Act II, Scene II of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”

You may remember Juliet’s famous line from Shakespeare’s play. In her monologue, Juliet is trying to reason away the family feud that threatens the budding love between her and Romeo. However, in Ayurveda, unlike what Juliet states, the name of a thing and its actual properties cannot be disassociated without altering the essence of that thing. For example, in Ayurveda, rose is called “taruni,” which means “everyoung.” Its name stands for the youth-promoting benefits and properties it carries: it is good for the emotional heart; pacifying the mind; nurturing the skin; balancing the digestive system; rejuvenating the colon; enhancing metabolism; and it can even be used to promote physical and emotional love… There are hundreds of genera of rose, but one amongst them stands out and carries all the above qualities. It is called “shatpatri” in Ayurveda or known as “Rosa Centifolia” in the west. It is the rose with a hundred (or very many) petals. To better understand how a rose, and particularly, Rosa Centifolia, can have all these benefits all at once, we take a look at its 5 fundamental ayurvedic properties. Every plant, herb, spice, edible item in Ayurveda carries specific pharmacodynamic properties. These are known as the “dravyaguna” – properties or guna-s of that “dravya” or item.

Know your rose from the inside-out

The first property is known as “rasa.” Rasa is the immediate taste that you experience after you put something in your mouth, and it is also the immediate effect that particular taste has on your body. Rose has 3 rasa-s or tastes and effects: bitter, astringent, and sweet. These tastes have different functions and nourish different tissues and pacify doshas. You can read more about this further down.

The guna is the second physical property. Rose’s guna is “lagu” which means light, and it is also “snighdha” which means unctuous. This means that when you ingest rose, it behaves like an unctuous but light ingredient in your physiology, lubricating and not clogging any channels or pathways. Then third property is called virya and this is its potency. The rose’s virya is cooling. This means that it acts like a cool ingredient in your body. Imagine the contrast between consuming vinegar, or hard liquor! Compare that hot acidic sensation down your oesophagus to a cool glass of milk. When you consume anything with rose, it cools you up from the inside out. Then there is vipak, which is the post-digestive taste. This means that once you ingest rose petals and they are digested in your stomach and move on to your colon, the bitter and astringent properties it carries are transformed to leave a sweet effect. It is as if you had eaten something sweet. Sweet vipak is soothing, cooling, balancing. It is a highly desirable vipak or property. As the digestive and metabolic process progresses, things become more and more subtle. So the last and most important property is vibrational, meaning it is not possible to measure or analyze under a microscope. It is Ayurveda’s gift to us that it teaches us how to categorize the prabhava of hundreds of thousands of items found under the sun.

The prabhava of rose is “hridya” – this means it moblilizes and supplies prana or the cosmic energy we thrive on to the heart area. Consuming rose redirects more prana to the heart area, balancing and recharging and rejuvenating it.

In this sense, this is what a rose does to your physiology specifically: because it is sweet and unctuous it pacifies Vata dosha – as you know the sweet rasa or taste pacifies vata. The rose’s snigdha or unctuous property also balances vata that tends to be dry. Any dravya or item that has the unctuous lubricating guna or property is pacifying to vata. Then due to its cooling virya or potency, as well as bitter and astringent taste, it is pacifying for Pitta dosha. In its essence, rose is Pitta and Vata pacifying. These properties have a nourishing effect on the nervous system, because rose is known to be a medhya. That is, it enhances dhi dritti smriti. These are the 3 primary functions of the brain for the actions of registering, storing and recalling knowledge and information. When they are operating in a balanced and coordinated manner, the brain is in a stress-free state of bliss.

Another unique property rose has is called “Som Nasya Janana.” This means that rose creates good coordination between the mind and Satwa, the light of the soul, so it’s an instant bliss generator!

What effect does rose have on the digestive system?

According to Ayurveda, rose is balakarika, meaning it strengthens the stomach, intestine and liver organ systems. Bala means strength. In addition,due to its deepana properties, it balances appetite. It is also pachana – it enhances overall metabolism. Another of its properties is anulomana: it helps pacify apana vata by making sure the downward movement of apana is maintained. However, it is not a laxative, unless you consume excessively large quantities of rose. When consumed in small but regular quantities, it enhances absorption of nutrients.

