Autism is defined as the neuro biological disorder characterized by severe deficiency in social skills, behavior and reciprocal social interactions; difficulty in language, arrangement of words and non verbal communication; intellectual and cognital deficiency; difficulty in identifying and remembering the names and nature of things.

It is a developmental disorder that appears in the first three years of life and affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly regress and lose language or social skills they had previously gained. It affects boys 3-4 times more often than girls.

CAUSES

• The most important cause is the impaired serotonin metabolism in the brain and central nervous system.
• Digestive tract changes
• Problems during pregnancy and birth
• Mercury poisoning
• Viral infections
• Allergies to specific food items such as milk and dairy products
• Inability of the body to use vitamins and minerals
• Vaccine sensitivity
• Genetic factor
• Chromosomal abnormalities

SYMPTOMS

• Abnormal social behavior and skills. Patient does not make friends, does not lay interactive games, may not respond to eye contact or smiles or may avoid eye contact, treat others as if they are objects, prefer to spend time alone rather than being with others, shows lack of empathy.
• Poor social communications
• Poor verbal and non verbal languages
• Has a short attention span, narrow interests, is overactive or very passive
• Show aggression towards others or self
• Lack of analytic abilities
• Poor reasoning
• Weak immune system
• Difficulty in speaking or any other speech related problem
• Hyperacidity
• Increased sensitivity towards food
• Oversensitive towards sight, hearing, touch, smell or taste
• Have unusual distress when routines are changed
• Perform repeated body movements
• Show unusual attachments to objects
• Insensitivity to pain
• Seizures
• Mental retardation in some cases is also present

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to Ayurveda, it is caused due to vata dosha imbalance. Poor eating habits, dominance of doshas, influence of rajas and tamas in an individual’s mind, poor health condition and other diseases, extreme feelings like anger, fear or anxiety, deep regret or grief or a deep sense of attachment keep a person’s mind busy and affects it negatively causing loss of intellect and nervous imbalance. This gives rise to dosha imbalance and the possibility of the person being affected by autism increases.

Panchakarma therapies advised in autistic patients are:-

1. Sarvanga Abhyanga
2. Swedanam
3. Patra Pinda Sweda
4. Shirodhara
5. Shiroabhyanga
6. Parishek
7. Nasyam
8. Anuvasana vasti
9. Niruha vasti

Single herbs recommended in this case are:-

• Brahmi
• Shatavari
• Tagar
• Vacha
• Mustak
• Ashwagandha
• Shankhpushpi
• Yashtimadhu
• Giloy
• Amla
• Pippali
• Trikatu
• Jyotishmati
• Mandukparni

These herbs increase the blood circulation to the brain, protect and repair neurons, improve mental strength, concentration and memory; enhance concentration, intelligence, attention and overall cognitive ability.

Ayurvedic formulations that are beneficial in this case are:-

• Brahmi Ghrit
• Panch Gavya Ghrit
• Ashwagandha Ghrit
• Brahmi Vati
• Manas Mitra Vati
• Ashwagandha Avaleh
• Ashwagandha Churna
• Brodley Syrup
• Brainomed Syrup
• Brainomed tablet
• Triphala Syrup
• Trikatu Syrup
• Tagaradi Churna

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Avoid intake of night shade vegetables, including tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes and peppers.
• Include fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet.
• Avoid intake of much of dairy products. However, intake of ghee and milk is strongly recommended in patient suffering autism.
• Practice deep breathing excercises
• Drink boiled water whenever feel thirsty.
• Increase the intake of vitamin D & C in your diet.
• Avoid all foods made with wheat such as bread, pasta and wheat cereal.
• Avoid heavy, junk, oily, processed, baked and preserved food items.
• Avoid any form of concentrated sugar including candy, desserts, soda or fruit juices.

HERBAL REMEDIES

Have turmeric in your diet. Turmeric offers antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects to the body. This helps in improving the health of the gut and ensure proper nutrient intake.

Paget’s disease is a localized bone disorder characterized by abnormal growth of the bone. It may affect one or two bones. The risk of developing the disease increases with the advancing age.

