New Arrivals Archives - Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda

Castor oil and Toe-nail Fungus

September 25, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra 2 Comments

I was very surprised to hear about the dangerous effects of repeatedly using castor oil on the skin.

I have used castor oil packs on my body for years, and had very satisfactory results. Also I have applied castor oil to my feet to help combat nail fungus. Do you advise me to stop both these practices?

Thank you for your informative newsletter. Marcia

Vaidya Replies:

Dear Marcia: after having done extensive research on castor oil, in my opinion, long-term use of castor oil negatively impacts the health of the nerves. In your case, since you have been applying it on your skin, it may impact the nerve endings of your skin. Try to substitute castor oil with other oils, such as almond, or jojoba oil. For your fungus, I have formulated a Cassia tora Plus spray, and a Cassia tora lotion. You can first apply the Cassia tora plus spray to clean the toenails gently. This can be done at night. After that you apply the Cassia tora lotion. This may help you, without giving you side effects in the long-term, without damaging your nerves and nerve-endings. You can call our office and ask for a complimentary sample kit to try it out. Cassia tora seeds are very famous in Ayurveda for addressing fungus in a healthy way. Alternately, fungus occurs due to several reasons, but also due to poor circulation on our toes and finger nails where toxins can get stuck. May I suggest you adopt a good oil to massage your hands and feet twice daily, morning and evening, and keep circulation flowing.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals

Does your Laundry Detergent grow on Trees?

August 28, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra 2 Comments

If it does not, then you are transdermally poisoning yourself on a daily basis!

We know, with Ayurveda, that there are four kinds of toxins that can harm us. But one of them is particularly insiduous, as it is slow and silent, creeping into our physiology at our own invitation, poisoning us slowly but surely, day in and day out (you can read more about all 4 types on my blog at www.vaidyamishra.com/blog).

We chose to wake up to it and fall asleep with it every day. In Ayurveda, it is called “garavisha” from “gara” = slow, and “visha” = poison. It refers to poisoning by heavy metals and other naturally occurring elements in nature. In the west, we have named toxic substances that harm us: “xenobiotics.” By definition, xenobiotics are foreign chemical substance found within an organism that are normally not meant to be there as they are not naturally produced by or expected to be present within that organism. We are poisoning ourselves daily with a wide range of carcinogenic health hazardous toxic chemicals from sunrise to sunset: starting with that toothpaste that contains chemical additives, the mouthwash that has synthetic flavors and colors, our shampoo and conditioner, our bath soaps, the perfume or deodorants we use to cover up body odor, the make-up we apply on our faces to conceal fatigue and aging, even the room air-fresheners. But while we may chose not to use some of the above items, something none of us can do without is: detergent.

Did you know that the detergent that you use to wash your clothes leaves behind a trail of toxic chemicals that come in direct contact with your skin, not just during your waking hours, but while you are also asleep. Did you know that this is the worse poison you can expose yourself to?

All laundry detergents that are traditionally formulated to clean and sanitize your sheets, and clothes contain a long list of chemicals that are highly hazardous to health. All these chemicals have been identified by research as xenobiotics, and in Ayurveda, we know them to be slow poisons, or garavisha. Garavisha slowly spreads into the body so that you won’t feel anything for weeks, months, or years. But that chronic and/or autoimmune condition that you suddenly wake up to one fine morning will be its gift down the line. Here is a list of all the toxic chemicals that you are exposing yourself to. Your current detergent may contain some or all of the following toxic hazardous ingredients:

Synthetic Fragrances – 75% of the fragrances contain phthalates. Phthalates have been linked to diabetes, obesity and hormone disruption which affects both development and fertility. They are derived from petroleum and include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxins and synthesizers.

Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPEs) – This group of nonionic surfactant petrochemicals has already been banned in Canada and the European Union, but it is still found in American detergents. NPEs are endocrine disruptors that adversely affect physical function and fetal development. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to these chemicals, which are known to adversely affect neurologic, immune, cardiac, kidney and liver function as well.

Bleach, (Sodium Hypochlorite) – Sodium hypochlorite and other cleaning chemicals such as fragrances and surfactants react to generate chlorinated VOCs ( volatile organic compounds), which are very toxic and are considered human carcinogens. Chlorinated compounds are emitted during use; as it flows down the drain, bleach can produce organochlorines ( OC) , which are endocrine disruptors, neurotoxic, and carcinogenic.

EDTA ( ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) – This group of compounds is used as an alternative to phosphates to reduce mineral hardness in water, to prevent bleaching agents from becoming active before they are put in water, and also as a foaming stabilizer. EDTA has been found to be citotoxic (kills cells) and as well as genotoxic (damages DNA) in laboratory animals.

Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonates (LAS) – These synthetic petrochemicals are normally listed as “anionic surfactants” on labels, and are one of the most common surfactants in use. During their production process, carcinogenic and reproductive toxins such as benzene are released into the environment. They also biodegrade slowly, making them a hazard in the environment. The amount of LAS used in detergents may vary to as high as 30% of the weight of the total product

Phosphates – Phosphates are the main cleaning ingredients in many detergents and household cleaners because they break down dirt particles and remove stains by softening the water and allowing suds to form, which enhances the cleaning power of the detergent. Phosphates residues are known to cause nausea, diarrhea and skin irritation. They remain active even after wastewater treatment processes and end up in rivers and lakes, where they act as “toxic fertilizer”.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) , Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), and Ammonium Laurel Sulfate (ALS) – are commonly used in detergents and acts as surfactants and emulsifiers, giving the detergent foaming abilities. Over 16,000 research studies on SLS have shown links to irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, biochemical or cellular changes and even cancer.

A great amount of studies have been conducted on the toxic health hazardous chemical fumes – VOC volatile organic compound – that penetrate our bodies via different means: inhalation; transdermally through our skin; through exposure to contaminated food and water. Entering the body through different pathways, xenobiotics, or garavisha, travels all the way deep into the body by crossing the bodily tissues one after the other: rasa(lymphatic tissue), rakta (blood tissue), mamsa (muscle), meda(fat), asthi(bone), majja(bone marrow), and shukra (reproductive tissue). Depending on whether these toxic chemical fumes are lipid or water soluble, they find their host either in the fat tissue, or if they are water soluble, they remain in the blood tissue.

Impact on the tissues/“dhatus”

Travelling from one tissue deeper into the other, and depending on their solubility (fat or water), they permanently come to reside where they are best absorbed. When they come in contact with toxins that are already present there, such as the micro-crystals of “amavisha,” then they chemically bind themselves to each other and become even more toxic and virulent, traveling to deeper bodily tissues. The deeper they go, the greater the opportunity for them to create local and generalized damage to cells and bring about chronic conditions and diseases.

For example, when they reach the bone marrow, such a toxic load can create difficult-to-treat conditions and auto-immune diseases. This is a very big topic in Ayurveda, and I have discussed it at great length in many of my courses and lectures.

Impact on the Organs

When it comes to the organs, based on where the toxic damage is located, whether it is in the respiratory tract, or the skin, or the liver, the body will generate different symptoms. The liver, lung, and the skin are usually the immediate victims because they have to process these toxins first and foremost.

Think about it: when you walk past your laundry room and you are either washing or drying your clothes and the air is filled with that synthetic “fresh and clean soap scent,” you are inhaling a cloud of toxic chemicals in your lungs! When these go into the lungs, they inflame the bronchial channels. Long term exposure will burden the lungs and cause breathing problems and complications resulting in disease.