Consuming rose petal products is particularly beneficial when people have high pitta and high vata imbalances. These imbalances are also usually associated with low agni or low metabolic fire in the stomach and tissues. Low agni results in toxic build-up, weight gain, body aches and pains, etc. Eating rose will pacify these two doshas and help reset the physiology on its way to blissful balance.

Rose pacifies the heat in the blood, and thus keeps imbalances in the skin from erupting. Other specific ailments that Rose has been known to help with are amenorrhea (absence of menstrual flow), inflamed eyes, dizziness,headache due to Pitta aggravation, sore throat, enlarged tonsils, nervousness, grief, dullness of the skin and acne caused by Pitta imbalances. There is also another condition where excess pitta gets stuck in the blood tissue, and rose is the ideal remedy for this. Either ingested orally or applied transdermally. Rose is known to help individuals who experience unidentified burning sensations in their body, burning sensations that do not tie in to a diagnosed medical condition. Scientific research on this aspect is not in yet, but Ayurveda promotes the use of rose in such conditions.

And even more balancing properties…

As if all this was not enough, Rose is also considered a wonderful remedy for the physical circulatory system. It is a cardio-tonic, or hridya.

Rose is also known for its vajikarna properties. We find a lot of recipes in Ayurveda that use Rose to enhance physical and sensual love between partners.Yet one of the most important uses of rose is for the skin. When taken internally, it purifies the sweat of hot acidic toxins that cause harm on the surface of the skin when a person sweats. Regular transdermal use of rose either in poultices or cream formulas cleans the sweat externally, by neutralizing the pH of the sweat, so that when it is released through the skin, it does not cause irritation.

So ultimately rose petals are pitta and vata pacifying. How about the kapha dosha? Does it aggravate this dosha? It depends on the preparation. That is why Vaidya has made a special SVA formula, his Rose Petal Preserve is prepared in such a way as to become almost all Vata, Pitta, and Kapha pacifying. Another option is also to add some freshly ground black pepper when consuming the preserve to make sure it will not aggravate Kapha dosha.

Gulkand

Making preserve out of rose petals is a very old tradition in many cultures, in India, but in the Middle East as well as Europe. However, not all recipes and preserves will have a balancing effect. In India, Rose Preserve is very popular and is called: Gulkand. It is readily available everywhere. But it is usually made with white sugar – we know that the consumption of white sugar depletes our bodies of minerals and lowers our pH, so you want to avoid that. Also, many recipes do not use Rosa Centifolia. Other varities of rose have different properties, so you want to be careful when you are purchasing a rose preserve that it was actually made with Rosa Centifolia.

In addition, many times, the recipes use vinegar, or citric acid, as well as synthetic scent or aroma, or color, to enhance the look and flavor. These are all carcinogenic ingredients you want to steer clear of.

Sometimes preserves sitting on shelves get oxidized or fermented if the formula is not balanced enough. You should watch out. Vaidya Mishra has carefully formulated his SVA Rose Petal Preserve according to his ancient ayurvedic family precepts. He uses natural ascorbic acid balances the sugar molecules. In addition, he uses pectine which microencapsulates the sugar molecules, so that they do not rush into your blood stream and give you a sugar high. Pectine also modulates the sugar molecules to give sustained release into the body. He has added natural essence of Rose Absolute, for enhanced rose properties in addition to organic rose bud petals. Fall in love once more, with and through Vaidya’s SVA preserve jars of pure rose bliss!

Is your memory blanking-­‐out on you? Do you experience a fuzzy unfocused mind? Mental fog? Do you find yourself lacking motivation or having mood swings? Have you been feeling low on energy or find yourself easily fatigued? Do you have tingling or numbness, or a crawling sensations in your arms, legs or feet? Do you feel any or all of the above without having a medical condition? Then you may be simply B12 deficient!

