The Ayurvedic Detox Diet

The cusp between winter and spring is the ideal time to do an at-home internal cleansing program, to allow your body to release the toxins that may have built up over the long cold winter.A complete ayurvedic cleansing program includes 15 days of preparation and 45 days of actual cleansing. Ayurvedic healers recommend paying special attention to your diet during these two phases to avoid overtaxing your digestion and to enable purification to occur easily and completely. Ayurveda does not recommend fasting or entirely liquid diets such as juices, because that may cause your digestive agni to become imbalanced.
Here are some suggestions from The Council of Ayurveda Physicians for diet management during detox:Avoid ama -producing foodsAma is the product of incomplete digestion--it represents sticky toxic matter that can clog the channels of your body that carry nutrients to the cells and waste out of the body. Since cleansing is done to clear ama out of the body, you'll want to stay away from foods that build more ama in the body. From the ayurvedic perspective, leftovers, and "dead" foods such as processed, packaged, canned and frozen foods all create ama because they are very hard for your body to digest.Non-organic foods, genetically modified foods, foods grown with chemicals, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and foods with chemical additives also introduce toxins into your body and are confusing for the natural "intelligence" of your digestive system and should therefore be avoided.
Avoid heavy dairy products such as aged hard cheese or yogurt, foods that are deep--fried or oily, raw foods of any kind, heavy desserts, and foods that contain refined sugar and honey as these are harder to digest and create ama. Avoid yeasted breads and dry breads such as crackers, and fermented foods.Eat ama -reducing foodsFavor vegetarian foods that are light, warm, cooked and easily digestible. Freshly made flat breads, freshly made light soups and dhals, organic vegetables cooked with spices, and freshly made grains such as quinoa are ideal. Mung bean soup pacifies all three doshas and is nutritious yet easy to digest.
Certain fruits, vegetables and spices are especially helpful during cleansing, so you'll want to eat a serving or two every day during the preparation and cleansing phases:
Fruits: Eat cooked prunes and figs at breakfast along with a stewed apple or pear. In general, most sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers.
Vegetables: Eat lots of cooked leafy greens. Chop the greens and cook them with detoxifying spices for best results. Brussels sprouts and cabbage are also helpful.
Grains: Light yet nutritious whole grains such as quinoa, barley, amaranth and small helpings of rice are recommended. Kanji, made by boiling rice with lots of water is an excellent hot beverage and helpful for flushing toxins out of the body through the urine.
Spices: Ginger, turmeric, coriander, fennel and fenugreek help open up the channels of the body and support the flushing of toxins via the skin, urinary tract, colon and liver. Add spices to soups and dahls as they cook, or sauté the spices in a little Ayurveda Ghee and add to dishes when the cooking process is completed.
Lassi, made by combining fresh yogurt with water and digestion-boosting spices, is an excellent lunchtime beverage.Choose foods according to your body type or imbalancesAyurvedic healers recommend tailoring your diet year-round to your constitution and your imbalances. This is particularly true during cleansing to help regulate your digestive fire (agni). For detailed information on diets and foods for pacifying each of the three doshas, visit Vata, Pitta, or Kapha. Drink plenty of hot water through the dayWarm water helps flush toxins out of the body through the urine. To derive healing benefits from the water you drink, add detoxifying spices to the water. Here is a recipe for "Detoxifying Tea" from The Council of Ayurveda Physicians:Detoxifying Tea
Boil two quarts of water in the morning.
Add 1/4 t. whole cumin
1/2 t. whole coriander
1/2 t. whole fennel to the water and let steep for ten minutes with the lid on.
Strain out the spices and pour the water into a thermos.
Sip throughout the day.
Make a new batch of tea every morning.
After the 45 days of cleansing are over, take a few days to gradually introduce heavier foods and ease back into your regular diet. This is also the perfect time to start taking rasayanas (ayurvedic formulations for overall health and vitality) like Amrit, Digest Tone or Vital Man or Lady. Now that the channels of your body are clear, your body will make maximum use of the overall healing benefits of these tonics.

