Role of Ayurvedic functional foods in preventing lifestyle disorders

 

Dr Preetham Pai, Professor, Department of Balrog(Ayurvedic Pediatrics) 

Bharati Vidyapeeth (deemed to be) University College of Ayurved, Pune

Functional foods are “foods or dietary components that may provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition” according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC). There is great prominence to the notion that food not only provides basic nutrition but it can also prevent diseases and ensure good health and longevity1.

In 1994, the US Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board defined functional foods as “any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains” 2. E.g cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

       Ayurveda, the traditional system of Indian medicine, mentions healthy and unhealthy diets in detail. The properties of various cereals, legumes and meats of various animals are discussed. In Ayurveda, seven body constitutions are explained. Food has a different effect on each person depending on their digestive fire, body constitution, time of the day, season, etc. Therefore, the properties of functional foods are explained keeping in mind the various body constitution. Amongst the cereals, wheat is said to be nourishing, prevents emaciation and weight loss and is heavy to digest. Rice grown in 60 days promotes health and is heavy to digest.3. such cereals should be eaten in moderation by people having weak digestive fire.Barley reduces fat accumulation in the body and helps to lose weight. Barley is proven to be effective in hypercholesteremia. The addition of barley bran flour significantly decreased total serum cholesterol, as did the addition of barley oil after 30 days of intervention in subjects suffering from hypercholesteremia4. Foods prepared out of whole cereals contain increased concentrations of phytochemicals along with other minerals and vitamins (Slavin, 1999). However, only cereal fibre, not fruit or vegetable fibre, was inversely associated with the risk of total stroke in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study5

       Sanva and common Millets are light to digest and will induce flatulence. Hence, it should be eaten in moderation by people who belong to the air body constitution (vata prakriti)3. The millet grain contains about 65% carbohydrate, a high proportion of which is in the form of non-starchy polysaccharides and dietary fibre, which help in the prevention of constipation and delayed release of glucose to the blood stream during digestion and lowering of blood cholesterol. Lower incidences of cardiovascular diseases, duodenal ulcers and hyperglycemia (diabetes) are reported among regular millet consumers. Millet grains are also rich in important vitamins, such as riboflavin, folic acid, Thiamine and niacin. A smaller percentage of the population used cereals like sorghum and other millets, and their food products are proven to be good. The comparable sources of proteins and other functional components in millets have received their attention in new food formulations (Duodu, Taylor, Belton and Hamaker 2003; Pathak, Srivastava and Grover, 2000). The millets also have considerable levels of an extensive range of phenolic compounds (Dykes and Rooney, 2006). 

In legumes, black gram gives strength, subsides the air entity (vata dosha), and is heavy to digest. This should be eaten in moderation by people having weak digestive fire and possessing kapha ( body humour responsible for growth and anabolism) body constitution. Among the pulses, green gram is said to be the best. It is easily digestible and reduces body humour (kapha), hence preventing weight gain and morbidities related to obesity3. Horse gram alleviates the body humours responsible for growth, anabolism, nervous system, body movements etc. (kapha and vata).

      Similarly the benefits and effects of legumes and meat of various animals is mentioned in Ayurveda. Diet advice should be given according to the digestive fire, body constitution, domicile of the individual and the season. This will help to prevent diseases and maintain  health.

References:

1.Ferrari C. K. B., Functional foods, herbs and nutraceuticals: towards biochemical mechanisms of healthy aging, Biogerontology. (2004) 5, no. 5, 275–289, 2-s2.0-18844402089, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-004-

2.P. R. Thomas and R. Earl, Enhancing the food supply, Opportunities in the Nutrition and Food Sciences, 1994, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA, 98–142. Google Scholar


3.charaka acharya,charaka samita, sutra sthana ,27/13,16,19,21,23,26.chaukambha Sanskrit Sansthan,varanasi.

4.Joanne R Lupton, Michael Clayton Robinson, Janet L Morin,Cholesterol-lowering effect of barley bran flour and oil,Journal of the American Dietetic Association,

Volume 94, Issue 1,1994,Pages 65-70,ISSN 0002-8223, https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-8223(94)92044-3.

5. Liu S., Buring J. E., Sesso H. D., Rimm E. B., Willett W. C., and Manson J. E., A prospective study of dietary fiber intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among women, Journal of the American College of Cardiology. (2002) 39, no. 1, 49–56, 2-s2.0-0037005811, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0735-1097(01)01695-3

Pointers for Online presentations

 

        Online presentations are the accepted norm  for meetings and academic presentations after the COVID pandemic . We might use online mode of presentation for paper presentations during webinars, as invited speakers or during online meetings. It is very important to note  certain points which  have to be kept in mind during an online presentation.

