An e-mail about 3rd degree burns

Sunil G
” Hello,
My 3-year-old daughter has suffered third degree burns from hot tea and still recovering.
Currently she has skin fibrosis or reddish swollen skin in some burn areas which healed after 21 days.
Please can you suggest something, which can help to treat these, burn scars?
Also there are any practitioners in India of your organization whom we can meet for the treatment.
Thanks”
Vaidya Mishra replies:

Dear Sunil, unfortunately, we do not have any practitioners in India as of yet, but we are working towards that, there are a few people still under training and we hope there will be many SVA practitioners in India soon.
In the meantime, here is what you can do for your daughter’s burn scar: get some Aloe Vera gel – try to get a gel that has least additives and is the most natural. Alternately, it would be best to get the actual plant if it is available in your area. It’s the “Ghrit Kumari” plant. Snip off a piece of the leaf and squeeze out the pulp and apply onto the burn area and leave it on for a couple of hours. It may tingle a little so you can cover it with gently with a light cotton gauze so she does not itch. Also, at night, you can apply Triphala Ghee on the burnt area. This is a classical formula and should be readily available where you are. Thank you. “

Testimonial on Facial Tics

This woman presented to our office 2 weeks ago with one of the worst facial tics I have ever seen.  Her face was constantly grimacing as I tried to take her history.  Her face would go into a huge muscle spasm/contortion and her eyes would squint closed, making it very difficult for her to drive and go to work.
All the doctors had to offer her was Xanax, which is highly addicting and doesn’t get to the root of the problem.
She was given herbs to pacify prana vata, which was extremely out of balance.  We gave Prakrit Cream to pull apana down.  She was also given magnesium to calm down the muscle spasms (and her nervous system).  And last, but not least, we put her on a program to help her regrow her friendly bacteria.  These “yoginis” as Vaidya calls them, actually make 95% of the neurotransmitters for the brain, so it’s almost impossible to calm and balance the brain without addressing this issue.
She bounced back so quickly!  Not only did her facial tic disappear in just one week, but she also had told me that before seeing us she couldn’t shut her brain down — she talked incessantly all day and couldn’t stop if she wanted to, and all night long she dreamed so much that she woke up exhausted every morning.
Her turnaround was amazing — she feels and looks so calm and now she is sleeping through the night with just normal dreams and she has actually lost the urge to talk so much and is enjoying the peace and tranquility that being silent can bring.
Thank you Vaidya for sharing your family tradition with us all so we can help so many people.  We sing your praises every day in my practice!
Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum

856-786-3330

 

Cooling Summer Dahl with Toru and Lime Leaf

Be transported and soothed by this delicious recipe with Toru (this is an Indian  squash, very cooling, that has deep dark green ridges on the outside and a soft white inside) and the refreshing hints of lime leaf. It is a great summer-evening dinner dahl to cool off pitta and nurture you with easy-to-digest protein. It will take you 10 minutes to prepare!

You will need:

  • 1 tbsp. ghee (or grapeseed oil)
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • 4 crushed green cardamoms
  • ¼ tsp. soma salt
  • 2 green chilies (optional)
  • Toru 1 large or 2 medium sized
  • 1/3 cup mung dahl (to serve for 2 people)
  • 5-6 fresh lime leaves (available at Asian grocery stores)

Prep:

Peel and slice the Toru into thin small pieces.

 Melt/warm the oil in your pot, then add the turmeric, cardamom pods (and chilies if you are using them), and toast for a 30 seconds or so.

Now add the Toru and keep toasting medium heat for a couple more minutes.

  Add your rinsed yellow mung dahl

Toast for five more minutes until your dahl turn a golden color

Add 3 cups (32 oz.) of water – you can add more water to dilute the consistency

Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes

When your dahl “melts” into a creamy consistency and your Toru is soft and cooked, add 6 lime leaves and cover for 5 minutes. Serve with a side of rice, quinoa, or flatbreads and enjoy!

