Healing principles, iatrogenic diseases-2

[Guest guest]

This is second article in this series.

 

In a previous article on Bhringraj, author has termed liver as mother

who guards our health. A child need not suffer/cry as long as mother is healthy.

In the same manner our other important organs keep at least partially

functioning as long as liver keeps them supporting with reasonably pure blood.

In this post, author discusses further how liver function is responsible for a

majority of diseases. As more and more people switch from a surgical and medical

approach to alternative and complementary therapy, it becomes clear that living

as nature intended is the simpler form of prevention and cure. Most disease

today is a direct result of the lack or deficiency of vital minerals, enzymes

and vitamins needed by the body to function properly. However, the solution is

not popping vitamin or mineral pills, even if they are real vitamins and

minerals. Reasons will be clear soon.

 

Can we change our diet and lifestyle, reduce stress, and take the

time needed to truly heal ourselves? Yes, we can afford some more

time for ourselves, and even if we need to take drugs, it is vitally

important to start a program of diet containing rich source of vital

minerals and vitamins, raw juicing and easily digestible raw foods. This is so

important but rarely given the credibility it deserves.

The liver is like our brain which remembers every harm done to it.

The point will be clear with an example. In yesterdays post, author

discussed that auto-immunity arises from dysfunctional immune system

as a result of antibiotic abuse. A patient had severe autoimmune

liver disease. Her doctors did not know why she had developed this

severe liver inflammation and had told her that she was going to need

a liver transplant. During childhood, she had suffered with numerous

colds and flues that had been treated with prolonged and excessive

doses of antibiotics. These had probably been very significant in the

genesis of her mysterious liver disease. If only her parents had not

panicked and taken the time to consult a nutritional doctor and a

specialist immunologist to check her immune system thoroughly. She

could have controlled these infections with raw juices and other

dietary modification.

 

Another patient was suffering with long standing obesity and had tried several

fad diets and tons of appetite suppressant drugs. These had damaged her liver

and she had developed a "fatty liver", which made it impossible for her to lose

weight. Due to heavy body, she could not do any exercise, a brisk walk made her

breathless and panting.

 

She was started on juicing and soups and was also given powerful

liver rejuvenator ayurvedic medicines. She was quite desperate and

agreed to try this program. After 12 months, her fatty liver regained natural

mood and had lost 24 kilograms in weight. Weight loss rate was almost uniform in

first six months, later it reduced to about 50% of the beginning rate. In her

case, it was vital to get her liver

burning fat again. The juices had improved her liver function,

changing her liver from a fat storing organ into a fat burning organ.

This is the cell intelligence, often termed as insulin resistance in

modern medicine. She found that the juices quenched her appetite and gave her

the energy to start exercising again. With the progress so far, now she is on

her own, and reported another 10 kilograms reduction with moderate exercises,

just a month back. Her mother and sisters could not recognize her. Up at 5 A.M.

and brisk walk to temple after a bath.

 

Another interesting and little more complex case will be mentioned in next post

in this series.

 

The point that is made here is clear. Liver holds key to health.

Liver is our blood bank. Every medicine we take has to pass through

liver. Liver has to break down heavy molecules into lighter ones,

those which can be easily assimilated by our body. The state of liver

of a patient can be clearly seen on the face. That is the reason

author calls Bhringraj as beauty herb. When liver function reduces,

blood develops impurities. This state is Pitta vitiation. Extreme of

pitta vitiation results in jaundice. Advanced jaundice is clearly

seen in eyes, tongue becoming yellowish. However, much before this

happens, experienced Vaidyas examine eyes and know the state of the

liver. The hormonal strength, especially that of testerone, can be

seen on cheek, if excess. Extreme unbalance of course results in acne.

This brings to the memory another patient had originally suffered

with acne , a red pimply rash of the face. The doctor had given her

long term antibiotics for the acne, which had damaged her liver and

made her face bright purple in colour. To overcome this drug induced

side effect, she was taken off the antibiotics and given cortisone

and antihistamines. The cortisone upset her heart causing severe

palpitations and she then had to stop everything. She was very

frustrated and had finally turned towards natural herbal solution

for the imbalance in her body. With a course of juices for her liver

and immune system balancing using herbs, all her problems had gone

within 3 months. Moreover, she lost some of her excess weight.

 

It is surely time to turn back to the treasure house of herbs and

nutritional healing, so that we can work on the causes of disease and

rejuvenate the sick cells in our bodies back to health. In this

column, healers of both east and west participate. The contributions

to nutritional healing has been mainly from west and number of books

written on fresh vegetable and fruit juice therapy exceed at least

one thousand. In ayurveda too, specific plants and fruits as a

solution to many specific diseases are mentioned. Todays Naturopathy

science is a hybridized avtar of ayurveda's Panchkarma therapy and

juice therapies from west. Frequently, in this column, members have

expressed mixing of eastern and western approaches. Let them know

that ayurveda has already done it.

 

Author delved into juice therapies while treating some cancer

patients. An interesting example would be the gruelling but

inarguably effective Gerson Therapy which is primarily geared towards

cancer sufferers. As part of the treatment, the patient must consume

13 juices each day of combinations including orange, carrot and dark

leafy greens. This intense diet has brought about many encouraging

and almost unbelievable recoveries. That such a fasting cum diet

program for just 28 days can relieve a serious sciatica problem

totally, has been brought out in a post about one year back by this

author.

 

There are several doctors in West, who despite degrees in modern

medicine, started practicing alternative medicine and obtained good

success with vitamins, minerals, juices and herbs. However, flow of patients to

modern discipline is more or less maintained due to acuteness of disease,

medical insurance/reimbursements and the non-admissibility of alternative

approaches/medicines in the medical insurance.

 

In this post author hinted at starting a health program with liver in the

focus. The combination of breathing techniques, yogasanas and

juices has also been recognised by a very well known Yogi in India

and several million are walking on the express way to health. This

will be the subject matter of next post in this series.

 

Dr Bhate