PART II: Why I left a cushy job at one of world’s largest Pharma MNCs to promote NATUROPATHY – Tale of 4 brothers

This is second in the series of 4 articles.

RAVINDRABHAI SANGHVI, the youngest of the 4 brothers had moved to Mumbai few years back and was trying to settle down in this new city. It was year 1993. There was lot of work to be done and perhaps health took a back seat. He had abdominal pain which got missed out amidst work. In 2-3 days time it had become very severe.

He finally went to consult a Doctor, who diagnosed it as severe perforation of appendix. Perhaps appendix had ruptured. Doctor suggested immediate appendectomy though it was risky. He feared that if not operated it could lead to peritonitis which could be fatal. He was using best of the knowledge, which he had acquired during his education as a doctor, to save his patient.  Surgery had to be done in next one hour.

Though Ravindrabhai, who had learnt and practiced Naturopathy was no ordinary patient. The family consulted the elder brother and renowned Naturopath, Dr Jay. He advised to avoid the surgery and wait for him to reach Mumbai. Ravindrabhai thanked the doctor for diagnosis and went back home, climbing four flights of stairs to reach his apartment. In few hours Dr jay was there next to his brother.

Treatment started. Pain was so severe that anything that touched the abdomen aggravated the pain. First 5 days it was just rest, water fasting, and warm pack on abdomen. In 5 days swelling decreased and abdominal cold pack was started. He was fed on lemon water and diluted juices. In another 10 days semi-solid and liquid diet was started.

All this helped body flush out the perforated appendix, and heal the inflammation. Since no food was given, body could concentrate on repairs. In about 6 weeks he was back to work.

Most of the time we underestimate the healing capacity of body and power of rest.  We also overestimate the need to eat even when unwell. If given a chance and appropriate environment, body can heal itself even from very severe conditions.

To know if we can help you in your medical condition, you can call us on +91-2837-286812 / 286882 or write to us at info@swashealthcare.com

When nephrologist says, you'll soon need dialysis...

.... he / she may not always be right.

Kidney failure is one of the most dreaded diseases. Even when one knows, it is coming, there is not much that one can do. Mainstream treatment normally means dialysis or transplant. Both are expensive and very taxing on the patient. Not to mention the difficulty of finding right donor in time. Economic cost of Dialysis in India would be about Rs 2-3 lakhs per year.

But there is a way out.

Some of the Naturopaths and traditional medicine practitioners have been working with kidney patients and I have the privilege of working with one of them. I write below what we do so, that more people can know and benefit from it. The note is written in collaboration with Dr Jay Sanghvi who has been treating kidney patients through combination of Naturopathy, Ayurveda, and Yoga for more than 25 years.

We combine various simple and safe treatments to enable patients take care of their kidney.


Over the years various patients have had following benefits:
- Decrease / stabilisation of creatinine levels
- Decrease frequency / Avoid dialysis
- Avoid / postpone surgery
- Symptomatic relief e.g. reduction in vomiting, blood pressure, oedema, loss of appetite, pain etc.

How does Naturopathy work?
- By reducing load on kidney by changing diet pattern
- By allowing time for kidney to rest & repair
- By activating other cleansing organs e.g. Bowel, Liver, and Skin to support kidney

Which Naturopathy treatments are used?
- Kidney pack – It’s a combination of hot and cold packs
- Fomentation – Alternative use of hot and cold towels near the kidney area.
- Hip Bath – Immersing the lower abdomen in tub filled with water.
- Friction Bath
- Reflex and meridian points

How Naturopathy treatments work: Main aim of treatment is to give proper blood supply to kidney.
- treatments to improve functioning of kidney which is weak and malfunctioning.
- treatments to remove impurities sticking to kidney
- treatments to remove infection in chronic infective condition

Herbs for kidney care: Time tested safe herbal medicine
- Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa); Red or Spreading Hogweed – It is a good diuretic and anti-inflamatory.
- Gokshur (Tribulus terrestris); It is a diuretic herb useful in kidney dysfunction, renal stones, and dysuria.
- Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia); Helps in improving immune system

Diet in kidney diseases:
Main aim of dietary plan is to decrease load on kidney by eliminating food that produces lot of by-products which in turn need to be filtered by kidney. The dietary plan also ensures that all the essential nutrients are made available thus allowing cleansing, repairing, and reconstruction. It also works towards restoring the natural balance of the body chemistry.
The diet plan is designed taking into consideration individual’s body constitution, state of disease and general health condition.

Main food items used for kidney care:
- Bottle gourd juice
- Rice & Rice water
- Green gram water
- Banana water
- Vegetables – bottle gourd, pointed gourd (parval), ivy gourd (tindora), ridged luffa (galka), smooth luffa (turiya), papaya, radish, pumpkin.

Normal course of treatment:
- 6 weeks at a Nature Cure Centre directly under supervision of doctor
- 2 to 3 months of treatment to be continued at home
- 3 weeks follow up treatment at Nature Cure Centre
This is general plan but varies as per need and condition of the individual.