Nine Ayurvedic Dietary Must-Dos

The single most important thing you can do for your health every day of the year is to eat wisely. Food is just as, or even more, powerful than medicine. If you do not eat the right foods, and do not follow good eating habits, medicine won't be of much use in recouping health. On the other hand, if you eat the right foods for your physiology, and follow a good routine that enhances digestion, your body will not need medicine for the most part.
Here are nine dietary suggestions from The Council of Ayurveda Physicians:
1. Eat naturally intelligent foods. Did you know that close to three-quarters of the products sold by grocery stores in the United States contain genetically modified ingredients? Or that many of the chemicals and pesticides used in growing foods have been linked to numerous diseases? Processed foods, genetically modified foods, and foods to which additives or artificial preservatives have been added are no longer alive with the intelligence of nature. According to ayurveda, the human physiology is a reflection of the laws of the universe, and the more in tune our lives are with nature, the healthier we are likely to be. Our body possesses the natural intelligence to process those foods best that are closest to nature--whole grains, organically grown vegetables and fruits, wildcrafted herbs. Help your digestion function optimally by choosing organic foods when possible--your health is worth the added effort and cost.2. Shun food fads. Every day the media report a new research study on a specific food or drink or a new diet that is guaranteed to work. Keeping up with the latest on what to eat or how or when can be a challenge. After all that, what works for a million other people may still not be right for you. Listen to your own physiology, and include a sensible mix of various types of foods in your diet so that you are getting the nutrition your body needs. The recommended midday ayurvedic meal includes whole grains, lentils, vegetables cooked with spices and lassi, a drink made by combining fresh yogurt with water, for balanced nourishment. Rotate your menus. Vary cooking methods--sauté, steam, boil, roast, bake--eating should be an adventure, not a chore. Food fads and roller-coaster diets end up doing more harm than good, starving the body of balanced nutrition and nourishment needed to build healthy cells and tissues.
3. Opt for lots of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain lots of phytonutrients, and a variety of sense-pleasing colors, tastes and textures. Ayurveda has always recommended eating lots of fruits and vegetables, not only for their nutritional value, but also because they are fine natural internal cleansers. Modern research concurs that fruits and vegetables are powerful disease-prevention foods--in fact, it is now recommended that you eat nine servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables a day to prevent cancer and other free radical induced diseases. The specific food guidelines for Vata, Pitta and Kapha can help you pick a variety of fruits and vegetables suited to your physiology and the season. Vegetables do not, necessarily, have to be cooked as separate dishes--add them to grains, stuff them in breads, toss them in stews and soups-there's always room for your favorite veggies in every dish. Start your day with stewed apples or pears. Eat a handful of berries for your mid-afternoon snack. Ayurveda's Mango and Peach Chutneys can brighten up any meal.4. Be spice-wise. Why choose mustard and ketchup to tickle your palate at every meal when there is a world of aromatic spices to choose from? Spices not only add flavor and aroma; they also bring therapeutic value to your meal. There are over a thousand research studies that have been done just on turmeric. Spices help boost natural immunity, and most of them rev up your digestion so that your body is better able to absorb and assimilate the nutrients from the foods you eat. If you are new to the world of spices and aren't quite sure what to choose, try one of the ready-to-use Churnas from Ayurveda, or browse the special editions of our Total Health newsletters for spice mixtures and spice/herb waters for different health goals.5. Give your digestive system a break. According to ayurveda, the build-up of ama -digestive toxins-in the physiology is the root cause of most disorders. That's why ayurveda recommends internal cleansing at every change of seasons for optimal health. Detoxing is particularly recommended in the early spring, because that is the time nature starts the annual cycle of regeneration as well. During internal cleansing, eat light yet nourishing foods such as mung bean soup or kitcheree and drink lots of warm water through the day. Sip detoxifying tea or ama pachana water. Fresh, sweet juicy fruits are excellent cleansers. Take Elim-Tox or Elim-Tox-O from Ayurveda for gentle full-body cleansing and Herbal Cleanse or Digest Tone to aid elimination. Periodic internal cleansing gets rid of accumulated junk from inside the body and revs up the digestion for another season.6. Drink to your health. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and carbonated soft drinks and switch to life-giving, vitality-boosting beverages this year. Start with water, that most basic yet most overlooked drink-drinking lots of water through the day helps to rehydrate your system and flush toxins out of the body. Water that has been boiled and cooled has the added healing element of fire in it. Don't drink water ice-cold--if you have a lot of Pitta to balance, drink it cool, otherwise room temperature or warm water is best. Spiking your drinking water with herbs and spices suited to your physiology or a mix of herbs and whole spices designed to correct a specific imbalance can enhance the healing quality of the water you drink. Raja's Cup from Ayurveda comes with antioxidant power as well as rich coffee flavor, Almond Energy offers a quick pick-me-up when you are feeling fatigued, and a wide range of therapeutic Herbal Teas offers comfort any time of day or night. At bedtime, drink a cup of warm milk, boiled and cooled for added digestibility, blended with a spoonful of Rose Petal Preserve or with a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg to aid sleep.7. Cultivate good eating habits. Our lifestyle these days is generally not conducive to good digestion. Eating on the go, eating while working, skipping meals and eating "junk" foods are all too common improper eating habits. You can add life to your years as well as years to your life by following a good eating routine. Eat three regular meals at about the same times each day. Make lunch your main meal of the day--eating a heavy meal at night taxes your digestion and disrupts sleep. Cook and eat fresh food-leftovers are "dead" foods from the perspective of ayurveda, offering only substance, not sustenance. Practice deep breathing for a couple of minutes before you start a meal. Say thanks for the food you eat. Sit quietly for a few minutes after a meal. Small things, but they add up to good health and longevity.8. Eat for your soul. Total health goes beyond physical wellness to well-being in mind, spirit, emotions and senses as well. According to ayurveda, the food you eat can nourish or vitiate all of these aspects of health, not just your physical health. Cooking or eating when you are angry or stressed can turn the food into poison. Cooking and eating in a saatvic, harmonious, atmosphere, on the other hand, turns the food into nectar. Pleasant aromatherapy, soothing or uplifting music playing softly in the background, a tidy, cheerful dining table, and the nurturing company of friends or family can make mealtimes nourishing for your mind, emotions, senses and spirit. Try eating in silence sometimes-the total focus on your food can turn the meal into a feast, no matter how simple the fare. You'll find yourself relishing colors, textures, aromas and flavors in an eating experience that is optimal for health.9. Experiment. If you find yourself eating the same dishes several times a week, or your food shopping-list has the same items in it every time you shop, you need to break out of the rut you are in, and experiment with new foods and flavors. Resolve to try at least one new recipe a week.

