Dear friends at the Prana Center:
Once again I am unable to open Vaidya responds. Would you be so kind as to e-mail it to me? Thank you!

Also I have a question. I have been having a problem with not hearing well for some time. Finally went to the doctor’s recently after almost not being able to hear at all. She said there was wax in both ears and fluid in one. I had this problem 2 or 3 years ago and used ear candles to obtain about 2-3 inches of wax out of each ear and then could hear quite well. So I have begun using Debrox to soften the wax and so far have used 7 ear candles to obtain at first about 1 inch of wax out of each ear and then a small amount of very dry flaky wax. My ears are still plugged but I am able to hear out of one of them. So I started to instill oil in each ear and will try the ear candles again. I have been following my SVA recommendations for 5 years and am a vata constitution in the vata time of life and have had fibromyalgia for 25 years. I work on the computer 4 days a week for my nursing job. I oil my skin 3 x week with vata and magnesium oil and do the detox recommendations as well as follow the diet. What do you suggest? What is causing this problem and how can I correct it? Any recommendations for ear care? Why is fibromyalgia such a difficult disease to treat? Thank you for your kindness and all the help that you give to all of us. Sincerely, Kathleen H. – Vermont”

Dear Kathleen: Indian Sarsaparilla has been recommended in the shastras for troublesome and excessive earwax. But as you know, everything is connected to everything else, so your local earwax problem is part and parcel of a bigger condition in your physiology. For the earwax specifically, I recommend Indian sarsaparilla Nectar drops – 5 drops in 1 liter of water. At the same time, I will recommend you see Dr Teitelbaum or Dr Beech – they have been able to help countless fybromyalgia patients. Your earwax problem has to be fixed from within, otherwise what help you get form outside will not be enough as you yourself  hasseen. You need specific step-by-step supervision and very specific guidelines. Hope this helps.

“I have a question in regards to turmeric. I know Turmeric should be cooked or sautéed in ghee and added to your meal with lunch and dinner but can anyone drink it? In the You Tube video Vaidya says it is ok to drink milk with Turmeric but for example can one boil it in water or even tea, or should it be toasted, than you may boil it in water or tea? Or should one instead use Turmeric HMG, if they want to drink turmeric? Also what is the best tridoshic product one can use to help remove marks from the sun? Maybe the SVA Purifying Cream? I don’t know, please advise, thank you, Michael A.”

Dear Michael: in the SVA tradition, we do not recommend drinking turmeric to be consumed alone in a liquid/water base. Why? We always recommend people to boil turmeric in milk, because milk contains both lipid and protein molecules in addition to a liquid base. Protein and lipid molecules bind themselves to the turmeric molecules and travel together balancing each other. In addition, when you add cinnamon and cardamom to the mixture, you facilitate the breakdown of the sugar and the protein in the milk, making it even easier for absorption. Altogether, after all this “samskar” or process of boiling, we are binding turmeric with other molecules, and this gives it a more steady sustained delivery to the cellular system, making sure that the liver is not getting overwhelmed. A quick note that it is also ok to drink turmeric with goat milk, or home made almond milk – for the same reasons.

Otherwise, if you would still like to drink Turmeric in a water base, yes it is ok to use the Turmeric Herbal Memory Nectar drops – add 2 drops in 32oz of good high pH Spring water and sip slowly throughout the day.

With regards to your other question, my SVA Aloe sandalwood lotion is the best for helping with sun marks, but remember to also apply DGL transdermal cream on the liver, a sun marks are a product of a “hot and cranky” liver, also add Nectar drops of Turmeric and Bhumi Amla: 2 drops each in 32 oz of water.

“Namaste, Vaidya Mishra, Thank you for your latest blog posting about marma therapy and massage for babies. I found it very interesting and useful, as I perform daily abhyanga on my baby daughter. I do not know much about the marma points, however, and the illustrations did not seem to match up with the descriptions of which marma points to use. Could you please provide clearer illustrations or perhaps a video on your YouTube channel to help your readers/viewers/customers better understand how to do the marma therapy on babies?
In gratitude for your knowledge,
Lisa”

Dear Lisa: thank you for your email. Here is a clearer numbered sequence of the names of the marma points and the corresponding images. And thank you for your suggestion, we will be posting a YouTube video for SVA Shishu and Bal Marma soon – stay tuned for more!
Shishu Marma Steps:

