Frankincense in Ayurveda and Aromatherapy

Since ancient times, frankincense has been highly valued as a sacred incense and herbal medicine. It is an aromatic resin from trees of the Boswellia species that has been burned as an incense to purify the atmosphere since time immemorial in temples, churches, and for sacred rituals. Its smoke is also believed to ward off bad spirits and sickness, and to carry prayers to the Divine. A secondary benefit to burning the resin is that it acts as a natural insect repellent.

Frankincense

Boswellia serrata, a species found in India’s states Rajastan and Madhya Pradesh, is known as salai guggulu. It is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat arthritis, promote circulation, and prevent the degeneration of cartilage in the joints. It is frequently combined with other herbs such as turmeric and ginger as a general anti inflammatory for muscles and joints. Modern research shows that it contains boswellic acid and in moderate doses has anti inflammatory, anti-cancer, and hepatoprotective properties, and therefore may be helpful in the treatment of rheumatism, colitis, asthma, and cancer.

It has a sattwic, or purifying effect on the mind and nervous system, and helps to burn impurities from the nadis (subtle nerve channels). It can be used in herbal formulas along with other herbs that have an affinity to the mind and nervous system like gotu kola and calamus root as an aid to meditation.

The essential oil has a woody, sweet, and slightly citrus or camphoric aroma, which can vary depending on the species or the micro climate from which the tree grows. In perfumery, it provides a long lasting base note. It contains sesquiterpenes, which are carbon based compounds that act directly on the limbic system of the brain, hypothalamus, and the pineal and pituitary glands.

Frankincense pacifies vata dosha, thus calming and replenishing the mind and nervous system, and easing anxiety and restlessness. Its revitalizing and uplifting action helps to clear excess kapha, thereby countering exhaustion, mental fatigue, and depression. It cleanses prana vaha srotas (the respiratory tract), one of the main sites of kapha, and is used to treat respiratory congestion, cough, bronchitis, and asthma.

It is highly antiseptic and antiviral as well as supportive to the immune system. For treating respiratory complaints, the essential oil is best infused into the atmosphere with an essential oil nebulizer or diluted into a base oil or blend that can be massaged on the chest. A steam inhalation can also be helpful by adding a few drops of the pure essential oil into hot water, covering the head with a towel and inhaling the medicated steam.

The oil can be used to regenerate skin cells as well, thus helping with the healing of wounds, and to decrease dryness, scar tissue, stretch marks, and wrinkles. It also has carminative, anti fungal, diuretic, sedative, emmenagogue, and tonic properties. The oil is non-irritating to the skin for most people and can be applied directly to certain points or diluted with a base oil such as jojoba, sesame, or coconut oil for application to larger areas of the body.

The fresh gum is traditionally used chewed to aid digestion, cleanse the mouth, prevent gum disease and oral infections, freshen the breath, and prevent cavities. Pressing the gum into cavities can help to slow tooth decay and relieve dental pain. For oral health, the essential oil can be added to water and used as a swish or gargle. Here it combines well with tea tree oil.

Shirodhara or Bliss Therapy

My personal experience and observation has given me full faith in the power Shirodhara—also known as Bliss Therapy—plays in healing. Whether experienced alone or in conjunction with other Ayurvedic treatments, it is an invaluable healing tool and a gift from the ancient sages of India.

I have often been asked how Shirodhara works. After giving hundreds of these treatments, I have come to the conclusion that its powerful effects have to do with how it almost effortlessly brings stability and one-pointedness to the mind. While the body is being cleansed of physical toxins, shirodhara works like a psychic enema to purge mental toxicity. Often after treatment you feel peaceful and calm for several days.

It can be inferred that shirodhara helps to balance and regulate pineal and pituitary functions while nourishing and replenishing the central nervous system, but the ancient yogis may have conveyed it in a different way. The name alone contains a big hint into the meaning and purpose of this hallmark Ayurvedic treatment. In Sanskrit, dhara means “to pour” and is the root of the word dharana, which means “support” or “concentration.” Dharana is also the name of the sixth limb of ashtanga yoga, the eight limb yoga system. The yogis liken dharana to a steady stream of oil. I imagine that they applied this analogy by pouring oil on the ajna chakra, or third eye, with the intention of bringing the person more easily into a deeply relaxed and awakened state.

And it works. It gives the average individual a glimpse of inner peace that otherwise might be difficult to cultivate, especially when there is sickness or imbalance. By freeing blocked energy in the subtle bod—caused by chronic stress and tension—shirodhara provides the atmosphere for self-healing to occur. I have witnessed patients have profound transformational experiences and even enter samadhi, or super-conscious states, while receiving shirodhara.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, there is a specific science as to how shirodhara is applied, when it is appropriate, and what oils to use based upon body constitution and type of imbalances. There is a wide variety of plain or medicated oils (or tailams) and substances such as milk and herbal decoctions, that can be used for shirodhara. The traditional approach unlocks the greatest potential of this wonderful therapy and ensures its full effects.