Kind of conditions that can be treated through Naturopathy:
- Chronic Renal Failure - If kidney function > 30%
- Chronic Infective condition
- Inflammatory Condition
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Hydro Nephrosis
- Renal Insufficiency

Ideal cases for treatment through Naturopathy:
- Not yet started dialysis or doing dialysis for less than 3 months
- Haemoglobin level > 10
- Creatinine < 5
- Age < 60 yrs
- No other complications with kidney disease
- Clinically stable and other parameters under control
- One who has faith in Naturopathy & wishes to go for this treatment.

How we deal with current medication & treatments? 
- Normally we continue the medication being taken by the patient before starting treatment
- When symptoms and parameters show improvement, medicine is reduced or replaced with herbal medicines e.g. when blood pressure is controlled, medicine is tapered and / or replaced with Ashwagandha, Gokshur, Punarnava
- Main goal is to reduce the load on kidney which is burdened by chemicals from medicines.

Role of Yoga in Treatment of Kidney:
Asanas are selected to promote blood flow towards kidney e.g. Uttanpadasana. Yogasana which gives gentle twisting, stretching, contracting spine through which natural massage to kidney is experienced and smooth muscles are also involved in the practise (this doesn't happen in exercise), thus decreasing lethargic tendency of kidney & increasing functioning of kidney.

Pranayama and Meditation - Ancient breathing technique called Pranayama and meditation, bring perfect balance between Sympathetic Nervous System and Parasympathetic Nervous System, increase anti-stress hormone, and help to completely get rid of stress e.g. Nadi Suddhi Pranayama (Anuloma- Viloma), Bhramari, meditation etc.

Suddhi Kriya - Through different Suddhi Kriyas like Kapalbhati lot of toxic element is thrown outside through breath. This brings purification in blood as well as purification at cellular level thus decreasing work load on kidney.

Prana (Vital Force for life) - Above mentioned details are medically approved, but something which can only be experienced is Prana, Vital Force. Prana is major factor for health either physical or mental. All above practices brings balance in Prana (Vital Force) at subtler level of our existence where chemical or medicine can't reach, this opens many possible doors when medically we find the disease is un-curable.

For more information contact us at 02837-286812 or write at info@swashealthcare.com

Disclaimer:
This note is designed to help fellow Doctors understand our line of treatment better in order to use it for benefit of their patients. When shared with patients, it is just to serve as information on our line of treatment.
This note is not a substitute for expert medical advice and patients are advised not to use this note for self medication as it may harm the body.
Any medication or treatment should be taken only under guidance of an expert and treatment be started only under supervision of a qualified physician.

KUTCH: India’s Naturopathy Hub

Who could believe that a desert like area would ever become a hub of naturopathy centres. People normally relate nature to greenery and think that for building a Naturopathy centre, a high rainfall area with lot of natural flora would be ideal. This notion is misplaced as Nature comprises of 5 elements water, soil, fire, air, space and greenery is just one of the topographical presentations of nature.

Kutch has emerged as the hub of Naturopathy in India. Dry climate of the area lends itself well to faster healing and a conducive environment propagates Naturopathy.
It has the highest concentration of naturopathy centres in the country, 5 prominent ones at last count.

Credit for this should go to two dedicated doctors who gave up their lucrative practices to establish and promote naturopathy in Kutch. Dr Savla (now involved full time with Vipassana center at Bada, Kutch) was the first qualified paediatrician of Kutch. He practiced in Bhuj and charged handsome fee for his very effective but simple treatments. Legend has it that more than 3 decades back, he charged someone Rs 100 for curing their son by simply feeding water. To avoid any misinterpretation, I must say, even then it was less than the money spent by the couple for taxi to Bhuj and back. He believed in Nature’s power and its simplicity.

Soon he started a Nature cure centre in Bhuj, with an aim to apply his rigorous medical training and understanding of Nature’s means to treat people using simple Natural therapies. He would treat people for all kind of diseases and disorders using mud, water, fire (heat), air, and space. He also used yoga, massage and some elements of Ayurveda.

Then one day, he had an unusual patient, a doctor. The doctor was a qualified Ayurveda physician and going with the trend, used to practice allopathic medicine in a remote village of kutch. Due to lack of medical infrastructure in the area, he had a roaring practice. Unfortunately he cut his tongue and no treatment would work. Someone suggested Dr Savla’s clinic and he was cured mainly using ice and water.

The doctor became a convert, closed down his practice and joined Dr Savla as his assistant. His name is Dr Jay Sanghvi, one of the most prominent and renowned Naturopaths in the country. Their Nature Cure Centre in Jubilee colony, Bhuj attracted poor and rich alike. They always found ways and means to treat people with chronic diseases, many a times called irreversible conditions in modern medicine. Kidney disorders, heart problems, arthritis, fibromyalgia, ulcerative colitis and several other medical conditions were treated in this centre using Natural remedies and warmth of the doctors. Though the centre no longer runs in its previous form, people treated fondly remember the time spent there. Isn’t it unusual for a hospital!