Then when you put on those clothes, the toxic chemical micro-molecules get immediately absorbed by your skin and delivered into your blood stream. From then on, your body will respond to these hostile toxins either with a skin rash, skin inflammation, or you might not feel anything for a while, and the toxic build-up will continue to accumulate in your body, until you get a different symptom that’s harder to identify and address!

Our bodies are endowed with a great capacity to protect themselves against external toxic materials, they are also highly intelligent and know how to detox when hazardous chemical infiltrate. But if you keep exposing yourself day in and day out to these chemicals, inhaling them, placing them on your skin, it becomes harder for our body, with time, to keep detoxing, and we end up losing the battle.

Most of all, your liver will give up! The liver is the most important organ in our bodies that is in charge of filtering all the toxins we get exposed to. The biggest victim of xenobiotics is by far, the liver. When the liver is challenged, then the intelligence of our blood is diminished, as the liver produces our blood. When our blood loses its intelligence, then our bone marrow tissue becomes compromised. When our bone marrow is under toxic attack and compromised, our immunity fails. The greatest diseases of our age result from challenged and weakened immune systems.

Impact on the physical channels

Xenobiotics have deleterious effects on all levels of our bodies: large and small, gross and subtle. According to Ayurveda, our micro circulatory channels, called “shukshma shrotas” in Sanskrit, transport and deliver enzymes, nutrients, and many other life-sustaining ingredients and vibrations. When these micro channels are affected and become inflamed due to xenobiotics, they rupture, and the whole chemical balance of our physiology, on a very deep subtle level, is disrupted, resulting in a myriad of incurable diseases.

Impact on Nadi-s, or Vibrational Channels

Vibrational channels receive and deliver pranic energy. Pranic energy is what animates creation, life as we know it on earth. From this energy, our body gets sustenance for all it does. Xenobiotics are made up of synthetic chemicals. They d

o not carry any pranic energy at all. Theirs is an non-pranic vibration that fights against the cosmic pranic energy, as it gets mixed up in our bodies with our own pranic energy. It is liking mixing water soluble ingredients with water, oil soluble with oil, vibrational materials with vibration. The non-pranic vibration from these synthetic chemicals mixes with and pollutes prana because they are both operating on the same level. When xenobiotics race through our blood, disrupting the flow of our bodily pranic energy, they travel and take-over the nadi-s, corrupting in particular the sandhi-s or gaps between two nadi-s where pranic transformation and transmission happens. When things get disrupted on this subtle level, then all bodily metabolic transformation get compromised. This is akin to the impact that electromagnetic radiation has on our bodies.

Isn’t it time we stopped poisoning ourselves? Why use health-hazardous chemicals when we can use the detergent that mother nature intended for us? Soapnuts (Sapindus mukorossi) grow on trees, that grow wild all over India and Asia. They are natural cleaning berries (the seed is discarded and the shell is used) whose shells release saponins, a natural substance that works much like soap for removing dirt and grease residues from clothes as well as other surfaces. It can be used with hot or cold water. It’s been used in Ayurveda for ever as part of formulations for washing hair! I have been using it in my SVA HerbRich Shampoo for years.

Soapnuts are biodegradable, eco-friendly, sustainable and hypoallergenic. They clean and soften your laundry. They are also the best thing for babies! I have added strands of Vetiver to give additional freshness and cleanliness. With the Soapnuts, you can not only steer clear of toxic hazardous chemicals that poison your household, but you will also avoid polluting your environment and nature with toxic chemical residues that disrupt the plant and animal cycles on earth. Soapnuts are compostable, sustainable, and fragrance-free. You will never want to use anything else after you see how bright it will make your whites, and bring back the color in your colors, adding softness and freshness, and keeping you garavisha-free all year round! Mother Nature has always given us all that we ever needed, and more! Isn’t the greatest show of gratitude for her gifts the actual use of those gifts, so we can protect our lives and the environment she created for us to thrive in?

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals Tagged With: biodegradable, cleaning, detergent, detergente, ecofriendly, home, lavar, liquid detergent, soap, soapnuts, sustainable, wash

The Benefits of Iron for Health through SV Ayurveda

August 3, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra 4 Comments

Iron is an important necessary ingredient in our blood. But do you specifically know how many ailments and imbalances it can address? Long before we could scientifically study the importance of iron for our body’s overall health, its health benefits were already well known by the ancient sages. One 16th century text called “Rasa Tarangini” covers the topic of mineralogy in Ayurveda exhaustively. I will be using it to describe the health benefits of iron for day to day modern life. Here is one verse:

Properties and health benefits of Iron!

As the verse above explains, iron in sanskrit is called “loha.” In terms of quality, it is rough and dry. Its taste is sweet, but it carries a post-digestive bitter taste. Its vidhya, or potency, is cooling and heavy. It is also astringent, stimulating and supports weight-reduction.

In addition, the verse explains that iron is very good for the eyes. It is invigorating, and supports sexual stamina. It corrects imbalances of the stomach and helps eliminate pitta and kapha related imbalances!

Furthermore: it enhances the skin’s complexion, supports the mind’s functioning: dhi – power of learning, dritti – power of retaining, and smritti – power of recall. Iron supports virility in men, and the overall body. When used properly, it can address many imbalances and diseases.

In another verse of the Rasa Tarangini (Chapter 20 Verse 84), we read:

This verse explains that loha, or iron, enhances the digestive power, supports the body and rejuvenates it. It helps correct chronic skin problems. Nourishes and thus supports the body in its fight against tumors, bacteria. Iron maintains optimal hemoglobin levels, even as it enhances fat metabolism. Iron is great for sugar metabolism; helps one get rid of nausea; supports the lungs. It also helps optimize the properties of different herbs, thus acting like a “yogavahi” – it helps carry and deliver herbs to their destination faster and more efficiently in the cellular system.

Yet another verse explains:

This verse says that iron can be as fierce as a lion when ridding the body of herpes. Iron can help with chronic pain conditions, supports the

body’s inner vitality, and addresses chronic inflammatory conditions. It can help with several liver disease conditions. It also helps with hemorrhoids.

Another verse says:

This verse explains that iron helps with chronic problems of absorption, chronic inflammation of the glands in the neck. In addition, it supports the menstrual flow, and pacifies inflammation in the kidneys. Iron supports the heart, and helps the body fight combat chronic fever.

In verse number 89, we read that:

This verse explains that iron is good for diabetic conditions, that it supports and nourishes the

muscle tissue, and nurtures the female body against overall decay after childbirth.

Verse 90 says that:

This sutra explains that iron helps heal the throat, helps with rheumatoid arthritis. It can also have a healing effect on liver related fistulas, when used in combination with different proper herbs. Iron can help heal sinusitis, and hyperacidity.

In verse 92, we read that:

During puberty, iron can help go with hormonal balance, allowing for a smoother puberty, in terms of the menstrual cycle. It can also be used to help support and heal the duodenum, and balance the flow of blood.

Verse 93 says that: iron helps blood supply to the nerves, it helps give better deeper sleep for anemics, it supports the bone tissue in rheumatoid arthritis individuals, and helps maintain the bone tissue by supporting the detox of amavisha, or virulent toxins from it.

Even more, in verse 94, we read that it helps relieve fatigue from the body, enhances overall mental strength, supports hemoglobin levels for women in menopause, specially if there is significant blood loss during menopause.

In verse 95, we read that iron helps with imbalances created by the weakness of the nervous system.

And there are still many more verses covering the benefits of iron for the human physiology, when it is used properly, and with the synergistic

combination of other ayurvedic herbs.