I can certainly try to explain the efficacy of shirodhara in traditional as well as modern terms. This may be helpful to convey the benefits of the treatment in a language that everyone can easily understand, but to me the healing power of shirodhara is also quite mysterious and mystical. It is pretty amazing what warm herbal oil can achieve in terms of healing!

Before giving this treatment to a patient, I instruct them to just simply feel the oil, be present with the sensation, and allow the mind to settle on its own without forcing concentration. Simply let go and let the oil work. Whether you fall asleep, stay awake, or enter a blissful state, it is not important, the energy of the oil will do what needs to be done in each specific case, and the therapy will take you as deeply as you are ready for. In any case, shirodhara is an easy and enjoyable therapy that everyone should experience to really comprehend the power and depth of Ayurvedic treatments.

Ayurvedic Remedies For Receding Gums

Receding gums is a common problem amongst adults over forty, but I have also seen teenagers and young adults with this issue from time to time. When the gums recede, the roots of the teeth become exposed and cause hypersensitivity to touch, temperature, and to sweet, salty and sour substances.

There are several possible causes for receding gums, including poor dental hygiene, accumulated plaque, bacteria, dental occlusion, grinding the teeth, poor dental work, over flossing, and mental stress. Below are some simple Ayurvedic tips for maintaining and restoring the health of the teeth and gums.

It is important to brush your teeth regularly and in a gentle circular fashion. Do not scrub them like a dirty pan! Flossing 3-5 times a week is sufficient. One of the best antimicrobial herbs used to cleanse and purify the mouth is neem. I recommend my clients to brush with a neem bark tooth powder, which also contains cloves and cinnamon, as well as to use a neem bark mouthwash.

In Ayurveda, swishing or gargling with medicinal substances is known as kavala or gandusha. One of the most popular and simple methods of kavala is to swish with sesame oil. This treatment has been recommended in Ayurveda for more than 3000 years to strengthen the roots of the teeth and gums. This is performed by tilting your chin back slightly while swishing with a small amount of sesame oil and pushing it back and forth through the teeth for several minutes. Then spit out the oil and massage the remaining oil into your gums with a finger and rinse your mouth with water. You can do this daily for a period of several weeks or until your gums improve.

Tea tree essential oil is also a great remedy for overall oral hygiene. A few drops can be applied to your  tooth brush or smeared onto dental floss. Putting a few drops in a cup of water can also be used as a swish or gargle. It effectively treats receding, puffy, or bleeding gums, as well as gingivitis, pyorrhea, plaque, and bad breath.

Also, chewing a rounded tablespoon of white hulled sesame seeds in the morning is a good source of calcium and helps to nourish your bones and strengthen your teeth.

Furthermore, reducing stress with activities like yoga, meditation, tai chi, and nature walks can help to process unresolved thoughts, feelings, and emotions, thus helping to release chronic tension in the head.

Using Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender has long been used in many Western herbal traditions. Originally a European herb, it has spread throughout the globe and is cultivated in many countries, including the United States, India, and New Zealand. One of the countries best known for the cultivation of lavender is France.

There is a wide range of lavender species possessing a variety of unique qualities and scents. It is by far one of the most versatile and safe essential oils available, that can even be applied directly to the skin in an undiluted form, as well as in diluted oil blends.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, lavender mainly pacifies pitta and vata with its cooling energy and immediate calming and soothing effects.However, any constitutional type can benefit from its use. Simply smelling lavender relaxes the mind and fills the senses with its tranquil and feminine qualities. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, hormonal balancing, carminative, sedative, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties. It is a key oil used to support the immune system, making it valuable for both the treatment and prevention of the common cold and flu. Simply diffusing the oil into the atmosphere helps to purify your living space or work environment and protects against airborne pathogens and pollutants. Also, applying it on the upper part of the sternum, just over the thymus gland, as well as over the heart, helps to enhance our ojas (vital essence), which is responsible for our immunity and vitality on all levels. Lavender enhances pranic energy and supports the respiratory tract as well.

For digestive complaints such as gas, bloating, and indigestion, a few drops of the essential oil can be rubbed on the belly. This is great even for young children and infants. For musculoskeletal pain, it can be infused into a massage oil. In the case of minor burns and wounds, it is often added to healing salves. A few drops of the essential oil can be applied to a band-aid to prevent or fight infection and promote the healing of cuts and abrasions. This is a good oil to have in a first aid kit and travel bag. Putting a few drops into a warm tub is a nice way to end the day. This also helps helps to calm the skin and relieve itching from rashes like eczema and psoriasis.

In our fast paced lives, lavender essential oil helps to buffer the effects that stress has upon our bodies and minds and brings a sense of clarity, restfulness, and tranquility.

