Boswellia Serrata for your Health

We are all so fortunate to be able to share the knowledge from the timeless archives of Vaidya Mishra’s family lineage. I have been especially honored to be able to sit, side-by-side, with Vaidya for the past 15 years, when he visits my clinic and teaches me, on-site, how to take care of the numerous health problems that I encounter on a daily basis.

I feel the need to share with you some of the practical knowledge I have acquired learning with Vaidya, as it is so simple yet precious. So I have decided to periodically write up case histories, that sometimes even amount to almost miraculous stories. When you how, through the practical SVA teaching, how to use and incorporate divine herbs, there is literally no limit to what you can do with them, how much you can heal with them. I will also be sharing with you any other pertinent tidbits of knowledge that I’ve collected out here in the field.

Since this is the Holiday Season, I begin my first story with a well-known herb, Boswellia. Dr. Mishra gives us the capability of taking it in a glyceride or, as he calls it, Herbal-Memory Nectra drop form, since many people need high doses, and the crude herbs could disrupt the digestive tract when/if taken in large doses over long periods of time.

This is an herb I simply cannot keep on the shelves. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and works like an Ayurvedic prednisone! It can be used for inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, for bronchitis and asthma or other inflammation in the lungs and for joint and muscle pains (as in osteo or rheumatoid arthritis).

In all inflammatory processes, there is increased formation of leukotrienes. The key enzyme for leukotriene biosynthesis is 5- lipooxygenase. Boswellia inhibits (stops) the enzyme 5- lipooxygenase from forming.

As their name implies, leukotrienes were first discovered in leukocytes but have since been found in other immune cells.

Leukotrienes regulate immune responses. For example,  leukotriene production is usually accompanied by the production  of histamine and prostaglandins, which also act as inflammatory  mediators.

One of the roles of leukotrienes (specifically, leukotriene D4) is to  trigger contractions in the smooth muscles lining the trachea;  their overproduction is a major cause of inflammation in asthma  and allergic rhinitis. Leukotriene antagonists (Boswellia in this  case) are used to treat these disorders by inhibiting the  production or activity of leukotrienes.

Leukotrienes contribute to the pathophysiology of asthma, causing or potentiating the following symptoms:

• Airflow obstruction
•  Increased secretion of mucus
•  Mucosal accumulation
•  Broncho-constriction
•  Infiltration of inflammatory cells in the airway wall

Almost every time I put a patient on this herb, they come back and tell me how much better they feel since going on it. I am especially grateful for this wonderful herb. Last year I developed asthma after a prolonged bout of bronchitis. I went to a highly revered pulmonologist in Philadelphia from Jefferson University, the most distinguished medical institution in this area.

She told me the only way I could cure my condition was to take a steroid inhaler and a bronchodilator inhaler for several months to clear up the inflammation in the smaller bronchial tubes.

However, my body rejected the inhalers and they actually produced the opposite reaction in me – they closed up my lungs. After taking the Boswellia Nectar drops for 5 months (along with other herbs to heal the lungs) I went back to the pulmonologist for my lung function studies.

The small airways which were only working up to 85% capacity were now working 115%! The pulmonologist was shocked – when I had left her office the last time (in early July) she had warned me that the only way I could heal my lungs was to take the two inhalers. She told me that if I didn’t my condition would worsen to the point where I needed more and more rescue inhalers.

I left her with all the research on the herbs – she told me she’d see me in a year for a quick checkup and she said she was highly interested in learning more about the use of herbs for lung conditions.

As I was researching Boswellia on my own last summer, I found out it also comes under the name of “Frankinsense”. I told Dr. Mishra that the Three Wise Men presented this herb to Christ when he was born and now I understand why. Its capabilities are tremendous!

He told me that the three magi, or the Three Wise Men, were descendants of the Shakaldwipa Brahmins, his own family lineage! I felt humbled to be part of such a divine lineage treating people in this modern day and age with the ancient knowledge of these great seers.

So, as we enter the New Year, I would like to wish all of you happy and healthy holidays and a joyous new year. I hope you enjoy all the stories of my experiences with these wonderful herbs and using all the information of Vaidya Mishra’s SVA lineage. Dr. Mishra has taught me a wealth of knowledge. Ihave loved sitting by his side all these years hearing the stories of the herbs and I am excited to show you some of the miracles I have witnessed over these past 15 years.

Marianne Teitelbaum, D.C.
December 25, 2012

Over the next several months, I will be periodically writing about the importance of magnesium in our lives. I want everyone to know how this mineral works on various levels of the physiology. I will be writing several articles, each showing how magnesium works in preventing almost every disease you can think of.

So why is magnesium so important? Why is magnesium considered the “Lamp of Life?”