You will also have noticed that these ancient verses list all the possible benefits of iron, specially all the ones modern medicine has also delineated for us. In my SVA lineage, we use iron in combination with distinct additional ayurvedic herbs, for added benefit as well as for targeting distinct conditions and situations. Currently, I have made available a total of 4 kinds of iron Herbal Memory Nectar drops, to address the general deficiency of iron, as well as for advanced specific needs.

SVA Loha and Maha Loha Herbal Memory Nectar Drops

The first two are SVA Loha and Maha Loha, These are identical formulas, except that Maha Loha carries a four times higher quantity or concentration of iron molecules than the regular version, made specifically for those who need the higher concentration. The following herbs are also added to enhance the absorption and delivery of the iron molecules. In addition to loha, these

formulas contain the following ingredient-wise properties:

• Bhring raj (Eclipta alba) is a famous ayurvedic herb that helps enhance the intelligence of the liver and thus supports the physiology so it can properly metabolize and use iron.

•Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) I add so as to enhance the intelligence of the iron molecules to be delivered to the bone marrow.

•Bhumi amla (Phyllantus niruri) to nourish and enhance the intelligence of liver

•Mahasudarshan churn is a classical formula that contains a great number of different ingredients. It supports the intelligence of the liver as well as the detox of the liver.

•Green cardamom pods (Cardamomum) to enhance the efficacy of iron.

• Wild amla (Phyllantus emblica) enhances to absorption of the iron molecules, and secures their delivery into the muscle tissue

• Triphala is made up of Amla (Phyllantus emblica), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Bhibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica). I add this to prevent from the common possible side effect of iron: constipation.

SVA Amla Loha

This specific formula is called “Dhatri Loha” in classical Ayurveda. The word “dhatri” is almost identified with the name amla, because of the health- bestowing properties of the fruit. The literal meaning of “dhatri” is: that which gives, that which takes care of, that which is – in its

giving nature – like a nurturing, sustenance-giving, woman! In this formula the amla is added in very high potency to enhance the absorption and use of iron, and give it the potency of heme iron. Scientific studies have confirmed the ancient ayurvedic knowledge which states that in the presence of ascorbic acid, the potency and delivery of iron becomes as powerful as heme iron. However, the embellic acid contained in the amla plant is even more potent than ascorbic acid, and it empowers the iron even further. In addition, amla enhances protein synthesis, so this protein synthesis property of amla, synergistically combined with iron, acts as a highly nurturing formulation for the muscle tissue. I have also added DGL in good quantity in the formula to help pacify and keep overall pitta of the liver and stomach in check.

SVA Guduchi Loha

Guduchi is a very famous herb used to enhance and support the intelligence of all seven physical bodily tissues. It is ideal when used for targeted delivery to the bone marrow. Countless scientific studies have also found that Guduchi can boost the immune system. Guduchi is a very balanced herb for nurturing and detoxifying, so in this formula along with iron, I’ve synergistically added enough quantities of guduchi, so that the micromolecules of iron can reach the bone marrow. In addition, ginger, “pippali,” and black pepper together make up a very ancient

formula called “trikatu.” Trikatu is the best “yogavahi,” a product or herb that facilitates targeted delivery for greater faster effectiveness. I have

also added a SVA formulation called “Soma Shakti” to these drops. This is a classical formula whose main ingredient is shilajeet. The ayurvedic shastras say that adding shilajeet to the iron bhasma makes the iron more potent and useful for the body.

These two formulas contain nano-particles of iron, infused in the intelligence of the herbs, spices and essential oils found in the formula. These two formulas are very potent; however, for best results, use under the guidance of a SVA expert.

Disclaimer: the description of herbs, plants, ingredients, and combinations offered in the above articles and verses are meant for educational purposes only. If you have, or suspect you have, any medical condition, check with your medical doctor or physician before using any of the herbs or products mentioned above to your daily protocol.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Featured Products, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals Tagged With: amla, anemia, anemic, anemics, bhumi amla, blood, FE, guduchi, health, hemoglobin, herbal, herbs, hierro, iron, maha, menopause, nutrition, puberty, sexual stamina, stamina

More Health, Happiness, and Prosperity this Spring!

March 19, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra Leave a Comment

How can you invite (more) health, happiness, and prosperity in your life? The Charak Samhita explains that the desire for life (praneshan), prosperity (dhaneshan), and the continuation of total happiness through extended life and prosperity in the after-life (paralokeshana) are part of the make-up of human nature. We are all born with the these 3 innate pursuits:

(Charak Samhita Sutrasthan, Ch. 11, Verse 3).
Ayurveda is not only about herbs and disease. It’s a complete “scientific” approach that addresses matters of the physical, mental, and spiritual health, encompassing matters of social life as well. However, one thing is clear: total health (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) is the foundation for all other aspects of life. The Charak Samhita reminds us:

A-rogya, or the absence of disease, is the root of the tree of life. When health is present, then the tree of life can branche off into four main extensions: a) dharma: fulfilling one’s life purpose; b) artha: generating prosperity physically and spiritually in order to thrive; c) kama: partaking of the joys and pleasures of life whether physical or spiritual; d) moksha: reaching a state of fulfillment where we carry no unfulfilled frustrated desires and we long for union with the source of all life, or God. When we are healthy physically and mentally, we can experience the four stages of life in a fulfilling manner.
Desiring prosperity is for one and all. But prosperity and generosity go hand in hand. The prosperous thrive and generate more wealth by sharing it even as they grow. That is why, in the vedic tradition, invoking Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is considered highly auspicious. Kuber is a great devotee of Laxmi, and has been bestowed with the title of “treasurer of universal wealth.” Invoking him, and keeping his yantra, or geometric motif, is said to initiate wealth and prosperity.

The Kuber Kolam is a yantra, a vedic geometric diagram in the form of a grid containing the numbers 20-28 arranged in such an order that all lines, whether read horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, add up to 72.

The SVA Kuber Kolam in pure Sterling Silver is an auspicious object that will help you usher in wealth and prosperity when established in the North East corner of your residence. You can recite the Kuber mantra when installing your yantra or play the Kuber mantra – as recited by Vaidya Mishra – in the background, on soft volume. You can keep the mantra playing in that room 24/7 on soft volume.

In Vedic culture, Lord Kuber is recognized as the initiator of wealth and prosperity. He is the celestial treasurer of the riches of the universe. In an ancient story narrating the marriage of Lord Vishnu (as Venkateshwara) to Padmavati, he is said to have advanced all the money needed to pay for the lavish wedding expenses. Lord Vishnu remained in his debt; hence, to this day, devotees go to the Tirupati temple in South India to donate money in Venkateshwara’s Hundi – “donation pot” – is so that he can pay it back to Kuber!

