BHU to Start a Course on 'Bhoot Vidya'

BHU to Start a Course on 'Bhoot Vidya'

Dr KK Aggarwal

President Heart Care Foundation of India

BHU in India is starting a course on Bhoot Vidya and the same has caused a debate in the Western medicine doctors.

In scientific terms it will be a six months course on mental health.

As per Vedas physical body is made up of three basic elementary functions called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. In modern medicine they are equivalent to movement, metabolism and structure.

The mental health in Ayurveda is defined in terms of Tamas, Rajas and Sattva equivalent to various parasympathetic and sympathetic states of mind in modern medicine.

Mental health problems are a spectrum of diseases ranging from extreme sympathetic state of mind to extreme parasympathetic state of mind.

In modern medicine we evaluate mental disorders

1.       Disorders of living in unreal world: the person is not living mentally in the present and are called psychotic disorders. The classical example is schizophrenia.

2.       Disorders of intellect or cognitive decline called dementia disorders

3.       Disorders of hyp or hyper mind: as Anxiety and depression

4.       Disorders of ego or personality disorders

As per Vedas, every thought in the mind is analysed by the intellect, then individualized by the ego and finally converted into action. Action leads to memory and memory leads to desires. If desires get full field one enters the cycle of action memory desire and subsequent addictions and individual personality. If the desires are not fulfilled it leads to anger, which can be expressive or suppressive.

Anger out leads to aggressive behaviour and anger in overtime leads to depression.

In Ayurveda the treatment of depression and anxiety is taught in terms of cognitive behaviour therapy and meditation - a process of shifting one from sympathetic predominance to para sympathetic predominance state of mind following the principles of living in the present.

Marijuana has been and is being used extensively in Ayurveda for mental health and the same is being now recognised in modern medicine also.

Bhagavad Gita extensively talks about Tamas, Rajas and Sattva in terms of mental state of mind, diet and behaviour.

There is a phrase in Hanuman Chalisa which talks about

bhoot pisaach nikat nahin aavai

mahaavir jab naam sunavai

naase rog harai sab peera

japat nirantar hanumant beera

Bhoot in Sanskrit means the past. When your past disturbs you, the condition is called nightmares or post-traumatic stress disorders in modern medicine. In Vedic Sanskrit descriptions they were called bhoot pret and pichas. (simple nightmares of someone known or bhoot; distressing nightmares of someone known pret and distressing night mares of someone unknown termed as pichas.)

The above Hanuman Chalisa phrase describes the treatment of PTSD by asking people to recite the hanuman Chalisa the correct way. Hanuman Chalisa recitation (4 lines in one breath) reduces respiratory state, shift one to parasympathetic state and is said to reduce the duration of REM sleep. REM sleep is responsible for the nightmares. The treatment of PTSD has been SSRI or Pranayama both reduces the duration of REM sleep.

Bhagavad Gita was a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna when Arjuna was in acute panic reaction with depression cum dispassion and was in a state of delusion. At that time Krishna the only available counsellor taught Arjuna taking 18 classes called 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita

In the first-class Krishna only listens to Arjun. In the second class he councils in so much detail that Arjun got confused. From 3rd to 17th classes he explained in detail, answering point by point, consoled him and yet warned him of consequences. Finally, in 18th chapter he revised all what was taught.  Today these coincides with the standard cognitive behaviour therapy principles.

The standard Narration exposure therapy in PTSD also is well described in Vedica rituals of teirvi and chautha ( 13^th day and 4^th day) rituals after death.

Let's not laugh at the word bhoot because we use this word quite commonly: in reciting Hanuman Chalisa or describing the word bhootkaal which means the past.

For years Ayurvedic doctors have been leading the country in treating sexual disorders including erectile dysfunction. The whole Kamasutra book is from Vedas philosophy of treating sexual disorders ans is unexplored my modern medicine.

The Vidur Niti talks about principles of Mental Health comes from Vedic descriptions. It was a dialogue between Vidur and Dhraitasthra and talks about the principles of Insomnia management.