First, inside chlorophyll is the lamp of life and that lamp is magnesium. The capture of light energy from the sun is magnesium-dependent. Magnesium is bound as the central atom of the porphyrin ring of the green plant pigment chlorophyll. Magnesium is the element that causes plants to be able to convert light into energy and chlorophyll is identical to hemoglobin except the magnesium at the center has been taken out and iron put in.

Chlorophyll systems convert energy from visible light into small energy-rich molecules easy for cells to use.

As Dr. Mark Sircus puts it in his book, Transdermal Magnesium Therapy: “Chlorophyll with its magnesium core is recognized as one of nature’s richest sources of important nutrients where its rich green pigment is vital for the body’s rapid assimilation of amino acids and for the synthesis of enzymes. Thus, hundreds of enzymes need magnesium in order to work, which is why magnesium affects every aspect of our physiology.

Magnesium is needed by plants to form chlorophyll, which is the substance that makes plants green. Without magnesium sitting inside the heart of chlorophyll, plants would not be able to take nutrition from the sun because the process of photosynthesis would not go on. When magnesium is deficient things begin to die. In reality we cannot take a breath, move a muscle or think a thought without enough magnesium in our cells.”

Let’s first see how magnesium’s influence on stabilizing the thyroid gland:

THE IMPORTANCE OF MAGNESIUM IN OUR LIVES. PART 1: THE ELUSIVE THYROID GLAND

This is a common scenario I see almost every day in my practice. I have a patient (usually female, although can occur in men as well), at any age, usually from the teens on through postmenopausal.

They present with all the symptoms of thyroid imbalance: loss of hair, weight gain, muscle cramping, cold hands and feet, irregular menstrual cycles, low energy, heartbeat irregularities, and so on.

They see their doctor and bloodwork is ordered. All the values for the thyroid gland are within normal limits. So the patient tries numerous things for her symptoms:

•  prescription medicines for the thyroid from the allopathic doctor
• thyroid glandular and iodine or kelp from the holistic doctor
• ashwagandha from the Ayurvedic doctor

But nothing seems to work. The patient becomes frustrated as the symptoms continue to mount.

The problems continue, because the real issue is not being addressed.

First, we need to see what is draining the thyroid – going to bed late, rushing through the day, stress, hyperactivity, too much talking and overuse of the senses.

Then we need to make sure the diet is healthy – I will not go into details on the diet since most of you know this by now.

But then the patient needs to understand this very important point as well: THE SYMPTOMS OF MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY ARE IDENTICAL WITH MANY OF THE SYMPTOMS OF THYROID DISEASE.

So now let’s address this very important issue.

When calcium and magnesium are not in balance the thyroid is affected. Magnesium carries calcium into the cell. The lack of magnesium will cause calcium to stay on the outside of the cell and build a “calcium shell” which allows a low cell hormone permeability. This means the thyroid hormones cannot get into the cell because they cannot pass through the calcium buildup. So the person is making enough hormones, but they can’t get to their targeted site.

Many patients complain of irregular heartbeats or a fast pounding heartbeat. The primary function of magnesium that is critical in thyroid disease is that it enables the muscles to relax. With inadequate magnesium, the muscles cramp. Many of our patients describe leg or foot cramps or “Charlie horses”. But when this happens to the heart muscles, the heart does not go through a complete relaxation phase then the next contraction begins before the relaxation is complete. This results in rapid heartbeats and/or an irregular heart rate known as an arrhythmia.

If magnesium is low, the Vitamin D levels will be low since magnesium plays a role in the metabolism of cholesterol and Vitamin D is made from cholesterol. If Vitamin D goes low, then thyroid function will be affected. And conversely, Vitamin D, a fatsoluble vitamin, aids in the absorption of magnesium into the cells.

Magnesium is found in the blood and the spinal fluid and is the only electrolyte found in higher concentration in the spinal fluid than in the blood.

The reason for the large magnesium content in the spinal fluid isthat the mineral is necessary for balancing the stimulating effects of the body’s hormones. The purpose of thyroid, gonadal, adrenal and other hormones is to charge up or excite the body. Magnesium tends to slow down and relax the system, thus regulating the hormones and achieving a happy medium.

When magnesium is deficient there is no regulation. This can cause osteoporosis, periodontal disease, epilepsy, hyperirritability, overactivity, and nervousness. Magnesium is important in bone formation (more details about this in another article). If deficient, the bone tissue suffers and the hair falls out.

And finally, magnesium deficiency can cause low levels of DHEA. Known as the “mother of all hormones”, DHEA is converted in the body into several different hormones, including estrogen and testosterone. This hormone (DHEA) is made in the adrenal cortex, along with cortisone, hydrocortisone, and aldosterone. These steroid hormones are created from cholesterol. However, cholesterol cannot be synthesized without magnesium. So if magnesium is low, it begins a cascade of hormonal deficiencies, including the thyroid, adrenals and sex hormones.