He appears in many ancient Vedic texts with many different epithets: he enjoys the title of “king of the whole world”, “king of kings” (Rajaraja), “Lord of wealth” (Dhanadhipati) and “giver of wealth” (Dhanada). Kubera is also called Guhyadhipa (“Lord of the hidden”). He is also “dikpala” or protector of the North direction although he is also sometimes associated with the East – it is thus good to install his yantra in the North-East corner of your residence. The Atharvaveda calls him the “god of hiding.” In the Manusmriti, he becomes a respectable Loka-pala or “world protector,” and the patron of merchants. In the epic Mahabharata, Kuber is described as the son of Prajapati Pulastya ,and his wife Idavida and the brother of sage Vishrava.The Puranas and the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana grant Kuber unquestioned “godhood” – executer of the laws of Nature that usher in wealth and prosperity. He is also known as Loka-pala – “world protector.” As the treasurer of the riches of the universe, he is known to have Laxmi Devi’s express blessings, and is usually remembered during Diwali, or the Autumn Festival of Lights in India. Installing Kuber’s Kolam is considered to be highly auspicious.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Featured Products, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals Tagged With: flowers, happiness, kolam, kuberkolam, light, mala, shakti, spring, spring time

“Lights On!” Inside and Out: Total SVA Eye Care with Marma and Ayurvedic Herbs

February 20, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra 6 Comments

Without our eyes we would not only not see the world we live in, but we would also not be connected to our inner light, says Vaidya Mishra. Our “inner light” is our “satwa,” the incandescent source that keeps us connected to cosmic life. In SVA, we learn that the physical eyes are the gateway that guide us from the individual satwa to the universal satwa, from jivatma to paramatma. When we close our eyes and shut out the hustle and bustle of the sensory world, it is our eyes that yogically turn on the inner light, and re-connect our subtle being with its source, guiding us back home to ourselves. Keeping our eyes physically healthy is therefore key.

In Ayurveda, the eyes or “chakchu” are a predominantly agneya organ, characterized by transformational energy. Through the eyes, we not only see, but we also “cook” or transform what we see into information and experience.

The eyes are run by several sub-doshas, but “alochak pitta” is the primary subdosha to address when trying to keep your eyes healthy. Alochak pitta works in tandem with all other four pitta sub-dosha-s that govern our body: pachaka in the stomach, ranjaka in the liver, sadhaka in the heart, and bhrajaka in the skin. Alochaka, however, shares a special relation with ranjaka and s

adhaka. In this sense, if one of them those go off, the likelihood of the others going off is greater.

To keep our eyes healthy, there are several things SVA recommends locally, as well as generally.

Diet: is always key for pacifying subdoshas, and particularly so for pitta. Avoiding pitta-aggravating sour, pungent, acidic foods, salty foods, and instead eating lots of colorful vegetables, as well as seasonal sweet juicy fruits can work wonders. Also, not skipping or delaying meals will help keep pachak pitta in balance in the stomach.

Take care of sadhak and ranjak pitta: taking care of of our sadhak pitta and ranjak pitta can work wonders for the care of your eyes. Sadhak pitta governs the heart, and processes our emotions and thoughts. Ranjak pitta governs the liver and processes the food we ingest. Making sure that both sadhaka and ranjaka are cool and balanced will help support the eyes. All the things that help k

eep your emotions happy and healthy will keep your sadhak pitta in balance: from garnering positive mental habits to avoiding horror movies, going to bed on time and making sure you get some laughs and down time daily, you can keep sadhak pitta in check. Ranjak pitta gets affected by mental and emotional predisposition as much as bad food, and stress. So putting attention on managing your life and diet will help keep ranjak pitta in check.

Ashoka, Arjuna, Rose, DGL, and more: can play a central role when used daily and properly. For example, Ashoka, Arjuna, Rose, De-glycerized Licorice, are wonderful herbal support for pitta subdoshas. SVA formulations that can readily help you pacify pitta subdoshas: the Samadhi Set (cream or roll-on) with Ashoka; rose is a balm for pitta! You can use it in any form or shape as an external transdermal application, as an aroma therapeutic addition, or ingest it in the SVA Rose preserve form. Then DGL – either as a loose ingredient to make tea with (1 pinch DGL powder, 2 rosebuds, 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp coriander seeds – these proportions are per cup – drink no more than 2 cups a day); or as a cream or roll-on to apply on the liver area. Of course, SVA Pitta Tea, and SVA Pitta Masala are always great delicious additions to daily diet. Other ingredients that are also known to be of great help for the eyes are the amalaki berry (Wild Amla Capsules), Calcium (Soma Cal capsules), Triphala (Triphala for High Pitta Capsules).

Marma point massage for the eyes: particularly for alochak pitta, doing eye marmas with Lalita’s age-defying cream or Vaidya Mishra’s ALA cream, or the SVA Triphala ghee before going to bed are ideal. If you do spend too many hours a day working on the computer, do the eye marma massage protocol in the morning as well. In this day and age, whether we are working on the computer, or starting at one of our many electronic devices’ screens, our eyes are overexposed to EMF and EMR. This electric that has been a technological boon is burning the “soma” of our eyes. Our eyes being agneya organs need a continuous supply of soma either through food, or from the environment. For example, you may consider keeping some plants in your work area, or take a break from work by going out into a garden or a park, and giving your eyes a break by staring at long distance objects to release and relax the eye muscles as well. You can also spray Vaidya’s Vayu Shudhi air freshener, it will not only refresh the air but its herbal aromatic ingredients will replenish the soma in the air.

Herbalized Clay to Soak EMF/EMR: for those working extended hours on the computer, or surrounded by many computers, the impact of EMF and EMR excessively reduces the soma in the eyes. Here is a soothing and restoring remedy one can use after a long day of overusing the eyes at the screen!

One teaspoon of SVA Skin Clay

2 tablespoons of warm or room temperature (not cold) water

Mix together in a bowl and turn into a thick paste,

Apply a spoonful on a band of clean cheesecloth, and then apply another spoon on the other side – measure so each spoonful will coincide with your eyelids once you lie down and place the cotton band on your eyes. Leave the cheesecloth on until your eyes are feeling or getting cold. Remove and discard the cheesecloth and wipe your eyes with cotton balls or cloth to remove any clay residue, then apply SVA Triphala Ghee on your eyelids and the temple area, massaging the eye marma-s. It is good to do this clay protocol before bed, as it will relax the brain, giving better sleep, even as it refresh

es and soothes your tired eyes.

The SVA Eye Marma points for overall eye health are:

phana marma points help to inhale soma and agni: soma through the left phana marma, agni from the right one. So constant cooling energy of soma to keep the eyes cool, and transforming the energy of agni to help the eyes process the images and deliver them to the brain.

Staphani marma in between the eyebrows to enhance the coordination between the eyes and brain.

Ajna Marma to connect the inner vision of the eyes with the light of the soul.

Shankha marma to release the stress built-up in the eyes

Apanga marma also releases stress

Urdhwa and Adhoakshi directly supply pranic energy to the whole visionary system.

6) Ayurveda has a wide array of unique ingredients for every organ and organ-system : For our eyes, Chakchushya is the best specific herb for healthy long eye life. Vaidya Mishra has added this ingredient into his SVA Lalita’s Eyeliner along with, bhasma of Mameera – bhasma means cooking it until it turns into a fine ash. Mameera is the traditional non-toxic ingredient for eye health. In addition, it supplies the rich black tint of the eyeliner. Then, Triphala if of course well-known for its three-dosha pacifying, detoxifying and nurturing effect on the eyes. Vaidya has made a special formula for the eyes that has Triphala and SVA Mum’s Ghee made from raw cream (not butter). Ghee made in the traditional method is particularly considered best for the eyes, because ghee carries a balanced amount of soma and agni. When Triphala is infused in the ghee it becomes nectar for the eyes! It will then not only nurture but also pacify alochak pitta and support alochak agni. Then, rose is ideal for eyecare. A preparation of r

ose water to rinse the eyes on a daily basis will work wonders for your eyes. Vaidya Mishra has added the very best rose essence to the Lalita’s Eyeliner, in addition to ghee, Chakchu Mameera, beeswax – which s also good and nurturing and gives a good consistency to the eyeliner.