Healthy bone tissue is maintained by cells called osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The osteoblasts build new bones and osteoclasts help to dispose of old bone.

In Paget’s disease, the speed of breaking of bone tissue is faster than normal. The body speeds up rebuilding process of new bone. But these bones are often weak and brittle in nature and therefore break easily. It commonly occurs in pelvis, skull, spine and legs. It may damage the cartilage lining the joints near the affected bones. This wear and tear often leads to osteoarthritis of the affected joints, a condition that may cause pain, swelling and stiffness.

The disease may progress slowly with time. Some common complications that may arise are fracture and deformities, osteoarthritis, heart failure, bone cancer, etc.

CAUSES

The exact cause of the disease is not known. However, following factors are responsible for causing this disease:-

• Genetic factors
• Environmental factors
• Virus

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms of the disease depend upon the part of the body that is affected.

• Pain in the hip region. The pain may be constant, aching and deep and may be most severe at night.
• Bone abnormality in skull may cause hearing loss or headaches.
• When spine is affected, nerve roots get compressed that further causes pain, tingling sensation and numbness in the arms and legs.
• Weakness in the bones may cause bending and patient becomes bowlegged. This might put extra pressure on surrounding joints and may cause osteoarthritis in your knee or hip.
• Enlarged bones can compress the spinal cord or the nerves coming out of the brain and spinal cord. Pain resulting from nerve compression is more severe than the bone pain associated with Paget’s. The location of the pain caused by nerve compression depends on the nerve that is affected. Pain may even radiate from your lower back into the legs. Pressure on the nerve cause numbness, tingling, weakness and double vision.
• Warmth in your skin over the affected area.
• Neurological problems such as hearing loss
• Weakness of muscles
• Fracturing of bones even from minor injuries
• Deafness
• Vision problems
• Dizziness

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

Paget’s disease is due to vitiation of vata dosha and is compared with Asthi Dhatu Kshaya in Ayurveda.

Line of treatment for Paget’s disease aims at:-

• Regularizing the deposition and break down of bone tissue
• Medicines that helps in healthy bone tissue
• Treating pain and other neurological issues
• Protecting vital organs and preventing long term complications of joints, sensory organs, heart and kidney.

Panchakarma therapies that can be done in this case are:-

1. Sarvanga Abhyanga
2. Swedana
3. Patra Pinda Sweda
4. Anuvasana Vasti
5. Niruha Vasti

Single herbs that can be given in this case are:-

• Guggulu
• Nirgundi
• Rasna
• Mustak
• Amalaki
• Vibhitaki
• Punarnava
• Haritaki
• Ashwagandha
• Shatavari
• Shallaki

Ayurvedic formulations recommended in this case are:-

• Trayodashang Guggulu
• Asthiposhak Vati
• Dhatu Poshtik Churna
• Ashwagandha Avaleha
• Ashwagandha Churna
• Vata Vidhwansan Rasa
• Punarnavadi Kwatha
• Vata Nashak Vati
• Vishmushtik Vati
• Maha Vata Raja Rasa
• Triphala Churna
• Maha Rasnadi kwatha
• Rasnadi Guggulu
• Nirgundi Tailam

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Exercise on a regular basis for maintaining the joint mobility and bone strength.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Avoid dry and cold foods.
• Include milk, ghee, sesame, millets in your diet.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and other caffeinated products.
• Avoid intake of tea and coffee.
• Include fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet.
• Keep the pulses in sunlight before cooking them. This gives the vitamin D content to the body.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Have milk warmed with half teaspoon of turmeric at night. Turmeric relieves the pain and inflammation.
• Take few pieces of ginger and prepare its paste in warm water. The phytochemicals present in it helps in joint and muscle pain and stops the inflammation.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological degenerative disorder affecting 1% of the population in the elderly people. It is characterized by the degeneration of the central nervous system, thereby affecting the motor skills of the patient. It symbolizes the loss of dopamine producing brain cells, resulting in a group of conditions called motor system disorders.

