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.

More than just skin deep
Sudha Nambudiri

One of the most exposed and toughest parts of the body, skin remains a 
vulnerable part, though it can withstand varying temperatures and different 
inflictions on it. 

Fast emerging as one of the most commonly occurring medical complaints 
among the vast cross-section of the society, skin diseases, even if it is a mild 
form of discolouration, affects us psychologically. Similarly, any form of 
psychological tension can easily show on the skin psychosomatically. More .......

Readying to be medical meccas?

Do you know what they say these days to people in the West, who are in the 
long queue for medical treatment that’s not an emergency, “If you are in pain 
and don’t have health insurance, go on a vacation.” 

Interestingly, this is nothing funny, just an indicator of which way the wind is 
blowing. From West to East. A growing number of Americans, Europeans and 
even from the Middle East are travelling towards countries like India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia for cosmetic, orthopedic and heart surgeries and other medical and dental treatments that cost 20 to 80 percent less than at home. With ayurveda, yoga, meditation, allopathy, and other systems of medicines, India offers a unique basket of services to an individual that is difficult to match by other countries. More .......

Helping to say ‘cheese’ 

Dr.Rajkrishnan's dental clinic offers international quality dental care and specialty treatment has been drawing patients not just from India but also from US, UK, Europe and the Middle-East. More .......

Use of metals in medicine
By Dr. U. Indulal

A verse in ashtangahrdayam introduces the whole world as a pharmacopoeia 
that rests on the applicatory acumen of the physician. It says that there is 
nothing in this world, not even sand and dust, that is non-medicinal. This 
concept is rooted in the understanding of the constitutional make-up of everything that is “being”, as caused by the five great elements. The body, the plants, the metals and the minerals are all made of these in proportional variations. Thus we see good physicians using plants, precious stones and cow’s urine with equal regard and efficacy. There is only one category of things that is available in the world – that is medicinal. metals, like plants, thus become part of Ayurveda pharmacopoeia. More .......

Honey, a spoonful of energy
By Dr Brindha S

Honey has been used for centuries in different cultures as a treasured product handed down by the nature. It would not have been treated as one of the nature’s wonders, had it not been for its traditionally acknowledged curative properties. More .......

Nada Yoga: Indian Healing Technique
By Dr. T. V. Sairam

The great system of Nada Yoga, an ancient practice in India, works on the 
premise that the entire universe is made of nada, the sound vibrations. It is the movement of sound energy that forms the building block of the universe, and not the matter or the matter of particle or quark, as physicists believe. This realization in India has ushered in the concept of nada being worshipped as Brahmin. More .......

Amoora rohituka: Drug for spleen & liver disorders
By S.Rajasekharan and P.G.Latha

Amoora rohituka (Family: Meliaceae), commonly referred to as ‘Chemmaram’ in 
Kerala is an evergreen medium sized tree, growing upto 20 feet in height and 
6-12 inches in girth, with a straight cylindrical bole and dense spreading crown. 

It is seen in the Shola forests and the sacred groves. It has imparipinnate leaves and bears  greenish flowers in auxiliary branched racemes. It is found scattered in Sikkim, Assam, Andamans and the western peninsular India from Konkan to Travancore, at an altitude of about 3500 feet. The leaves are 1-3 feet long, with 3-9 leaflets. The flowers are panicled, fruits are pale yellow or red in colour with soft fleshy texture. The seeds supply an oil of economic importance. More .......

Karapan- Skin disease in children
Dr.C.M.Sreekrishnan. 

`Balachikitsa' or paediatrics is one of the main branches of Ayurveda. Three 
principles are considered in ayurvedic balachikitsa, treatment of children.

1. Health problems of children differ from adults 
2. Children’s response to an illness is influenced by age
3. Management of childhood illness significantly varies

More .......

A healthy date with dates 
C.P. Unnikrishnan

The most precious primary gift of Mother Nature to humanity undoubtedly is the  world of vivid flora that decorates this planet with multitudes of brilliant colours and fragrance. 

Apart from this aesthetic appeal, ecologically also the world of plants forms the world of primary producers for all consumers. The Vedic writings also highlight this observation and constantly remind us to worship and nurture plants. More .......

Soorya Namaskara (Salutation to the Sun)
K R Manoj 

Soorya namaskaram is the greatest of yoga vyayamas that equip a person to 
practise yogasanas very well as it increases general health, vitality, flexibility of  body and even cures chronic diseases. More .......

Kacholam; For respiratory ailments 
Jacob Varghese

With the world presently literally going herbal, trends at consumer level favour the use of natural drugs and remedies as large number of people consider them more harmonious with human metabolism, personal health and well-being.  

The widespread use of medicinal herbs for health care preparations has been 
documented in ancient texts from the Vedas to the Holy Bible. These plants 
today support health care needs of over a billion people through traditional 
medicines and modern pharmaceuticals. More .......

Ayusoft: Ayurveda gets a software touch

For an ayurvedic physician, choosing between the various possibilities of a disease while diagnosing an ailment is critical. The process is complicated as the diagnosis is highly patient-specific. But help is at hand. More .......

1st Issue