7) ALA for the eyes: Vaidya has also formulated Alpha Lipoic Acid cream which is great for eye care. Due to chronological aging, or the extensive drying effect of EMF on the eyes, the circulation of blood to the optic nerve and retina gets slowed down. Alpha Lipoic Acid has been shown to have the specific beneficial ability to enhance the blood supply to the nerves. The eyes being an agneya organ (fiery and hot organ), ALA is ideal for soothing without overheating or stimulating the eyes further even as it enhances blood flow and circulation. Ideally, if you have tired sore eyes, it is great to do the marma protocol at night with SVA Triphala ghee, and then, in the morning, do the marma treatment with the ALA cream. The ALA cream is also a great cream to use fro eye care and eye marma massage, as it works like a gentle non-greasy facial cream base. You can do the eye marma massage with ALA and then continue your usual SVA facial marma massage with Lalita’s Facial oil or Age-defying cream.

The idea of having an ayurvedic herbal eyeliner is not a concept unique to SVA! The ayurvedic shastras are filled with different kinds of herbalized eyeliners, called “anjan,” to support and/or enhance the health and activity of the eyes. An eyeliner is a great way to address the health of your eyes on a daily basis, since it is easy to use and apply. With Vaidya Mishra’s total Eyecare Marma protocol, products, and Lalita’s Eyeliner, you can have the best of all worlds: benefits from ancient ayurvedic herbs, marma remedies, and ingredients to help you keep going looking and seeing you best in the modern world!

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals, Recipes Tagged With: alochak pitta, ayurvedic eyeliner, chakchusya, eye health, eyeliner, eyes, healthy eyes, light, make-up, memeera, new makeup, nutrition, pitta

Winter Body and Mind Care with Aromatherapy Soap Bars

January 23, 2015 by Vaidya Mishra Leave a Comment

Winter weather can be hard on our bodies and minds! Deep cold weather takes a toll on our skin, slow us down in general by shrinking our channels, but also ushers in the “winter blues” resulting from the gloom of grey skies and shorter days. Here are a few quick tips:

Keep a SVA diet and routine, with specific attention to your body type so as not to put-out agni; this is key to staying on top of your health. The SVA diet targets the health of your channels so you won’t put on or lose weight when you don’t need to.
Maintain a regular self-massage or abhyanga routine: this supports your winter-shrunk channels further but also keeps your skin moist and well lubricated, nourishing it transdermally
Use aromatherapy to chase away the winter blues! Scientists are not yet quite sure how the chemistry of aromatherapy works, but none questions its effects! Vaidya has put together new soap bars that can help you stay on top of things through aromatherapy, even as they nourish and balance your skin with a rich creamy base of organic Shea butter.

You know our skin is the largest organ of our bodies. The skin is not just a barrier between us and the world, it is an intelligent portal, governed by different ayurvedic principles. Ayurveda offers a lot of insight about the proper care of your skin during the different seasons of the

year. Keeping your skin moist and lubricated with regular daily – or at least weekly – self-massage is utmost; using massage oils that contain herbal synergies or nutrients is even better! Using a good toxin-free moisturizer to keep things balanced is of course recommended, but even if you do not heed regular massages or use moisturizers, what gets your skin most is the use of commercial soap bars.

Did you know that regular soaps strip your skin of its natural oil balance not only drying it out but also depleting its friendly bacteria, and delivering synthetic toxic chemicals -preservatives, and fragrances – transdermally to your entire physiology?

The majority of soaps on the market carry toxic foaming agents (SLS), or preservatives (Parabens), or many more coloring and aromatizing synthetic chemicals that reduce the natural lubrication of the skin. The skin is governed by 3 ayurvedic principles: shleshak kapha,vyana vata, and bhrajak pitta. Shleshak kapha helps maintain moisture levels and keeps the skin lubricated;Vyana vata keeps the balance of friendly bacteria and nutrients of the skin well distributed; and Bhrajak pittaprotects the skin by warding off unwanted particles and molecules from entering and going into the blood stream, while it invites and takes in all good molecules that are applied on the skin. When you use soaps and cleaning products with chemicals, you disrupt the balance established by these 3 ayurvedic principles one after another, and you can eventually develop chronic skin imbalances.

For example, regular soap bars dry your skin. This meansshleshak kapha goes off. When Shleshak kapha is off, thenvyana vata goes high, and this eventually brings downbhrajak pitta – the skin loses its intelligence as to what to absorb and what to reject. Using a drying

synthetic soap bar for prolonged periods of time will eventually bring in deeper imbalances.

Vaidya’s unique SVA aromatherapy soaps are made with the best organic Shea Butter, packed with the goodness of flower and plant essences, to achieve optimal therapeutic benefits.

What’s in the Aromatherapy Soaps

Energy

-Nutmeg energizes and balances the body, it is also known to support the nervous and endocrine system. Its sweet and musky aroma brings encouragement and spontaneity. Nutmeg has antiseptic properties.

-Sweet orange is an uplifting aroma whose properties also include: digestive, diuretic, expectorant, fungicidal, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, carminative.

Inspiration

-Neroli properties range from being a gentle antidepressant, aphrodisiac to being a soothing sedative and tonic substance amongst many other benefits.

-Tangerine is rich in the powerful antioxidant d-limonene. It also helps to release stress and occasional nervous irritability! Its fresh and citrus aroma is very calming to the mind and body.

Clarity

-Cedar wood properties: Cedar wood Essential Oil has an earthy aroma that is soothing and grounding. It is a well documented oil, used by the Sumerians, Egyptians and Tibetans.

It is also a known to have been used as a tonic, astringent, diuretic, insecticidal, sedative and fungicidal substance. Cedar-wood oil contains the highest amount of sesquiterpenes.

Sesquiterpenes are a hydrocarbon group that is found in essential oils. They stimulate the limbic system of the brain which helps to elevate our mood and helps us relax (overcome stress), hence Cedar wood’s potential in relaxing and helping with focus.

-Ylang-Ylang provides relief from stress, anger, expression and anxiety it strengthens the nervous system and helps maintain healthy skin.

Serenity

-Lavender can relieve nervous tension; it has been used to disinfect the scalp and skin,enhance blood circulation and treat respiratory problems.
-Rosemary is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds- these are thought to help boost the immune system and improve blood circulation. Laboratory studies have shown rosemary to be rich in antioxidants, which play an important role in neutralizing harmful particles called free radicals. It is also known to enhance memory and concentration.

This Winter, luxuriate in the bounty of Mother Nature through SVA flower essence blends – calm your mind and heart and nurture and hydrate your skin with Vaidya’s unique soap bars.

Filed Under: 2015, Archives, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, New Arrivals, New Herbs Tagged With: aromas, aromatherapy, aromatic, bath, bathe, essences, essential oils, flowers, neroli, nutmeg, oil, rosemary, shower, soaps, tangerine, ylang ylang

Chyawanprash; 52 Herbs for daily detox and rejuvenation

December 11, 2014 by Vaidya Mishra 4 Comments

The Rishi and The Princess

The intriguing story of Rishi Chyawan is documented in the ancient

epic tale of India, the Mahabharata. Rishi Chyawan was a great seer. He was fully enlightened and thus carried no desires in his heart, except for union with the cosmic divine. It is said that he sat immobile, his senses fully retracted into the silent self-referral bliss of meditation, for numerous years, until one day, Sukanya, the young and beautiful daughter of King Sharyati, found him and accidentally awoke him from his yogic trance. The aging rishi and the young princess were soon wed. However, their conjugal bliss was overshadowed by the rishi’s old ascetic body.

