An ayurvedic doctor who's popularising medicinal plants

Hailing from the small village of Yawal in Jalgaon district, Dr. Rahul Saraf's acquittance with medicinal plants began at a young age since Yawal is mere eight kms from the Satpura forests which have a rich reserve of healing herbs.
Read more - http://epaper.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimes/7Nov2010/Normal/page7.htm
The series being published in Sakal Times regarding cultivating medicinal plants can be seen here

THALASSEMIA

It is a heterogeneous group of hereditary hemolytic anemias marked by decreased rate of synthesis of one or more hemoglobin polypeptide chains. Classified according to chain involved.

Causes

1) It is a common single gene disorder in the world. When both parents are carriers of Beta-thalassemia, there is 25% chance of offspring having thalassemia

Symptoms

1) Child usually is normal at birth and first few months of life, around 4-36 months of life anemia develops
2) Frequent infections give rise to fever, cough, diarrhea, vomiting and failure to thrive
3) Child due to lack of muscular development leads to thin stick like extremities
4) Abdomen is usually swollen
5) Big head, widely spaced eyes, flattened bridge of nose, upper teeth projecting forward, uncovered by upper lip
6) Most children die in the first decade of life due to severe anemia and cardiac failure

Investigations

1) Complete blood count
2) Bone marrow examination
3) Hb F level

Therapeutic consideration

1) Vit-B is recommended*
2) Calcium *
3) Fresh cow milk

Ayurveda approach

According to ayurveda, thalassemia comes under a category called sahaja or janmajata vyadhi. When it comes to sahaja vyadhi, ayurveda says it depends upon the severity of disease, organ affected, age of patient etc. Those factors make the disease manageable or hard to manage. But ayurvedic medicines have shown very promising results in some of the thalassemias, so they are definitely recommended to these patients.

Contact - Dr. Rahul Saraf at rahsaraf@gmail.com, +919422309088 to discuss your health problem or ayurvedic guidance on the same.

ANGINA PECTORIS (ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE)

Inadequate oxygen and nutrients supply to heart muscle

Causes

1) Atherosclerosis – artery block
2) Platelets aggregation
3) Coronary artery spasm
4) Hypoglycemia
5) Magnesium insufficiency
6) Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms

1) Squeezing or pressure like pain in chest after exertion
2) Pain may radiate to left shoulder, left arm or jaw which lasts 1-20 minutes

Precipitating factors

1) Emotional tension
2) Cold weather
3) Large meal
4) Hypertension

Investigations

1) X- ray chest
2) Electrocardiogram
3) Angiography is required in very few cases

Facts

1) In a large fraction of medically stable patients with coronary disease, angiography can be avoided
2) Heart patients with healthy hearts and one, two or three vessels block did surprisingly well without angioplasty or surgery. Such patients live just as long or longer than those having surgery
3) Ventricular pump function can be the deciding factor for surgery

Therapeutic approach

1) Diet – increase fibers,
Increase onion, garlic, vegetables,
Decrease saturated fats, sugar and other animal product, eat regular
meals
2) Stop smoking, coffee
3) Relaxation techniques are highly recommended
4) Aerobic exercises can also be done, are proved to be beneficial when pain is less
5) Walking is highly recommended

Ayurveda approach

According to ayurveda, this is  dominantly a VATA disorder with involvement of KAPHA. But if ayurvedic medicines are taken with diet control, can cure this problem, give strength to heart muscles, reduce congestion of blood vessels. Therefore, ayurvedic medicines are strongly recommended.

Contact - Dr. Rahul Saraf at rahsaraf@gmail.com, +919422309088 to discuss your health problem or ayurvedic guidance on the same.

CONGESTIVE CARDIAC FAILURE

Inability of the heart to effectively pump enough blood.