About 16years ago,I started to notice a very particular imbalance repeating itself in the pulse reading of dozens of individuals: I would find an imbalance of “sadhaka,”1 “ranjaka,”2 vyana,”3 predominance. It would also be accompanied by low “rakta”4 and “mamsa.”5 Occasionally low “majja”6 as well. When I started to investigate this further, asking the individuals questions in order to isolate the “hetu” or etiological root cause, I discovered that many of them had switched over to a vegetarian diet and lifestyle almost overnight after having being non-­‐vegetarians all their lives and issuing from non-­‐vegetarian families for countless generations. Becoming vegetarian in such a speedy manner meant that they had to substitute all animal meat and protein intake with tofu and/or soy products as well as other ingredients previously unfamiliar to their body and metabolism. And this, sometimes as much as 3 meals/times a day to compensate for their protein intake, resulting in an imbalanced diet overall. But others who were not and had not switched over to a vegetarian diet, were experiencing similar symptoms. There was still another group who was very discerning and selective about the protein they consumed but also showing similar pulse reading and symptoms. After doing some research on my end, it became obvious to me that they were exhibiting symptoms of B12 deficiency.

1. pitta subdosha that balances the emotional heart and mind
2. pitta subdosha that governs the liver
3. vata subdoshain charge of overall circulation and distribution of energy and nutrients
4. Blood tissue
5. Muscle tissue
6. Bone marrow

In light of this, I requested that they have their blood checked for B12 levels. Surely enough, all tested positive to low or depleted levels. The lab findings were in-­‐tune with the ayurvedic reading, and these individuals also showed the behavioral signs of the “sadhaka, ranjaka, vyana” imbalance: they tendedto be emotionally cranky and volatile, experiencing bouts of emotional lows. They also reported feeling overall weakness and fatigue, as well as a lack of enthusiasm. Finally, many of them had difficulty focusing, or remembering -­‐ cognitive troubles in general. Some were experiencing “funny” tingling or numbness in their extremities.

I was able to address the imbalances on a case-­‐by-­‐case basis, specially focusing on correcting the diet to suit individual needs so they would either have more of the B12 through the food they consumed,or would be able to absorb and synthesize it optimally. In the case of those who were not vegetarian, I had to enhance their metabolism so they would better digest and absorb their nutrients.

However, I had to remind all that it is not possible to correct Vitamin B12 deficiency with food alone, that they all needed to supplement their diet with B12 in the form of their choice (pill form, but also liquid, transdermal patch, nasal spray, or injection). Those who had espoused a strict vegetarian or vegan diet and were not willing to re-­‐introduce meat or animal products into their diet, B12 was needed in higher doses on a regular basis.

This is when I had the desire to have available an easy to absorb powerful B12 supplement.This issue stayed with me and I kept researching it until I found that there were already many companies out there making B­12 transdermal patches and creams that were shown to be effective.

The transdermal delivery method is  nowadays a scientifically valid system for safe, sustained and effective drug delivery. However, I was not for all the preservatives, nor the synthetic medium that the nutrient was added to in order to formulate the transdermal patches and creams. With the deep desire of making the best ayurvedic transdermal B12 cream, I started my own trials. But there were many hurdles along the way keeping me from finding the ideal balance for a medium that would protect, preserve and have sustained delivery. After many months of research and development, I am happy to give you our SVA Transdermal B12 lotion suited for your vegetarian and vegan needs. A lightly fragrant cream with pleasant floral tones, it delivers this much needed vitamin to your system safely yet effectively.

I sourced the B-12 (cyanocobalamine) from vegetarian sources. It is made from the friendly bacteria derived from vegetables. This was an important point because most of those who came to see me and were in need of B-12 were vegetarians who did not want to incorporate animal products into their diets. This is a safe cream you can use daily, to supplement your B12 levels and help with all the necessary bodily functions that B12 is responsible for:

• overall energy
• cognitive functions – thinking and remembering
• supports the nervous system
• aids in the formation of blood: it regulates DNA synthesis
• supports fatty acids synthesis and formation

So even if you are not deficient and don’t have any symptoms, there is no harm in supplementing with B12. You Can consume a daily dose of Vitamin B12 supplement amounting to 500 to 1000 mcg (micrograms) per day .

Remember:Charak says the physician, the “prana vishar” physician has the authority to tackle the contemporary situations based on change in the environment and change in culture and change in social behavior. Once the “Prana Vishar” physician establishes a link between the “hetu” and the “lingam,” or the etiological factor and a symptom, then s/he can prescribe what is needed to correct the situation. We don’t have to worry about the name of the disease or putting a cap on it.