Oil Massage for Popping Joints and Achy Muscles

This time of year the cold weather causes the body’s joints to crack and pop worse than at any other time. This is due to excess vata (air and space) in the system. An amazingly simple remedy for this is to do daily self massage with warm sesame oil or Vata oil (herbally medicated oil) before bathing, but don’t soap the oil off in the process, let it stay on and work its magic. Work the oil into the skin well and then take a nice hot bath or shower, I prefer a long bath myself, more relaxing!

In Ayurveda, oil massage is called abhyanga and is also helpful for stiff, achy muscles, dry skin, sciatica and insomnia.

Sesame oil is heating and penetrates deeply into the tissues. It counters the qualities of the cold, dry and rough associated with fall and winter weather as well as the dry heat in our houses. If the muscles and joints are painful or if there is arthritis then apply Maha Narayan oil directly to those areas before covering the rest of the body with another type of oil.

Abhyanga can be done before bedtime or early in the morning to start the day. You will notice the difference in how you feel almost immediately. At bedtime massaging a little warm sesame oil on the soles of the feet and the crown of the head is one of the best and natural ways to promote sound sleep.

Remember to also drink plenty of water and warm teas and eat warm, oily and nourishing foods like mung dal and vegetable soups to pacify vata.

Treating Strep Throat Naturally

Strep throat is an infection caused by the streptococcus bacteria.

The main symptoms include sore throat, fever, swollen neck glands, red and swollen tonsils, headache and white patches in the throat or on the tonsils. In addition to these symptoms children may have other symptoms like abdominal pain, vomiting and red rashes, especially under the arm pits and in skin creases.

A turmeric sea salt gargle is one of the simplest home remedies for relieving this condition as well as common sore throats caused by colds and viruses.  Simply mix 1 teaspoon of  turmeric powder and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt into a cup of warm water and gargle several times while the water is warm, not hot. This should be repeated several times a day until symptoms improve.

I also recommend taking 30 drops of echinacea tincture directly in the mouth as often as needed. This helps to kill the infection, support the immune system and relieve pain, burning and discomfort in the throat. For children, I suggest using a glycerin based echinacea tincture, which is more palatable when taken directly on the tongue. Slippery elm lozenges are also a tasty and soothing remedy that is available at most health food stores. Avoid eating sugary foods and heavy dairy products and make sure to eat plenty of vegetable soup and take plenty of water and warm tea with raw honey. Don’t forget the most important medicine, plenty of rest!

Other important herbs for internal use include high quality organic goldenseal or goldenseal/echinacea tincture. The dosage of either of these extracts is 30-60 drops 2-3 times daily in water of juice.

In Ayurveda, strep is effectively treated with the formula Mahasudarshan. Mix 1 tsp of the powder with 1 tsp honey and wash it down with warm water. This is a very bitter compound and is best taken in tablet form (2 tablets, 3 times daily for adults and 1 tablet, 2 times daily for kids) if one can’t take the taste of it. For children I suggest putting it in “O” size capsules, because even the tablets taste too bitter for their little tongues. A more tasty Ayurvedic remedy includes mixing 1/2 tsp licorice powder and 1/2 tsp sitopaladi churna with enough raw honey to make a paste that can be eaten 2-3 times daily.

Ayurvedic Lung Tonic

A simple Ayurvedic lung tonic to strengthen the lung energy can be made by combining equal parts of the powdered herb Kantakari (Solanum xanthocarpum) and Licorice root. Take 1 teaspoon of this blend and mix with 1 tsp raw honey and eat it  twice daily between meals with a little warm water. It can also be made as a tea and sweetened with honey. This formula works well for lingering coughs after an upper respiratory tract infection caused by residual kapha in the form of phlegm accumulating in the stomach. It helps to improve the digestion, liquify and clear excess mucus, and rejuvenate the lungs, and can be taken for several weeks or longer if needed.

Mullein-Tulsi Respiratory Tea

One of my favorite winter respiratory teas is a combination of mullein, tulsi (holy basil) and other herbs that  promote respiratory health.

This simple herbal brew is great for all types of coughs and congestion due to the common cold or flu and helps relieve shortness of breath due to bronchitis and asthma. It is also helpful to relieve sinus inflammation, break fevers and boast the immune system.

Preparation: Place the herbs listed below into a medium sized sauce pan or tea pot and pour 1 quart of boiling water over them. Cover and steep for 15 to 30 minutes. Strain well and add a little raw local honey to taste and drink up to 2 to 4 cups daily. Enjoy!

2 to 3 heaping Tbsp.  Mullein

2 to 3 heaping Tbsp. Coltsfoot (for dry or unproductive cough)

1 to 2 Tbsp. Elecampane (for wet or productive cough)

1 Tbsp. Tulsi leaves

1 tsp. Licorice root powder

1 tsp. Turmeric powder

1 Tbsp. Nettles

1 tsp. Fresh ginger root (shredded)

1 to 2 teaspoons Lobelia, (or 20-30 drops of lobelia tincture, added in before drinking)

Hello World!

Hi,

Welcome to my new blog. I will be posting interesting stuff on herbs, herbalism, Ayurveda, yoga, and spirituality. So stay tuned…

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