Exploring an alternative medicine

[Guest guest]

By Malaika Fraley, STAFF WRITER

FOSTER CITY -- When conventional Western medicine isn't working, a Foster

City doctor says, more and more people are turning to Ayurveda -- an ancient

Indian healing science that treats health problems through diet, exercise

and herbs.

"In conventional medicine, we focus more on the physical body and in

Ayurveda -- it means the wisdom about healthy living -- we much more focus

on the body, mind and spirit," says Dr. Jay Apte, who runs a Ayurvedic

clinic in Foster City. "We always believe that our mind has more control

over our physical body.

"We focus on prevention rather than treating disease, mainly through diet

and lifestyle, meditation, exercise and taking natural herbs," she adds.

Apte, who received an integrated degree in Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicine

in India and a master's degree in Pharmacology from the University of North

Texas, said most of her patients have health problems such as weight gain,

menopausal problems, stress, allergies and poor digestion. About 80 percent

are women.

It's "usually after they try everything and nothing works" that they come to

Ayurveda, Apte says.

Apte is also the director of Ayurveda Institute of America, a weekend

program offering a certificate in Ayurvedic science in Foster City, Los

Angeles, Houston and Hawaii.

Many of her students are already in health-related fields: massage

therapists, nutritionists, yoga instructors, chiropractors and sometime

medical doctors and nurses who want to incorporate Ayurvedic methods into

their practices.

"It's always been popular in India, but Ayurveda is also becoming popular

here as a contemporary alternative medicine," Apte says. "It's a 5

000-year-old science, the mother of all health science, but some people are

just learning about it.

"What's old is new again."

Alternative to HRT Redwood Shores resident Kathie Smith says she first tried

Ayurveda three years ago to help a digestive problem.

She started doing it again two months ago for menopausal symptoms that

included intense hot flashes. Having eight to 10 hot flashes a day was

interrupting her work and sleep, and she wanted to avoid hormone replacement

therapy.

"HRT is too risky and I couldn't take it any more," Smith says. "It's

(Ayurveda) taking a little time but I've noticed the frequency and intensity

of the hot flashes has decreased, the fatigue is less, and the mood swings

seem to be gone."

Western perspective Dr. Elliot Shubin of San Mateo says that although he is

unfamiliar with Ayurveda, generally people should be careful when taking

herbal medicines, which are classified as dietary supplements and therefore

not monitored by the Food and Drug Administration.

The main reason, he says, is that there are so many herbal medicines out

there, the FDA simply doesn't have the manpower.

"I tell them (patients) some things are good, some are untested and some

potentially harmful," he says. "It's difficult to recommend something that

hasn't been tested."

See Apte and the Ayurveda Institute of America online at www

ayurvedainstitute.com

 

 

 

 

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Herbalism as Religion (A Way of Life)

www.blackherbals.com/Herbalism_as_a_Religion.htm

 

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"My own mind is my own church"

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