It is then told that the celestial twin physicians, the Ashvinis, came to the rishi’s help.Physicians to the gods, they had garnered the entirety of Ayurvedic knowledge for the benefit of mankind and the celestial realm. They prepared a mixture that contained the best of what Mother Nature offered in terms of divine healing, balancing, and rejuvenating altogether 52 herbs, and presented it to Rishi Chyawan. Rishi Chyawan ate it, and it restored his body to its original youthful glow and functionality in no time! And the rishi and the princess lived happily ever after….

The recipe became known as Chyawan’s Prash, or the herbal mixture of Chyawan, renown for its tonic and rejuvenative powers.

Vaidya’s Story

“The sweet taste and rich aroma of home-made chyawanprash infuses my early childhood memories spent in the village of Vaidyachak (“Vaidya’s village”) in Jharkand, NorthEast India. My father used to prepare Chyawanprash for our family members, as well as his patients, from scratch. I used to watch him select the herbs, prep them, and, finally cook them.

Years later, when I studied Ayurveda formally and learnt of the countless benefits of all the herbs that go into the Chyawanprash formula, I had the desire to share it with all my ayurvedic patients, specially after moving to the West. That’s how, several years ago, I initiated the process of sourcing and gathering the best quality wild-crafted herbs that would go into the preparation. I wanted to make sure that I incorporated every single ingredient that was mentioned in the original formula without compromise of quality.

Finally, a few months ago, everything came together, and I put together this “avaleha,” or “liquid preserve,” just the way my father used to make it! I am very happy to say It smells and tastes just as good as I remember it!

How does it work?

Chyawanprash is Ayurveda’s gift to us. It brings together the best of all the “divyaushadhi,” or divine herbs, in a recipe that is not only balancing, but is a delicious addition to daily diet. It’s no accident that it is considered India’s national tonic!

The preparation of these 52 herbs and plants involves seven stages and is complex because the herbs that are used have different properties that need to be prepared in distinct separate steps before being combined together, in order to get the full benefit. The original creators of this formula, the Ashwin Gods, taught the way of infusing the different groups of herbs together, based on how they can be categorized property-wise. The herbs that go into the mixture can be grouped into three:

rasayana or rejuvenative herbs
detoxifying and cleansing herbs
immuno-modulatory herbs

Deriving the lipid and water soluble fractions of these herbs, while

infusing their balancing properties into the base of the alma berry paste (amalaki) is thus a challenging process that has to go through different time-sensitive steps. But when it is done properly, when the powerful molecules have been duly prepared and mixed in with the organic sugar and honey, the formulation is fully potent and active, benefiting the body as soon as it touches the oral mucosa. Once in the stomach, it detoxifies traveling through the gaps of the tissues and nourishing all the aspects of the physiology.

Chyawanprash is a daily tonic that is good for all age groups all the time – except infants and children age 5 and under. The original formula contains ghee, cane sugar, and honey. Please note that the addition of ghee, honey, and sugar is necessary as they help coat the herbal molecules and deliver them to the deeper tissues. They are added as balancing ingredients because the original formula is very potent with its concentrated content of herbs and amla. They are

not flavoring agents. And since they are consumed in conjunction with the dozens of herbs that are in the formula, they body is able to process and metabolize them fully. You will not make ama from the ghee, the sugar, or the honey – no one should experience discomfort or imbalance from the sugar and fat content. However, if you have fat and sugar sensitivities or prefer to avoid consuming either or both, I have put together a Chyawanprash Syrup that contains no added fat (ghee) and no added sugar (honey or raw can sugar). For those who have concerns consuming fat and/or sugar, this will be the ideal way to get the rejuvenative benefit of all the rasayana and other herbs that are part of the original formula.

What do Charak Samhita Sutra-s say about Chyawanprash?

According to the Charak Samhita, verses 70-74, Chyawanprash has countless health benefits!

Verse 70 says that:

Chyawanprash is a great tonic for the lungs, it can take care of chronic cough, and helps alleviate breathing trouble. It supports and helps older physiologies, helps reverse aging, and it nourishes the growth of children and young adults.

Verse 71 says:

Chyawanprash supports the vocal chords; nurtures all seven tissues; nourishes the heart; pacifies Vata dosha; nourishes the blood; takes care of excessive thirst. It helps the urinary tract; nourishes the reproductive fluid, and pacifies the aggravated dosha-s in the urinary tract.

Verse 72 says:

It can be consumed as a food item, as a dessert, after your midday meal. Do not eat at night as it can be too energizing and may interfere with sleep. Consuming chyawanprash as part of your daily diet will rejuvenate all age groups, making the old young again, and the young stronger!

Verse 73 says:

Increases intelligence; boosts memory; enhances glow and complexion of the skin; keeps the body disease-free; lengthens the life-span; strengthens all five senses. Chyawanprash supports and promotes marital or conjugal bliss, strengthening both male and female physiologies! It also supports the digestive metabolic fire; increases overall radiance; pacifies apana vata.

Verse 74 says:

This verse tells us that chyawanprash could also be used as part of the “kayakalpa” protocol. “Kayakalpa” literally means restoring youth to the body inside and out! There are two kinds of kayakalpa mentioned the Charak Samhita. One is called “Kuti praveshik” which is a protocol that is carried out indoors, under strict supervision. The other is “vaat tapik” or outdoors. The indoors protocol is more efficient, and the consumption of Chyawanprash is recommended for this protocol. This verse says that whoever uses Chyawanprash as a rasayana for the reversal of aging, will get all the benefits of kayakalpa – removal of old age, rejuvenation, reclaiming beauty, strength, youthful skin, etc. This verse confirms that Chyawanprash can be used on a daily basis, safely and effectively, for daily rejuvenation; or as a clinical preparation taken under supervision with specific dosage requirements when conducting “kayakalpa” treatments for the ultimate cleansing and renewing protocol that Ayurveda can offer.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Desserts, Health & Nutrition, Knowledge, Main Meals, New Arrivals, Sauces / Chutney / Marinades Tagged With: chutney, chyawanprash, formulation, herbs, new arrival, rasayana herbs, rejuvenate, syrup

Discover the benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid- with Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum

December 5, 2014 by Vaidya Mishra Leave a Comment

Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that is made by the body and is found in every cell where it helps turn glucose into energy. Antioxidants attack and neutralize “free radicals.” Free radicals are waste bi-products created when the body turns food into energy. When they are not properly and fully evacuated, free radicals cause harmful chemical reactions that can damage cells in the body. Overtime, they can also damage organs and tissues.

Most antioxidants are only water soluble, meaning they dissolve and become active only in the water medium (such as Vitamin C); others are only fat or lipid soluble, they are only active in the fatty tissues (such as Vitamin E). However, alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is both fat- and water-soluble, so it is active and effective throughout the body. Antioxidants in the body get used up as they attack and neutralize free radicals, but ALA can help regenerate these spent antioxidants and make them active again!

ALA can be naturally obtained from foods (especially spinach and broccoli), and the body also produces it naturally, but as we age, our bodies produce less and less of it.

Here are some common benefits and uses of lipoic acid:

1. ALA has been shown to reduce some harmful side effects of chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy drugs can damage nerve cells in the body, which can lead to a condition called peripheral neuropathy, in which patients feel pain or other abnormal sensations, usually in the hands or feet. In a study from Austria, 8 of 15 patients who received lipoic acid after taking their chemotherapy reported improved symptoms.