Nutrition Question: Standardized Food Chart

QUESTION: Why doesn't Ayurveda recommend a standardized food chart, which can simply tell me I need x milligrams of calcium per day or y milligrams of Vitamin C and so on?

ANSWER: Ayurveda sees nutrition as a choice based on an individual's unique tastes and imbalances. The logic is simple. We are all made differently. Our energies, moods, emotions, actions, and reactions are unique to us.

Even in the same family, one person may love to eat Chinese food, while another could have absolutely no taste for it. Similarly, one person might not be able to tolerate cold weather, while another would be happy out skiing in February.

Now this obviously means that our bodies have an innate intelligence of their own, which decides what kind of clothing they need, what kind of food is suitable for them, what kind of activities they would like to pursue.

Quite simply, a healthy body is blessed with plenty of natural intelligence--you could also call it strong natural immunity--and will love what is good for it. But if there is an imbalance, then the body--or rather, the senses--will crave things that are harmful rather than healing to us. For example, a person prone to Pitta-related imbalances like skin eruptions should ideally avoid hot, spicy foods. But if that person's physiology is ridden with dosha imbalances, then he or she will not be able to resist eating spicy curries.

Therefore, The Council of Ayurveda Physicians recommends that your diet be intuitive--based on a good understanding of your tastes and of foods that bring you both good taste and good nutrition.

