To be effective in treating stress, it’s important to be specific. With the Ayurvedic approach, we always try to target the etiological (causal) factors and then bring that area into balance. But we are careful not to create imbalance in other areas that may produce negative side effects.

Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three psycho-physiological Ayurvedic principles (called doshas) that govern all the activities of the mind and body. A person enjoys perfect health if these principles are in perfect balance.
Each person’s constitution tends to be dominated by either one or two of these three doshas and very rarely by all three doshas. But whatever one’s constitution is, when a person goes out of balance, Vata destabilizes most easily. Vata is the dosha mainly affected by stress. We can explain this because Vata governs all movements in the body and the nervous system. This includes the in-and-out flow of the breath, the action of our limbs, the circulation of subtle energy in our organism, every current running through a nerve and the mind’s ceaseless flow of thoughts, words, and images. If there is too much movement in body or mind, which happens if stressed, the balance of Vata will be affected and imbalance created.

The nervous system becomes overstimulated with stress, creating an imbalance. Therefore Vata goes easily out of balance. Since dry, rough, airy, fast-moving, and irregularity are the core qualities of Vata, the Ayurvedic approach is to prescribe treatments, activities and foods that provide the opposite qualities: oiliness, grounding, slowness, heaviness, consistency and regularity.

There are three different manifestations of day-to-day stress from the perspective of Ayurveda - mental, emotional, and physical. Each requires different approaches and therapies.
Mental Stress
Mental stress, according to Ayurveda, is caused by an overuse or misuse of the mind. For instance, if you perform intense mental work many hours a day, or if you work long hours on the computer, it can cause an imbalance in Prana Vata, the mind-body operator concerned with brain activity, energy and the mind. The first symptom of Prana Vata imbalance is losing the ability to handle day-to-day stress. As the person becomes more stressed, it impacts mental functions such as dhi, dhriti, and smriti-acquisition, retention, and recall. The person’s mind becomes hyperactive, yet the person loses the ability to make clear decisions, to think positively, to feel enthusiastic, and even to fall asleep at night.
Therapies for mental stress
To address day-to-day mental stress, it is important to begin by managing mental activity. Secondly, you can take measures to pacify Prana Vata, for example, by:
• Favouring Vata-balancing foods, such as sweet, sour, and salty tastes, warm, nourishing, liquid and heavier foods
• Favouring warm milk and other light dairy products
• Performing a full-body warm oil self-massage everyday in the morning before the shower. This is called abhyanga in Ayurveda
• Doing breathing exercises (Pranayama) in the morning and evening
• Having a regular daily routine
• Eating meals at regular times and taking your time when you eat, avoiding eating on the run
• It is important to get plenty of rest, and if you are having trouble falling sleep, avoid stimulants like caffeine and sip on herbal tea instead. Relaxing aromatherapy and meditation can help calm the mind.
Emotional stress
Emotional stress can be caused by a problem in a relationship, the loss of a relative, or any situation that might hurt the heart. Emotional stress shows up as irritability, depression, and emotional instability. It affects sleep in a different way than mental stress - it can cause you to wake up in the night and not be able to go back to sleep.

Emotional stress disturbs Sadhaka Pitta, the mind-body operator concerned with the emotions and functioning of the heart.
Therapies for emotional stress
To balance emotional stress, you need to favour Pitta-pacifying foods and routine, such as:
• Favouring Pitta-pacifying foods such as the sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
• Eating lots of sweet juicy fruits
• Drinking a cup of warm milk with cooling rose petal preserve or a pinch of fennel and cardamom before bed
• Cooking with Pitta-pacifying spices such as cardamom, coriander, cilantro (fresh coriander), fennel, and mint
• Going to bed before 10:00 p.m
• Taking regular breaks and time out avoiding overworking or trying to be an over achiever and Mr or Mrs Perfect. Moderation, don’t overwork.
• Keep cool. Avoid hot temperatures and food. Favour cool foods and drinks. Sweet, bitter and astringent tastes. Cool means at room temperature but not fridge or freezer temperature.
• Reduce spicy, pungent, sour, salty tastes and hot, oily foods.
• Allow for leisure time.
• Regular mealtimes, especially lunch at noon.
• Abhyanga (Ayurvedic oil massage) with cooling oil such as coconut.

All Pitta products: drink Pitta tea and season meals with Pitta churna (powder), practice cooling aromatherapy with Pitta aroma oil e.g. mint, sandalwood.
Physical stress
Physical stress is caused by misuse or overuse of the body, such as exercising too much or working for extended periods at a job that is physically taxing. This can cause a person to experience physical fatigue, along with mental fogginess, difficulty in concentrating, and dullness of the mind.

