALING

A word about how Chiropractic fits into all this healing…

In the first week after I got back to California from Puerto Rico, I was very fortunate to be seen several times by a Chiropractic Neurologist. I credit him with arresting the initial effects of the stroke. His adjustments stabilized my nervous system and kept the effects of the stroke from getting worse. I will see him again when I get back to California.

Dr. Pendse shared with me the following:

Several years ago, Dr. Helen and I helped the Pendses introduce Chiropractic into their clinic here in Pune. I taught Dr. Aruna the Activator technique, and she subsequently took an Activator seminar in the United States. Since they began giving their patients chiropractic adjustments, the healing time (measured by the length of treatment) has been cut by 50%! That means 50% fewer herbs and 50% fewer Panchakarma treatments! This is dramatic evidence of the power of Chiropractic adjustments and the power of a “tuned” nervous system. Almost all of the treatments in our clinic involve a chiropractic adjustment, which is one of the prime reasons we get such good results in our clinic.

The simple point here is: no matter what healing path you’re taking, Chiropractic adjustments will make your healing better and faster, and in some cases, that’s all you need!

Be well,

Dr. Craig Thomas, D.C.

P.S. I almost forgot to tell you about a really exciting thing I saw while I was here in India! One afternoon, I went with Dr. Pendse to Seth Tarachand Ramnath Charitable Ayurvedic Hospital here in Pune. As the name says, this is a charity hospital serving the poorest of the poor with an Ayurvedic point of view.

But the scope of Ayurveda here is far wider than in America. Besides the Panchakarma department, there are departments of surgery, opthamology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, anesthesia, radiology, pathology, and sonography. Surgical procedures are performed; babies are delivered; cataracts are removed - the medical staff are all Ayurvedic MDs and Western-trained MDs who donate their time. While the primary approach is Ayurveda, if a patient requires surgery or an Allopathic consult, the Ayurvedic doctors work hand-in-hand with the “regular” MDs in a collaborative effort. It’s a pretty exciting place!

As a result of our more than positive experience with Ayurveda, Dr. Helen and I have decided to set up a foundation to give Ayurvedic patients from around the world an opportunity to help this wonderful hospital! When I return to the States, I’m going to create a nonprofit charitable corporation, and you’ll be able to make donations which we will then pass on to the hospital.

It was startling for me to learn how very little money can make a HUGE DIFFERENCE. For instance, cataract surgeries are regularly performed in the hospital. The surgeon and his assistants donate their services, and the hospital provides the surgical theater and the bed space. There are still charges for things like bandages and medicines which the hospital must pass on to the patient. Unfortunately, some simply cannot afford this small amount and must remain with impaired vision.

Those charges amount to about 2500 Indian Rupees or $65 U.S. dollars! Imagine, for $65 you can buy someone the gift of sight! I can see some of my friends/patients reaching for their checkbooks already, but hold on to your wallets. We’re not set up yet to handle your gifts, but I’ll write more about this in the future to let you know the details.

DR. PENDSE IS COMING TO THE U.S.

Dr. Helen and Dr. Craig are welcoming their friend and colleague, Dr. Narendra Pendse, for a series of seminars and consultations at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic in Santa Rosa, CA this November.

Learn Ayurvedic daily regimens and diets (including cooking demonstrations) to treat and prevent:

Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia - November 11th
Headaches and Migraines - November 13th
Pre -, Mid-, and Post-Menopausal Treatments - November 18th

Dual Ayurvedic Pulse Examination and Treatment Plan consultations with Dr. Narendra Pendse are also available at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic on: November 10, 12, 17, and 19th.

Please call for more details or to schedule an appointment:
1-707-527-7313

P.P.S. COMING SOON!

Hi, folks. Dr. Helen here, and I just wanted to give you a heads-up about a new product that I’m developing called The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care. We have only one heart to keep our life blood flowing through us, so we’d better take care of it! Ayurveda has incredible healing techniques and all-natural medicines to promote heart health, and I want to share them with you.

The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program is three-fold:

Part I: Learn more about the ancient healing science of Ayurveda with my What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types downloadable PDF booklet. What dosha represents YOU? Which daily regimen - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - will lead you on a path of well-being and health?

Part II: Discover the Ayurvedic methods and treatments to strengthen your beautiful heart with my Heart Care the Ayurvedic Way downloadable PDF booklet. This special report delves into the safe, natural practices of Ayurveda that will nuture your heart and improve your overall health.

Part III: Listen as I and Dr. Craig (with special guest moderator Michelle Yozzo Drake) discuss his personal treatments and dig more deeply into heart health the Ayurvedic way with the Ayurvedic Heart Health Audio Presentation.

I’m so very excited to be able to offer you this program because I want you - and your heart - to be balanced and healthy for years and years to come. Ayurveda has so much to offer, if you embrace it. Trust me, your heart will thank you for it.