In his insightful book Contemporary Ayurveda, Dr Hari Sharma makes an interesting observation about the American diet: "The typical American diet," observes Sharma, "under-represents the pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes, and overemphasizes the sweet taste, as well as the salty and sour.

These three tastes increase Kapha dosha, which is part of how Ayurveda would explain the prevalence of obesity (a Kapha imbalance) in the West."

The best way to ensure you get a "complete" diet is to try and get all six flavors on your plate--sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent, and astringent.

Add flavor and healing nutrients to your food by cooking them with Ayurveda's Churnas. Blended in precise proportions to ensure dosha balance, these spice-mixes are both delicious and versatile.
On the whole, the balance of tastes ideal for your individual constitution depends on your prakriti or original combination of doshic energies, and vikriti--the imbalances you are trying to correct at any point in time. Consult a vaidya for guidance on foods that would work best for you; then browse our recipe section for hundreds of recipes and tips on what to eat and how to cook ayurvedically.

Ayurvedic Comfort Foods

What do you think of when you hear the words "comfort food"? Mashed potatoes and gravy at Thanksgiving, Rocky Road ice-cream in the middle of the night or cream donuts for breakfast? That may be what you crave, but these foods won't comfort you very long; in fact, they may even cause discomfort in your digestion. How about a warm soup or rice pudding? Real comfort foods are nutritious, nurturing, wholesome and satisfying. According to ayurveda, they should also be intelligent, and balance the mind and body.
Ingest nature's intelligence with your foodThe food you eat should be lively. Fresh, organic, home-cooked food has the power to carry nature's intelligence to your brain and body. These foods are called triptighna, which means they are satisfying and nourishing. Preserved, frozen, processed foods and leftovers, on the other hand, are triptighna: foods that leave your body unsatisfied and craving for more. Since these junk foods are void of intelligence they cannot support the intelligence of the physiology, so you end up eating more and craving for more without ever getting nourished or fulfilled. What's more, you can easily gain weight this way.
Cooked food versus raw foodWhile we want to preserve the intelligence of our ingredients, we also want to make them digestible. That's where cooking comes in, which inserts agni, digestive fire, in our food so we can digest and assimilate it properly. Certain food items, such us grains, beans and dahls should always be eaten cooked. Most vegetables are also more beneficial cooked, and some of them, such as spinach, chard, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, should never be eaten raw. Milk is another item that can be hard to digest so ayurveda recommends always boiling it with some cardamom and cinnamon. Make sure, however, not to overcook or burn anything. Add some ghee or olive oil, water and spices to protect nature's intelligence. You don't have to cook everything and skip salads entirely. Juicy vegetables, such as cucumber and lettuces, can be refreshing for lunch in the summer but stay away from them at night and in the winter since they can aggravate Vata. Also, if your digestive fire is weak, stay away from sprouts. Fruits are also good raw during the day. In the morning, a stewed apple is best to stimulate the digestive system.
Use spice-powerIn addition to their delicious taste, spices can greatly increase the intelligence of your meals. They also help with digestion and assimilation. To bring the most out of them, cook them with your food or sauté them in ghee and add them to your meals. For best assimilation of the benefits of therapeutic spices, eat them cooked, instead of sprinkling raw spices over foods. Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, saffron, cinnamon and cardamom offer rich and varied aroma and flavor besides helping to balance different doshas and enhancing the metabolism. They can transform simple dishes into feasts for all your senses, providing fulfillment and contentment from meals.
Stop the cravingsThe first thing you can do to avoid feelings of false hunger and cravings is to increase the intelligence in your meals by eating, fresh, home-made meals, and avoiding "junk" foods. You also need to eat a variety of foods with all six tastes. Make sure to eat sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent foods to satisfy the body. Cooked food is also more nourishing than raw foods. Raw foods are harder to digest and can diminish agni. When agni is weak, the body creates ama (accumulated toxins), which clogs the channels and prevents the body from receiving nutrients from food. This, in the end, results in cravings. Ayurveda also encourages portion control. Eat enough but don't overeat. Your stomach should be two-thirds full after main meals.
Sweets for the heartEmotional downs are the result of an imbalance in Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha that governs the heart. The sweet taste pacifies pitta, which explains our cravings for sweets. But before you reach for cookies or chocolate, think for a moment. Although these foods provide the sweet taste, they lack the intelligence to carry it to your brain, which won't register it and the craving won't stop. Try a piece of sweet, juicy fruit, soaked dates or raisins, rice pudding, milk-date shakes or mango shakes. Ayurveda Rose Petal Preserve is also a great pitta-pacifying sweet. These healthy foods will deliver to the brain and heart what they need and leave you satisfied.
Foods to pacify worriesWorries and mental imbalance are the result of aggravated Vata dosha. To calm the mind, eat easy-to-digest, nourishing meals and use spices such as black pepper, cumin and coriander to open the channels of the brain. In addition to the above-mentioned sweets, walnuts, almonds and coconut milk are especially supportive for the mind. The Ayurveda Worry Free Tablets and Tea are also helpful in enhancing the connection between the mind and the body. The new Worry Free Spice Mix will increase the intelligence of foods by supporting the transportation of nutrients to the brain. These spices also help open up the channels of the mind, heart and the rest of the physiology.
Realizing that junk foods will not satisfy your body is the first step in beating the cravings. With a little attention you can switch to healthier options and receive more nutrition, which will decrease your desire for unintelligent snacks. A well-nourished body is only hungry for healthy food!

