Best Ayurvedic Tips Shared by Dr. Vikram Chauhan
Interviewer – Hello Dr. Vikram, Good evening and thanks to spare time from your busy schedule. Today, I have decided to ask about stress from you. I have heard from so many people that stress is the main cause of so many diseases. Is that so?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, stress has increased a lot these days and everybody is suffering from the stress. It has become a kind of epidemic. Everybody is suffering from it. Lifestyle has changed a lot as everybody is using mobiles, telephones, and internet to fasten the communication. So, one has to handle so many people at particular time which is leading to the stress. Stress is a mechanism of the body to protect itself from the harmful effects of the circumstances of the body. This body is made by the nature or god. Imagine yourself 10000 yrs. back as there was no technology and imagine this garden as a jungle. Imagine you are going from the jungle and suddenly a lion comes in front of you and you are scared and that feeling is fear that generates immediate stress in your mind and body. What happens in the state of fear? The body takes certain steps to fight that fear; either you have to fight that the lion or you will run away. So what the body does in those fearful circumstances is called the stress response. So what body does the blood from organs such as Digestive organ, Skin and Respiratory? It goes to the heart, muscle, brain and respiration increases, blood pressure increases and sugar increases because the body and muscle require oxygen, nutrition, blood and sugar to fight the loin and immediate danger. So liver immediately converts that sugar to glycogen into the glucose that is causing lot of tiredness and fatigue but still immediate glucose is needed by the muscle and immediately generated by the liver during that stressful period. Now a day, that lion is replaced by something else. Fear and the lion are still there. Lion is replaced by the money, relationships. Now we are fearful and always living in a fearful situation for tomorrow or the future. Businessmen are worried about the future and those who are in job worried about what will happen if I will lose my job. People are also having an incompatible relationships husband and wives are going under stress. Children are also going under lots of stress because of exams. So there are lots of reasons for stress in the body. So our bodies have learnt proper stress response by increasing sugar and increasing BP. Kidney immediately releases adrenaline and cortisol. These are two hormones which help in fight stress, but in case, if fear or stress is prolonged then sugar levels are continuously raised. The liver is always converts glycogen into the glucose, causing accumulation of toxins. Now this process is always going on, always feels stiff muscles in the neck, back is hurting, body has felt always tired because of accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles and it is a continuous state.
Interviewer – It’s very dangerous; does it lead to any diseases?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Most of the diseases are caused by the stress. If glucose levels are always high due to stress, it causes diabetes. If BP is always high, it will cause HTN. There will be digestive problems too. Constipation is there, indigestion is there, lack of appetite, liver problems will be there, and insomnia is there and even reproductive organs are not getting proper supply and as all blood supply is going to brain and muscles so reproductive problems will be there and infertility will be there, loss of libido so there will be so many problems. And endometriosis, ovarian cysts, fibroids and also low sperm count in male and erectile dysfunction. Even skin problems.
Interviewer – Are stress also causes some psychological disorders?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Person who is always in stress becomes irritability, loss of temperament, lack of sleep, lack of memory, lack of focus and concentration. So, there are so many problems.
Interviewer – How you suggest fighting stress?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – For this, I give one example. Consider these five fingers as five elements which have to be in a healthy state. Suppose, this is called mental health, this is called physical health, this is called financial health and this is social health. To call a person healthy, his all five health’s to be healthy. First most important health is mental health. If you are mentally healthy, then you can decide for your physical health and also you can decide best for your financial health. Social health is dependent on the financial health as your finance is good everybody is around you these days. So if you maintain your mental health, you can decide what is good and but is not for you. You can decide what to eat and what not, you can decide about to do exercise or not. You can decide everything good for your body, good for your finances, so every decision is dependent upon your mental health. So how to balance the mental health or how to manage the mental feelings like hatred, greed, anger, laziness.
Interviewer – So how one can manage it?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – This one I call spiritual health. So spirituality in some form of the other is very good and I am not talking about religion here because there is very much difference between spiritual and religious health so knowing your duty, responsibility, knowing your relationship with this universe. We all are connected with this universe we are not only physical forms, but we also have cosmetic relationship with this universe. Our soul have relationship with supreme power God. So understanding this relationship is very important for maintaining mental health. People are too much attached with this sensory or material world. Just to feed their senses they spend a lot of money and they indulge in so many desires that they complicate the life. Keeping desire is good for this materialistic world but losing the balance is not good for mental, spiritual, financial or even social health. So maintaining the balance is very much important.
Interviewer – What you are saying is very good, but many people these days are not able concentrate over this so are there any herbs through which we can get any help.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes there are so many herbs which can be in routine or regular basis. There is ashwagandha. It has adaptogens. It neutralizes the chemicals produced by the stress. Brahmi is good, it gives strength to the nervous system Neurons. There is other herb which is called tagar (Tabernaemontana divaricate) it keeps mind cool, Gotu-kola (Centella asiatica) is also useful, and jatamamsi is also there which keeps BP in Normal range. So these 5 herbs I frequently use in my clinical practice. They also induce normal sleep without any side effects.
Interviewer – Ok, so these are the herbs. Do you have any formulation too?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, there is a formulation called stress support too available. I regularly recommend.
Interviewer – So it contain all the herbs you were telling?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – When I was not using this formulation, then I was using these herbs in powder form together.
Interviewer – So by using herbs changes personality?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, personality and attitude are changing. We always think that we are right. When you say you are right then you don’t ask anybody and even you ask somebody they will say you are right and if you will ask your family, they will also say yes you are right. But if you will ask the spiritual books, then you will get the right answer. Whether you are right or whether you are wrong. Some people will justify their wrong actions by saying my friends are doing this, my father is also doing this so he is right that’s why I am also right.
Interviewer – Yes, even I tell my children that don’t eat pizza so they reply that their friends so they will too.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – So, this is a habit of giving excuses, like forgiving for smoking, for alcohol, physical violence. Many drug addicts they are doing wrong, but they justify.
Interviewer – So, you say all the diseases major cause is stress?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Root cause is the mainly desire also which give rise to stress and like you are making money to buy this car, you are making money to buy this home. But to get crazy to all those things is not good. Everybody is running after money.
Interviewer – Actually, many people are going to any extend to achieve the desire and working only for desires.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – You don’t need much money to live a life.
Interviewer – So these herbs Ashwagandha, Brahmi etc. can be used regularly. And without asking any doctor they can be used.
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, they can be. These herbs can be used on a daily basis without any side effects and, they are easily available.
Interviewer – Can one consume ashwagandha alone or Brahmi alone?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, they can be used, but we have made the formulation of these herbs even Gotu kola can be taken.
Interviewer – Are these herbs are also good for memory?
Dr. Vikram Chauhan – Yes, Brahmi is very good for memory and these herbs are useful without any side effects and have so many beneficial effects.
Interviewer – Thank you DR Vikram for sharing all this with us and hope it will be very beneficial for the people who are suffering with stress.