In the case of B12 and other vital nutrient deficiencies, we have the “siddhant” or “self-evident” truth from Charak that says: “Sarvadha sarva bhavanam samanye vridyi karanam…” that is: the rule is to correct an imbalance by supplementing the body with that which has similar properties in order to correct the deficiency. B12 is a deficiency, so it can be corrected through elements/dravyas with similar properties to support the physiology to increase the levels of B12.

Check with your medical physician to make sure, but small doses of Transdermal B12 are safe and effective fordaily addition to your diet and routine.

Thank you to all who sent in  questions about lectin. This topic is  on many people’s minds these days as scientific findings concerning its impact on health are being increasingly debated.

What is Lectin?

It’s a type of glycoprotein that is  found in most of the foods we  consume. Recent findings show that  it elicits allergic and antigenic1 responses in many individuals.2

Where is it found?

• In dairy: all milk products, cheese (fresh or aged), yogurt, kefir, etc
• In legumes – beans, lentils, peas, including soy, peanuts, and seeds: many clinical studies have shown that various damage to gut lining, joints, kidney, pancreas and brain (even crossing over into the bloodbrain barrier) can be caused by lectins from soy, peanut and other beans, peanut oil, as well as other seed oils including soy oil. Lectins in peanut oil have even been implicated with artherosclerosis.

1.  Antigens are toxins or foreign substances that induce an immune response in the body
2. “Dietary lectins are protein antigens which bind to surface glycoproteins (or glycolipids) on erythrocytes or lymphocytes. (1) They function as both allergens and hemagglutinins. (2) They are found in plants and animals, and are presentin small amounts in 30% of American foods, more so in a whole-­‐grain diet. (2) Lectins have potent in vivo effects. When consumed in excess by sensitive individuals, they can cause 3 primary physiological reactions: Lectins can cause severe intestinal damage, disrupting digestion and causing nutrient deficiencies
3.  They can provoke IgG and IgM antibodies causing Gell-­‐Coombs Type 2 food allergies and other immune responses. (3,4) And they can bind to erythrocytes, simultaneously with immune factors, causing hemagglutination and anemia. (5) Of the 119 known dietary lectins, about half are panhemagglutinins, clumping all blood types. The remainder are blood-­‐type specific. In general, lectins alter host resistance to infection, cause failure to thrive, and can even lead to death in experimental animals.” From “Dietary lectins: Blood Types and Food Allergies by Laura Power, Ph.D. Published in: Townsend Letter for Doctors, June 1991.

•  Lectins are found in most of the plants that grow in the world, as they are part of a plant’s natural defense system. A plant produces toxic lectins as a survival strategy to ward off insects, mold, fungi, even people! Animals and humans may get sick and even die after consumption. Some plants have more highly evolved lectin systems in them and are more toxic, for example: the castor bean contains “ricin” – a highly flammable and extremely toxic substance
• Soybeans have more toxic lectins in them than most other plants – this is one of the main reasons soybeans don’t need to have as much pesticide sprayed on them because they contain the natural pesticide, lectin. 3
• Grains, esp. gluten grains such as wheat, rye and barley, oats;
• Eggs
• In geneticaly modified foods: GM foods are manufactured by splicing ‘lectins’ from one plant family to another. This can be a very serious problem because if you are allergic to a particular plant family, but that lectin has been put in a plant not of that family and you consume it unknowing that it contains the genes from the plant that is toxic for you, you will have the allergic reaction/response and not be able to identify the root cause… For more detailed information about lectin content in food, visit the Owen Foundation website at : http://www.owenfoundation.com/Health_Science/Lectins_in_Foods.html

Why is lectin toxic?

Lectins are a type of glyco-protein that cause agglutination, or clumping together, of particular cells. This agglutination makes it harder for those foods containing lectin to be digested and absorbed properly and efficiently, as they can resist stomach acid and digestive enzymes. When lectin is not processed properly in your digestive system, it can get stuck on your gut wall, damage the gut lining, and penetrate your entire circulatory system, binding itself to cell membranes in your arteries and vessels, or different organs and systems (thyroid, pancreas, kidney, adrenals, etc). Such binding can lead to autoimmune disorders, and degenerative diseases. The original damage caused to your gut wall can also allow in other un-wanted non-lectin proteins to seep into your system causing allergic reactions.4

When are you lectin intolerant?

