28 NAMASKAR
AYURVEDA WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION? Toxic build-up of Ama, for one BY DR. HARSH AGARWAL Most of us have probably experienced depression ourselves or known someone who suffers from this debilitating illness. It affects our entire being: body, mind and soul. The body and mind become sluggish, congested and morose. The soul, strictly speaking, is affected by nothing, but it becomes even more veiled, and our everpresent joy, which is the soul, becomes totally impossible to experience. What causes depression? In the West, we say traumatic experiences and chemical imbalances. According to Ayurveda, it might be known as imbalances in vata or kapha. But there is another possibility within the realm of Ayurveda which says that ama, or an over abundance of toxins, is the problem. Toxins come in many forms: polluted air, chemical skin lotions, pharmaceutical medications, stress, chlorinated water, harsh sounds, stale, burnt, chemicallyinfused or hard-to-digest foods, etc. All of these things and more will overload the detoxifying organs: the liver, kidneys, skin and lungs. The toxins build up and this becomes ama. Ama is sticky and congesting, so you can see how this would affect all the organs and tissues in the body making them heavy and sluggish. And its effect on the mind is the same. Ama can sometimes be seen as whitish sludge that comes out of the body with the stools, entwined in the faeces itself. But it is also energetic and this sludge clogs up the micro channels that normally allow prana, or energy, to flow freely and keep us healthy, in body and mind. It is quite easy to understand how this build up of ama would create all the symptoms of depression. One student experiencing all the signs of depression over a number of years finally went to visit an Ayurvedic specialist who checked his pulse and tongue. Ama was clearly present; hence the digestive and immune system and mental troubles over the years. The doctor prescribed two kinds of herbs: Aampackak, which melts or digests the ama, and Srotoshodhan, which opens the micro channels. (These are two categories of herbs, not the specific names of the herbs. It is important to see a proper specialist to obtain the correct herbs for your situation). Two weeks later, the student had returned to the joyful, playful, happy personality that had disappeared for four years! He continued the herbs for a little while longer and followed that up with some rejuvenating herbs. The shift in his mind and mood was spectacular. Now he feels ‘fabulous’. Not long before, he would cry at night and get angry for no reason and get more depressed, frustrated and scared for not knowing why all this was happening. Toxins are all around us, and can build up in our body becoming ama There are two things we can put in our bodies: Food: help us grow, maintain healthy systems, rejuvenate, regenerate and build energy. Toxins: deplete our systems, overloading the detoxifying organs, causing malfunction and decay and reducing energy. From an Ayurvedic perspective, ama is the opposite of agni, or fire. Fire burns up the toxins and is responsible for healthy digestion. There are 13 types of agni in Ayurveda. The four most important relate to our natural constitutions. For more details of what these constitutions imply, it is good to do a little research into Ayurveda. Suffice for this article, a variable, inconsistent vata agni, an overly strong and dominant pitta agni or a sluggish kapha agni all create more ama, while a balanced digestive fire will help to prevent and eliminate toxic build up. Eating according to one’s constitution and seasonal panchkarma cleansing will also help to prevent and eliminate toxins. Of course, strictly allopathic doctors might not be open to this approach and the pharmaceutical companies, as well, would fight it fiercely. There is, after all, a multibillion-dollar industry in anti-depressants. And it is certainly understandable that someone who feels reasonable most of his life due to allopathy, would be concerned about trying something else. But by keeping the door of possibility open and considering other ideas, it may be possible to eliminate the depression for good. It is important to state clearly ama is not the cause of all depression, but checking for its presence with a qualified Ayurvedic doctor may give one pause to consider this as the origin of the trouble. Treatment of ama can be taken at the same time as allopathy and if the patient is feeling better, she could then speak with her regular doctor about reducing the previous medications. Allopathy itself is a cause of toxins and a good cleanse could be considered once the anti-depressants are no longer taken. <strong>Oct</strong>ober <strong>2015</strong> 29