Step 1: All 4 Talahridiya points. Talahridiya means “extensions of the heart:” the energetic heart literally vibrates at these points in the palms and the soles. Massaging these points brings pranic support to the whole physiology at the outset and facilitates the massage of the remaining points for the overall flow of prana.
Step 2: now you move on to the knees or Jhanu. We have 2 points in the  frontand 2 points in the back. Both pairs are found in dips on either side of the knee bone, and in the back, on either side of the soft tissue.
Step 3: now you move on to the elbows. Just like the knees, we have 2 pairs of points on the inside and the outside of the elbows, on either side of the elbow bone where there is a dip, and on the inside on either side of the soft tissue.
Step 4: this is the most tender yet most powerful marma point, the Adipathi, that connects directly to the cosmos. Follow the directions and do not touch this marma, just cup your hand and hold on top for a minute or so. Final step: you are now ready to swipe down the spine. Hold your “shishu” on your forearm and gently glide down his/her spine several times, 7 times is a good number. You have now completed your SVA Shishu Marma Massage and you may proceed to do a general massage, now that pranic flow has been enhanced and optimized, your baby will enjoy the massage more and get even more benefit out of it.

For your toddler Marma Steps, repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 of Shishu Marma
massage. Then:
Step 4: Ans or middle of the shoulders, where we also, as adults, get all the tightness and stress accumulated!
Step 5: Ans Phalak or the midpoint of the shoulder blades as shown in the image, another point of stress accumulation as we grow older….

Step 6: is the fontanel, or the soft spot on the top of the head. Follow the same recommendations and cup your toddler’s fontanel.
Step 7: Finish off your marma massage with the spinal swipe – always top to bottom, go down as many as 7 times or more as desire, s/he will love it, it will calm them down by helping release the used pranic energy

“Dear Vaidya,I am seeing fresh turmeric root at the store. Is this something we can or should be using? If so, how do we prepare it?
Many Thanks
Gail H.’

Dear Gail: fresh turmeric root contains all of its oils and properties in raw crude form, and as anything in its raw or crude form, can be too harsh on the physiology to handle. However, regardless of this, traditionally, in ayurvedic India, raw turmeric was and still never is used before being processed because it is very heating for the liver – it over-activates it. It should always be processed then powdered to abate its heat. There are many methods of processing, some simple and others complex. Here is a simple  method you can do at home: boil the roots once – bring them to a boil in water and then turn off. Throw out the water. Spread out your roots on a pan and dry them. After they are thoroughly dried pulverize them for use.
Please do not follow the recent trend of so many health guru-s and hip health recipe advocates and websites that are recommending making turmeric tea with freshly grated turmeric root, adding lemon and ginger and honey as a sweetener! When it comes to ancient herbs, we should always consider the tradition that comes along with it. Just because science is confirming the benefits of turmeric for so many imbalances that plague our contemporary culture, we should not lose track of our common sense, and always use caution when incorporating spices and herbs into our diet in novel ways. It is always best to consult with an expert and a time-tested tradition. Thank you for your lovely question.

“Since I found Mr Vaidya Mishra with all of his teachings and knowledge, I began following his recommendations and buying some products. For instance, I just  bought ghee and turmeric, but I need a little more information regarding turmeric. Since I live in the west coast, the only way to clarify my questions regarding the products Mr. Mishra sells, is through the internet.

1. If a person in “not” sick, how much turmeric is recommended daily when cooking (how many tsp a day?)
2. If one feels sick, (fibromialgia, arthritis), how many tsp(s) a day?

With gratitude,
Moni R.”

Dear Moni: please go to my SVA Health Channel on YouTube and watch the video on “How to use turmeric.” In general, for a healthy person, I recommend ¼ to ½ tsp turmeric powder cooked or sautéed in ghee in added to your meal with lunch and dinner.
Remember: NEVER consume raw turmeric, as it can heat up the liver too much too quickly. And never consume large amounts of turmeric alone. Always cook it in ghee or with your vegetables and protein. My YouTube video will give you additional details.
If someone has a medical condition as you mention, they should always check with their medical physician concerning whether they should consume any turmeric at all.

