Ayurveda Management of Mental Disease

When the nervous system, digestive system and immune system is out of balance the tissues become out of balance which makes the mind-body weak and ineffective. This makes treatment necessary.

In general, Ayurveda defines restoration of balance as methods that relieves the diseases and renew balance.

Ayurveda uses a specific method of examination to identify how the mental disease is expressing itself in each body type. Based on the findings of the examination diet, lifestyle, herbal recommendations, pancha karma, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, balancing of the chakras. Psychological work up and therapy is also required.

Individual management approaches for bodies based on whether the body exhibits characteristics of a fast, medium or slow basal metabolic rate are designed.

All detoxification begins with preparation (purva karma) which is daily oil massage and sweating. Ayurveda says this is absolutely necessary for preparing the body for the ultimate detoxification program..

In my office I use a seven-day program. Once we have completed the detoxification then we recommend whole plant foods as per body type,season and age.

Recent nutritional research identified human neurotransmitter in plants. Ayurveda recommended certain foods for mental and emotional well-being. Serotonin, melatonin and tryptophan have been found in plants. Research has shown for examples almonds, bananas and tomatoes are high in serotonin. Cranberries and tart cherries increase melatonin to induce sleep.

Foods are powerful medicines that are overlooked and under estimated. It may be difficult to slow down to appreciate the medicinal value of let’s say an apple. Even though double-blind randomized studies, the gold standard in research proves an apple a day increases longevity it is easy to forget and take a supplement. It is the market branding reality we are all caught in today.

Mental disease management has become a psychological centered approach in institutions. This is understandable. We also have decades of nutritional research that proves what you eat directly affects your mental balance. Now that we have discovered the human neurotransmitters in foods we must chose these foods according to our body type, age and season that support our special individual physical and mental make-up.

Ayurveda specializes in a food model system and can be integrated in modern research to guide us to proven choices as to our unique emotional and nutritional needs.

Before we start eating specific foods according to body type we must detoxify our bodies every Spring according to Ayurveda.

Taking in to consideration someone with a chronic mental disease cannot do this for themselves, help is needed. We must first change our thinking and work together to help ourselves stay balanced so we can help others.

Source by Dr. Helen Mary Thomas D.C