honey/sugar in chyvanprash for diabetics

[Guest guest]

As a dominant system of medicine in our society, Western Medicine

always subdues even the thought process of Ayurvedic physician in

many a way. Trained in a Western way from primary-schools to

colleges, most of the present generation are quite alien to Indian

culture and knowledge systems. No wonder they find the Western

knowledge more scientific and acceptable. Even while learning

Ayurveda this trend persists. So there is only a half hearted effort

to inculcate what is learned. [an excerpt from the Review of the

book `Precise Diagnosis for Students & Practitioners' - by Dr. K.

Murali MD, Govt. Ayurveda College, Tripunithura, Kochi, Kerala]

 

The western medicine's reductionist philosophy and view of body as a standard

chemical plant makes one think that

salt in some ayurvedic formulation might cause hypertension, the

sugar/honey will boost diabetes etc Same thing should be said about

Bhasmas in some formulations. The posts on use of ghee/oil in case of

heart patients is another example. One of the patients of this author

had strong doubts on use of Gulkand in case of anxiety/panic

situation as the belief that APA is caused by Candidiasis and

anything that contains Sugar/Honey should be avoided. If the patient has some

bias towards bhasmas, ras-shastra medicine, Vaidya should not force them to

clean it up, rather avoid such medicine, at the cost of added time for recovery.

 

The serious student of ayurveda needs to tackle these situations by

meditation, actual experience in practice and discussions with

elderly vaidyas who are willing to share their experiences.

 

Incompability between modern science knowledge and ayurvedic

simplicity has baffeled even the policy makers of Ayurveda and its

education over the incorporation of Western knowledge- how far and

how much. Also, there are different schools of thought. Hence the

kind of doubt expressed by Ray is to be expected from every modern

student and practitioner of ayurveda. Similar situation is also

discussed in post#14703 regarding ginkgo. Ayurveda acharyas

ingeneously combined several herbs to suppress certain undesirable

effects and boost the curing forces by harmonious herbal

combinations.

 

This post tries to address the specific question of sugar in

formulations and specifically diseases affecting glands such as

diabetes, PCOS etc. One should defend the argument in the same

language in which it is presented. Hence author uses modern science

language only.

 

Chyvanprash has major content Amla. Sugar or Honey is also present,

but content is small compared to Amla. Amla is a strong anti-diabetic

medicine.

 

The extract of Amla has been found to improve glucose metabolism in

diabetes. Treatment with extract of Amla brought about effective

normalisation of blood sugar levels in diabetes. Administration of

the extract of Amla to diabetic subjects improved body weight gain

and also significantly reduced various oxidative stress indices

commonly seen in diabetes such as elevated serum levels of 5-

hydroxymethylfurfural, which is a glycosylated protein and an

indicator of oxidative stress, and the serum level of creatinine, yet

another oxidative stress parameter[1].

 

Amla is also effective in reducing triglyceride and cholesterol

levels and has been found to be useful in patients with abnormal

cholesterol levels. In studies assessing the heart protective action

of the herb, it was found that Amla not only reduced cholesterol

levels but also protected the heart tissue against injury from free

radicals. [http://www.tnsmpb.tn.gov.in/images/amla.pdf]

 

Amla has considerable anti-stress activity and normalises stress-

induced perturbations in free radical scavenging activity. The anti-

stress activity contributes to the normalizing endocrine gland

functions. These include thyroid, pancreas, ovaries, prostate etc.

Hence Chyvanprash has been found to be beneficial for PCOS cases,

apart from diabetics and pre-diabetics.

 

Authors most of diabetes patients take soaked dates at breakfast

time, without any fear about the sugar content in them and find that

it does not boost their sugar, but boosts haemoglobin. Those who do

not like dates use raisins.

 

The experience with Chyvanprash is only anecdotal but positive. Since major

content is amala, author requested few of initial patients to try chyvanprash in

a 1 tsp at breakfast time. When they reported positive effects, dose was

increased up to 1.5 tsp, to see that the benifits were boosted, without adverse

effect on blood sugar. The effect of diabetes medication was now boosted. The

countable patietns who tried Chyvanprash were scared by the opinion of previous

doctor; but with this new experience, were convinced that reductionist think

does not find place in ayurvea. Memebrs should try it cautiously and report it

on ayurveda, for the benefits of others. Caution is necessary since every

patient is unique and there can not be a general rigid rule.

 

Ayurveda recommends certain medicines directed towards

parasites/candida to be taken with Ghee+sugar or honey. While honey

and ghee both act " yogvahi " , sugar recommendation invites curiosity.

One should see that he does not develop addiction. Kathleen DesMaisons

[2] outlined the concept of sugar addiction as a measurable

physiological state caused by activation of mu opioid receptors in

the brain. Her work extracted data from studies done by Blass[3]

showing that sugar acted as an analgesic drug whose effects could be

blocked by a morphine blocker. A growing body of laboratory evidence

has confirmed DesMaisons' hypothesis. In 2008, Nicole Avena

published data[4] stating that sugar affects opioids and dopmaine in

the brain, and thus might be expected to have addictive potential.

Though the stress here was on addictive potential, the special

property of sugar similar to ghee is its ability to cross blood-brain-

barrier and reach certain receptors. In fact anxiety/depression is a

state of reduced blood sugar. The Cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) has a

major content of glucose, and connection between sugars and CFS is

discussed at length in post#6729, 6650. While modern researchers have

obtained the understanding with trials on rats, the sage who

developed ayurveda obtained the benefits of taking medications with

sugar+ghee through pure sixth sense.

 

Sugar and the taste of sweet stimulate the brain by activating beta

endorphin receptor sites. These are the same chemicals activated by

heroin and morphine. Post 6650 deals with how to use natural sugars (under

supervision)for gaining body and mental health.

 

References:

1. http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/jmf.2005.8.362?

cookieSet=1 & journalCode=jmf

2. Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. (1998). " Potatoes Not Prozac. "

Simon & Schuster. ISBN 141655615X

3. Blass, E., E. Fitzgerald, and P. Kehoe, Interactions between

sucrose, pain and isolation distress. Pharmacol Biochem Behav, 1987.

26(3): p. 483-9.

4. Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG. Evidence for sugar addiction:

behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar

intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2008;32(1):20-39. Epub 2007 May 18.

 

 

 

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I am looking for research information and references that

demonstrate

that Chawanaprash is useful in treating the elderly and what

components specifically benefit the anti-aging process. Finally can

the sugar/jaggery/honey content be detremental in certain cases.