Even homeopathy medicine describes Tamas, Rajas and sattva cum Vata Pitta and Kapha by way of Psora, Syphilis and Psychosis state of mind and the body.

In my personal view the Ayurveda has taken a lead to train their BAMS doctors in starting a six months course on mental health. In modern medicine we still lack such a course for MBBS doctors.

{The views are personal}

Vedic Health: Ayurveda and Evidence-Based Research

There are six types of evidences accepted in the literature.

1.            Pratyaksha: What is seen or observed directly. These are observational studies and accepted in the scientific community.

2.            Anumana or the evidence based on the inference of a defined hypothesis

3.            Upamana are the evidences based on analogies

4.            Arthapathi are the evidences, which are based on circumstantial evidence

5.            Anupalabdhi is an evidence based on the theory of negation

6.            Shabda is undisputed evidence as it is written in text books and taught to us

Let us take an example to further understand this.

Here is a statement “Neem or Azadirachta indica is a good antiseptic.”

1.             Pratakysha: I would look for any observational study.

2.             Anumana: I will look for any double-blind study in the literature

3.             Upamana: As per Ayurveda, any plant which is bitter in nature will have anti-pitta qualities

4.             Arthapati: Circumstantial evidence and

5.             Anupalabdhi is evidence by negation.

6.             Shabda: Would refer to Sushrut Samhita reference as gold standard.

An Ayurveda doctor will follow the Shabda evidence, but a modern medicine doctor would prefer Anumana as evidence. But both are accepted evidences.

Comments

·         Original (primary) research is based on data collected from individuals or clusters of individuals, with clusters defined by physician, clinic, geographic region, or other factors.

·         Within primary research, the hierarchy of evidence must be considered to minimize the risk of bias.

·         For studies evaluating therapy or harm, well-conducted randomized clinical trials are superior to observational studies, which are superior to unsystematic clinical observations

·         Questions regarding benefits (and harms) of an intervention are best answered with randomized controlled trials; whereas questions regarding risk factors for disease and prognosis are best answered with prospective cohort studies.

·         Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are best for answering single questions (e.g. the effectiveness of tight glucose control on microvascular complications of diabetes). They are more scientifically structured than traditional reviews, more open about how the authors attempted to find all relevant articles, judge the scientific quality of each study and weigh evidence from multiple studies with conflicting results. Systematic reviews pay particular attention to including all strong research, whether or not it has been published, to avoid publication bias (positive studies are preferentially published).

·         Summaries and guidelines represent the highest level of complexity. Ideally, guidelines are a synthesis of systematic reviews, original research, clinical expertise, and patient preferences. At their best, summaries and guidelines are a comprehensive synthesis of the best available evidence, from which the guidelines themselves follow. Guidelines should therefore be based on a critical appraisal of the relevant original research and systematic reviews. There are several examples of multiple guidelines on the same topic making contradictory recommendations

The accepted standards for guideline development include:

·         Rely on systematic reviews

·         Grade the quality of available evidence

·         Grade the strength of recommendations

·         Make an explicit connection between evidence and recommendations

Strength of the recommendation: A recommendation is a strong recommendation to do (or not do) something, where the benefits clearly outweigh the risks (or vice versa) for nearly all patients.

Grade 1 reflects a strong recommendation. A weak recommendation is made either when risks and benefits are more closely balanced or are more uncertain. Grade 2 reflects a weak recommendation.

Quality of evidence

Assessment of evidence quality in GRADE reflects confidence in the estimates of benefits, harms, and burdens.

GRADE can be implemented with either four levels of evidence quality or with three levels such that the "low" and "very low" categories are combined. The three levels use a letter (A, B, or C) for high-, moderate-, or low-/very low-quality evidence.

·         High-quality evidence typically comes from well-performed randomized controlled trials or other overwhelming evidence (such as well-executed observational studies with very large effects).

·         Moderate-quality evidence typically comes from randomized trials with important limitations or from other study designs with special strength.

·         Low-quality evidence typically comes from observational studies or from controlled trials with very serious limitations. Very low-quality evidence typically comes from non-systematic observations, biologic reasoning, or observational studies with serious limitations.

