Ayurveda out of balance: 93 percent of medicinal plants threatened with extinction
Dear Readers,
We all are aware that Ayurveda is largely a herbal science and its principles are based on Laws of Nature and never separates man from its environment. It delves into the medicinal properties of herbs and studies their effects on the human system. In fact Ayurveda uses more than four thousand herbs for its various methods for healing and prevention, out of which one thousand are very commonly used in regular prescriptions.
However due to various unfortunate reasons the ecosystem today is going out of balance and vegetation is being most affected. This is leading to extinction of various species of plants all over the globe. In fact lot of herbs that were earlier easily available for treatment in Ayurveda are becoming almost impossible to procure in the present times. In reference to this I came across an article which highlights the fact that 93 percent of medicinal plants are threatened with extinction. We have published this article in this edition of our Newsletter for all our readers, so that all of us are conscious of this loss and take measures to reverse this alarming situation in the best possible way.
We heartily welcome your suggestion on our newsletter how to make it more useful and knowledgeable.
Best Regards and Namaste.
Dr. Rajesh Kotecha 'Vaidya', M.D. (Ayurveda)
Director,
Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic and Research Center
DR. KOTECHA'S ITINERARY - 2010
Dr. Rajesh Kotecha, M.D. (Ayurveda), CEO of Chakrapani Ayurveda, India is in Bogota, Colombia till 28th May.He will be visiting Netherlands Antillis (Curacao island), France and different countries of Europe during the year 2010. His program for the lectures, workshops, personal consultations and Panchakarma at different places is as below. We invite our readers from above countries to attend any of his events to be organized during below said period. To get the details of his travel to the respective countries and to register for an appointment with him, kindly call / contact below.
15th May 2010 to 28th May 2010 – Bogotá, Colombia
Contact person: Ms. Gisele Dupuis
E-mail : gdupuis@cable.net.co
28th May 2010 to 3rd June 2010 – Curacao
Contact person: Ms. Soraida Bishop
E-mail : fundashongrupopakomunidat@yahoo.com
Website: http://curvedic.org
Tel: +5999 5181223
19th June 2010 to 26th June 2010 - France
Contact person: Mr. Fernard
E-mail : sietpa.sarl@gmail.com
Tel. 0556 959 523
Website: http://massages-ayurvedique.com
Ayurveda out of balance: 93 percent of medicinal plants threatened with extinction - By John Platt
Traditional Ayurvedic medicine could face an uncertain future as 93 percent of the wild plants used in the practice are threatened with extinction due to overexploitation, the Times of India reports.
The Botanical Survey of India recently prioritized 359 wild medicinal plant species and conducted an assessment throughout the country to determine their health. The news wasn't good. Of the 359 species, 335 were categorized as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable or near-threatened.
The survey used criteria and categories established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for its Red List of Threatened Species.
According to India's Ministry of Environment and Forests, 95 percent of plants used in Ayurvedic medicine are collected from the wild, and about two-thirds of that harvest uses "destructive means" that can damage or kill the plants.
To help keep these plant species from going extinct, the Indian government in 2008 initiated a program (pdf) to relocate species from the wild, study how to domesticate them, and promote sustainable harvest protocols. This survey is the latest step in that program.
Aside from its historical and cultural significance, Ayurvedic medicines could bring profits to India's coffers. The Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) is currently exploring export opportunities for Ayurvedic medicine through Indian Medicines Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited, a company owned by the Indian government. Already, Ayurvedic treatments, vacations and consultants are popular among some alternative health consumers in the U.S.
Of course, other traditional Asian medicines have been attacked for their use of parts from endangered animals, such as tiger bones and rhino horns, but Ayurveda has so far avoided such criticisms.
Source: http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=ayurveda-out-of-balance-93-percent-2010-04-05
Recipe from Grandma's Diary : Parantha
Ingredients:
1. Whole Wheat Flour 2 cups
2. Spinach (Finely Chopped) 100 gm
3. Salt to taste
4. Chilly Powder - ½ tea sp.
5. Turmeric Powder - ½ tea sp.
6. Ajwain - 2 pinch
7. Edible oil for frying
8. Water ( enough to form a hard dough)
9. Iron plate
10. Pastry board & rolling pin
11. Bowl to form dough
Method :
- Put the flour in a small bowl and add all the above mentioned ingredients from no. 2 to no. 6. Add enough water to make a hard dough. Knead lightly with slightly oiled hands.
- Divide the dough into golf ball like size or pieces ( or break off small individual amounts as you work) and roll the dough out as a chapati ( but thicker than chapati ).
- Pre heat the iron pan before keeping the parantha on it, be careful in putting the parantha on the hot pan because it may break.
- After a few seconds turn over the parantha with the help of tongs. Now grease this surface with oil or ghee and quickly turn over the parantha on to the iron plate.
- Grease the other side also with oil or ghee, turn over the parantha again.
- Keep it on the hot plate for a fraction of seconds until you observe brown spots over it and then place it on a flat dish or plate.
Points to remember
1. Serve it hot with either green coriander chutney or tomato chutney or any vegetable.
2. The spinach can be finely chopped or you can also steam the spinach for 2 minutes then drain excess water and blend it in the blender . This spinach puree can be mixed in to the flour along with all the other ingredients and then paranthas can be prepared in the same manner.
3. The Paranthas can be stacked one over the other on the serving plate or the warming pot.
Servings : 4 Persons
INTERESTING HEALTH NEWS
UNITED STATES: Study shows a whopping two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and obesity rates for children are at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
The percentage of adults classified as obese went up in 23 states, but Mississippi, with 32.5 percent, stayed atop the latest annual rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America's Health. The same survey put the state's adult obesity rate at 31.7 percent in 2008. In addition, 44.4 percent of Mississippi children ages 10 to 17 are classified as overweight or obese, the study found.
Doctors have linked obesity to increased risks of a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart disease. Wednesday's study found the current U.S. economic slump could worsen the problem by putting more nutritious food out of the reach of struggling families.
Dr. Ed Thompson, Mississippi's state health officer, said the state is taking steps to address what he called "a multifaceted problem," targeting schoolchildren in particular. "We can't tell our children to eat wise dietary choices and then provide them with little except for poor dietary choices in their school cafeterias," Thompson said.
CHAKRAPANI PRODUCT OF THE MONTH
How to use: Take 1 teaspoon (5g) of tea and put into a cup of hot water for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and take it. (This tea can be infused in a coffee maker also). One can add natural sweetener as per taste preference.
Side effects: Nil for therapeutic use
Safety: This is 100% natural product. Even, no preservative, color or additives are added to make sure that the product remains all natural. This is completely safe for continuous consumption.
Presentation form: Coarse Powdered Herbal Tea
For more details on these products please visit:http://chakrapaniayurveda.com/teaobesity.html
E-mail: info@chakrapaniayurveda.com
Comments
Ayurveda is a most ancient medicinal field and I think has got treatment to mostly all kind of diseases. If the medicinal plants are on the verge of extinct than it is a great loss for the humanity.
All this are the effects of the green house gases.