1. The speaker has to be clearly audible and visible. Being audible is an important part of an online presentation. The listeners will be less forgiving if the presenter is not audible.

2. Check your internet connectivity: a stable internet connection is a must during a presentation.There should be no compromise on that. There are times when the speaker is not heard / or there is a disruption of the voice due to a unstable internet connection. This causes a disruption of the meeting and the agendas which had to be addressed will not be dealt with completely, leading to the failure of the meeting.

3. Check the microphone and the camera: during the online presentation we need to be heard and also seen. Sound has to be checked before the start of the meeting itself.switch on the front facing camera.

4. It is a very common question that where should the   speaker  see while presenting online. We are used to physical presentations. So, we know where the gaze should be during such  presentations. If an audience is uncomfortable, we know to shift our gaze too.  In online mode of presentation, the speaker should look at the camera lens while speaking. Of course the speaker's eyes should not be fixed at the camera lens. The eyes can dart off for some time like in a physical presentation .It is easy for the speaker's eye to wander off. But this should be controlled.

5. The presenter should sit at the centre of the screen. There should be a distance of 4 finger width from the top of head to the top of computer screen. The background can be blurred and the level of the eyes should be at the level of the camera. The presenter should sit upright and closer to the computer screen so that he is clearly visible at the center of the screen. 

6. The room should be well lit. It is important to be seen as it is to be heard during an online presentation.

Significance of Astasthana pareeksha in Balroga

Patient examination plays a vital role in diagnosing the illness.The precursor to treating a patient, is taking a detailed history of the illness followed by examination of the patient. Examination of a patient opens  a window to diagnosing the disease and hence aids in treatment.

     Brihatrayis( acharya charak, sushrut and vaghbhata)have  mentioned the dasavidha pareeksha of atura( patient) . This includes the examination of prakriti, vikruti, Sara, samhanana, ahara Satmya, Bala,dushya, desha, kala and anala.

Whereas acharya yogaratnakar has mentioned astavidha pareeksha. This pareeksha involves the examination of Nadi( pulse) jihva( tongue) mala( stool) mutra( urine) akriti ( general appearance) drik ( eyes) shabda( voice) and sparsha( touch). 

Nadi pareeksha involves the examining the Nadi for dosha dominance. This in turn helps us to know the vitiation of the dosha in the body. Various diseases such as jwara, mala avastambha,rakta vikaras etc can be diagnosed by examining Nadi.

In children too Nadi pareeksha can be used for the conditions mentioned above. 

In children it is advised to  examine the pulse rate after 2 years of age. It is only after 2 years of age ,the heart rate and the pulse rate synchronise.Nadi pariksha can still be used in younger children to diagnose the various dosa vitiation in the body. This aids in treating the disease effectively. Since children cannot express the symptoms, Nadi examination will help us in diagnosing the predominant vitiated doshas.The different types of Nadi in children should be standardized using various clinical trials.

Jihva pareeksha: while we are examining the tongue, we should observe the samata/ niramata, colour, any abnormal shape of the tongue, tongue tie, atrophy etc. in children especially the samata of the tongue tells us the state of jataragni. Children don't express their symptoms. So by examining the tongue we are able to learn about the Agni avastha which is an important component while treating a patient.

Mala: Acharya 's have mentioned to test the stool in water for its samata and niramata. This is a simple test and easy to perform. It tells us about the digestion and assimilation status of the food. Mala is also examined for its colour, frequency,consistency,smell etc.colour of the stools can be shweta, pita, krushna, aruna etc depending on the dosha vitiation.

Smell can be putigandha, visragandha etc.

The frequency and consistency of the Mala helps us to differentiate it from different types of atisara .

Now we have stool examination. We can use this to understand the presence of worms, mucus or occult blood in the stools. This helps us in the accurate diagnosis.

Astasthana pareeksha should be the main examination of the patient. And this has to be updated with newer investigations like urine routine, stool routine, blood investigation s ,2D echo etc.

I have discussed only 3 pareekshas . Rest of them will be continued in the next post.

 

Is Social.media a Boon or a curse?

  

       Social media has become a part and parcel of everybody's life.Be it a Doctor or any other profession everyone is using it. Happy faces, fulfilled lives and successful professions are showcased on social media on varied platforms.