It is estimated that 80% of people in developed countries have magnesium deficiency. Here are the common causes:

• Synthetic Vitamin C competes with magnesium absorption and thus depletes it in the system (it’s better to eat the fruit containing the Vitamin C than to take synthetic Vitamin C supplements)
• Poor diet
• Water which is lacking minerals from the earth
• Prescription drugs
• Stress
• Eating sugar – it takes 50 molecules of magnesium to process one molecule of refined white sugar, which quickly depletes magnesium
• Diabetes causes the body to flush out important minerals, including magnesium
• Malabsorption – lack of friendly bacteria in the gut
• Taking synthetic calcium supplements
• Alcohol, coffee, soda and birth control pill use
• Synthetic oral Vitamin D – it binds the magnesium (I will be writing an article about the transdermal Vitamin D that Vaidya Mishra makes in another article – this is safe to use and won’t deplete magnesium)

Foods high in magnesium are:

•  Whole wheat
• Coconut
• Spinach (cooked)
• Avocado
• Sunflower seeds
• Dandelion greens
• Raisins
• Green peas
• Blackberries
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Green leafy vegetables (cooked)
• Orange juice (fresh-squeezed)

So, until the magnesium levels are normalized the thyroid function will continue to be low, even if the patient is on the thyroid medicine, glandular or ashwagandha

It is recommended that magnesium be taken transdermally (through the skin) since taken orally will upset the intestinal tract and the kidneys

We have several transdermal ways of getting this important nutrient: Dr. Mishra has made for us: Relaxing and Detoxifying Bath Pouches (used in the bath – soak in the tub for 20 minutes using one bath pouch each time)

• these have high quality and highly absorbable magnesium Dr. Mishra isolated out of his soma salt.

We also have Vata Oil with Magnesium and Vitamin D. Do a 20-minute oil massage as many days a week as time will allow

And an upcoming article will feature the new Magnesium Rollon Dr. Mishra will be putting on the market soon –– we are eagerly awaiting this much-needed remedy! I personally will be prescribing this for every patient of mine.

So now, you can see we have several ways to address this imbalance, thanks to the foresight of Vaidya Mishra and his family lineage of Shaka Vansya Ayurveda (SVA), which have been treating patients transdermally for over 5,000 years.

Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum
Cinnaminson, New Jersey
856-786-3330

Vaidya explains that based on the natural ayurvedic cycle of “sanchay” (accumulation), “prakop” (aggravation), and “prashaman” (pacification), summer is the time for the “sanchay” or accumulation of pitta, while late summer and early autumn is the time for the “prakop” or aggravation of pitta. That is why, Coconut kind of dravya-s (edible materials) are good for consumption now, as they pacify the end of summer “prakop” or accumulation of pitta. In this article, Dr. Teitelbaum reminds us about this all-in-one wondrous fruit, a favorite of the ayurvedic shatra-s or texts, and modern science as well!

Based on the natural ayurvedic cycle of “sanchay” (accumulation), “prakop” (aggravation), and  “prashaman” (pacification), summer is the time for the “sanchay” or accumulation of pitta, while late summer and early autumn is the time for the “prakop” or aggravation of pitta. That is why, Coconut kind of dravya-­‐s (edible materials) are good for consumption now, as they pacify the end of summer “prakop” or accumulation of pitta. In this article, Dr. Teitelbaum reminds us about this all-­‐in-­‐one wondrous fruit, a favorite of the ayurvedic shatra-­‐s or texts, and modern science as well! In addition, you can also watch Malvika in her SVA Kitchen, to learn how to make coconut chutney, savory coconut chips, or coconut probiotic milk, on Vaidya’s YouTube SVA Health channel.

Coconut is a favorite “dravya” or material in the SVA tradition. Vaidya recounts that whenever he traveled in the summer, in India, raw coconut water would be his preferred rehydration drink. Street peddlers would sell whole raw coconut ready to be chopped open on the spot for thirsty travelers – the best support against humid heat and dehydration. The sutra-­‐s say that coconut water and coconut is very rich in “soma,” but Vaidya  reminds us that coconut water has liquid soma, which is not clogging, while coconut pulp or flesh  has earthy soma, which can clog, particularly if someone has low agni or slow metabolic fire. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is soma predominant agneya, so it’s easier on metabolism even though it can cause some kapha aggravation or heaviness. But it’s not all.

In Ayurveda, there is an interesting precept called “svarup guna” perhaps best translated as: “what you see is what you get”! In other terms, it is the idea that shape (or form) and function are intimately connected. This means that the shape gives away the properties that we can expect. The best quickest example is to think of the walnut and how it is shaped like the brain. In addition, we know now that a walnut is, in comparison to other nuts, very high in omega-­‐3 fatty acids, which supports and nourishes the brain. The walnut looks like a brain and is a great food for the brain.

