Pancreatitis

 At times, acute pancreatitis happens due to problems in other organs, for example, gallbladder stones. As per a study conducted by Pace Hospital, around 40% of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis had gallbladder stones. So the first step is to investigate if a person suffers from gallbladder stones or not. If a person suffers from gallbladder stones, then that person must detoxify their liver.

The gallbladder is a muscular sac attached to the liver. It stores bile. On any holiday, Epsom salt and lemon water are to be consumed in the morning, and nothing else must be consumed except water. Later, after 3 hours, Epsom salt with olive oil must be consumed, and again, after 3 hours, Epsom salt with olive oil must be consumed. Relaxation must be done on a bed, ensuring the right body side faces the bed so that the gallbladder gets stimulated, or some pressure must be applied to the gallbladder to stimulate it. This will help excrete any waste that has accumulated in the gallbladder.

Other causes of acute pancreatitis include the use of alcohol, cigarettes; constipation, diabetes, heredity, hormonal changes, obesity, etc.

If a person suffers from acute pancreatitis and consumes cigarettes, alcohol, or is overweight, they must stop consuming alcohol, cigarettes, reduce weight, and include lots of fibrous foods to prevent constipation.

If acute pancreatitis is due to heredity, hormonal issues, or stress, then pranayam and yog will help. Pranayam reduces stress, strengthens the lungs, purifies the blood, and enhances the flow of energy. The best yog asanas for pancreatitis are Kandharasana, Naukasana, Padangusthasana, Pawanmuktasana, Uttanpadasana.

If a person suffers from pancreatitis and the cause is diabetes, then diabetes must be controlled.

In simple terms, pancreatitis means inflammation in the pancreas. Inflammation generally happens due to excess heat in the body, or in terms of Ayurved, due to excess Pitta in the body. In Sanskrit, the pancreas is termed "Agnashya". Agnashya is a combination of 2 words: "Agni" means fire and "Ashay" means storehouse. Thus, the pancreas is a storehouse of fire as it is connected to metabolism. If Pitta increases in the body, then it causes pancreatitis. So the most essential thing is to prevent acidity. The best medicines that prevent Pitta from rising in the body are Avipattikar Churna, Kamdudha and Punarnava Mandur. All these 3 items are to be consumed 1 hour after dinner.

All foods that increase Pitta must be avoided, especially non-vegetarian foods, alcohol, coffee, tea, etc.

All foods that reduce Pitta in the body must be consumed in high quantity. For example, aloe-vera and wheatgrass juice mixed together and consumed early in the morning effectively reduce Pitta.

Diet must consist of lots of salads & cooling foods like carrot, celery, coriander, cucumber, melon, mint, onion, parsley, watermelon, zucchini, etc.

Wheat and brown rice must be avoided. Jowar (Sorghum), finger millet, Foxtail millet, pearl millet, and white rice must be consumed.

Amongst daals, except for moong dal, all other daals must be avoided.

Fruits and foods in their true form are best. Industrially produced, packed, and fried foods must be avoided.

Instead of normal water, coriander and fennel must be soaked in water at night, and in the morning it must be boiled and then cooled, and this water must be consumed. This will reduce pitta and enhance digestion, and reduce the chances of pancreatitis.

Thyroid problems and its cure

The thyroid gland regulates metabolism and growth, and due to improper metabolism, a person can suffer due to problems like blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc. Thus, the proper functioning of the thyroid gland is essential.

Thyroid problems start when the thyroid gland cannot produce enough T3, which causes hypothyroidism or overproduces T3, which causes hyperthyroidism.

 

Symptoms: - Bulging eyes, depression, fatigue, hair fall, infertility, irritability, menstrual disorders, mood swings, sudden decrease in weight, a sudden increase in weight, suicidal thoughts, vitamin D deficiency, etc.

 

Causes: - Consuming unhealthy foods, sedentary life, stress, heavy metal poisoning due to consuming sweets that have aluminium coating on them and also due to air and water pollution.

 

Thyroid problems are more common amongst women than men. Majority of these women are unaware of it & those that even suffer the above-mentioned symptoms are unable to cure it due to financial reasons or due to lack of clinics in villages.

 

Cure:- As the thyroid gland is controlled by the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, the functioning of the pituitary gland has to be improved. The best way to enhance the functioning of the pituitary gland is by performing pranayama and sungazing. Dietary supplements like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios, soaked overnight and consumed daily in the morning, help to regulate the proper functioning of the pituitary gland. Putting almond oil or Jyotishmati oil before sleeping at night also helps. Tratak kriya also helps in the functioning of the pituitary gland. Foods that detoxify the body like garlic, onions, papayas, and pineapples also help in the functioning of the pituitary gland.

 

Awareness about heavy metal poisoning in India is rare. Unfortunately, doctors don’t want to discuss this as they don’t want to demean and disparage the Government responsible for pollution-related problems. Majority of Indians are fond of sweets and most of the sweets in India contain aluminum foil. Clean water is not used to produce sweets. This affects the functioning of the pituitary gland and thyroid gland. Those that consume fish are unaware of the fact that fish live in polluted lakes and rivers. Most of the rivers in India contain industrial waste such as mercury. Majority of Indians who consume fish also ingest mercury and other heavy metals. This impacts the body glands negatively. Thus, for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, one must start with detoxification of the body. Regarding detoxification, one must detoxify the body as per his/her body type. For Kapha body types, they must prefer to detoxify their body’s upper and lower parts, so they have to perform vomit and also use enemas. Those that have vata body may not need to vomit and only rely on enemas. After detoxification, one must consume coriander water instead of normal water. Coriander water can be prepared by soaking coriander seeds overnight, boiling the water in the morning, letting it cool, and consuming this water for at least 3 months. Lemon juice can be put in this water to enhance its taste and benefits. Coriander is excellent for the detoxification of heavy metals from the body. Also, if coriander is put in most of the foods, then it helps. Also, one must increase consumption of salads, and in salads they must have cilantro, cumin, dill, and parsley.

 

Foods for thyroid: - Fennel saag sabzi and cumin rice. Lentils, cottage cheese, butter, ghee, bananas, carrots, are good for overall hormonal functioning. Cruciferous vegetables like Arugula, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, daikon, kale, kohlrabi, watercress etc. help to detoxify the body. Coconut chutney and avial are also good for thyroid problems. Chia seeds soaked overnight and consumed in the morning also helps.

 

One must also avoid all industrially processed foods, packed foods, and fried and baked foods. Packed foods are mostly unhealthy as they are loaded with preservatives and industrialised salt and sugar. Excess pitta in the body also aggravates thyroid problems. Those suffering due to pitta problems may consume aloe vera frequently and coriander, cumin, and fennel soaked in water at night and then boil the water in the morning, letting it cool, and then consuming it. Those that have a pitta body composition must avoid foods that increase body heat, like spices.

 

Anyone suffering due to thyroid problems must perform bhamri pranayama, ujjayai pranayama, Jalandhar bandh & Roar like a lion, daily in the morning after cleaning their bowels & sit in vajrasan after meals.

 

Those suffering from hyperthyroidism must avoid iodised salt & industrialised salt & have rock salt or saindha salt instead.

 

People suffering from thyroid problems must avoid soy products, refrigerated products, and water stored in plastic bottles. Instead, water stored in earthen pots must be consumed and, preferably, foods must also be prepared in earthen pots instead of aluminium vessels. Tea and coffee must also be avoided as ssthey interfere with the functioning of the pituitary gland.