Low on Vit D? SVA Tips and Guidelines An epidemic

Vit D deficiency is associated with 17 types of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disease, chronic pain, osteoporosis, asthma, and more recently autism. Studies show that 30-50% of Americans suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
Go out in the sun!
Our immediate primary source of Vitamin D is sunlight. Sun exposure is an easy, reliable way for most people to get Vitamin D. Exposure of the hands, face, arms, and legs to sunlight two to three times a week will cause the skin to produce enough vitamin D (the necessary exposure time varies with age, skin type, season, time of day, etc.) But what happens if you do this and are still low on Vit D?
Nurture your Liver
Vaidya Mishra explains that getting vitamin D through sunlight has become problematic because UVB is absorbed through the skin, and the liver and kidneys play a major role in transforming UVB to vitamin D.
In this day and age, due to:
1.    Toxic diets: toxins in the food in the form of additives such as preservatives, flavorings, or processed ingredients, artificial colors, flavors, scents, etc.
2.    Daily Stress: daily unreleased physical, mental and emotional stress that accumulates over long periods of time
3.    Toxic Personal Care Products: toxins in personal care products we use daily such as – facial creams, make-up, oral and hair care products; as well as the chemicals in the water we drink and shower in; all these add put an extra load on the liver.
The liver is the organ that has to deal with all kinds of toxins that enter the body either orally or transdermally. Emotional and mental stress also produces acidic toxins in the body that end up being stored in the liver in order to be processed and discarded. This puts undue pressure on the liver, specially when a good diet is not maintained, causing the intelligence of the liver to be compromised, so it is not able to fulfill its key function in transforming UVB into Vit D. That’s why even though people may eat Vit D rich in foods (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc), or take large doses of Vit D supplements, and get enough sunlight on a daily basis, their Vit D levels may remain clinically low.
You need Vit D for Calcium, and Calcium for Strong Bones
Vitamin D has many important functions, most prominent of which is the absorption of calcium. Scientists confirm that calcium deficiency in the physiology is correlated to low levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is required for the regulation of the minerals calcium and phosphorus found in the body. Our bodies need vitamin D in order to absorb calcium from the intestines.
Ultraviolet light (from sunlight) helps our skin cells convert vitamin D from an inactive into an active state. If we do not have enough vitamin D, calcium that we get from the food we eat is not absorbed properly, causing hypocalcemia (lower-than-normal blood calcium) to develop. Hypocalcemia results in deformities of bones and teeth, as well as neuromuscular problems.
How is calcium related to Vit D and what diseases can result from lack of calcium?
When calcium is low in the body and de-mineralization or inadequate mineralization of the bone occurs, then one can have Osteomalacia. Osteomalacia is the softening of the bones caused by defective bone mineralization. This can also happen due to insufficient amounts of phosphorus and calcium. Or it can happen because of the overactive resorption of calcium from the bone as a result of hyperparathyroidism. Osteomalacia in children is known as rickets, and because of this, the use of the term osteomalacia is often restricted to the milder, adult form of the disease. It may show signs as diffuse body pains, muscle weakness, and fragility of the bones. The most common cause of the disease is a deficiency in vitamin D, which is normally obtained from the diet and/or from sunlight exposure.
Many of the effects of the Osteomalacia disease overlap with the more common osteoporosis, but the two diseases are significantly different. There are two main causes of osteomalcacia: (1) insufficient calcium absorption from the intestine because of lack of dietary calcium or a deficiency of or resistance to the action of vitamin D; and (2) Phosphate deficiency caused by increased renal losses.
With SV Ayurveda protocols, you can approach the Vit D insufficiency from a holistic point of view.
A balanced diet with a timely consumption of daily meals and snacks is necessary to improve overall health and the health of the organs and organ systems that can restore optimal levels of Vit D in your body.
Vaidya Mishra favors the safe and effective transdermal delivery of Vit D. He recommends correcting your diet and routine, then adding the transdermal protocol, while maintaining regular testing of the levels to show the actual results.
Is the transdermal approach unique to SVA?
The efficacy of the transdermal approach is still not as well documented and appreciated as it has been in the ayurvedic and more specifically, in the SVA tradition. However, scientists are catching on. In Canada, there has been some pioneering work in this aspect, view this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsRvoZNDLSc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Introducing a perfectly delicious and healthy potato substitute called: Nagaimo.