“Hello Vaidya, […] I have a patient who became quite perplexed after reading your response to the question on herb/drug and herb/spice interaction in issue #35 (August 29, 2013)… He is on several medications and has now stopped eating all spices in fear. My question is: how can we learn to navigate the use of spices in tandem with diseases? Thanks, Dr. Lisa Raskin”1

Here is an excerpt of the article that Dr Lisa Raskin is referring to (issue #35, vol. 3, August 29, 2013): “So how should an ayurvedic practitioner deal with medical conditions, even as and when they work hand in hand with a medical physician? As you can see, it is not a good idea to avoid food or spices when they create a synergistic interaction. On the contrary, that synergistic power should be used to the benefit of the patient ,to help gradually minimize the doses of medication, because in this case food materials will not have unwanted side-effects as they are managed wisely. In this situation, we are attempting to get the desired results from food materials and spices rather than medicine. But just as synergistic interaction is beneficial and can be tailored safely while working with an MD and getting testing regularly by a lab, antagonistic reactions should be avoided. This means: measures should be taken so that a diet should not create roadblocks for the medicine. Food or spices that can potentially reduce or block the effect of any drug should not be used and consumed. So, in conclusion, dear Nancy, this is a big topic and a very pertinent question, here I tried to answer it as succinctly as possible. I hope to elaborate on this further in the future. In the meantime, I hope this helps.”

Dear Dr Raskin: there are several things to consider in the use of spices when a client is on heavy doses of medicine. That response I had given was focusing on individuals who are consuming large quantities of spices in supposedly therapeutic, because modern science has confirmed their medicinal properties. As I explain and re-iterate all the time, it is very important to have the proper samyog and samskar, or in other terms, the combination and the preparation. What are you combining your spices and herbs with? Do you have the proper carrier to ensure safe delivery? And second, how are you preparing them? There are means and methods to prepare herbs and spices for safe and effective delivery and consumption. I can never stress these two points enough. In theory, in Ayurveda, almost every ingredient can

be consumed safely and effecting by adopting this theory of proper samyog and samskar. For example, you must be familiar with the spice mix I generally recommend to individuals who are just getting started with Ayurveda with baby steps, it’s my: 1/1/6/6, or 1 part turmeric, 1 part cumin, 6 parts coriander and 6 parts fennel mix. Now while turmeric has now known and confirmed medicinal properties that can be detrimental to an individual who is already on high doses of multiple medicines, if that same amount of turmeric is consumed with cumin to enhance absorption, with coriander and fennel to pacify the heat of the turmeric, and also help flush out through the urinary tract the toxins that the turmeric is going to mobilize, then turmeric becomes that indivdiual’s best friend. In his sense, recipes like Mum’s Masala are safe for almost everybody to consume – unless one is experiencing liver disease or any other kind of severe medical condition then it is always necessary to check with one’s medical doctor first. So how come Mum’s Masala that contains 18 different ingredients is safe? How does it work? Each ingredient in Mum’s masala is toasted at a different temperature, because the toasting time of each spice is different. This is part of the samskar of this formula. Toasting makes all the properties of the spices more readily available and cuts down on cooking time both on the stove and in the stomach! Then ingredients like cumin can even more easily enhance absorption; fennel and coriander better cool off; fenugreek pulls out toxins from the fat tissue faster; curry leaf supports the liver so it can better handle turmeric; green cardamom supports protein metabolism more effectively; clove unblocks the channels faster; likewise, turmeric will be more effective at its job of supporting the liver in its complex detox process. In this sense, Mum’s Masala, because of the way it is put together and processed, it’s safe for almost everybody.
The point is: no one should be consuming turmeric capsules or to take turmeric alone as a tea (with hot water and lemon etc). So SVA masala mixes or the personal 1/1/6/6 spice mix based on body type imbalance and age etc are safe to use. These are time-tested formula-s that have the shatras and deep ayurvedic knowledge as back-up. They are not a hype! Like the capsules and the turmeric tea hype currently circulating on websites. And remember: these spice mixes are either to be cooked (or just sprinkled in the case of the Mum’s Masala) with your vegetable, lentils, with a fat and water, etc. During the inaugural SVA conference, Dr. Hari Sharma, a pioneer researcher on turmeric and cancer, explained to us that turmeric can help the body prevent and correct imbalances in 80% of diseases.
My point is: do not give up on turmeric, due to fear. But if the shadow of a doubt is still lurking on one’s mind, I have made the safe Herbal Memory nectar drops, and the Turmeric nectar drops are safer to consume as they only contain the nano-particles of turmeric and the “intelligence” of turmeric, which even bypasses the liver!

1 Dr Lisa Raskin has now a clinic in Florida: 2600 N. Military Trail, Suite 330, Boca Raton, Florida 33431. She can be reached at drlraskin@gmail.com