Lectin intolerance reactions occur in the gut, general circulation (artery walls), brain, gland or organ as well as red blood cells. When your body is unable to prevent the lectin from binding to your gut wall, or penetrate and invade your organs, glands, or brain, then you are lectin intolerant. When the lectin invades your internal systems, your body triggers an autoimmune response and may display symptoms of auto-immune and/or degenerative diseases.5

Symptoms

What to look for? Some of us tolerate certain foods less than others. Some obvious symptoms of intolerance can be: gas, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation. Other symptoms may include: headache, fatigue, ‘indigestion’, skin problems including hives, psoriasis, swollen joints, or water retention. When intolerance is left un-addressed, the symptoms may develop into degenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases as mentioned.

4 )  For more detail, see http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html#Become The Lectin Report.

5 )The list of degenerative diseases associated with lectin intolerance is long and research is still under progress: arthritis, both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis; allergy; asthma; high cholesterol; atherosclerosis; congestive heart failure; high blood pressure; diabetes; low blood sugar; hyperinsulinemia; chronic fatigue; fibromyalgia; all forms of IBS, Crohn’s, colitis, celiac; chronic candida, repeated gut pathogen infections; malabsorption syndromes; failure to thrive; autoimmune diseases such as thyroiditis, lupus, MS, Parkinson’s; dementia,Alzheimer’s; autism; ADD/ADHD; Schizophrenia; osteoporosis; cancer, several types including breast; hypercortisolemia and hypocorti solemia;adrenal insufficiency; post viral syndrome; post traumatic stress syndrome; post polio syndrome; obesity; hormonal imbalances including low testosterone, and peri-­‐menopausal symptoms, etc. Lectins and their possible involvement in degenerative and autoimmune disease is a relatively new science.

Intolerant by birth?

Studies have found that you may be intolerant to lectin for one or more of the following reasons:

1) By birth: you have inherited a genetic predisposition that makes you prone to specific food sensitivities
2) Use of prescription drugs or injurious substances6 that have a direct impact on your gut wall causing sensitization: when your gut wall is compromised, your immune system will be unable to withstand bacterial or viral infections, making it more prone to lectin antibody/antigen reactions.
3) Poor food choices that result in acquired sensitivities: consuming items that are processed and cause an allergic reaction. In such cases, intolerance can be reversed when you change and improve your diet. The SVA diet with its avoidance of processed packaged food items, large beans, nightshades, soy, flax, is a balanced alternative protocol.

The SVA diet contains general recommendations that can be followed by most – specific variations are based on a case-by-case individual basis. It is not just a list of do-s and don’t-s as SVA guidelines teach you to make informed food choices that go beyond physical nutrient content. For example, how to or not to combine some foods with others in order to avoid allergic toxic reactions – this is known as the principle of “samyog” in Ayurveda; or the principle of “sanskar” – preparations steps and methods that supply more healing properties to a meal, for example at which point you add an ingredient etc. In this sense, there are more factors that need to be considered when trying to determine whether or not you are lecting intolerant or not. You may have to get tested for specific allergic reactions in order to determine where you stand in terms of your diet and overall propensities. This is why SVA does not recommend that we stop consuming milk across the board, for example, or other ingredients just because they have been found to contain lectin. And we know now that most foods contain lectin. Rather, Vaidya will say to try to consume raw milk (after boiling with some spices and never cold) instead of ultra-pasteurized and homogenized, as it is easier on the digestive system and more nourishing to the physiology. There are also other elements that are considered in the SVA perspective. Soy, for example, is definitely a food that you should avoid, not only because it has such a high content of lectin naturally, but because it has other properties that are known to be “toxic” in SVA terms. But it also happens to be on the list of toxic foods in terms of lectin content. Having said this, there are some important basic things you should know about and that you can do, specially when it comes to the consumption of important food items that are high in protein and nourishing yet may also create some problems if you tend to have lectin intolerance for one reason or another. Consuming legumes or lentils is a case in fact.

6 For example, non-­‐steroidal anti-­‐inflammatories or other drugs which increase gut permeability and allow lectins to enter general circulation.

