- Ayurvedic Herbs And Home Remedies For
Children - Part 2
- By: Vishnu Dass
This is the continuation of Ayurvedic
Herbs and Home Remedies for Children - Part 1
Treating Parasites and Worms
with Ayurveda
Another health concern that is
common in children is krimi (worms and parasite infestations).
Symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence,
anemia, anorexia, increased appetite, pica (tendency to eat unusual
or strange foods), and itching of the anus. The causes are many
and include eating contaminated foods and drinks, or foods that
are difficult to digest, poor eating habits, or contact with
animal feces and uncleanliness, to name a few. Ayurveda views
that krimi are born of excess dosha and ama, and that developing
some simple healthy habits can help prevent such situations.
A few good tips are to avoid eating excess sweets, fried foods,
fast foods, uncooked grain flour such as cookie or bread dough,
and raw jaggary. It is also important to have children wash their
hands after touching any animals, including their own pets, and
especially before eating.
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A simple household remedy for
worms like thread, pin, and round worms, is to take 3 to 5 drops
of fresh onion juice diluted in one teaspoon of water 3 times
daily. Another good worm remedy consists of mixing equal parts
of Neem and Vidanga that can be easily administered in single
"O" size capsules. Two capsules taken twice daily is
a good dose for children. A general herbal compound is made with
equal parts Neem, Vidanga, Kutaja, and Shardunika. One or two
single "O" size capsules of this formula can be taken
twice daily before meals. Also, a pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
mixed with one to two teaspoons of rapadura (dehydrated organic
sugar cane juice) or sucanat can be eaten half an hour before
food.
Some typical medicines used by
Ayurvedic practitioners for parasitic conditions are Kutajarishta,
Vidangarishta, Kutaja parpati, and Krimikuthar ras. Older kids
(7 to 12 years old) can take 20 grams of rapadura or sucanat
in the morning, followed after 10 minutes by Ajwain (celery seeds)
and salt (2 grams of celery seeds per one gram of salt) with
warm water. This recipe eliminates all types of worms. It is
important to note that because treatment of krimi should be continued
for at least a month to prevent re-infestation, it is good to
have the guidance of a skilled practitioner. |
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Rejuvenating and Nourishing the
Mind with Ayurveda
Learning is a large part of being
a child, so we should not forget about herbs that rejuvenate
the mind. One of the most common rasayana herbs for the brain
is Shanka pushpi. Shanka pushpi is a popular tridoshic herb for
promoting memory and intelligence, and is commonly prepared in
a syrup form for this purpose. It is also used to treat depression,
psychosis, and epilepsy. In the case of children diagnosed with
ADD, it can be combined with Brahmi.
Brahmi (Gotu kola or Bacopa,
aka Herpestis monnieri), is also worth mentioning when it comes
to the mind. Brahmi means "cosmic consciousness." Its
name is also associated with Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom,
because it is one of the best nervine tonics for rejuvenating
the mind. It is used for addressing a wide variety of mental
and nervous disorders. Gotu kola is tri-doshic and Bacopa has
a heating energy. Both herbs facilitate the balance of tarpaka
kapha, sadhaka pitta, and prana vayu, the doshas present in the
brain. They can be used alone or with other herbs such as Jatamansi,
Shanka pushpi, Vacha, Ashwagandha, or Jyotishmati for improving
memory.
For speech impediments, these
two herbs combine well with equal parts of Vacha (Calamus). A
common formula used for treating speech disorders, as well as
a wide variety of vata disorders of the mind, nervous, and digestive
system, is Saraswata churna, It contains herbs like Ashwagandha,
Vacha, Shanka pushpi, Ajwan, Cumin, and Rock salt. It is safe
for children and its flavor is somewhat palatable too. Saraswata
churna is a good example of the truly holistic approach that
Ayurveda takes in compounding herbs to address the many qualities
of a dosha and its possible and common effects on the entire
system. It has herbs that have an affinity to all of the organs,
dhatus, and srotamsi that relate to vata dosha. Other typical
Ayurvedic medicines to consider for rejuvenating the mind and
the nervous system are Brahmi vati, Smriti sagar ras, Brahma
rasayana, Ashwagandharishta, and Brahmi ghee.
There is no end to the variety
and usefulness of Ayurvedic herbs and home remedies for children.
Most herbs are safe and very effective when used skillfully,
constitutionally, and in appropriate doses. Before resorting
to stronger herbal based medicines it is best to use whole foods
and simple herbs and spices. Often times less is more and the
right medicine in small amounts can do wonders. Therefore, achieving
doshic balance, promoting healthy habits, and strengthening immunity
and agni in early childhood can set the foundation for optimal
growth and development, and overall health in the future.
© 2005 Vishnu Dass. |