2. One study suggests that ALA might help reduce heart muscle damage caused by some chemotherapy drugs.

3. A 2006 article reported that a combination of ALA and other antioxidants helped people with advanced cancer regain appetite and weight.

4. ALA has been shown to prevent accumulation of excess copper and iron in the cells due to its chelating (binding) capabilities.

5. Several studies suggest it may increase glutathione synthesis. Glutathione is the major detoxifying antioxidant. Other researchers have found that the numerous immunizations children receive damage the glutathione system, which can increase the risk of autism.

6. ALA has been shown to increase vasodilation of the blood vessels due to its effects on the inner lining (endothelium) of the vascular system. High levels of cortisol released from the adrenal glands under stress can create the opposite: vasoconstriction, where the blood vessels can tighten up, creating high blood pressure, both systemically and in the eyes, causing glaucoma. Thus, ALA shows promise for reducing the pressure in patients with both high blood pressure and glaucoma.

7. ALA fed to mice with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been found to slow the progression of the disease.

8. Another study showed ALA to be highly effective in reducing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. The inner lining of the cells (endothelium) in the brain are very tightly bound preventing toxins from entering the brain. This is nature’s way of protecting the brain from harm. Much research has now been done on the immunizations children receive – the aluminum adjuvant and formaldehyde used as preservatives in the shots weaken the endothelial cells, thus loosening the blood-brain barrier, making it easier for these toxins to enter the brain creating autism.

9. Overwhelming evidence in numerous studies now suggests that lipoic acid may be critical for not only maintaining optimal blood sugar levels by helping the body to use glucose, but also for supporting insulin sensitivity and key aspects of cardiovascular health, such as endothelial function. It can even help lower cholesterol.

10. ALA can amplify the positive effects of other important antioxidants in the body, such as glutathione and Coenzyme Q10 – two essential compounds in the fight against aging and disease.

11. ALA protects the mitochondria, the energy-producing factories of cells, from being damaged by oxidative stress, thus ensuring that energy production in the body remains efficient.

12. ALA promotes better eye health by increasing levels of essential antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase, which will help prevent cataracts, glaucoma and retinal cell death.

13. ALA is able to pass readily into the brain and reach all parts of a nerve cell. Studies have shown that ALA reduced brain damage after a stroke, and that those animals who received ALA had a survival rate 3x greater than those that did not.

14. New evidence also suggests that lipoic acid may help guard against one of the most dreaded conditions associated with aging – Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have identified a series of mechanisms through which lipoic acid may work in helping prevent or manage Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists believe that lipoic acid may increase the production of acetylcholine, an essential nervous system messenger that is deficient in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease victims.

15. ALA appears to prevent migraines, due to its effects on dilating the blood vessels.

16. ALA suppresses the formation of osteoclast cells (they break down the bone) and thus prevent the loss of bone known as osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Clinically, have been using Vaidya Mishra’s ALA products for the past 9 months and I have been very pleased with the results. I have been prescribing it for a wide panoply of ailments to young and old alike with great success.

In many ways, this is a very unique SVA formulation to help address problems arising from toxic load in the body. In the SVA tradition, Vaidya and his ancestors pay a lot of attention to the detox pathways or micro and macro channels. In the presence of acidic toxins, the channels tend to shrink and hinder effective and safe detox. Vaidya has made many formulas that can dilate the channels, for example, his Sancharan transdermal Cream, which creates vasodilation by warming up and dilating the channels.

However, it is ideal to have a cooling, not heating or warming formulation, to support the dilation of channels. Sometimes if the accumulated toxins are too hot, one has to be very careful specially when using heating ingredients that are necessary for vasodilation.

With his ALA formulations, Vaidya has now made a vasodilator that can dilate channels and cools things down, without freezing them.

The SVA ALA products and remedies have become indispensable to my practice – from minor circulatory problems to chronic conditions: I even have our glaucoma patients apply it around the eyes and they get instant relief in their eye pressure; it helps my MS patients by dilating their channels so the nerve regenerating herbs like Sensitive plant and Laksha can penetrate deeper into the cells for healing.

The capsules are a great daily addition to anyone’s diet, as they are also alkalizing since Vaidya has added coral calcium to the formula.

References to Alpha Lipoic Acid Article

1. Androne, L., Gavan, NA, Veresiu IA, Orasan R. In vivo effect of lipoic acid on lipid peroxidation in patients with diabetic neuropathy. In Vivo. 2000; 14(2):327-330.

2. Clark WM< Rinker LG, Lessv NS, Lowery SL, Ciplla MJ. Efficacy of antioxidant therapies in transient focal ischemia in mice. Stroke. 2001; 32(4):1000-1004.

3. Faust A, Burkart V, Ulrich H, et al. Effect of lipoic acid on cyclophosphamide-induced diabetes and insulitis in non-obese diabetic mice. Int J Immunopharmacol. 1994; 16:61-66.

4. Head KA. Natural therapies for ocular disorders, part two: cataracts and glaucoma. Alternative Medicine Review. 2001;6(2):141-166.

5. Lynch MA. Lipoic acid confers protection against oxidative injury in non-neuronal and neuronal tissue. Nutr. Neuroscience. 2001:4(6):419-438.

6. Melhem MF, Craven PA, Derubertis FR. Effects of dietary supplementation of alpha lipoic acid on early glomerular injury in diabetes mellitus. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2001;12:124-133.

7. Nagamatsu M, Nickander KK, Schmelzer JD, et al. Lipoic acid improves nerve blood flow, reduces oxidative stress, and improves distal nerve conduction in experimental diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes Care. 1995;18:1160-1167.

8. Packer L, Kraemer K, Rimbach G. Molecular aspects of lipoic acid in the prevention of diabetes complications. Nutrition. 2001;17(10):888-895.

9. Packer L, Tritschler HJ, Wessel K. Neuroprotection by the metabolic antioxidant alpha lipoic acid. Free Radic Biol Med. 1997;22:359-37.

10. Packer L, Witt EH, Tritschler HJ. Alpha lipoic acid as a biological antioxidant. Free Rad Bio Med. 1995;19(2):227-250.

11. Panigrahi M, Sadguna Y, Shivakumar BR, Kolluri SV, Roy S, Packer L, Ravindranath V. Alpha lipoic acid protects against reperfusion injury following cerebral ischemia in rats. Brain Res. 1996;717(1-2):184-188.

12. Ziegler D, Reljanovic M, Mehnert H, Gries FA. Alpha lipoic acid in the treatment of diabetic polyneuropathy in Germany: current evidence from clinical trials.Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1999;107:421-430.

13. Pershadsingh HA. Alpha lipoic acid: physiologic mechanism and indications for the treatment of metabolic syndrome. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2007 Mar; 16(3)291-302.

14. McMackin CJ, Widland=sky ME, HamburgNM, et al.Effect of combined treatment with l=alpha lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine on vascular function and blood pressure in patients with coronary artery disease.J Clin Hypertens. (Greenwich.). 2007 Apr; 9(4):249-55.

15. Maitra I, Serbinova E, Trischler H, Packer L. Alpha lipoic acid prevents buthionine sulfoximine-induced cataract formation in newborn rats. Free Radic Biol Med. 199a5 Apr; 18(4):823-9.

16. Filina AA, Davydova NG, Endrikhovskii SN< Shamshinova AM. Lipoic aid as a means of metabolic therapy of open-angle glaucoma.Vestn Oftalmol. 1995 Oct; 111(4);6-8.