The SVA answer: Vaidya Mishra says: “in my ayurvedic practice, and those of other SVA practitioners, many are coming complaining of bloating, gas, and sometime stomach-aches after consuming any kind of lentil. Because of this, many people have stopped eating lentils altogether, even the good ones, (mung or masoor). This deprives them of a great source of nutrition that has great health benefits, that has been consumed for centuries without any problem, yet all of a sudden it has become an issue. In this sense, there are a few important points that we need to be aware of.

1.  What went wrong in the past decade or so causing the emergence of thisissue with lectin, particularly relating to the consumption of beans, legumes, and lentils?
2. Are people totally lectin intolerant or can there be ways to amend the molecular weight of lectins so as to receive benefit from their consumption without enduring the symptoms of lectin intolerance?
3. Why does Ayurveda, in general, and SVA in particular always recommend mung and masoor? A why to we hear it is best to avoid larger beans such as pinto, garbanzo, and lima beans, etc?

SVA adopts its Sutra to Science approach to respond to the above.

1. The raw food movement considers primarily the nutritional content in beans and lentils in both large and small quantities. Soaking lentils in order to facilitate their raw consumption has created an epidemic of lectin intolerance related symptom. Scientific research shows that cooking lentils facilitates the digestion and absorption of lectin, confirming the ayurvedic perspective.7
2. It is not just about the nutritional content of food. Ayurveda explains to us so many other properties, some gross and others more subtle, that characterize the food we eat. These properties remain unknown to us as of yet in the west. As explained earlier, issues need to be addressed on a case by base situation to adjust the diet etc, however, consuming lentils or daal, a very important part of the ayurvedic diet, and even more so if you have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, since small lentils contain good, light, easy to digest proteins and nutrition. One method recommended by the ayurvedic texts is to dry toast your mung dahl or masoor dahl before cooking it with water ghee and spices. This process of adding more “agni” to your lentil also has a chemical impact of reducing the lectin intolerance. Many clients who have come to me complaining of the inability to digest daal have resorted to this, adding this step and are now able to consume legumes. It is important to remember not to, and this probably permanently, consume large lentils, unless you have a highly physical lifestyle and very high “pachakagni” or digestive fire. However, sometimes it is important to cut out lentils completely from the diet.As already mentioned, it is a case-­‐by-­‐ case situation, and if you are experiencing problems, you need to have your condition assessed by a SVA expert.
3. In Ayurveda, an entire chapter is dedicated to beans and lentils, discussing their independent uses, benefits, and side effects as well as the pharmacodynamics or their bio-chemical properties in our bodies after ingesting them. Many lentils such as Rajma or kidney beans, Chana or chickpea, Mash or Peas, and Toor Dal – are classified as “heavy” beans. What does this mean? Simply that if someone lacks a powerful digestive fire or pachakagni, or someone leads a more sedentary lifestyle, they should not consume these lentils. In contrast, Mung dal is considered the best lentil followed by the red lentil, or masoor dal. However, it is stated clearly that they should both always be cooked. In specific situations, when a SVA practitioner observes that there indeed is a pachakagni problem then, additional dry toasting of yellow mung dal prior to cooking it with high quantities of water is recommended. But remember to always cook with at least a pinch of turmeric, Soma Salt, and then finish off with “ghritbharjan” (sautéing cumin seeds with ghee and adding to the daal before serving. When you toast your mung daal before cooking it, it actually reduces the impact of the lectin content, making it much easier for an individual with slow agni, or slow metabolism and absorption, to easily handle the lentil and receive nourishment from this legume. Shastras provide us with other smarter ways to balance the lectins in lentils by making khichdi (Krishara), which is a thicker soup made from 1-part lentil and 3-parts rice. [See the Recipe section of our newsletter]. This is a very delicious sustaining soup of medium consistency topped off by a Ghritbharjan or sautéing with cumin. A 2009 study concluded that cooked pulses significantly reduce the molecular density of the lectins with the use of spices and seasoning (ghritbharjan). This study confirms the efficacy of Krishara as an ideal method of consuming lentils.8 But again, it is best to have a personal evaluation to address your own specific needs.

7.  Japanese researchers confirm this claim in their 2012 study that shows increased break down of enzymes through boiling or cooking of lentils (J Sci Food Agric. Mar 2012).