Changing face of tourism
Editorial  

The profile of tourism is changing and changing fast. Time was when it was the privilege of the rich and the famous to travel round for pleasure. Soon the less privileged joined, thanks to the growth of mass transportation that made travel cheap. And
yet, it was not so much for pleasure as for knowledge that they moved around. The sixties saw the boom with the low-budget, backpackers dominating the scene.The mid-eighties saw air travel being de-regulated, thanks to Reagonomics. And tourism took new forms. It was'nt for leisure or learning alone that people traveled. Sheer adventure drew many out of their homes and the young and the old flocked to places hitherto unknown. And now as grey heads replace black heads faster than one would have thought, the search is for therapies that promise healthy mind and body. Medical tourism has thus arrived. It is in keeping with the trend that we present to our readers a new editorial package. The change starts with our title that sums up what we intend to offer - solace to both body and mind. India in general and Kerala in particular offer the best and genuine too. Our repackaging coincides with the year being declared as "Year of Medical Tourism." Incidentally, and importantly too, the fourth edition of the Kerala Travel Mart is also being held in Kochi. We look forward to keeping our date with B2B show. 

This issue, like our earlier issues, covers much more. Our cover story is on health tourism and why and how India offers the best in that. We do not intend to belittle our competitors, but all the same take pride that what is available here will not be available elsewhere. Alcoholism that kills men - and increasingly women as well - and destroys families is treated in some detail and will be of enormous interest. A highly informed article on the ideal diet that Ayurveda prescribes will answer many a question that perturbs us. And not to be ignored is the growing tribe of quacks that have mushroomed to cash in on the growing popularity of Ayurveda all over the world, more particularly in some western countries. Germany, for instance. Do get back to us with your valuable suggestions and comments.

A HOLISTIC APPROACH FOR ALCOHOLICS
Dr. Shyla. M.G, Dr. Narayan Prakash B, Dr. Srinibash Sahoo

Introduction:
Alcoholism has become a global problem in modern era due to increased stress and changed life style. Family conflicts, lower socio-economic status, workplace tension, failure in life, unfulfilled dreams are some of the common stressors which make the individuals to be addicted to alcohol. To overcome stressful events, one has to be satvavan. When one person is deprived of his satva, his natural threshold to the stress is reduced and he will be in search of some psychoactive substances like alcohol and other drugs by which he can forget the stressful situation temporarily. More .......

AMRITA (Tinospora cordifolia) – THE POTENT ELIXIR OF LIFE

S Rajasekharan and P G Latha

In Sanskrit, 'Amrita' means heavenly elixir, which keeps one eternally young. Ayurvedic masters specifically mentioned its therapeutic effects as imparting youthfulness, vitality and longevity to human beings. It is a well-known and favourite medicinal plant of healers of traditional medicine. Hence, it is called 'Bhishak priya'. 

Amrita in Ayurveda

Ayurveda considers ‘Amrita’ as a panacea and highlights its preventive, promotive, corrective and curative properties. It is interesting to note that more than 25 Sankrit synonyms are ascribed to this plant by ancient ayurvedic masters to identify the plant in terms of its therapeutic properties, its physical character, its ability to survive adverse climatic conditions etc  More .......

Canada issues alert against four ayurvedic drugs for high metal content

Health Canada,the country's drug regulatory agency has cautioned its citizens against using for Indian ayurvedic medicinal products that were found by Singapore's Health Science Authority to contain high levels of lead and/or mercury. 

The ayurvedic medicines are Annai Aravindh Herbals Rheuma-7 capsules, produced by Annai Aravindh Herbals, Malaya Diabecon tablets, produced by The Himalaya Drug Company, Laurel's Diabecs capsules, produced by Laurel Herbal Products and Goodcare Diabet Guard Granules, produced by Goodcare Pharma Pvt. Ltd. More .......



Use bits with visuals

Backache 

Make a paste of ginger, and apply to the affected area. Massaging with eucalyptus oil is very effective. You can also make your own massaging oil. Take 2-3 cloves of garlic, and cut them into small pieces. Put them in 100 ml. of sesame oil or mustard oil (or any other oil if these two are not available). Boil on slow fire for about five minutes. Massage the area of backache with this oil. 

Premature ageing 

Symptoms of premature ageing are excessively dry skin, skin wrinkles, dried up body tissues, limp muscles, and joint pains. These are general symptoms of ageing, but if these appear at an early age, one should pacify the aggravated vata dosha, since aging is caused by imbalanced vata.
Vata dosha is usually aggravated by excessive stress and tension, overwork, irregular sleeping and eating habits, and by eating too much cold and dry food. Artificially preserved or frozen food, and chemical medicines tend to aggravate vata dosha, causing premature ageing. Excessive exposure to sunlight, chemicals and cosmetic also absorbs the body's natural moisture and causes an imbalance of vata dosha. More .......