      There are many benefits of using social media to market one's profession. It gives a ready platform for people to showcase their skills from the comfort of their home or office. Hence it is not surprising to see celebrities, artists,musicians , businessmen, and also doctors use the social media platforms to market their profession. Instagram algorithm requires a user to regularly post reels and stories on their insta handle. A couple of hours are easily spent each day to create a reel with good lighting and then subsequently post it after applying filters and editing.

     Social media also helps to connect with peer groups residing anywhere in the world. The world has become a smaller place post COVID pandemic due to the maximum utilisation of these platforms. Some of the Physicians, academicians , researchers are available on social media and post reels regularly. Hence learning and knowledge acquisition has become easier.

       For people from my generation,  professional practice of a Doctor started in the traditional way and then social media came by. So, we had to learn how to use social media to reach out to people for professional gains. On occasions we also had to slowly detach from social media to focus more on our practice. 

     Students and youngsters whose whole life is all about social media, I wonder whether they will know any life outside of it.From using  filters, to edit the pics and videos, everyone's life looks hunky dory.It's hard to believe what is true and what is fake in such a superficial world.This fierce competition to be better from the peers ,drowns the youngsters into  depression.

    Even though there are so many advantages to using AI and social media , the perils are also many.

    It is not just students , professionals are also getting influenced by social media. In an attempt to be a part of the rat race , daily  reels and insta stories are created and posted simultaneously.Doctors have become singers and performers.They are lauded for their skill to vaccinate the baby and sing at the same time. Once, I was taken back when I saw a reel where a Doctor was making weird hand gestures. To my amazement and dismay, pictures started popping up after these gestures. It was only after I had watched a couple of reels I could understand what the doctors were trying to express.In a futile attempt to showcase the practices and specialities of their clinic, these doctors were reduced to clowns.

      The trend at present is to be an influencer by increasing the number of followers. The gimmick is to be an insta influencer and content creator on social media.With editing pics and creating reels I doubt  there will be hardly any time for actual practice for a Doctor .The previous traditional way of Doctors practice is being replaced by insta Doctors ,who can act and create drama at the same time. This new trend of being an  insta influencer, content creator gives a false hope to new doctors entering the profession. They expect a rise in the number of patients within a few months into practice. Instead, they are faced with the harsh reality. This causes anxiety and pushes them into depression.

      Success needs hardwork and perseverance. if one utilises the time to create reels and stories ,then when will they have time for actual practice. Experience and confidence can only be gained by treating hundreds and thousands of patients.

   Social media has many advantages too. It can be used as a secondary tool to reach out to the patients. Posting reels and stories related to one' s profession helps us to showcase our skill and also be in touch with the newer generation of patients and colleagues. Anything new can be hazardous or beneficial. It is up to us how much we weigh the pros and cons and utilise it for our benefit.

     Too much of anything is too bad. At present I feel Social media should be consumed like medicine. Small quantity and only when required. This will keep us mentally and physically healthy .Only time will tell whether inculcating social media into practice is the right way while treating  patients. We will have to wait and see.

Principles for powerful Presentation.

 As Doctors , Academicians , researchers and medical students, we have to frequently present in front  of an audience. It is a skill to keep the audience captivated  and enthralled with our presentation.  Matt Abrahams , Professor at Stanford graduate school of Business school, explains four powerful rules to be followed for better communication. The four rules are concise, relevance, accessible and precision.I would go further and say  that the slides of presentation should be minimum, each slide should show only the necessary points under the bullet marking and the slides should be attractive. Certain design templates can be used to make the slides attractive and captivating to the audience. The 4 important rules  to be considered during a communication/presentation are as follows.

1. Concise: As a presenter ,we should provide the least amount of information which needs to  be shared with the audience to get the msg across. E g Billboard essence.On a billboard ,only a few points are highlighted to attract the audience and pass the msg. Similarly use a few words and  explain the essential idea first and then follow it up with related information of the presentation. This way, your audience is not bored and is hooked to the presentation.

2. Relevance: The msg should be relevant and important for the audience. As an expert we might have a lot of information to share with the audience. But keeping it relevant will help the audience to focus on the presentation. It is also important to add emotion while communicating. This  helps to restore the memory longer in the audience. This can be done by engaging  the audience by involving them in the story. These are the various methods by which we can keep the interest of the audience.

3. Accessibility: The research information can be complex with scientific words. This language may not be accessible to the audience. Therefore we have to sympathise with the audience and use simpler terms which the audience can understand and relate to.