A Supplement to Boost Brainpower?

A Supplement to Boost Brainpower?
Q: Can you comment on the effectiveness of vinpocetine and its potential cerebral benefits? -- M.M.

A: Vinpocetine is a derivative from the extract of a periwinkle plant (Vinca minor) native to Europe. It is available in Europe as a prescription drug where it has been used to treat the memory problems and dementia that can be after-effects of strokes. In the United States, vinpocetine is sold as a dietary supplement and promoted to address Alzheimer's disease, memory problems, stroke, and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Vinpocetine works by increasing blood flow to the brain and promoting the brain's use of oxygen. It thins blood, dilates blood vessels, and protects neurons from toxic injury. It also has antioxidant effects. It crosses the blood-barrier and seems to be preferentially taken up by cerebral tissue as verified by pet scans done on humans and animals.
Although there have been a lot of studies, mostly in Europe, so far we have no really conclusive evidence that vinpocetine reliably improves the outlook for stroke patients, but the circumstantial evidence is strong enough that I would recommend trying it to improve quality of life in stroke patients.
Despite claims to the contrary, studies to date have not produced any evidence showing that vinpocetine is of benefit in Alzheimer's patients. One study, however, found that treatment with vinpocetine resulted in significant improvement among a group of patients with mild to moderate cognitive problems including primary dementia. Another study found that vinpocetine benefited elderly patients with non-Alzheimer's neurodegenerative disorders affecting cognition and movement.
Other studies suggest that vinpocetine can effectively treat tinnitus that occurs after some type of acoustic trauma, and preliminary research indicate that it might also protect against motion sickness.
Adverse reactions appear to be rare. They include nausea, dizziness, insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth and a temporary drop in blood pressure. Don’t take vinpocetine if you're pregnant or nursing or if you’re taking any type of blood thinning medication (the drug may decrease platelet aggregation, inhibiting clot formation).
My bottom line: it may be worth trying vinpocetine if you have one of the conditions for which it has proven to be helpful. Otherwise, I would not recommend it for "potential cerebral benefits."


Andrew Weil, M.D.–Author of:
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
Spontaneous Healing
The Natural Mind
The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
Health and Healing
Natural Health, Natural Medicine
From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen)

Energizing the Elderly?