Causes of congestive cardiac failure

1) Long term hypertension
2) Previous infarct
3) Disorder of heart valve
4) Cardiomyopathy
5) Chronic lung disease

Precipitating factors

1) Anemia
2) Fever
3) Infection
4) Increased sodium intake
5) High environmental temperature
6) Renal failure
7) Thyrotoxicosis
8) Arteriovenous shunt
9) Hepatic failure
10) Respiratory insufficiency
11) Emotional stress
12) Pregnancy
13) Obesity
14) Arrhythmias
15) Pulmonary embolism
16) Nutrient deficiency
17) Beta- adrenergic blockers
18) Anti-arrhythmic drugs
19) Na-retaining drugs (NSAIDs, steroids)

Symptoms

1) Breathlessness on exertion
2) Cough
3) Fatigue
4) Oedema on legs and body

Investigation

1) Electrocardiogram
2) Chest X-ray shows increase in heart size
3) Ultrasonography to confirm liver size

Therapeutic consideration

1) Try to remove the precipitating factors
2) Diet low in sodium and high in potassium
3) Magnesium is beneficial*
4) Thiamine is protective *
5) Terminalia arjuna has got protective properties, it avoids further damage .

Ayurveda approach

According to ayurveda, this is dominantly a VATA disorder with involvement of KAPHA. But if ayurvedic medicines are taken with diet control, can cure this problem, give strength to heart muscles, reduce congestion of blood vessels. Therefore, ayurvedic medicines are strongly recommended.

Contact - Dr. Rahul Saraf at rahsaraf@gmail.com, +919422309088 to discuss your health problem or ayurvedic guidance on the same.

FUNGAL INFECTION OF LUNGS

Causes

1) Certain therapies like anti-cancerous drugs, steroids, prolonged use of antibiotics, immunosuppressants, radiotherapy
2) Malignant disorders – eg:- bronchial carcinoma, lymphoma, leukemia
3) Metabolic disorders – diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, obesity, Addison’s disease
4) Pulmonary disease –  tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma, cystic fibrosis
5) Haematogical conditions – agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, myelofibrosis
6) Immunodeficiency – AIDS
7) Miscellaneous factors – nutrition deficiency, extreme age, pregnancy.

Symptoms –
1) Cough
2) Haemoptysis (blood in cough)
3) Breathlessness

Investigations

1) Examination of bronchial aspiration
2) Chest X-ray

Therapeutic consideration

1) Treat the underlying cause
2) Avoid therapies affecting immunity
3) Drink plenty of hot fluids
4) Vit-C is known as protective*
5) Vit-A – improves immunity*
6) Fresh garlic is useful
7) Neem leaves are also useful

Ayurveda approach

According to ayurveda, this is dominantly a KAPHA disorder with involvement of PITTA. Ayurvedic medicines remove the infection and most importantly increase the immunity of a person. Therefore, ayurvedic medicines are strongly recommended for this disease.

Contact - Dr. Rahul Saraf at rahsaraf@gmail.com, +919422309088 to discuss your health problem or ayurvedic guidance on the same.

SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS

Common papulosqamous condition with appearance similar to eczema with scaly eruptions on scalp, cheeks and intertrigo of axilla, groin and neck.

Facts

1) Usually it is non itchy
2) Usually worse in winter
3) This is a common manifestation of AIDS affecting about 83%

Causes

1) Genetic predisposition
2) Emotional stress
3) Food allergy
4) Hormonal imbalance
5) Yeast like organisms

Therapeutic approach

1) Biotin – cooked eggs, liver, milk, fish
2) Pyridoxine – Bengal gram, black gram, maize
3) Folic acid – banana, asparagus, peas, broccoli

Tips

Avoid B5 antimetabolites – hydrazine dyes (FD&C yellow # s) and drugs INH and hydralazine, dopamine, penicillamine, oral contraceptives and excessive protein intake.


Ayurveda Approach

According to ayurveda, this is a dominantly KAPHA & VATA disorder. But if ayurvedic medicines are taken with diet control, can cure this problem completely. Therefore, ayurvedic medicines are strongly recommended here.

Contact - Dr. Rahul Saraf at rahsaraf@gmail.com, +919422309088 to discuss your health problem or ayurvedic guidance on the same.