Suryakshetra

SURYAKSHETRA (59)

What this little man speaks…………………………………………………………

Quote: The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion of his commitment to excellence.
Most people just give up attempts when they are about to achieve success.

ARTHRITIS: When I continue my topic on the subject, I desire to stress that it is actually possible to “think” away the pain although no science could tell us possibly “why”. Our attitude towards our disease, as well as our level of emotional stress and our ability to deal with it, are the significant factors in how arthritis will affect us. The hopeful news as per the scientific research is that we have control over these factors. Numerous body-mind techniques can help ease arthritis pain; improve range of motion; facilitate sleep; and strengthen our immune system. A few of them are creative visualization, guided imagery, progressive relaxation, support groups, self hypnosis, sound system(like mantra sastra as per Hindu school of thinking) and meditation. For all this, choosing of a good guide or say master is quite essential and that should be backed up by faith. It is to be remembered that in a “no faith” attitude, no system can take us to reach goals.

According to Mr Jeffrey Laign, British and German immigrants to United States of America treated rheumatic pain by their suggestions to eat raw or cooked celery seeds(apium graveolens) or large amounts of celery plant. Eating celery may seek like an unlikely fixative, but there may be something to it since the custom is still in practice in USA.

American Indians and early colonists alike used herbs such as white willow(salix alba) and wintergreen(caultheria procumbens) to control pain. What is truly mysterious is that these plants contain a compound similar to aspirin –a drug that was not even invented until the 19th Century. Aspirin was developed as a less-toxic substitute for methyl-salicylate, a substance that comes from the wintergreen plant. Aspirin like compounds are also found in the herbs like black cohosh( cimicifuga racemosa), black haw(viburnum prunifolium) and pipsissewa(chimaphila umbellata).

According to Mr Lagin, a potato when carried in the right pants pocket, has really worked as a remedy. For this he says that any organized medical practitioner will say that so called PLACEBO effect has cured countless patients who were just given sugar pills but believed that they were taking potent medicines.

In certain cases, wearing of copper bracelet also produced magical cures for some arthritis patients. A 1976 study found that arthritis patients who wore copper bracelets suffered very fewer symptoms than those who wore aluminum or other metal bracelets colored to look like copper. Science may not right now give answer to this as SCIENTISTS ARE STILL EXPERIMENTING TO WHAT DEGREE THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM WORK, yet, people in every corner of the globe have used amulets to ward off illness or to banish it when it strikes. Amulets are objects said to have spiritual powers. Practitioners of folk medicines believe that there is a strong link between the spiritual and material as well the mental and physical. From a study it is found that amulets are used to ward off fire, violence, witchcraft, lightning, disease, evil spirits or anything dangerous and undesirable.

In India the study revealed that a horseshoe or a amulets that contains nine planetary stones or related herbs of nine planets wrapping with gold or a copper wire has helped many from illnesses. In the other parts of the globe, Garlic is widely repute to repel evil forces. Chinese folk healers recommend eating of sesame seeds about half an ounce a day to relieve arthritis discomfort. Mustard may seem an odd or magical arthritis remedy but employing so called counter irritants to ease pain is a technique of folk healers throughout EUROPE, ASIA, AND APPALACHIA area of the United States of America even today. One of the oldest counter irritants is a mustard plaster. Crush the seeds of white or brown mustard(brassica spp) or grind them in a coffee grinder, spread the mixture on a cloth and place the poultice-mustard side down-on the skin, leaving it on for no longer than twenty minutes, then remove the plaster and wash the affected area thoroughly. Cayenne pepper is another counter irritant used in China and in the Southwest and Midwest regions of USA.
When we see and listen to these many, we may have to salute our GRAND MOTHERS and trust that GRANDMAAS have invented many for our benefits centuries ago.

I will be back again soon……………………………… HARA HARA MAHADEVA
Dr P V Sesha Sai 1-9-317/3, MCH No 770, Road No8, Vidyanagar, Hyderabad 500044 Ph 7661613,6581368 Cell 98483 32978 e mail shodasisai@hotmail.com, perisepallipadmasai@rediffmail.com