Vaidya Mishra: “It is found in almost all Asian grocery stores. A lot of people following the SVA diet are missing potatoes in their cooking. Lorna Cheng, a scientist and SVA healer who follows and recommends the SVA diet in her teachings,  brought the 14760nagaimoNagaimo vegetable to me to check whether I could approve it and add it to the SVA diet. I researched it and tried and tested it myself, and found that it is the perfect healthy substitute for potato. When you peel and boil it,  it tastes and looks 100% like potatoes, but even better than that, it is lighter and easier to digest, because it has a completely different chemical and nutrient make-up.
Here is a breakdown of various nutrients found in nagaimo:
Magnesium
Zinc
Vitamin C
Mucin
Potassium
Diastese
Vitamin B1
Polyphenol
Dietary Fiber
Just touching and looking at nagaimo, you will notice like I did that it has a lot of mucilage – slimy residue. The good news is this is a perfect prebiotic for the body. Asian cuisine loves this vegetable and is aware of its therapeutic properties. I created different recipes, using my new SVA Garcinia Masala blends – they were all very good. I would like to share them with you.
Caution: the peel carries some skin irritating  chemicals, make sure you wrap in a towel or paper towel while peeling  them, or even better, wear some clinical gloves (available at Target’s pharmacy etc) to avoid getting a rash. Do not touch any other body parts after touching the vegetable. If you get a skin irritation, rinse the affected area with fresh water, wipe, and apply a moisturizing cream.images
The overall feeling, after eating nagaimo, is that it is very nurturing even though light, and it readily creates bliss with nourishment. A lot of on-line Japanese recipes are recommending we eat it raw. In my opinion eating this vegetable raw can create ama.  Because of its high content of mucilage, nagaimo will be heavy to digest for certain people in certain situation.  That is why it is best to cook it with Garcinia Masala because this spice blends makes it easier to digest, easy to absorb, and more palatable and flavorful. You will never crave potatoes again!

Spice-coated toasted crunchy Nagaimo
Peel and then chop the naigamo into medium size cubes
Boil in 2 cups of water; do not cook thoroughly only half way so that the nagaimo does not become mushy.
In a pan, add 1 teaspoon of ghee and 1 teaspoon of vata, kapha or pitta garcinia masala -based on your need.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of soma salt, ¼ teaspoon of turmeric.
Sautee these spices altogether for a few minutes.
Add the 2 cups of nagaimo cooked half way and sauté with spices.
Optional
you can add 3-4 curry leaves and 1 green chili.
Stir and cook for ten minutes.
Make sure it is thoroughly cooked so that spices are well absorbed.
After cooking garnish with finely chopped cilantro leaf and enjoy!inout

Mashed potato substitute
Peel and boil nagaimo in 2 cups of water. Boil until it is very soft and mushy.
Then in a pan sauté in 1 teaspoon of ghee, 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of Garcinia Masala for vata, pitta or kapha, ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon of any nuts of choice (like pine nuts, shredded almonds, bits of cashews} toast all together.
Optional ingredients: Add 4 curry leaves and/or green chilies.
Toast altogether and add your boiled Nagaimo.
Mash it well with all spices and stir. Toast everything again together for a few minutes.
Add ½ lime juice and 1 teaspoon of olive oil and Soma Salt to taste.

Nagaimo in a spicy sauce
Peel and cut medium sized cubes of nagaimo.
In 8 oz. of water boil nagaimo half way cooked.inside
Sauté 1 tablespoon of ghee, 2 crushed green cardamoms and 2 crushed black cardamoms, ¼ of crushed cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon of garcinia masala of your choice, ¼ of turmeric, ¼ teaspoon of soma salt
After sautéing spices for a few minutes add the half boiled nagaimo.  Stir and toast everything together.  Toast nicely so it is cooked well.
Add 8 oz of water to the pan. Cover and cook for ten minutes. This is a nice juicy recipe for nagaimo.

