My Medi Blog

The pandemic has reinforced the importance of hand washing and hygiene. The frenzy of washing our hands for exactly 20 seconds had taken us over & still has us in its grips. Why does it take us a wakeup call such as this one to take a simple act of washing hands seriously. You all must be aware of the ads for any hand wash where they show germs on hands and the tagline from one of those ads ‘Saboon se hath pure 1 min tak dhone chahiye’.

Why are all these ads centered around kids? It's because we know how unruly & fussy kids can be. This growing age is where they are most active and rough with their playing and games. They tend to neglect hand washing & hygiene so that they don’t miss out on the fun.

Hand washing is just one of the facets of preventing worm infestations in children and adults. 10th February has been designated as National deworming day by the government to tackle the problem of worm infestations in growing children specifically. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed as chronic worm infestation can lead to anemia and malnourishment, which has negative effects on mental and physical development in growing kids.

There are a variety of worm infestations mentioned in modern textbooks. But the concept of worms or krimi is bigger in Ayurveda. Our Vedas were so ahead of their times that some concepts still can't be explained by modern science. Purishaj krimi, Kaphaj krimi, Raktaj krimi and Bahya Krimi  are described as per their origin. Not only are the various krimi described in detail but their treatment is also explained with equal attention.

Ayurveda mentions the following 3 Step Treatment module:

Guidelines as per the Govt. to follow:

It is also best to avoid raw or uncooked food, vegetables & red meat.  Always wear footwear outsideas certain worms can enter through open wounds. Although for adults, consciously following hygiene rules might come easy but when it comes to kids they follow by example so consider this  whenever around kids. But the real challenge is getting this message across to each and every individual. So, spread the word!

Here at Sandu Pharmaceuticals, we offer Sandu Vidangarishta, Sandu Khadirarishta, Sandu Krimivikar Kadha, Sandu Krimikuthar Ras to aid in the mission of making sure no child or adult suffers from worm infestation. Along with this ajwain, garlic, hing, tulsi, vidang (vavading) are also some helpful herbs to control this disorder. Along with proper medical care and personally being aware and responsible, worm infestations can be easily prevented.

With Ayurveda as our companion nothing is impossible!

#SayYestoAyurveda #Deworming #Ayurveda #Krimivikar #Childhealth #SanduPharma #NationalDewormingDay

Article By:

Dr.Madhuri Bhogan (MD AYU)

Research Associate

Arjuna Eyes the Endothelium and Not the Eye of the Bird!!

Well, this Arjuna is not the Arjuna of Mahabharata, who said, “I can only see the eye of the bird.” Here, Arjuna is the medicinal plant, which is widely known as cardioprotective herb or heart medicine. Acharya Charak and other seers identify Terminalia arjuna as the best amongst the Cardioprotectives.

Modern sciences have identified the endothelium as the main target for effective CARDIOPROTECTION!  Endothelium is  the innermost lining of the blood vessels, arteries. The  endothelium is body's largest endocrine organ. This vessel lining is 5 times the size of the heart in mass and 6 times the size of a tennis court in area. Keeping the endothelium in sound health is the sole objective of any cardioprotective treatment.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Atherosclerosis, the hardening of the blood vessels, is the main pathological factor in the causation of the heart diseases. Atherosclerosis is a complex process in which fats accumulate in the large arteries. Over time, the arteries become thick and hard, which makes heart diseases more likely. It is interesting to know that atherosclerosis is mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts; धमनीप्रतिचय (dhamanipratichaya) is the Sanskrit word for atherosclerosis. The remains of ancient human populations, mummies also prove the presence of atherosclerosis in ancient times.

The vessel wall is an active, integrated organ composed of three separate layers: intima, media and adventitia. The endothelial cells are very specialized, metabolically active cells and not only guard  the internal surface of blood vessels but also are responsible for regulation of blood flow to critical organs, called as brain, heart and kidneys, the त्रिमर्म of Ayurveda.

In fact, the normal vascular endothelium is taken as a gatekeeper of cardiovascular health! It plays very critical role in maintenance of  cardiovascular health by regulating blood fluidity and fibrinolysis, vascular tone, angiogenesis, monocyte/leukocyte adhesion, and platelet aggregation.

The disturbed endothelium, endothelial dysfunction,  results in hardening of the blood vasculature which further leads to hypertension, dyslipidemia, inflammation and thrombosis. These abnormalities result in generation of excessive free radicals causing oxidative stress (OS), this OS further damages the endothelium and the vicious cycle continues, as shown in the diagram.

To break this vicious cycle, the WHO recommends certain Lifestyle Modifications  to prevent heart diseases, for example regular physical exercise, not eating too much food, moderate use of fat, sugar and salt in food. The aim of these lifestyle modifications is  to improve endothelial function.

There are number of modern published scientific articles on cardioprotective nature of Terminalia arjuna. Arjuna does have  a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action and reverses impaired endothelial function. It prevents LDL cholesterol oxidation and reduces  atherogenic lipid levels. It also improves cardiovascular health by controlling the  autonomic nervous function. This herbal drug with multiple beneficial effects without causing side effects can modulate the existing treatment strategies.

Visionary seers called Arjuna as the leader of हृद्य, CARDIOPROTECTIVE medicines!!  Arjuna achieves स्रोतसां प्रसादनम् (healthy endothelium)and therefore, it is the best cardioprotective.

Sandu Products containing Arjuna are: Arjunarishta, Balant Kadha No 3, Ashwagandharishta, and Tab Debix.