17. Komeima K, Rogers BS, Lu L, Campochiaro PA. Antioxidants reduce cone cell death in a model of retinitis pigmentosa. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2006 Jul 25; 103(30); 11300-5.

18. Holmquist L, Stuchbury G, Berbaum K, et al.Lipoic acid as a novel treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Jan; 113(1):154-64.

19. Shinto, L, Quinn, J, Montine, T, Dodge, HH, Woodward, W, Baldauf-Wagner, S, Waichunas, D, Bumgarner, L, Bourdette, D. et al. (2014). A Ranndomized placebo-controlled pilot trial of m=omega-e fatty acids and alpha lipoic acid in Alzheimer’s disease.J.Alzheimers Dis 38:111-120.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge, New Arrivals Tagged With: ALA, Alpha lipoic acid, antioxidants, benefits, broccoli, fat and water soluble, free radicals, marianne teitelbaum, skin rejuvenating, spinach, young

ALA in SVA- from science to sutra

December 5, 2014 by Vaidya Mishra 3 Comments

Vaidya Mishra: “As and when the need arises, from time to time, I adopt safe and effective nutritional substances that have been researched and confirmed by modern science. For example, I have added the transdermal use of Magnesium, or Vit D3 to our SVA protocols and products. These things help our SVA followers and seekers of optimal health, as well as all the SVA experts and physicians helping out patients at large.

A year ago i heard about Alpha Lipoic Acid from a friend in the medical profession successfully using it to treat patients with neuropathy. Af

ter researching it thoroughly I decided to add it to our SVA protocols for many reasons. In general, I use the ayurvedic plants Sensitive Plant and Lakcha to nourish nerves, but there is not a specific ingredient that could help increase the supply of blood to the nerves. ALA, used in conjunction to the ayurvedic herbs have shown to magnify and optimize the results.

Most of the formulas I have made for addressing the health of the micro

and macro channels are thermogenic, they help increase and support circulation of detox and other pathways. However, they can be heating and have to be used in a balanced manner. So it can be challenging, for myself as well as all the other SVA experts and practitioners, to increase the blood supply to the different areas of the body when there is amavisha and garavisha accumulation. You will be familiar that in these situations, the body does not tolerate heating products or any thermogenic herbs or formulas. This is because the body is already acidic and hot and the channels or nerves and bone tissue are affected by the heating acidic toxicity. Alpha Lipoc Acid supports the supply of blood to those areas without further warming things up.

In light of these 2 primary factors, I adopted Alpha Lipoic Acid in the SVA protocols. I made capsules with ALA by adding ayurvedic coral calcium (praval pisti) to further help alkalize things, and support the bone and nerves. The ALA massage oil for whole body massage supports the whole molecular level of the body as ALA is both water and lipid soluble. The ALA transdermal cream also with lipid shea butter can be used to be applied on specific areas like on the joints, to support detox in the fat tissue that may be affecting and inflaming the joints. The water based ALA cream I formulated in order to supply the water soluble efficiency when applying on sensitive areas, for example around the eyes or on the temples to increase blood supply to these areas.

In general, my SVA teaching and protocols proceed from sutra to science, as I take Ayurveda as the basis from which healing emanates. However, modern science also has much to offer, as consciousness of health and the body grows, and scientific tools are used to support our physiologies in preventative ways. The discovery of ALA is one of those instances. And that is why, I have adopted it in our ayurvedic SVA protocols, going from science to sutra, in this case! Thank you!”

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Knowledge, New Arrivals Tagged With: ALA, Alpha lipoic acid, antioxidants, boost, circulation, cooling, free radicals, support nerves, thermogenic, winter

Mucuna Instant coffee

October 23, 2014 by SVA Customer Service 6 Comments

Does your morning cup of coffee act as a tridoshic body and brain tonic? Is it rejuvenating to all your bodily tissues? Nourishing for your nerves? Calming for your mind, and supporting your daily detox through your kidneys and colon? Is it a good source of prebiotic that will nourish the friendly bacteria in your colon? If it is not, then you are starting your day on the wrong foot!

We all know the side-effects of caffeine, but we also know how hard it can be to let go of old habits… But now you can have your coffee and drink it too! Vaidya’s latest cutting edge SVA formulation is a delicious blend of ancient ayurvedic ingredients that will not only give your physiology an immediate boost, but will also give you balancing and bliss-enhancing benefits with long term use. He has put together

Kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens)
Wild date seed
Root Chicory
Haritaki

to bring us a cup of the richest caffeine free coffee substitute. Why does ingredients in particular?

Ingredients:

Kapikachhu (Mucuna pruriens)

Wild date seed

Root Chicory

Haritaki

Mucuna pruriens beans are a natural rich source of L-Dopa: a chemical naturally produced in humans, some animals and plants via biosynthesis. L-Dopa is the precursor to the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline) that play important roles in the human brain and body. Dopamine is the bliss-giving neurotransmitter that our brains thrive on.

Unlike synthetic artificial Dopamine, the Dopamine contained in the Mucuna beans are free from side-effects, and they get secreted out of the body faster that synthetic dopamine. 1-3 cups a day are safe and ideal for regular consumption.

Health Benefits:

Your SVA Mucuna brew contains the following balancing and bliss-enhancing ingredients:

Mucuna: in Ayurveda, Mucuna has been recommended since the dawn of time as a brain and body tonic. It is particularly rejuvenating for the seven tissues and the reproductive fluid for men and women. It nourishes the nerves, and calms the mind. Mucuna also helps supports the kidneys in their overall functions.

Wild date seeds: recommended in Ayurveda for detoxing and nourishing the muscle tissue.

Root Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) has been cultivated in Europe and the Mediterranean region as a coffee substitute, as well as used as a coffee additive in parts of Southeast Asia, South Africa and southern United States. The root contains up to 20% inulin – a great source of soluble dietary fiber and is thus added to yogurts as a prebiotic. Research finds that inulin may help with weight loss, constipation, improving bowel function, and general health. Chicory was found to potentially increase calcium absorption and bone density. It is a functional food. In Sanskrit, Chicory is called kashmard: that which helps the lungs through gentle detox, nurturing and supporting them by eliminating daily build-up from environmental pollution.

Haritaki is known to have so many healing and balancing properties in Ayurveda, including restorative properties for the colon. Haritaki is often compared to mother’s milk – full nourishing benefits and no harm! It is best known as a paatya plant – it helps us stay on the “path of health” by maintaining our body’s intelligence on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual.

Altogether, Vaidya Mishra has put together this delicious Mucuna blend to help ease the mind, support your nervous system against daily stress, pacify all three doshas; nurture your body and lungs.

You can brew this mixture like you would regular instant coffee, and enjoy it with or without milk, with or without a sweetener – depending on your preference. You will not believe how good it tastes! And how much instant waves of bliss it will procure, giving you immediate energy through better oxygenation to the brain and lungs. Regular consumption of this blend will have cumulative benefits for your nervous system and colon overall.

Help us name this newest SVA formulation. Join our naming contest, or Namkaran, by requesting your free sample of “Mucuna Coffee” (temporary name). Email us at info@prana-center.com to request your free sample and then email us back to give us your naming suggestions. Prizes will be announced shortly.

Filed Under: 2014, Archives, Company News, Desserts, Knowledge, New Arrivals, Recipes, Snacks / Appetizers, Videos Tagged With: ayurvedic coffee, cafe, chicory seeds, coffee, mucuna, root chicory, warm drink, wild dates