CAUSES

Parkinson’s disease is caused by one or more environmental factors, inherited susceptibility to the disease like the inheritance of the chromosome 4 gene. Presence of free radicals also lead to the development of the Parkinson’s disease.

SYMPTOMS

• Trembling in fingers, hands, arms, feet, legs, jaw and head. Tremors most often occur in rest position and may even worsen when excited, tired or stressed.
• Pill rolling tremor where the thumb and fingers move uncontrollably in a manner resembling the rolling of a pill between the fingers.
• Passive movements of the limbs known as cogwheel rigidity
• Stiffness in the limbs and trunk. Rigidity may even lead to muscle aches and pain.
• Loss of fine hand movements which may lead to cramped handwriting and may make eating 5z4
• Difficult to adjust posture to maintain balance.
• Shuffling walk with a stooped position known as festinating gait and a diminished or absent arm swing
• Anxiety, stress, depression
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Insomnia
• Constipation
• Mask like face expression
• Small handwriting

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to Ayurveda, Parkinson’s disease is compared with Kampavata. It is also known as vepana, vepathu, spandhana, sphurana etc. It is caused by the imbalance of the vata dosha in the body.

When apana vayu gets accumulated and aggravated, it leads to the condition of constipation. When this gets combined with the vata aggravating diet and lifestyle, vata overflows into the channels which in turn disturbs the rasa dhatu or any other weak dhatu. When this weakness resides in the brain stem, it causes altered coordination and tremors, when vata dosha disturbs the mansa dhatu, it causes symptoms like rigidity or if it has entered manovahi srotas it causes depression.

Line of treatment for Parkinson’s disease in Ayurveda is based on the following principles:-

1. Correcting the vata dosha imbalance through snehan (Oleation) and fomentation (swedana)
2. Administration of external (including panchakarma therapies) and internal drugs (like Ashwagandha, kapikacchu etc.) in different forms to balance the vata dosha
3. Using rasayan preparations for rejuvenating the cells and tissues of the body

Single herbs that are useful in Parkinson’s disease are:-

1. Rasna
2. Eranda
3. Ashwagandha
4. Kapikacchu
5. Bala
6. Triphala
7. Jatamansi
8. Shankhpushpi
9. Tagar
10. Brahmi
11. Giloy
12. Aloe vera

Ayurvedic formulations useful in this disease are:-

1. Ashwagandha Avaleh
2. Kauncha Pak
3. Ahwagandhadi Churna
4. Dashmoola Churna
5. Tagaradi Churna
6. Brahmi Vati
7. Guduchi Satva
8. Triphala Churna
9. Dhatupoushtik Churna
10. Vishmushtik Vati
11. Manas Mitra Vati
12. Noni juice
13. Brodley Syrup

Panchakarma therapies that can be done in a patient of Parkinson’s disease are:-

• Sarvanga Abhyanga
• Shiro Abhyanga
• Shirodhara
• Shiro Vasti
• Patra Pinda Sweda
• Nasya karma
• Niruha Vasti and Anuvasana Vasti

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Include high fiber foods in your diet such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, cereals, bran etc.
• Avoid food that has a lot of cholesterol or saturated fat in it.
• Limit the intake of salt and sugar in your diet.
• Increase the intake of water. Have at least 8-10 glasses of water every day.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol intake.
• Practice yoga exercises such as brahmari pranayama to cure the disease.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Prepare 5 grams of garlic paste and 5 ml of sesame oil. Add a pinch of black salt. Take this twice a day to balance the vata dosha.
• Take 20 grams each of Giloy, Rasna, adrak, Punarnava. Prepare a decoction of the above herbs mixing 10 ml of castor oil in it. Take this twice a day to pacify the vata dosha in the colorectal region.
• Take one teaspoon of Ashwagandha churna with milk at least two times a day. It has rejuvenating property and at the same time it acts as a nervine tonic.

Multiple sclerosis is defined as the debilitating auto immune disease that affects the brain, spinal cord and the optic nerves. Body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the myelin sheath that covers the nerves. Damage to this myelin sheath distorts and interrupts signals coming to and from the brain and spinal cord.