Garcinia – one for all

Hailed as the “holy grail of weight loss,” Garcinia cambogia, or Garcinia indica, has actually been a known remedy for different imbalances for thousands of years in India. In Sanskrit, Garcinia cambogia is called “vrikshamla.” It is mentioned in the ayurvedic “nighantu”-s (or glossaries) as a vata and kapha dosha pacifying dravya or food ingredient. garcinia
Regardless of your body type, adding garcinia to your diet will help you enhance absorption of your nutrients – this is due to its unique thermogenic potency. Garcinia will sharpen your taste buds, clearing away ama or toxic build-up in your oral cavity.
Taste has confirmed therapeutic balancing properties in Ayurveda and Garcinia’s distinct subtle sour taste is known to enhance the metabolic rate of the muscle and fat tissues. In addition, Garcinia carries the following 3 rasa-s or tastes:
amla (sour),  katu (pungent) and kashai (astringent).
These 3 rasa-s  are known to enhance metabolism in general. More specifically, the amla rasa or sour taste specifically enhances and supports protein metabolism because it enhances agni in the mamsa dhatu or muscle tissue. All 3 rasa-s taken together help clear and unclog the channels optimizing circulation in general.
Vaidya Mishra has put together delicious Garcinia blends to help you introduce this balancing plant intogarciniavata your diet. Even though Garcinia has been introduced as a weight loss ingredient, Vaidya Mishra explains that it is actually for those who want to “regulate their weight” – whether to lose or to gain, it enhances the intelligence of the tissues so your physiology adjusts based on its own needs to maintain optimal balance. Find out how each masala can help address imbalances related to a specific dosha, or just enjoy a cup of SVA Garcinia tea, twice daily, to keep things smooth and balanced regardless of your body type or season.

More news about upcoming SVA Pulse and Marma Course

In response to popular requests, the monthly payment plan is back on. You may now choose to pay on a monthly basis instead of upfront if you want to join Vaidya’s e-course.

 Since we are bringing back this option, we are  extending the registration date – at the rate of $1665 – until the end of the month, that’s July 31, 2014.

If you are still undecided, consider this – would you like to be able to help loved ones with common daily imbalances, such as:

  •         indigestion
  •         sleeplessness
  •         acidity
  •         fatigue
  •         bad dreams
  •         low bone tissue
  •         low muscle tissue
  •         migraines

Learning how to detect such daily ailments through touching the pulse will guide you to give the proper remedy. This course has been designed for all – whether you are a stay-home mom (or dad!) and are interested in improving your personal health or that of your loved ones; or whether you are a professional health expert and are looking to add an essential assessment tool to your existing skills.

For example, what will be the pulse of an individual experiencing indigestion? In ayurvedic terms, you would have to answer the following questions:

  • what dosha is high;
  • how is the rhythm?
  • What about the volume?
  • And the speed?
  • Which dhatu-s or tissues are affected?
  • And what kind of  effect is present in terms of the guna-s or properties.

Through this e-course with Vaidya you will learn that if someone is experiencing indigestion, then you will notice that their kapha dosha is high, specifically the kapha subdosha that governs the stomach, kledaka kapha. You will see Kledaka kapha in rasa dhatu, or the very first tissue or layer when you press your fingers on the pulse. Rasa dhatu will carry ama or heaviness due to partially indigested food. So the first layer will feel suppressed, cold, heavy. The first subdosha that you will hear will be kledak kapha. Pachak pitta, the pitta subdosha that governs the stomach, will appear less prominent. Another subdosha that will be active because of kledak kapha will be samana vata, or the vata subdosha that governs the stomach area. All three subdosha-s govern the stomach: kledak to lubricate and moisten, pachak to breakdown and process, and samana to churn and move the food. When someone eats very heavy food item or eats when stressed out, or eats and watches TV, then digestion is impaired, kledak increases, pachak decreases, and samana increases. You will be able to read this in the pulse on the very first layer, the rasa dhatu layer.  When Samana vata goes high, then it moves out of its designated area, it can either go up and then udana vata which is in the chest goes high giving sudden chest pains, or causes the person to burp; or samana vata goes down and interferes with apana vata, causing gas and bloating.