Soon the place became hub of activity for all naturopathy related activities in the area. As they say, ‘log judte gaye aur karva banta gaya’, (people kept coming together and caravan was formed).

They along with Late Sri Sugnaram ‘Dada’ Ladkani started ‘All India Natural Life Association’ to spread the goodness of Naturopathy beyond Kutch and Gujarat. They started ‘Tulsi School of Naturopathy’ to train youth in skills of treatment through Naturopathy. They collaborated with Dr Nipun Buch to incorporate more elements of Ayurveda in their suites of treatment.

More importantly they motivated huge number of people to adopt Natural remedies and lifestyle through camps in several cities as well as in foreign countries, radio talks, talks and lectures to youngsters in colleges, rotary club members, Mahila Mandals etc. They motivated several philanthropists to set up Nature Cure Centres and guided them through their immense knowledge and experience. They really used 360° communication to propagate Naturopathy in Kutch and beyond.

Today there are 5 prominent Nature Cure Centres in Kutch. Navjivan near Mandvi, one each in Bidada and Mundra, Sarvamangal in Bhuj and youngest among them, Ananddham in Kharoi near Bhachau.

Ananddham is yet another unique experiment of Dr Sanghvi. He collaborated with Sanjay Singh, an IIM Ahmedabad graduate to float Swas Healthcare, which runs this centre to serve poor as well as financially well to do on a commercially sustainable basis. The logic, commercial viability is important to expand quickly and take its benefits to large number of people. Recently Swas has opened a City Clinic in Rajkot to improve accessibility of its services. Jury is still out on whether Naturopathy would remain a philanthropic activity or society would be willing to pay directly for its benefits, but if this model succeeds, Kutch would be remembered as its birth place.

Ulcerative Colitis - A doctor's experience

“I did my MD from Mumbai and went to US for my further studies. With long hours of work and limited sleep hours during my residency and felowship,the stress on my physical body started to show. Early in Jan 2007 I started having bouts of bloody diarrhoea with mucus, low grade temperature and severe fatigue. Further investigations including a colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy revealed that I had ulcerative colitis, a disease which causes inflammation of the large intestine leading to ulcers and subsequent loose stools mixed with blood and pus.

Although the exact etiology of the disease still remains a mystery, environmental and genetic factors have been implicated. For me the stress of long hours of work, the cold environment and my family history of ulcerative colitis might have played an important role. The frequent bowel movements, local discomfort in the rectum, the exhaustion and fatigue were impairing my ability to work. In spite of these physical aliments, I was able to function and carry on my duties thanks to strength I received by practicing Vipassana meditation.

I was blessed to come in contact with Vipassana, the ancient technique of meditation taught by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha. Through this technique one learns to observe the mind – body interactions in an equanimous manner and in doing so slowly but surely purifies his or mind and gets rid of defilements which are a root cause of our misery and many physical and mental diseases. If practiced properly one is sure to reap its benefits.

Due to my hectic schedule I was not able to devote time for the meditation regularly, hence although the technique helped me to deal with my disease I would still suffer from relapses.

After completion of my training, I visited India. Through a common friend I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Sanghvi a very noble soul who was a Naturopathy doctor and also taught Vipassana.

He gently pursued me to give a try to the naturopathy therapy and invited me to come to Ananddham Nature Cure Centre in Kutch, Gujarat. As I was suffering from a relapse of my disease and was desperate for help, I decided to visit Ananddham with my parents.

Under the supervision of Dr. Sanghvi and other Ayurvedic physicians my treatment started. The philosophy of the treatment was - let Mother Nature do its job in healing the mind and the body. They used abdominal mudpacks, Neem water sitz bath, cold abdominal pack, acupressure, and delicious nutritious foods to heal the body. Apart from the above treatment I was started on a mixture of Ayurvedic medications which was prescribed under Dr. Sanghvi’s supervision. With total trust and faith in the Nature cure my body sated to respond.

Within a few days my bowel frequency and the consistency became normal. After just eight days I could sleep whole night without any disturbing pain. I was so happy. The Doctors, the paramedic staff and the rest of the kitchen staff made every effort to accommodate us and make our stay comfortable and memorable.

The place was very peaceful and had Ashram like calmness. It has rooms to accommodate everyone’s budget. The campus spread over 18 acres is pretty much like a green oasis in desert. At Ananddham, doctors are qualified and experienced. Even most of the therapists are qualified Naturopaths and well trained. Food served is customized to individual’s need. It is pure vegetarian, healthy, nutritive, and ‘satvik’.

I just stayed there for two weeks but my health condition made a marked recovery. Thanks to the Nature cure my disease has been in remission for a long time and I was able to get back my energy level to be able to work and continue to serve my patients and give them the care which had been so generously showered on to me by Anandham’s doctors.

Based on my personal experience I would strongly recommend this therapy to people who are suffering from this condition, it is worth a try and I am confident that just as I benefited from this wonderful treatment, so will others benefit from our Mother Nature.

Be Happy

Adil