Multiple sclerosis is classified into following subdivisions according to frequency and severity of the neurological symptoms, the ability of the central nervous system to recover and the accumulation of the damage:-

1. Primary Progressive MS – Causes steady progression of symptoms with few periods of remission.
2. Relapsing- Remitting MS – Causes worsening of symptoms that occur with increasing frequency along with reduced remission.

1. Secondary Progressive MS – It is similar to relapsing remitting MS and eventually progresses to MS with no remission.
2. Relapsing Progressive MS – Causes accumulative damage during exacerbations and remissions.

CAUSES

The cause of the disease remains unknown. However genetics, infections (herpes virus infection, retrovirus infection) and environmental factors (more common in temperate regions as compared to tropics) are sometimes responsible for causing this disease.

SYMPTOMS

• Fatigue
• Numbness
• Tingling sensation in the body
• Tiredness and pain in the body
• Trembling of the limbs particularly head
• Problems in walking, balancing and coordination
• Visual defects or loss of vision
• Muscle spasticity
• Stuttering
• Depression
• Problems associated with memory, analysis and interpretation
• Poor control on urinary bladder
• Emotional and cognitive dysfunction

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to Ayurveda, the functioning mode in the body is vata dosha that controls the overall balance and activation of the nervous system. MS is a classical vata imbalance disorder.

Ayurveda also believes that ama is the main cause behind any auto-immune disease. In MS also, ama is attached to the nerve tissue and the immune system tries to remove it. As a result the body’s immune system attacks and damages the myelin sheath which results in the development of the disease MS.

Line of treatment for MS:-

• Calming the immune system to halt the disease activity
• Relieving inflammation in the nerves
• Rejuvenating the myelin producing cells
• Activate body’s processes to reverse and remove the scars in the CNS

In Ayurveda, MS is treated with the Panchakarma therapies to remove ama and dosha accumulation.

Shodhan therapies that are done in MS are:-

• Sarvanga Abhyanga
• Swedana
• Shirodhara
• Shiroabhyanga
• Patra Pinda Sweda
• Vasti

Shamana therapies are also being done to remove ama and dosha accumulation preferably in people who are extremely weak, young, old, debilitated or lack financial means. Shamana therapies aim at pacifying vata dosha.

Single ayurvedic herbs beneficial in this case are:-

• Ashwagandha
• Haritaki
• Vibhitaki
• Amalaki
• Nirgundi
• Cinnamon
• Chitrak
• Lasuna
• Rasna
• Bala
• Aloe vera
• Shatavari
• Jatamansi
• Yashtimadhu
• Eranda

Ayurvedic formulations recommended in this case are:-

• Ashwagandha Churna
• Ashwagandha Avaleha
• Manas Mitra Gutika
• Dhatu poshtik churna
• Brahmi Vati
• Aloe vera juice
• Lasunadi Vati
• Trikatu Tablet
• Bala ashwagandha Lakshadi thailam
• Rasnadi Kwatha
• Chitrakadi Vati
• Triphala Churna

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Adapt a healthy lifestyle.
• Avoid fast food and junk food.
• Practice yoga, pranayam, deep breathing and meditation to increase the energy levels. This refreshes the nerves and improves moods.
• Drink 8-10 glasses of water every day.
• Avoid caffeinated products, alcohol and smoking.
• Have green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.
• Avoid wheat, barley, oats and rye.
• Avoid eating between meals. Avoid sweets and chocolates.
• Avoid taking tea and coffee, instead have green tea. Green tea helps in prevention and treatment of auto immune disease.
• Do exercise daily or do brisk walking.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Have 30 ml Aloe Vera juice early morning on empty stomach. Aloe vera rich in vitamins and minerals help in strengthening the immune system. It is also used for detoxification process and in improving metabolism.
• Add one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root to boiling water and steep for a few minutes. Strain and add honey to it. Drink this atleast twice a day.