Excessive physical strain causes three sub-doshas to go out of balance: Shleshaka Kapha, the subdosha concerned with lubrication of the joints and moisture balance in the skin, Vyana Vata, which governs the circulation, nerve impulses and the sense of touch, and Tarpaka Kapha, which governs the neuro humors.
Another reason for physical stress can be too little exercise, which results in a sluggish digestion and the formation of ama, the digestive impurities that clog the channels. In either type of physical fatigue, the process of regenerating cells slows down, and thus the cells themselves become physically tired.
Therapies for physical stress
The solution is to balance Vata and to support Kapha to make the body more stable and nurturing, for example, by:
• Getting adequate rest and moderate exercise
• Taking breaks and time out
• Following a Vata-Kapha pacifying diet (like warm meals, not to light nor to heavy or oily, see your Ayurvedic practitioner for more particular information)
• Eating regularly and avoiding to eat on the run
• Performing the full-body warm oil self massage everyday

Dumping syndrome refers to a group of GI and vasomotor symptoms that occurs following ingestion of a meal post gastric surgeries. Alterations of gastric anatomy by surgery including resection or bypass of the pylorus and interference with gastric innervation effects the rate of gastric emptying.The accomodation and cyclic contractility of the stomach in response to distention are abolished after partial gastrectomy allowing immediate dumping of gastric contents into the jejunum.
There are two types of dumping. Early dumping which occurs as a result of rapid emptying of sugars or CHO from the gastric pouch (post gastric bypass) into the small intestine which causes the release of hormone (gut peptides) that effects the B.P, heartrate, skin flushing & intestinal transit.
The symptoms occur 30-60min after eating and can last upto an hour. Sweating, flushing lightheadedness, tachycardia, palpitations, desire to lie down, epigastric fullness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping and active audible bowel sounds are seen.
Late dumping which occurs 1-3 hours after a meal is related to increased insulin with subsequent reactive hypoglycemia. Symptoms include sweating shakiness, loss of concentration, hunger fainting or passing out. Severe dumping can lead to malnutrition .
The diagnosis is primarily made by obtaining a history of the presence of classic symptoms related to food intake. Dietary compliance with avoidance of refined sugars, high glycemic carbohydrates or other food associated with the syndrome would be the primary treatment. Late dumping that persists may be treated with small amount of sugar about an hour after a meal. Medications such as sandostatin or octreotide may be helpful. May need surgical management where it cannot be managed medically.

Aphim is a vish-dravya.
Guna – sukshma, ruksha
Ras – tikta kashay
Vipak – katu
Veerya – ushna
Prabhav – maadak
Doshagnata – kaphavaatshaamak, pittaprakopak
Overdose – ojakshay and tadjanya vaatprakop- pralapadi lakshanas and mrutyu.
Dose - 1/4 to 1 gunja. (in less dose – uttejak. In large doses – avasaadak)
Kalpa – ahiphenasav, nidroday vati, karpur ras, dugdha vati etc.
Aphim shuddhi - Firstly dissolve in water, filter it and boil it on low- flame. After that give 21 bhavanas of ardrak swaras to dried aphim. By this aphim get shudhdh but vishatava does not vanish.
Chemical composition of Aphim –
There are 29 active principles in aphim, mainly morphin, codeine, thebaine and narcotine .

Rogaghnata –
1) As it is vyavaayi-vikasi-maadak and ushna in guna, acts well as vedana-sthaapak, nidrajanan and akshepaghna. Useful in udarshool, ashmari-shool, grudhrasi-shool, parshwa-shool. Useful in Nidranaash. As it is akshepaghna so useful in Apasmaar, apatantrak, kampavaat, dhanusthambh, kuchala-vishbadha.
2) Useful in ati-lala-straav. Aamashayshoth, pakvatisaar, vaatatisaar, vishuchika-prarambhik avastha.
3) Hrudbalya. Raktastambhak, hrudayksheenatajanya shwaas, hrudshool.
4) Shwasankendre avasaadak. Kaphanashak , shwasaghna, vaat-kaphaja kaas, phuphphusavaran-shoth, peenas
5) Purushatva-ghatak. But shukrastambhan is there due to aphim. So in shighra-patan it is useful