Energizing the Elderly?
My father is almost 80 years old. He is getting weaker and weaker. Is there anything that can boost a little energy into an old body? – Hasani

Yes, there are some effective tonics and supplements that can help seniors whose energy is flagging. Here are my suggestions:
Cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis): This Chinese fungus is a tonic that can help overcome general weakness and fatigue and increase physical stamina, mental energy, sexual vigor and longevity. You can get it at the health food store in the form of tincture, extracts or powder or order it from Fungi Perfecti (www.fungi.com). The recommended dosage for general weakness is one to two capsules daily.
Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Tinctures or capsules from the root of this woody Siberian plant work as a tonic to combat lethargy, fatigue and low stamina. Look for Eleuthero (aka eleuthero ginseng) products standardized to .08 percent of eleutherosides. Most Siberian ginseng products vary in concentration and potency, so pay extra attention to the label instructions. The usual recommended dose is two capsules or one dropperful of tincture twice a day unless the product directs otherwise.
Rhodiola (R. rosea): Sometimes called arctic root or rose root, rhodiola rosea grows at high altitudes in the Arctic areas of Europe and Asia. It is used in Russia as a tonic and remedy for fatigue, poor attention span and decreased memory, and in the Scandinavian countries as a general strengthener and to increase the capacity for mental work. A recent review in HerbalGram, the Journal of the American Botanical Council, reported that over the years, numerous studies of R. rosea in humans, in animals and in cells have shown that rhodiola helps prevent fatigue, stress and the damaging effects of oxygen deprivation. Evidence suggests that it has an antioxidant effect and enhances immune system function.
Another approach to combating age-related weakness is strength training. After age 40, we lose one quarter to one-third of a pound of muscle each year (it is replaced by fat). This leads to a loss of strength of one to two percent per year. Fortunately, these changes can be slowed, even reversed. Evidence from a number of studies has shown that even the frail elderly can benefit from strength training. The payoff can include stronger muscles, improved walking speed and an increase in overall strength.


Andrew Weil, M.D.–Author of:
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
Spontaneous Healing
The Natural Mind
The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
Health and Healing
Natural Health, Natural Medicine
From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen)

Treating Polymyalgia Rheumatica?

Treating Polymyalgia Rheumatica?
Q: What should my wife take for polymyalgia rheumatica? -- Richard Williamson

A: Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and morning stiffness (sometimes both quite severe) in the upper arms and legs, neck, shoulder and hip areas. It occurs primarily in older people (the average age at diagnosis is 70), rarely is diagnosed before age 50, and affects women twice as often as men. Although no one knows what causes it, immune system abnormalities and genetic factors are suspected.
Polymyalgia rheumatica seems to be related to another condition, giant cell arteritis (also called temporal arteritis and cranial arteritis), which causes inflammation in the arteries in the head (usually those in the temples). The inflammation causes swelling which narrows or stretches the arteries and may pose a threat to vision. About 15 percent of people in the United States who have polymyalgia rheumatica also have giant cell arteritis, and about half the people with giant cell arteritis also have polymyalgia rheumatica. Because of the threat to sight, those with giant cell arteritis in addition to polymyalgia rheumatica must take the steroid drug prednisone until symptoms disappear and tests show that there is no longer a risk of blindness. Signs of this disorder can include headache, pain in the temple, blurred or double vision, and flu-like symptoms.
Polymyalgia rheumatica may begin abruptly but usually develops in a gradual manner over a couple of weeks. Mild or early cases are marked by morning symptoms (lasting one to two hours after waking, then returning after periods of inactivity) as well as fatigue, a sense of weakness, weight loss and low-grade fever, all of which can accompany the pain and stiffness.
The disease often goes away without treatment in a year or more, but prednisone can bring the symptoms under control within a day or two. The drug really works well for this condition although you always want to take the lowest possible dose and discontinue treatment as soon as possible. Typically, the initial dose is increased until symptoms disappear, and then gradually decreased to the lowest amount needed to relieve symptoms. Treatment usually continues for six months to two years but may be restarted if symptoms recur.
At first, your wife will need prednisone for the relief it offers. She also might try aerobic exercise, which a friend affected with this condition has told me makes a big difference. I also recommend whole licorice for treatment of inflammatory disorders. You can find whole licorice as a root or extract. Look for products with six to 10 percent glycyrrhizin and follow the dosage direction on the package. Since whole licorice can worsen high blood pressure, check with your doctor before taking it if your pressure is high. Licorice root capsules can be used in the amount of 5-6 g per day. Concentrated extracts can be used in the amount of 250-500 mg three times per day. This approach may enable your wife to lower her prednisone dose. In addition, she should try to maintain an anti-inflammatory diet. I also recommend using the herbal anti-inflammatory agent Zyflamend from New Chapter. Chinese medicine and mind/body techniques such as hypnotherapy and guided imagery can also help; visit the Mind/Body/Spirit section on this site for more information on these and other techniques.