Stay tuned for more details on The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program!

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Sunday, October 12, 2008 - Pune, India

Hello again. Dr. Craig here, reporting from India. I’m sitting here after almost two weeks of daily Panchakarma treatments - 11 out of 15 treatments, to be exact. Believe me, I’m counting the days until I can return home! The one thing I can tell you about Panchakarma is that this is serious business. These are medical procedures and not some spa experience.

The two doctors treating me every morning - Dr. Shzeyansh Patil and Dr. Varunkumar Ashtekar - are dead serious about Ayurvedic medicine, and they haven’t once offered me a manicure or a pedicure!

The picture on the left is of Dr. Patil and Dr. Ashtekar. They’ve been treating me the past few weeks, and they’ve been doing a wonderful job.

FLUSHING OUT THE TOXINS

My procedures have remained the same every day (as I mentioned in my last post) with the exception of the addition of an extra Basti (enema) at the beginning of the day. This Basti is a concoction - not an oil - that consists of Ayurvedic medicines and salt. It is, literally, a moving experience! What a way to begin the day!

There’s also been the addition of another medicine in the form of a powder that I take every night before bed. The purpose of this is to flush all the rest of the medicines out of my system, and it seems to be working. There’s a lot of flushing going on!

MY PROGRESS CONTINUES

So how am I doing? I guess I would say, “So far, so good!” As an example, I was watching the American presidential debate this past week, and I said to myself, “Hey! I’m walking better than John McCain!” That may not seem like a great accomplishment, but when I got here three weeks ago, it wasn’t so. I would describe my gait as “trudging.” (I wonder what the good citizens of Pune must have though seeing me stumble about their streets!)

So that’s one way that I’m better. I also seem to have more energy and I’m clearer mentally. That bone-crushing, permanent jet lag feeling is gone. It’s a little hard to tell how much progress I’ve made because I’m in the middle of treatment which has its own side effects.

With all of this detoxing and regeneration going on, it’s a little like a rollercoaster! One day up; the next day down. Some days, I experience nausea; other days, I have little bursts of energy. But overall, I’m definitely improving. The spell of the stroke is broken, and I’m moving to a higher ground.

If I do well these next four days and if my pulse and other indicators are positive, I’ll be done in four more treatments. I’ll still have to take Ayurvedic medicines for a while after I go home. Fortunately, Dr. Pendse will be able to check me out when he and Dr. Aruna Pendse come to Santa Rosa in November (see below for details).

Well, that’s all for this week. Thank you once again for your support. If you would like to e-mail me directly, please feel free: care@effortlessayurvedicliving.com.

Thanks again for all of your support, and be well. Until next week…

Namaste,
Dr. Craig Thomas, D.C.

DR. PENDSE IS COMING TO THE U.S.

Dr. Helen and Dr. Craig are welcoming their friend and colleague, Dr. Narendra Pendse, for a series of seminars and consultations at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic in Santa Rosa, CA this November.

Learn Ayurvedic daily regimens and diets (including cooking demonstrations) to treat and prevent:

Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia - November 11th
Headaches and Migraines - November 13th
Pre -, Mid-, and Post-Menopausal Treatments - November 18th

Dual Ayurvedic Pulse Examination and Treatment Plan consultations with Dr. Narendra Pendse are also available at the Thomas Ayurveda and Chiropractic clinic on: November 10, 12, 17, and 19th.

Please call for more details or to schedule an appointment:
1-707-527-7313

P.S. COMING SOON!

Hi, folks. Dr. Helen here, and I just wanted to give you a heads-up about a new product that I’m developing called The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care. We have only one heart to keep our life blood flowing through us, so we’d better take care of it! Ayurveda has incredible healing techniques and all-natural medicines to promote heart health, and I want to share them with you.

The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program is three-fold:

Part I: Learn more about the ancient healing science of Ayurveda with my What Is Ayurveda? Understanding the Principles of Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Body Types downloadable PDF booklet. What dosha represents YOU? Which daily regimen - Vata, Pitta or Kapha - will lead you on a path of well-being and health?

Part II: Discover the Ayurvedic methods and treatments to strengthen your beautiful heart with my Heart Care the Ayurvedic Way downloadable PDF booklet. This special report delves into the safe, natural practices of Ayurveda that will nuture your heart and improve your overall health.

Part III: Listen as I and Dr. Craig (with special guest moderator Michelle Yozzo Drake) discuss his personal treatments and dig more deeply into heart health the Ayurvedic way with the Ayurvedic Heart Health Audio Presentation.

I’m so very excited to be able to offer you this program because I want you - and your heart - to be balanced and healthy for years and years to come. Ayurveda has so much to offer, if you embrace it. Trust me, your heart will thank you for it.

Stay tuned for more details on The Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Heart Care program!

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