You will also learn all the fundamentals of Ayurveda the way they are taught in the ayurvedic sutra-s and the SV lineage – clear, practical, to the point.

Knoweldge is all about experience, and with this course, you can make this most precious knowledge of Ayurveda a daily practical experience in your life and those of the ones you are called upon to help.

If you have already signed-up for the course, you will already have received an invitation to join the course forum, along with the details for the inaugural class launch.
The course will launch next Friday July 18th, 2014, at 6:15am, via phone conference. This first session will last only 30-45 minutes during which Vaidya Mishra will recite vedic chants and inaugurate the course. All course material will be available for registered students by July 16th, 2014.

If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to call or email us:
1.818.709.1005 or info@prana-center.com

Sweet Summer Juice Blend

It’s too tempting not to have a drink, or two specially in the hot days of summer! How long can you steer clear of the sweet, juicy, refreshing experience of a smoothy or a juice blend?  But you have to beware. Smoothies and juices can dilute your digestive agni within minutes, giving you the feeling of satiation but causing long-term harm. In addition,  protein powders and/or other minerals and vitamins also add an additional layer of complication. You may not feel the effects right away, but such mixtures are not ayurvedically ideal to keep a happy digestive balance. But we all could do with a glass or two of sweet summer drinks, so here is a balanced recipe that will keep all your doshas in check, rehydrate you, and soothe your heart and mind.

This recipe will make about 25-30 fluid ounces
  • 1 red apple
  • 1 green apple
  • 1 pear
  • 2-3 carrot sticks
  • 1 orange
  • 1 lime
  • 3-5 celery sticks
  • a good handful of fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2-3 chunks of fresh ginger (thumb-size)

variation: you can also replace one apple with some grapes, or blueberries if you like. However, economically speaking, such fruits are always better just eaten as is, as they tend to be a little more expensive than apples and pears, and you will need larger amounts to yield juice. If your juicer is powerful enough, you can just slice/dice your apples and orange/lime and throw into your juicer.

This recipe will pacify your pitta through the sweet juicy fruits, but keep vata and kapha in check with the lime and the ginger. You can reduce the amount of ginger if you tend to have high pitta, but must keep some to keep your agni ignited so it can digest the juice. The celery will help further alkalize and balance the sweetness of the blend. If you are sensitive to sugar, or are avoiding sugar in general, you can avoid the carrots. This drink will rehydrate, soothe, and even detox some through the cilantro. It is a perfect summer juice blend.

SVA Summer care tips

Summer is splendid – beautiful long sunny days out at the beach or in the woods as Nature displays its full glory in fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Don’t let the heat take you down. It is easy to keep yourself cool and calm with these simple tips and recommendations from the Carak Samhita Sutrasthana (verses 27-32): add sweet, cool, liquid, and unctuous foods and drinks – steer clear from salty, spicy, dry, and drying foods. Personal care, daily routine, sensory stimulation, exercise, and environment all need to be appropriately adjusted so that the body is given the opportunity to absorb the maximum cooling effect of Soma necessary to balance excess heat. Here are some SVA tips from Vaidya’s summer booklet  to keep your body cool and your mind and heart full of bliss this summer.

  • Eat more sweet juicy fruits. Somagenic fruits and vegetables like summer squashes, louki, cilantro, parsley, mint, greens, apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, grapes, blueberries, figs. Juicy fruits will rehydrate and nourish you in the heat.