Based on the above we must come out with strength of evidence and quality of evidence for every Ayurveda treatment.

Let us review Azadirachta indica in Pubmed

·         There are 2467 studies on the subject.

·         There are over 138 mentions in headings.

·         There are 92 RCTs.

·         There are 308 systemic reviews

·         There are 30 observational studies

The conclusion that can be drawn is that from modern medicine point of view, Azadirachta indica will have Grade 1A scientific evidence that it has medicinal properties.

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania   (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA

MTNL Perfect Health Mela from 23rd October

Addressing a press conference, Padma Shri and Dr. B C Roy National Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India said that the 20^th MTNL Perfect Health Mela scheduled to be held at Constitution Club of India, New Delhi will be a perfect health picnic spot for the general public. 

 Co-addressing the Press Conference Mr GP Sinha GM (Mktg) MTNL; Sh Vinod Kumar, GM Operation MTNL Delhi, Dr NK Yadav, MHO, South Delhi, Medical Corporation; Dr. PK Sharma, MOH, NDMC; Dr NV Kamat, Director, Health Services, Delhi; and Sr representatives from Central Bank of India said that people should visit in large numbers and treat the day as a Health Picnic Day.  Schools should also send their students to Perfect Health Mela under their annual picnic scheme. 

Mr Shankar Sahni star attraction of the day said that entertainment evenings at the venue will either focus on health or will be intercept with healthy practices.

The Mela will be a unique combination of competitions, entertainment, check-ups, workshops and practical demonstration using infotainment modules under one room.  The Mela will create awareness about all aspects of health for the public from all walks of life incorporating all pathies using low cost infotainment modules. 

The Mela is being organized by the Heart Care Foundation of India in association with MTNL, LIC, Central Bank of India, GAIL, and many Departments of Central and Delhi Government.  There will be more than 30 stalls of the Dept. of COHAND under the Ministry of Textiles for people to do their Diwali shopping.

Being a festive season, there will be special arrangements for training and workshops for the public on how to diagnose adulteration of food at home.

There will be a special workshop on clarifying myths behind magic and miracles.  There will be also be an opportunity for the general public to have interactions with doctors from all systems of medicine i.e. Allopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy and Yoga under one roof and get preventive diagnostic care.  There will be sessions where doctors from all systems of medicine will sit together and diagnose.

Special arrangements will be made to create awareness about financial health by LIC and Central Bank of India.  A special emphasis will be on how to manage finance when there is a financial need during medical treatment.  There will be special workshop on Reverse Mortgage where a person above the age of 60 can mortgage his or her property and get money in installments for which he has to pay nothing till he or she dies.

With the continuing dengue problem in the city, there will be special arrangements for educating public on how to identify and tackle dengue mosquito.  There will be special OPDs for dengue patients and treatment under all pathies. 

The Mela will also have a seminar where spiritual gurus will sit together and discuss on spiritual communication and life after death. 

Entry to the Mela for the general public will be free and every person visiting the Mela will be provided with training on how to revive a person after sudden cardiac death. 

There will be special seminar on Allopathy, Homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Yoga and Unani cardiology for doctors from all pathies. 

Desire, Hatred and Ignorance

According to Buddhism, the three negative emotions that cause a disease are ignorance, hatred and desire and accordingly physical sickness are classified into three main types.

1.  Disorders of desire (Ayurvedic equivalent of Vata imbalance): These are due to disharmony of the wind or energy. The seed of these disorders are located in the lower part of the body. It has cold preferences and is affected by mental desires. In this, the person mainly suffers from the disorders of movement functions.

2.   Disorders of hatred (Ayurveda equivalent of Pitta imbalance): It is due to disharmony of the bile. The seed of these disorders is centered in the middle and upper part of the body and is caused by the mental emotion of hate. The person suffers from metabolic and digestive abnormalities.

3.    Disorders of ignorance (Ayurveda equivalent of Kapha imbalance): It is due to the disharmony of phlegm, the seed of which is generally centered in the chest or in the head and the disorder is cold in nature. It is caused by the mental emotion of ignorance.