Indian Gooseberry

Prof. C.P. Unnikrishnan

“Words of the elders and matured gooseberry are bitter first but sweet later” has been a popular proverb in Kerala, till he beginning of old age home culture. But it is a socio-medical truth. Emblica officinalis is its botanical binomial nomenclature, known in Sanskrit as Amala or Dhatriphla and Nelli in Malayalam. It is ‘Amla or Amla = pure’ and ‘Dhatriphala = fruit of the earth’. When all fruits are from the plants that grow on the earth, why gooseberry has this special reference? It is a specific gift from the mother nature to the entire humanity. Charaka in his ayurvedic treatise has specifically justified this view and mentioned the fruit as a great rasayana that helps protect people from disease and keeps away the manifestations of premature ageing. 


The empirical concept of ayurveda is that any disease is the manifestation of an imbalance among the three Doshas - Vayu, Pitta and Kapha (air, bile and phlegm). Amla maintains the balance among the three, thereby minimising, if not nullifying, the daily ware and tear; hence its value as a rejuvenator. More .......

Baby Care

Before birth and after

Kaumarabhruthya is a speciality in ayurveda that has been practised throughout the subcontinent with wide-ranging variations related to time and region. Kaumarabhruthya or paediatrics is one of the major branches of ‘ashtangayurveda’. The wealth of knowledge governing this branch of medicine was developed and tested through very direct experimentation. Such time-tested information has been handed over through various treatises and texts that can now be treated as ready reckoners to aid the practitioner.  More .......

PULAMANTHOLE MOOSS: A gifted physician

T Gopinath

This is the story about the travails of a gifted member belonging to one of the renowned families in Kerala’s ayurvedic firmament. The Vayaskara family was once in a predicament once since it had no male offspring to continue the lineage.

In such cases, as the then prevalent custom, the right to the family’s property devolved on the State – here the princely state of Travancore. To avoid this, the then grand sire of Vayaskara family adopted the scion of another illustrious family, Pulamanthole. But this adoption had to be officially ratified by the Maharajah of Travancore, who went by the name of Ayilyam Thirunal. More .......

Yoga- Savasana for a calm mind
Savasana relaxes the whole psycho-physiological system. It should ideally be practiced before sleep, before and after asana practice.

K R Manoj

The first chapter of the Hathayoga pradeepika (verse 32) states: ‘lying upon one’s back on the ground at full length like a corpse is called savasana. This removes the fatigue caused by the other asanas and induces calmness of mind.’
Mritasana (Savasana) is described in verse 11 of the second chapter of the Gheranda samhitha: lying flat on the ground (on one’s back) like a corpse is called mritasana. This posture destroys fatigue and quiets the agitation of the mind.
When practising yogasana be sure to do savasana at the beginning, the end, between the asanas. Don’t skip it. More .......

Treating alcoholism
Dr Anish M Kurias

It is very interesting to go deep into the meaning of alcoholism in ayurveda. All the texts of ayurveda explain about ‘madhya’ and ‘madha’ i.e. alcohol and intoxification in detail.
The effect of alcohol is same as the effect of visha or toxin, though it is less harmful.
But it doesn’t mean that alcohol has only ill-effects. Ayurveda is such a science which explains visha as toxins which destroys life, but when used in a perfect way it can save lives too. So we can find guidelines for selecting the liquor, its quantity to be consumed, company to be consumed it with, place to consume it etc. These are explained so much in detail that only an expert in this science can guide a person perfectly. Age, abnormality in the body or mind if any, family history etc are to be calculated for suggesting the perfect dose and type of alcohol. And if one follows the rules and regulations according to this science, alcohol can be considered as a good part of life. More .......

ARROWROOT – STARCH WITH HERBAL VALUE
Jacob Varghese

The plant kingdom has provided man with his therapeutic needs over many millennia. Indeed the plants have been the therapeutic arsenal of all the documented traditional systems of medicine, which made possible the modern disciplines of ethno medicine. India has several unique features in the medical and aromatic plants sector, the first and most important being a wider use of native plants in the Indian systems of indigenous medicine which still cater to a larger section of the people. Out of the 3000 medicinal plants seen in India, about 200 species are used in bulk quantities as articles of commerce. Because of safe and effective constituents of plant products and active principles of medicinal plants in particular, interest in medicinal plants has been shown all over the world. Arrowroot is one such plant, which finds a place as a food supplement and also in herbal preparations. Arrowroot is the common name for a variety of nutritious, easy-to-digest starch extracted from the tubers of certain plants growing in tropical countries, or the plants from which such starch is obtained. It is open to speculation whether the name ‘arrowroot’ comes from the pointed shape of the root or the belief that it cured arrow injuries. More .......

Medical Tourism- The attractive proposition - Why health is wealth

Sudha Nambudiri

* Elizabeth Cherian, a general physician practicing in the United States was in Kerala for treatment. Tests revealed cancerous growth in her uterus and she underwent an operation and radiation therapy before flying back to the US.
* Beena Nair flew in from the Gulf to undergo a plastic surgery at a top hospital in Mumbai.

These are elite NRIs settled abroad for several years but preferred to come to India for treatment because of highly affordable rate and quality treatments. But they are not the only ones. The middle income-level foreigner is also getting enchanted by Asia’s booming health tourism potential. More .......