  • Drink coconut water from a mature coconut, NOT the young green ones that abound in the stores and are popular. The young ones have a lot of Soma and can be clogging and heavy even though they taste good! The mature ones are more balanced in their ratio of Soma and Agni and will rehydrate and cool you without clogging or imbalancing your agni.
  • Wear sunglasses when going out in the sun to protect your eyes and the pitta subdosha that governs the eyes – alochak pitta. When one pitta subdosha goes off, the others will follow suit, so it is best to take measures to keep all cool and balanced.

 

 

 

 

  • Drink cool (not ice cold) spring water with a balanced pH to help replenish the evaporated moisture from the body. You can also add additional coolness by adding a drop or two of SVA Rose Nectar, Jasmine Nectar, or Sandalwood Nectar. If you more rehydration, don’t reach out for the commercial soft drinks, make your own best rehydration drink: squeeze a lime or two, add 1-2 teaspoons of raw sugar, add a pinch of Soma Salt, and 2-3 leaves of fresh mint. Carry with you in a thermos and enjoy throughout the day!

 

 

  • Sleep in air cooled apartment. In ancient days in India, people hung vetiver mats on their windows and plastered their walls with clay. The cooling property of vetiver and clay converts the hot air in the environment into cool air and circulates the cool air inside the apartment. In order to absorb more Soma, sleep outdoors in the moonlight, if possible. Position your head in the direction that receives more breeze.

 

 

  • Pearls carry a lot of lunar vibration and wearing them helps relieve heat from the body.

 

 

  • Use sandalwood and vetiver essential oil aroma. Surround yourself with flowers! Or take a stroll in a flower garden to ward off emotional and mental  heat! Walk in the moonlight, in the woods, or close to large bodies of water.

 

 

  • Apply Aloe-sandalwood lotion, garden of soma massage oil, or coconut oil all over the body. Avoid hot massage and prefer a “cool hand” massage. Bathe in sandalwood water or use Sandalwood or Vetiver soap in the shower.

 

  • During the summer season, do only mild physical exercise and avoid strenuous workouts. Walking next to a body of water or in a park is recommended. Swimming is always a good option. Yoga is good for all seasons – not hot yoga, or intense yoga, gentle, soothing, calming yoga.

 

 

  • Avoid foods rich in sour, salty, and pungent taste, these are heating to the body. Favor unctuous soothing snacks – fruits – over salty snacks. Make sure to have a glass of yoghurt drink (20% yoghurt with 80% water, add a pinch of Mum’s Masala or toasted cumin seeds) with your lunch.

  • Avoid staying up past 10 pm – specially in the summer time, when pitta goes off even more easily. Agni time of the day is from 10am-2pm in the morning and 10pm-2am in the evening. Staying up late into the night increases the  agni quality in the body and should especially be avoided in the summer.Your mornings will be very blissful if you can adopt a 9:30pm to 5:30am sleeping and rising routine.

Exciting News about Vaidya’s upcoming Global E-Pulse & Marma Course


please note there will be no SVA Cafe next Thursday July 17th, as Vaidya will be launching the Pulse and Marma Course on Friday morning July 18th, 2014

We are very excited to share that we have 50+ participants in Vaidya’s 9 month-long e-course on Pulse and Marma. Because we have participants from all over the globe – India, Japan, South America, and more. As previously announced, in order to avoid the delays involved in snail-mail, during the duration of the course, we will be making the video recorded material available online through our private forum. You will be able to  download and watch as many times as you wish. However, as promised, each participant will receive the full DVD set of the course via snail-mail after the completion of the course during the practicum in April.

The course will launch next Friday July 18th, 2014, at 6:15am, via phone conference. This first session will last only 30-45 minutes during which Vaidya Mishra will recite vedic chants and inaugurate the course. All course material will be available for registered students by July 16th, 2014.

Hurry! We are currently running an interim discounted price of $1650 until July 16th for those who have not signed up yet and wish to do so.
Come on board to learn how to manage your healthy on a daily basis, through the ancient technique of pulse diagnosis, or take the course to deepen your professional healing services. There will be a wealth of knowledge with practical SVA tips and recommendations as always.