Absorption and Excretion –
Amashaye – mand-shoshan
Antra – shighra – shoshan
90% of aphim is excreted by mutra and remaining 10% through purish, sthanya, amashaygat ras and sweda.
Generally within 6 hours, aphim is excreted from body. 75% of aphim is excreted within 24 hours through mutra.
Aphim – where should not be given ? –
1)phuphphusavaran-shoth
2)chhinna-shwaas
3)mastishkavaran-shoth
4)jwar and ati-shramjanya mastishkagat raktastraav
5)Serious vrukka vikruti specially uremia
6)In baal rugna and vrudhdha rugna
7)Generally addiction of aphim is seen if given for long time in jeerna-vyadhi

Lakshana of aphim-vish-badha -
1)tandra
2)nidra
3)sanyaas
4)avasaad
5)shwasavarodh
6)mrutyu

Firstly netra-tarakaa (pupils) sankuchan (pin pointed) is seen. But before few minutes of death they are dilated. Generally avasaad is seen in 4-6 hours and death is seen in 6-12 hours.
Death by aphim is not so painful. On the contrary, patient of phim death doen not know that he is dying.
Upachaar for aphim-vish-baadha –
1)shodhan - arishta(ritha)- jal or sarshap sidhha jal for vaman. Stomach wash till clean water returns.
2)antidotes of aphim – Ritha, Hing, Amalaki, Erand, Karpaas, Dronapushpi, Ghrut, Tejapatra, Nimb, Patha
Take care - the patient should not sleep till aphim vish-badha vanishes.

Bariatric surgery denotes surgical operations on the stomach to drastically reduce its size and capacity in an attempt reduce body weight in patients who are morbidly obese.

Obesity has become an important medical problem in India now. Over weight is a phenomenon which is on the rise . Childhood obesity seen in affluent classes evetually leads on to adult obesity. It is now not uncommomn to see plump and overweight children in every classroom in convent schools. This phenomenon is due to overeating and eating all the wrong foods. Quite often this is due to parental pressure to eat well and these children are generally force fed.

There are many medical conditions which develop in obese individuals like diabetes, hypertension, osteo-arthritis, breathing problems , sleep apnoea, snoring.

There is no medical treatment for obesity. Diet restriction is the main stay and curtailing the volume of food intake definitely reduces weight. But then to maintain a lower weight for longer times is often difficult. Physical exercise on a daily basis benefits obese patients immensely.

Definitive treatment for morbid obesity is surgery. There are many operations for obesity but the commonest ones are the gastric bypass and sleeve resection of stomach. Effectively these operations reduce the capacity of the stomach drastically thereby curtailing the volume of food intake leading on to reasonable weight loss.

So please get your height and weight checked and you'll know whether you are overweight. If you are obese - then do something about it - today.


Dr.Patta Radhakrishna MS MCh
Con surgical gastroenterologist & Lap surgeon
Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.

Even if we are prone to get dragged by the beast within us, and make life miserable for ourselves and the others, we still have potentials to blossom together; and they can be manifested!

Even as we are individuals and hence fallible; and make mistakes; we still have freedom to make efforts to be objective and accurate.

Even as we have limitations to our capacities, and are unable to achieve miraculous feats, we have freedom to make choices in terms of actions; from the options in front of us.

Even if it is true that the options available to us are depressing, degenerating, deteriorative, disastrous and destructive, we still have freedom to blossom through NAMASMARAN and make benevolent options available for ourselves, the people of the world and the subsequent generations.

This is exactly why I am writing this. I am convinced that; even as we are shackled in casual, petty, superficial, piecemeal and ad hoc approach on a variety of problems causing stress (and mismanage the stress); we still can develop holistic approach and work for individual and global blossoming and overcome stress! Some of the examples of how we can do this; in brief; (as the details are described in many books and articles; of mine and others); are as follows.

Thus;
For health problems; our solution is; more hospital buildings, more gadgets and more equipments.

Actually we need a thrust on study, practice and training of Holistic health and Holistic medicine. For example training in NAMASMARAN, byhearting hymns from different languages, learning about the medicinal uses of common foods and herbs, yoga, pranayama etc.

For the lack of education; our solution is licensing more institutions and greater use of learning aids and stationary.

Actually we must emphasize on Holistic Education (One which includes development and training in spiritual and productive domains in addition to cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains)

For unemployment and beggars on the road; our solution is payment to unemployed people and anti–begging law.

Actually we require to eradicate; with priority; the causes of unemployment such as policies, which destroy the self employment and small scale and home industries (e.g. excessive production of water coolers, air conditioners, auto rickshaws etc) and restrictions on traditional jobs (such as pot making, cane work, circus and others).