Andrew Weil, M.D.–Author of:
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
Spontaneous Healing
The Natural Mind
The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
Health and Healing
Natural Health, Natural Medicine
From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen)

A Pill to Prevent Alzheimer's?

A Pill to Prevent Alzheimer's?
Q: I just heard that ibuprofen may prevent Alzheimer's disease. Is it worth taking it regularly like aspirin for heart disease? How much? – Lisa

A: A recent study at the University of California at Los Angeles showed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen may dissolve deposits of amyloid protein that characterize Alzheimer's disease. These deposits, known as plaque, hinder communication between nerve cells in the brain, leading to memory loss and other symptoms of dementia.
The UCLA study results are exciting, but the researchers are a long way from recommending that we take NSAIDS preventively. However, they do think that the drugs might slow plaque formation or even dissolve some existing plaque. And they have suggested that the effect they observed in their laboratory might explain why earlier studies have shown that the risk of Alzheimer's is lower than normal among people who take anti-inflammatory drugs. One study conducted by the National Institute on Aging and Johns Hopkins University took 15 years and involved more than 1,600 people. It found that those who took NSAIDS had half the Alzheimer's risk of those who didn't. That's encouraging, but taking NSAIDS regularly is not without risk – these drugs can cause bleeding ulcers and serious kidney problems.
We may know much more about the ability of NSAIDS to prevent Alzheimer's when the National Institute on Aging completes a 5 to 7 year clinical trial launched in 2001 comparing the anti-inflammatory drugs naproxen and Celecoxib to placebo among people who may be at higher than normal risk because they have relatives with the disease, other forms of dementia, senility or serious age-related memory loss.
I'm convinced enough of the relationship between anti-inflammatory therapy and reduction of Alzheimer's risk to recommend taking natural anti-inflammatory agents such as ginger and turmeric which aren't as toxic as synthetics. In fact, turmeric, the yellow spice most familiar in Indian cooking and American prepared mustard, has shown promise in blocking the development of Alzheimer's disease in genetically susceptible rats. For those concerned about Alzheimer's, I would suggest taking New Chapter's Turmeric Force, one capsule twice a day. You can easily add ginger to your diet by frequently eating crystallized ginger or the pickled ginger that comes with sushi.


Andrew Weil, M.D.–Author of:
Eight Weeks to Optimum Health
Spontaneous Healing
The Natural Mind
The Marriage of the Sun and Moon
Health and Healing
Natural Health, Natural Medicine
From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen)

Biomarkers Could Drive Arthritis Research

(HealthDay News) -- An international team of scientists has identified new biomarkers that could help develop improved treatments for spondylarthritis (SpA).

SpA refers to a group of chronic autoimmune conditions, including ankylosing spondylitis and arthritis associated with psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases, primarily those affecting the peripheral joints.

In this study of 52 SpA patients, researchers identified the new biomarkers after analyzing tissue from the synovium, the thin membrane lining the joint space and the primary target of inflammation. The researchers found that changes in SpA disease activity are accompanied by a series of distinct and measurable events in synovial tissue.

The researchers also found differences in the synovial biomarkers between SpA patients receiving effective treatment and those receiving no treatment.

These changes in synovial tissue could be used to aid SpA research and treatment, they said.
"Their ability to correctly discriminate between effective and ineffective treatment in small patient cohorts makes them interesting biomarkers to facilitate conclusive, early phase clinical trials in SpA," study leader Dr. Dominique Baeten, of the University of Amsterdam's Academic Medical Center in Holland, said in a prepared statement.

The study appears in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.
More information
The American College of Rheumatology has more about ankylosing spondylitis.