A Stye is a small, inflamed boil on the eyelid. It may affect the skin of the eyebrows or the eyelids, more commonly seen on the lower eyelid. Usually stye is an inflamed hair follicle or an infection of a sebaceous gland in the edge of the eyelid.

Stye, also known as hordeolum, is of two types:-

1. External hordeolum
2. Internal hordeolum

CAUSES

• Application of the cosmetics
• Incomplete removal of makeup
• Conjunctivitis
• Due to ill health
• Infection of the eyelid caused due to staphylococcus bacteria
• Infection of the hair follicle of the eyelid leads to the blockage of the hair follicles
• Uncleanliness
• Lack of hygiene

• Dirt
• Blockage of sebaceous glands near the eyelids
• Constant rubbing of the eyes
• Sleep deprivation
• Poor nutrition and poor health
• People suffering from blepharitis are at higher risk of developing stye
• Obese people are more prone to develop stye due to high levels of blood lipids or fats that blocks the oil glands.
• Toxic condition of the system caused due to wrong feeding habits, especially consumption of foods like white bread, refined cereals, boiled potatoes, etc.

SYMPTOMS

• Pimple near the eye lid
• Pain and swelling in the eyelid
• Watering from the eyes
• Loss of vision or blurred vision
• Redness in the eyes
• Itching in the eyelids
• Crusting of the eyelid margins
• Tenderness
• Mucus discharge from the eyes
• Pus formation in the areas

AYURVEDIC VIEW AND TREATMENT ACCORDING TO CHANDIGARH AYURVED CENTRE

According to Ayurveda, external stye is compared with Anjananamika, whereas internal stye is compared with Utsangini and Kumbhika. It is caused due to vitiation of the rakta dhatu and pitta dosha. However other doshas are also involved in causing anjananamika.

Panchakarma therapies that can be done in this condition are:-

1. Nasya
2. Netra vasti
3. Shirodhara and shiro Abhyanga to relieve excessive stress.

Single ayurvedic herbs that help in eliminating the infection from the eyes and help heal the abscess are:-

• Giloy
• Shunthi
• Manjishtha
• Pippali
• Haridra
• Marich
• Amalaki
• Haritaki
• Vibhitaki
• Pudina
• Dhaniya
• Clove
• Cinnamon

Ayurvedic formulations useful in this case are:-

• Kaishore Guggulu
• Gandhak rasayan
• Saptamrita loha
• Amalaki Rasayan
• Triphala churna
• Manjishthadi churna
• Ashwagandha Avaleha
• Triphala Guggulu
• Aarogya vardhini vati
• Sunetra eye drops
• Jeevantyadi ghrit
• Maha triphaladya ghrit

DIET AND LIFESTYLE

• Use separate towels and other common objects. Handkerchief or towel used to clean the eyes should be clean and free from infections.
• One should stay with proper hygiene especially during winter and monsoon times.
• Avoid touching the stye, the germs present in the hand might make matters worse.
• Never burst the stye as it can spread the infection in the eye.
• Wash your hands properly before handling eyes to keep away all kinds of ophthalmic diseases.
• Warm up your palms and put them over the eyes. This relaxes the eyes.
• Protect your eyes from dust and smoke
• Wash your eyes properly with water
• Cosmetics used for eyes should be carefully chosen to make sure that they do not cause infections or blockages of sebaceous glands.

HERBAL REMEDIES

• Take 300 ml of water. Add two tablespoons of coriander seeds and boil for 15-20 minutes. Strain the mixture and allow it to cool. Use this as an eyewash twice a day.
• Take a tea bag and dip it in water. Remove and press it on the stye for 5-6 minutes. Repeat this five times a day. Tannin helps in relieving pain from the painful bump near the eye.
• Take 5-8 cloves and a black stone. Rub it with water to make a liquid paste. Apply this paste on the affected area twice or thrice a day.
• Take a piece of cotton cloth and dip it in warm water. Apply this and rub gently over the affected area. It helps in relieving the inflammation from the eyes.
• Add turmeric powder to water and use this water as eye drops three times a day.