Garlic and Onion use after childbirth, continued discussion

[Guest guest]

Hi Anand;

 

Panchakola herbs are all available to us except regular black pepper

root. We can substitute the ground seed, I take it? Also available

is the arisha, though as I mentioned we usually make decoction of the

herb. This is perhaps partly from my initial training program to

avoid the little intake of tamasic substance ie, alcholol, during time

needing such sattva. We take concern also for absence of heavy metal

tested herbals and do not know any company I can depend on with tested

clean rishtams - anyone know access in the U States for these?)

Perhaps there is someone using Banyan's dashamoola to prepare it?

 

I can see many preferring the arishta if they cannot have someone

making the cooked down decoction, which the mothers themselves

inevitably end up burning repeatedly if left to do it themselves (been

there, done that 20 years ago!, oh my, has it been that long?) Of

course the alchohol acts as anupan (carrier) for the herbs into deep

tissues quickly too, though my experience drinking the decoction after

birth with my " baby " of 20 years old now, was very effective. Each

time noticing the vata even in my auric field settle down and collect

into the seat of vata (lower abdomen) where best managed (for

eliminatoin).

 

Re basti; The advice we were trained for postpartum was use of 1/3 cup

warm bala herbalized oil basti (enema) up to 7 days use. Not many

clients choose this. It is unfortunate, as it is often clear they

would benefit, and when they do choose it, they always exclaim how

soothing and grounding (and not difficult to do) it is. Thank you for

the precautions on excess use. But how do you tell if this is

creating ama for a client?

 

> Cedrus deodar is not used in post partum care usually. That is

because we have so many choice of medicines for the purpose. Cedrus

is not common among them.

 

It is such a common plant in many parts of the world (US included!)

Dr. Shrestha's research report/paper may be of interest on Cedrus for

postpartum uses and was a surprising report on its virtues to the

Nepali Ayurvedic community. SHe has earned respect (from not just

this, many actions) as the honored Vaidya to speak for all the vaidyas

of Nepal. This after being told by her teacher he would flunk her

because she was a woman and small. Cedrus is however not well known

or called for in the west and hence not available any more.

 

> What is meant by 'doula'

It is a Greek word meaning " woman who takes care of woman/women "

specifically used in natural childbirth field for either birth or

postpartum attendents. See www.dona.org, www.cappa.org and

www.alace.org for sampling of the national commitment to standards of

care these organizations protect for in training programs. We are not

trained medically like midwives, doctors or nurses, the training for

birth or postpartum doula is usually 3 days class plus much study,

reading, practicums - very different scope of practice.

 

" AyurDoula " training is 2 full weeks plus study, reading, testing,

detailed supervised practice proficiencies, as outlined at

www.sacredwindow.com training curriculum pages. This is in addition

to what I call the basic postpartum doula foundational study (above),

which gives much well taught info around breastfeeding and lactation,

general postpartum and infant care, mood disorders and referral

informaton/network, and considerable limits on scope of practice (not

having the wisdom or tools of ayurveda which facilitate so much with a

few simple skills, and more from the theory which explains so much).

 

The basic postpartum doula profession includes, commonly, such heart

felt and deeply sincere women ending up often in low paying

professional status Which often leads to burnout, job change, and or

becoming a low paid long term nanny (glorified baby sitter) for one or

two families. Or these women specialize in " night doula " work, where

they are paid much more for taking care of Baby at night instead,

often, of helping Mom in the daytime gain the life and mothering and

self-care skills and care needed to be able to also handle night time

feedings and care and to gain the benefits of decades of healthy

postpartum rejuvenation. I hope I haven't offended anyone? There are

exceptions of course.

>

> We need not stick on panchakola or dasamoola only. we have a lot of

choices and practically useful principles in Ayurveda

Yes! and practices!

>

> Onion is a good choice for post partum care. we use confections

with onion

 

This is another interesting option! I know a long term postpartum

doula who, contrary to most advice, cooks both onion and garlic for

her clients but insists it has to be very well and slowly cooked to

avoid problems for baby. Certainly onion as well as garlic are not

only grounding but, well cooked, become sweet in taste. I've a

question or two for you...

 

1. If we oil and bake a whole head of garlic, it becomes very sweet,

not much sharp pungency is left. The qualities change a lot. To this

point, I have only been taught and pass on to clients and students to

ghee brown the garlic before they ingest. Is the baking to

moist/sweet consistency also good after birth?

 

2. We have continued to avoid onion both from different vaidya

teachers' advise, and the personal experience how onion more than

garlic tends to create a restlessness in the mothers needing to rest,

increasing rajas as well as tamas. In our culture perhaps especially,

with as Dr. Trigunaji has claimed we have 80% pitta dominance, this

can particularly be of concern, the restlessness. Women are so ready

to go out for distraction/change of pace, and exacerbate their

rejuvenation needs. The grounding influence of onion certainly is

appreciated. As VAidyas Thite and Bhate have described, the

especially needed focus for days 10 - 21 postpartum is grounding.

Please share more about your use of this food, how it is transformed

in preparation - recipes and the virtues?

 

I have found that some clients on intense spiritual commitment such as

Krisna Devotees still choose to avoid the value as I have shared with

them for special needs after birth. We advise in this case generous

other spices including fresh and dried ginger, some hing, and the

usual agni enhancing herbs. They are quite happy with the food,

though my expierience introducing the special garlic preparations is a

significant step of progress for grounding, physical and

emotional/mental, good bodily function and appetite.

 

These women often have been " locked up " emotionally, hormonally,

mentally and from mistaken ideas in relationship from their community

and spouses that separate their dedication to enlightenment from care

of the actual body temple/vehicle they have chosen to seek

enlightenment with. The use of the " lowly " garlic in this case not

only helps in other ways, but at this time when purity of heart and

200% service is a natural condition, they are more safely able to

balance the excesses in their energy patterns that such a spiritual

life can create and has to also learn to transcend.

 

It was of interest that a Krishna temple priest's wife, who had long

term problems stemming from poor postpartum care and no understanding

of Ayurveda, with too many austerities, was approved by her husband to

try this medicine and found it very valuable for her. Poor man, his

children also wanted it, it was some challenge I'm sure being in

position of setting example to that large community, but his wife's

balance and grounding was so important at that time and he could see

the difference.

 

Those in the Sikh Vedic and Ayurvedic tradition do not have this

problem, using garlic, onion as well as ginger daily for their

spiritual warrior style kundalini yoga practices. Is this your

tradition? I have learned a bit of this from a dear friend and

previous student, Har Kaur Khalsa, who served postpartum mothers with

the blessings of Ayurvedic guidance from YOgi Bhajan. Their

profession as postpartum doulas (and antepartum) are called Sevadars.

 

One of our Ayurvedic chefs in Southern California, Aparna Khonalkar

(yes, young Indian woman who has interviewed many women in India from

cross-society about their postpartum traditions) Aparna has learned a

special " garlic chutney " recipe. She has shared it to be included in

the postpartum cookbook, for mothers to use 1-2 tsp daily from the

ghee cooked garlic and other ingredients including black pepper. If

you are willing to share the onion confection, Aparna and I would be

delighted to include it also for other mothers to have this choice.

 

Namaste;

Ysha