In this sense, a coconut is said to look like the skull, a dravya or food item that nourishes the skull and what it houses: the brain. In Ayurveda, coconut is considered to be a “mahamedhya” which means it is a great nourishing source for the “medhya” or the mind. It is also known to have the “santarpana” property, meaning it supplies balanced fatty lubrication for the brain.

In addition, coconut is “trishna nigrahan:” it removes excessive thirst. It is also “rasayan” – it nurtures the cellular system. It is only contraindicated if an individual has high kapha imbalance or is a high kapha body type, and carries clogged channels, has low metabolic fire or low agni, or has high shleshak kapha or too much lubrication naturally.

More specifically, it is to be avoided if an individual has imbalances with overall circulation (shleshak kapha) or congestion in the chest area in general – bronchitis etc.. Here is what Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum found, in modern research, on Coconut water and milk. Coconut water and milk have innumerable health benefits. She says:

“Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It provides many health benefits and possesses healing properties. It is used extensively in traditional medicine among Asian and Pacific populations. Pacific Islanders consider coconuts to be the cure for all illnesses.

The coconut is so highly valued by them as both a source of food and medicine that it is called “The Tree of Life”. Only recently has modern medical science unlocked the secrets to coconut’s amazing healing powers.

In traditional medicine around the world coconut is used to treat a wide variety of health problems, including the following: abscesses, acne, asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cough, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, irregular or painful menstruation, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rashes, scurvy, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, weakness, and wounds.

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:

• Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS and other illnesses
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea and other diseases
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s foot, thrush, diaper rash and other infections
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia and other parasites
• Provides a nutritional source of quick energy
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals and amino acids
• Improves insulin secretion and utilizations of blood glucose
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes
• Reduces problems associated with mal-­‐absorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth
• Helps protect against osteoporosis
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers
• Improves digestion and bowel function
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids
• Reduces inflammation
• Supports tissue healing and repair
• Supports and aids immune system function
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon and other cancers
• Is heart healthy: improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay
• Functions as a protective antioxidant
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Relieves Symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement)
• Reduces epileptic seizures
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections
• Dissolves kidney stones
• Helps prevent liver disease
• Is lower in calories than all other fats
• Supports thyroid function
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward off infection
• Reduces symptoms associated with psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin and age spots
• Promoted healthy looking hair and complexion
• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun
• Helps control dandruff

This long list of health benefits comes from the fact that the type of fat in coconuts is a medium-­‐chain fatty acid (MCFA). 98% of all the fats we eat consist of long chain fatty acids (LCFA). It’s the medium chain in the coconut oil that makes it different from all other fats and for the most part gives it its unique character and healing properties.

Medium chain fatty acids are easily digested, absorbed and put to use in nourishing the body. Approximately 50% of the fatty acids in coconut fat are lauric acid, a fat found in mother’s milk. Lauric acid has the beneficial function of being formed into monolaurin in the body. Monolaurin is the antiviral, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal monoglyceride used by the body to destroy lipid-­‐coated viruses such as HIV, herpes and influenza.

Unlike other fats, they put little strain on the digestive system and provide a quick source of energy necessary to promote healing. This is important for patients who are overcoming serious illness or injury. Even athletes are now using them to boost performance and control weight.Unfortunately, few foods contain this type of fat; the best source is from coconuts – fresh, not canned – the canned coconut milk is lacking all the vitamins and minerals in the fresh product.

So now you have 4 ways to use a coconut – just tapping into the top soft hole of the coconut, and pouring out the coconut water an drinking it immediately (once it is taken from the coconut, the nutrients start to oxidize, make sure it does not taste sour or rancid/old), making a cultured probiotic drink from the coconut water (see Malvika make it on You-­‐Tube) making freshly made and highly nourishing coconut milk (blend the coconut meat with water and strain) and using the dessicated coconut meat left behind after making the coconut milk. Keep in mind that we normally do not recommend eating or cooking with coconut oil unless you have a
strong digestive fire, since it is a cold fat, too heavy and hard to digest. You could, however, massage the body with it during the summer or anytime if you have excess pitta (heat) in the system or rashes on the skin. Some people say that using coconut oil for their daily oil massage actually makes their rash a little worse. This can happen due to the coldness of the coconut oil closing up the pores in the skin, making it difficult for the heat to escape, thus creating a buildup of heat and a worsening of the rash (or eczema, etc.). We have an oil called “SVA Pitta Abhyanga Oil” which has herbs cured into it to prevent the pores from closing up, which will help give you the benefit of the cooling coconut oil without the side effects of the heat getting trapped under your skin. Keep in mind that the skin absorbs all the beneficial nutrients in the oil; you don’t have to swallow and digest the oil to gain its benefits.

Adding some coconut to your daily regimen, either through your diet, or transdermally, through Vaidya’s creams or oils, can only be a great step towards optimizing your health mental and physical.”