Translate the information. Take complex knowledge and make it simple by using relatable analogies. Also, deconstruct the complex knowledge by using infographics and videos during the presentation.

4. Precision: targeting the msg. We have to make sure that  we have explained the  clear goal. Set  expectations i.e objectives at the beginning of the presentation or communication , so the audience has an idea about the presentation. Give structure to your presentation. And at the end clearly state your goals so that it  can conclude your presentation well.During the presentation ,get the audience involved and engage them in the presentation. This will keep the lecture lively and will keep the audience hooked to the presentation.

         Now I will address the most important question. How to.select a topic ? The topic depends on its relevance to the audience. For an undergraduate or a postgraduate the topic is different than while giving lectures to medical officers or teachers. Also discuss with the organizers the theme of the seminar or CME. This will help you in finalizing the area  e.g which system you need to present. So, depending on the lacuna of the knowledge of the listeners you have to select the topic.Gauge the audience 's knowledge before giving the lecture. 

During your initial presentations,show your slides to your teacher / mentor and ask their advice. Also present it in front of a small peer group. A practice that I follow in our department is that, our PG students have to present 2-3 times in the department in front of teachers and friends. We , teachers advise changes to the presentation which the students incorporate. We check the following points- duration of the presentation, stance of the presenter, audibility, content of presentation, introduction and conclusion,design of the slides and the most important grammar.

Conclusion: The above 4 rules have to be kept in mind while preparing the slides and presenting in front of an audience. To be good at anything one needs practice. Even though the initial couple of presentations may seem challenging , with practice one can be an expert at presenting.

Research publications - a blessing or curse

 

In the field of science and medicine it is mandatory to publish research work if one has to grow in their career. A science needs to be frequently updated, previous theories disapproved, new theories brought to the fore, so on and so forth. There is a famous quote 'publish or perish' which all researchers know very well.

       Ayurveda is going in tandem with modern medicine.More importance has been given to conduct research and publish the findings.But there is a paucity of good peer reviewed Ayurvedic journals. Hence even though researchers are interested in publishing articles, they always find themselves in the sea of journals but only a handful of journals are available to publish . Journals being only a handful and adding to it the tedious review process , it is to one's dismay the duration it takes to publish an article. 

        I personally enjoy conducting research and also want to share the knowledge and results with my peers. But until more good peer reviewed journals are available , it is a tedious process to publish and hence it seems like a curse.

New thoughts on this are welcome. Please mention in the comments section.

What does MD in Ayurveda entail?

 What does Specialization in Ayurveda( MD Ayurveda) entail? 

Is it enough for students to just learn to treat patients of that speciality or should they be equipped with more knowledge which will transform them to scientists and researchers of the future. Being a guide to post graduate students, it has always bugged me on how I can create excellence in a particular subject of post graduation. Some of the pointers are 

A.

E.g in kaumarabhritya, PG students should be well versed in treating navjata and balak suffering from various diseases. Thorough knowledge can be gained when modern examination and Ayurvedic treatment principles are applied together. The lacuna that we face in the rogi pareeksha can be filled by applying the knowledge of patient examination as explained in modern science. The challenge is to apply the Ayurvedic physiological and pathological parameters to these examinations. But with due diligence this is possible.we can concise this into three points:

1. Students should be thorough in Atur pareeksha and systemic examinations in detail.

2. Co-relate these two and come to a final diagnosis.

3. Application of Ayurvedic management as explained by our Acharyas.

B. Being updated in the recent Ayurvedic research.

Discussions of good articles published in peer reviewed journals with good impact factors  will enlighten the students on the importance of research and how to write articles. Through such lively discussions ,Students learn about the different checklists which have to be followed while publishing clinical trials, case reports, literature reviews etc.

This also gives insight to the recent Ayurvedic research, lacunas and new areas of research for the future.

C. Importance of  attending seminars and Paper Presentations.

Attending seminars gives an update on the recent work done by many professors.speakers share their experiences and are open for discussions .Seminars are an important place to build connections. I can't stress enough  the importance of seminars. 

By following this routine it opens doors for Innovation and research.

D.case presentations.

Discussions of the rare case have to be done using the case presentation format.case presentation is like doing  the postmortem of a case. Slowly and steadily we are studying a case and breaking it down to understand the cause and the diagnosis. Hence we study the application of treatment for a particular disease.

Conclusion: Therefore along with the thorough knowledge of a particular speciality, a post graduate student should be well versed in all the above A,B,C and D points.