Surgery in ayurveda

Susruta Samhita, written in the 6th century BC, is the most authentic text on the practice of ayurvedic surgery. Susruta is, also, renowned as the father of plastic surgery. He represents the Dhanvantari school of surgeons. His Samhita discusses in minute detail on how to perform prosthetic surgery to replace limbs, cosmetic surgery on nose and on other parts of the body, caesarean operations, setting of compound fractures, and even brain surgery. Susruta's original work has been revised and supplemented by Nagarjuna between the third and fourth centuries AD. More .......

Current scenario in Germany 
Dr.Jeevan:E.P 

In Germany, ayurveda has turned into oil massage in the cure hotels, and other centers and the people who practise this medical system with a licence of Heilpraktiker (Non-medical practitioner) are unaware of the side effects caused by administering the herbal and mineral medication.

Ayurveda always been practised with the guidance of a qualified practitioner. However, it appears not so in the west, where the qualified doctor has to practice in secret while his counterpart who has probably done a short-term course in India, has a roaring practice, unfortunately for the unsuspecting westerner. Another cause for concern is the attempt to regulate ayurveda. "It is merely ending up in the dilution of the qualifications of Ayurvedic practitioners to a curriculum of only 100 – 300 hours, when a full ayurveda degree takes five and a half years to complete."  More .......

World Ayurveda Congress in Nov

The second World Ayurveda Congress & Expo 2006 will be held at the University of Pune campus from November 5 to 12. 

The Congress is expected to host around 3000 delegates from more than 50 countries. The theme of the congress is 'Ayurveda for the future', and the gathering will consist of physicians, scholars, experts, scientists, students, manufacturers, policy makers, political leaders, traditional healers etc. The invitees of the Congress will include heads of nations, Nobel Laureates, renowned spiritual leaders, senior policy makers, heads of manufacturing companies and academicians, informed the organisers. 
The Congress will have three plenary sessions and 22 parallel sessions, discussing various aspects related to Ayurveda, with special focus on education, research, industry and conservation. Subjects covered in the Congress range from fundamental principles of Ayurveda to frontier areas in Ayurveda research like standardisation of drugs, patenting and IPR, treatment for different diseases, autoimmune disorders, use of biotechnology etc. 
The World Ayurveda Expo and the Herbal Trade Fair, along with the Congress, is expected to have about 350-400 stalls and is likely to attract over five lakh visitors. The exhibitor profile will include service institutions, academic institutions, R&D centres, nutraceutical manufacturers and marketing firms, medicinal plant cultivators and dealers, exporters, ayurvedic treatment centres, equipment suppliers, Ayurveda industries and publishers etc. A medicinal plant exhibition, along with the expo, is being organised to display over 200 species of rare medicinal plants, informed the organisers. 
The event is jointly organised by Vijnana Bharati (Swadeshi Science Movement) and the University of Pune. 

The first World Ayurveda Congress was organised in Kochi during November 2002 and it had attracted delegates from over 28 countries and lakhs of visitors. More .......

AYUSH to enforce label rules from July 2006

The Department of Ayush has directed all state governments to ensure all the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs carry details of ingredients in the labels and the manufacturers are following statutory labelling rules, effective from July 1, 2006. 
Though many of the patent and proprietary medicines of the ISM (Indian system of medicine) sector were following the rules, including display of ingredient details, the classical formulations were so far exempted from this provision. 

The manufacturers of ayurvedic, siddha or unani medicines were exempted to list the ingredients on the product, and instead had to make a reference of the recipe used in ancient texts on the label. With the new directive, all the manufacturers will have to either mention the details of the ingredients on the label itself or will have to provide a leaflet containing information on the ingredients and other mandatory disclosures. 
As per the provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act Rule 61 (1) and (2), it is necessary to have 'conspicuous display' on the label of the container or package of an ayurvedic (including siddha) or unani drug, the true list of all the ingredients used in the manufacture of the preparation, together with the quantity of each of the ingredients. A reference to the method of preparation as detailed in the standard text and Adikarana, as prescribed in the authoritative books specified have to be displayed in the labels.  More .......

Diet regimen in Skin diseases

Ayurveda views diet and medicine as complementary rather than separate. And there is no cure if any one has been violated.

Dr P K Vasudevan Namboodiri

The relation of our body to the outer world is through skin – the covering which acts as the agent of contact with the whole surrounding; laden with the network of nerve endings and tiny blood vessels. It serves as the barrier from external injurious substances as well as micro-organisms

Skin has a very important role as it is the place of vatha; spreading through the whole exposed surface of the body, the effects of pathyas and apathyas are easily reflected through this. More .......

Vaajeekarana for procreation
Prof Dr K Muraleedharan Pillai MD (Ay)

Vaajeekarana treatment, according to Charaka, enables man to indulge in excessive sexual acts. All ayurveda acholars agree that it makes a man sexually strong.
S’aarangadhara defines ‘vaajeekarana’ as a drug, the use of which makes man and woman enjoy the enhanced pleasure of sex. A drug known as ‘sukralam’ improves quality and quantity of semen.

All the factors which make a man capable of entering into sexual intercourse with woman and make him capable of performing excessive sexual intercourse are called vaajeekarana. More .......

1st Issue