For traffic jam our solution is; building more flyover bridges.

Actually we need to reinforce the public transport system and curb the production and import of private cars and two wheelers, besides taking adequate measures to reduce the movement of people from villages to cities.

It is true that stern actions must be taken against rule and law breakers. Discipline must be enforced. Condition of roads must be improved. But these steps have their limitations and can not be heavily depended on. In fact corruption, cutting of trees, congestion, chaos and crimes can multiply, besides pollution.

For suicides of farmers; our solution is subsidy package.

Actually the solution is; to resort to empower the farmers and reorient them from market oriented harvests to what can be called soil friendly and health friendly harvests. The farmers have to be reoriented to the traditional wisdom of culture, agriculture and organic farming. They have to be reminded of; the use of neem, cow urine, cow dung etc. What is required; in addition; is making; water and electricity available with topmost priority. The ban on slaughter of animals would go a long way in improving the farmers’ conditions.

For price rise; our solution is import.

The actual solution is; to ban all deceptive, aggressive and imposing advertisements, which create artificial demands leading to wasteful and luxurious economic (apparently pleasurable but effectively poisonous) activity in a small section of the society; leading to price rise; at the cost of the rest. For example; cold drinks, ice creams, fast foods, bars, restaurants, five star hotels, wines, alcoholic drinks, cosmetics and other luxuries are thriving but the vast majority is deprived of basic needs. In fact; the policy of production of and “marketing” for few, has to be reversed to; production and “exchange”; for the vast majority.

For socioeconomic backwardness; our solution is reservation policy.

Actually we require “productive and earn and learn” kind of education for all; so that unproductive unemployed and needy population would become empowered, productive, self sufficient and dignified in every way.

For the growing injustice and crimes; our solution is increasing the number of laws and police.

Actually we require simple and honest laws drafted in peoples’ language and understandable to people so as to discipline the people for their growth; and simultaneously remove all the laws, which were created to suppress and exploit the people by the previous alien rulers. We require policies by which the traditional and ethnic art, sports, cuisine, remedies and skills are NOT ALLOWED to be suppressed by the tactics of the exploitative and individualistic marketing culture. In fact in the interest of everyone, the concept of individual and global blossoming; which we call SUPERLIVING or Total Stress Management has to be universalized; to overcome the globally disastrous individualistic, exploitative globalization!

For so called “lack of progress”; our solution is more foreign investment.

Actually; we must define progress in terms of holistic health and restructure our policies in every field such as health care, agriculture, industry etc rather than stooping and surrendering to the culture of pettiness, glamour and glitter.

For shortage of electricity; our solution is load shedding.

Actually we are required to shift our priorities from “appeasing the exploitative and luxurious few”; to the “welfare of all”, by stern energy saving measures; coupled with development of pollution free, low cost, low investment alternative energy sources.

For road accidents; our solution is compulsion of helmets.

Actually the number of private vehicles on the road has to be reduced, the number of public vehicles has to be increased, the weekly offs have to be different and the working hours also have to be different so that most people do not travel at the same time. Moreover, the on campus or nearby residence has to be insisted as and when feasible. Most importantly, holistic education and rejuvenation of traditional jobs must be ensured so that the helpless and forced movement of people to the cities and the inhuman crowding of cities can be reduced.

For shortage of fuel; our solution is; generalized sermons to common people (who in no way consume fuel) to reduce fuel consumption.

Actually the fuel needs can be reduced if public transport in improved and the bicycles are promoted. There has to be shift of policies from development of airports; to the improvement in public transport and the infrastructure in the villages, such as solar energy, wind mills, gobar gas and such many, food storage etc.

We can cite hundreds of examples to show how we; by NOT going to the roots of the problems; work brilliantly and artistically but in a superficial and petty manner, with individualistic, fragmented, sectarian and divisive perspective, in misguided direction of increasing stress! Hence our work is rendered ineffective and/or counterproductive! Further our talents are drained in extremely selfish and cheap entertainment options such as gambling, drinking, casinos, prostitution etc.

All the solutions provided can possibly be modified, or refined in terms of details, because, they are not the solutions provided by experts from those fields. But they surely indicate the most essential core or the crux of the solutions. There could be many more holistic solutions also. All these can be cooperatively and complementarily implemented universally; if the third eye of cosmic consciousness is opened through the ways of self development; such as NAMASMARAN.