Desire, hatred and ignorance are the main negativities mentioned in Buddha’s philosophy. They are all produced in the mind, and once produced they behave like a slow poison.

The Udanavarga once said, “From iron appears rust, and rust eats the iron”, “Likewise, the careless actions (karma) that we perform leads us to hellish lives.

According to the other scriptures, six afflictions are most troublesome, namely ignorance, hatred, desire, miserliness, jealousy and arrogance. Patience is the most potent virtue a person can acquire. According to the Shanti Deva, “There is no evil like hatred, and there is no marriage like patience. Therefore, dedicate your life to the practice of patience.”

Bhagvad Gita classifies the enemies as Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha and Ahankara; and out of them Kama, Lobha and Ahankara, are the three gateways to hell.

Ask Dr KK: How to get rid of gas in the stomach?

1.       Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly

2.        Exercise regularly to help keep food moving.

3.        Deal with your stress

4.        Don't drink through a straw, and sip your beverages rather than gulp them.

5.        Avoid or limit consumption of foods and drinks that cause you discomfort.

6.        Avoid foods that contain sorbitol or other sugar alcohols (found in drinks, candy, gum and breath fresheners)

7.        Drink plenty of fluids to help move food through the colon.

8.        Substitute Rice for grains that produce gas.

9.        If you are lactose-intolerant try avoiding dairy product.

10. Use spices that are known to prevent or relieve gas such as asafetida, ginger, fennel, turmeric, peppermint, coriander, chamomile and sage.

Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmandeuniverse

Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande or as is the atom so is the universe, is a traditional Vedic saying, which has a deep social meaning in today’s context.As per the Vedic philosophy there are three different philosophies of human evolution. Firstly, the concept of “dualism” where people believe that.... more http://www.itimes.com/users/iti475269/blogs

HCFI Update: The 5 Cs of five-a-day in selecting fruits and vegetables

The current recommendation is to eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily to prevent cancer and heart disease.  Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants and are low in calories. Those with the most color – dark green, red, yellow, and orange – have the most nutrients. Carrot, Celery, Cantaloupe, Cucumber and Corn are the five "Cs" which can be incorporated in the five-a-day diet. As per Ayurveda, one should mix all seven colours and six tastes when choosing fruits and vegetables.

As per the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, one should take 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits, vegetables and grain products that contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, may help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.  Fiber-containing grain products, fruits and vegetables also reduce the risk of some cancers, said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy national Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela.

A serving size is: one medium-size fruit, 1/2 cup raw or cooked fruits or vegetables, 180 ml fruit or vegetable juice, 1/2 cup cooked or canned legumes (beans and peas), 1 cup raw  leafy vegetables, 1/4 cup dried fruit.

•5 servings mean 2 fruits and 3 vegetables
•7 servings means 3 fruits and 4 vegetables
•9 servings means 4 fruits and 5 vegetables


Tips for safe eating

1.Snack with raw vegetables instead of potato chips.
2.Add fruits in breakfast.
3.Eat salads when you go out for lunch.
4.Prefer juice instead of the usual coffee, tea or soda.
5.Wash fruits and vegetables with water and scrub with a dish brush when appropriate.
6.Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage.
7.Peel and cook when appropriate, although some nutrients and fiber may be lost when produce is peeled.
8.Avoid fruits and vegetables that look brownish, slimy or dried out. These are signs that the product has been kept at an improper temperature
9.Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap and a scrub brush to remove food particles.
10.Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially fresh whole fruits and vegetables and raw meat, poultry and fish. Clean under fingernails, too.

Emedinews: Dr. KK’s tip on the food causing acidity

As per Ayurveda text, foods which are pungent, soar, and salty in taste will produce acidity. Eating fermented food after sunset specially mixed with non-fermented food will also cause acidity. 

Dr KK Answers: Dr. KK’s tip for abdominal gas or dyspepsia

As per Ayurveda Texts, any food grown under the ground and eaten raw will produce gas in the body.
Also any food which can split into two equal parts, if eaten raw will produce gas in the body. Examples are almonds, walnuts, pulses, legumes, rajma etc. They should be soaked in water for few hours before cooking them or boil them before eating.