Hypertension, Diabetes, Kidney failure treatment in Ayurveda

Ayurveda, conveys one message that body is the combination of body, senses, mind and ‘reincarnating soul’. Your mind and body must be strong enough to cope up with any kind of stress and anxiety. The need of balanced lifestyle including proper diet and exercises are the leading and major factors to rejoice the life without any hard diseases.

The world is moving so fast that one has to be more competent and more resourceful to fit in this cut throat competition. Meanwhile, for fighting his existence the probability of missing the essential requirements to feed his body may rises to 80%, which eventually results in the certain complications in the body. The first most inevitable disorder is the stress which completely disturb the normal functioning of the body and results into more severe health complications like hypertension, and diabetes etc. which may weakens other organs like kidney. So how hypertension, and diabetes can result in the kidney failure have been studied very extensively.

Kidney failure due to hypertension:
When heart pushes the blood into the wall of vessels it exerts a pressure which is known as blood pressure. When blood pressure exceeds from the normal pressure (120/80 mmHg) is classified as hypertension or high blood pressure.

The reasons of hypertension are:
• Extra fluid in the blood
• Blood vessels are narrow, stiff or clogged

During high blood pressure condition the high amount of blood flows in the blood vessels which results into more stretching leading into stretching scars and weakening of blood vessels throughout the body. In similar way the kidney’s blood vessels get damaged and weakening of blood vessels starts due to which insufficient removal of wastes and toxic substances occur.

Symptoms involved are:
High blood pressure causes the headache and prolonged high pressure leads into the complication in kidney. Though, the early symptoms of renal failure are not observable but malfunctioning in kidney results into the accumulation of extra fluid and salt which causes the swelling characterized as edema. The further malfunctioning of kidney is accompanied with the symptoms

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Drowsiness or feeling tired
• Trouble concentrating
• Problem in sleeping
• Itching or numbness
• Dry or darkened skin
• Headaches
• Weight loss
• Cramps in muscles
• Shortening in breath
• Pain in chest

In Ayurveda, accumulation of toxic substances in the body are known as Ama, it is accumulated due to imbalanced life style rising the fats and cholesterol level in the body leading into coronary artery diseases. The disturbance in Pitta and Vatta dosha leads into heart diseases. Thereby Vata and Pitta pacifying diets along with yoga, meditation, nutrition, behavioral modifications and breathing exercises are involved to treat hypertension.

Therefore it is required that during renal failure condition keep your diet which pacify the Vata and Pitta dosha and do not alleviate the level of fats and cholesterol in the body. Give a little time to yourself, participate in the events which keep you happy and out from mental stress.

Kidney failure due to Diabetes:
Kidney diseases due to diabetes is called as diabetic nephropathy. In this condition the glomeruli of kidneys get damaged due to the leakage of abnormal amounts of protein from blood stream into urine. A raised level of albumin in urine is a typical signal of diabetic nephropathy. It has two categories

1. Microalbuminuria: It is characterized as albumin leak in the urine between 30-300 mg per day, also called as incipient nephropathy.
2. Proteinuria: When albumin leak is more than 300 than characterized as proteinuria.

The chances of diabetic nephropathy is more in type 1 diabetic patients than type 2, particularly microalbuminuria. But we cannot take it as guaranteed, both patients have to be cautious in balancing their sugar level in blood.

Symptoms indicated in diabetic neuropathy are:
• Vividness and difficulty in thinking clearly
• Lose in appetite
• Weight loss
• Dry and itchy skin
• Cramps in muscles
• Swollen feet and ankles
• Frequent urination
• Pale skin due to anemia
• Sickness

Thereby, hypertension and diabetes are the underlying factors enhancing the chances of kidney failure. If someone is reported with the high blood pressure and diabetic nephropathy, they should take care of themselves and strictly follow the instruction given by doctor.

In Ayurveda, diabetes has been classifies as Asrava (Prameha) or Madhumeha and also has been categorized as Maharoga (major disease) meaning affecting almost all parts and cells of the body. There are 5 sheaths of the body Annamaya kosha (food sheath), Pranamaya kosha (energy sheath), Manomaya kosha (Mind Sheath), Vijnana maya kosha (Intellectual Sheath) and Anandamaya kosha (Bliss Sheath) all of them get affected due to diabetes. The main root of diabetes lie on the consumption of excessive food and lack of exercises. Foods having ushna, snigdha and guru nature increase the kapha, medhas and mootra resulting into the diabetes or Premaha. In Sanskrit, it has been illustrated as;

***Yashcha kinchith vidhiranyepi sleshma medho moothra samjananam sa sarva: nidana vishesha***

Kidney failure treatment in Ayurveda:
The use of natural herbs to treat hypertension and diabetes to reduce the risk of kidney failure have its own significance and are highly effective as a natural remedy to treat kidney failure. The highly recommended natural herbs to treat associated factors like hypertension and diabetes to treat kidney failure are;

Sarpgandha Ghan (Rauwolfia serpentina): It is a classical Ayurvedic herb and very effective in lowering the blood pressure, calms the Vata Dosha, and cardia arrhythmias, it has to be taken under the supervision of medical doctor.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): Commonly known as ‘Indian ginseng’. It is used as general health tonic and neural tonic. The herb shows anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant antitumor, immunomodulatory, hemopoietic and rejuvenating properties. It is highly beneficial in reducing diabetes and blood pressure. It relieves stress, anxiety and increases physical and mental strength. It strengthen heart muscles to reduce the cardiac disorder.

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri): This herb is recommended for memory loss, lack of concentration, forgetfulness. The regular use of herbs reduces stress, anxiety, blood pressure, hallucinations and epilepsy. It keeps nerves and arteries relaxed, lowers the blood pressure and strengthens the mind.

Arjuna Tree (Terminalia arjuna): In Ayurveda, the bark of Arjuna tree is used for treatment of various cardiac disorder such as coronary artery disease, angina, heart failure, high cholesterol, and blood pressure. This wonderful herb possesses cardio protective properties. Its increases pumping capacity of the heart, decreases LDL cholesterol and maintains HDL cholesterol. It strengthens the heart muscles and contains natural oxidants, saponins, gallic acid, phtosterols and oligomeric proanthocyanidin.

Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa): It contains diuretic properties and increases the renal blood flow. It has astringent, bitter, anti-inflammatory and carminative properties. The herb is effective in removing excess Kapha from the stomach and chest also have Excellency in treating impaired urinary condition. The capability in removing excess body fluids relieves in congestion and edema. The herb can relieve from muscle spasm and intestinal spasm. The herb is highly effective in treating diabetes.

Termeric (Curcumin longa): It possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties. It is highly efficient in fighting against toxins and infections.

Amalaki (Emblica officinalis): It is designated as Rasayana and rejuvenates the body. It is highly rich in anti-oxidants and effectively removes the free radicals and helps in regeneration of cells. It purifies blood and maintains proper functioning of the liver. It has antipyretic, cardio-tonic, anti-diabetic, cerebral and gastrointestinal properties. It keeps the intestine clean and also controls blood sugar.

Sources:
http://www.planetayurveda.com/blood-pressure-and-kidney-failure.htm
http://www.planetayurveda.com/diabetes-kidney-disease.htm