The doctor couple who run Samshudhi holistic health center near Delhi, advise a diet and routine reboot we can do on our own.
Did you know that the first couple of hours after waking up are a golden window for setting a healthy tone for your entire day? Start your day not with tea or coffee, but with a nutrient-rich option like vegetable juice to jumpstart your system as the gastro-intestinal tract is at its most active in the mornings, says naturopath Dr Yogesh Gupta.
Dr Gupta and his wife Dr Shallu Gupta, who run the Samshudhi Naturopathy, Panchkarma, and Yoga Hospital in Gurgaon, India gently lead us back to the mindful, intuitive, and better-synchronized way of living with the intelligence of nature and our bodies. The duo gave insightful interviews to A Lotus in the Mud, suggesting what we can do on our own to keep healthy.
“The pursuit of convenience in our lives has led to an increase in health issues,” says Dr Yogesh Gupta, Managing Director of Samshudhi and son of legendary naturopath Dr. Sumer Chand Gupta. Modern lifestyle choices, improper dietary practices, imbalanced eating habits, excessive stress, pollution, and food adulteration are other contributing factors to the prevalence of diseases.
Naturopathy, he says, is a non-medicinal system that works with pancha mahabhoot (five elements: water, fire, air, space, and earth), body detox, and a sattvic diet. Samshudhi has incorporated Ayurvedic panchkarma treatments into the mix.
Dr Yogesh Gupta, Managing Director of Samshudhi, advises a glass of vegetable juice in the morning, instead of tea or coffee, because the gastrointestinal tract at that time is at its most active.
How naturopathy enhances health
Naturopathy was once an integral part of households but has now made a comeback as a complementary healing system. Traditionally embedded in daily routines, it warrants revival due to changing lifestyles and burgeoning illnesses. Simple habits like early rising, timely meals and quality sleep are foundational for restoring the digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems.
Dr Yogesh says, “Drinking vegetable juice in the morning is excellent for our circulatory system and keeps blood pressure and cholesterol problems in check, while tea or coffee has adverse effects.”
Taking seasonal fruits before breakfast is also beneficial, and
integrating yoga and exercise in the morning enhances overall well-being. He also recommends a device-free 30 minutes before bedtime to aid better sleep.
Avoid working on a laptop in your lap to prevent harmful radiation from impacting the reproductive system. Keep at least two pillows in between, advises Dr Yogesh.
Dryness, exacerbated by pollution and in some cases reduced oil/ghee consumption, impacts our internal organs. Application of oil every day to key areas – nose, navel, and anus – is beneficial.
Various oils offer distinct advantages, he points out: almond oil benefits the nervous system, sesame oil is good for the eyes, while cow’s ghee is not recommended in winter.
A hot foot bath is beneficial for the nervous system; soaking feet in hot water at night induces sleep. Pressing the reflexology points on the thumb pads to activate the pituitary gland, akin to the practice of Indian women wearing a bindi on the forehead, will secrete hormones that aid in sleep, stress response, etc.
Dr Gupta notes that a decade ago, dementia was unknown in India. But today, its prevalence is alarming considering the absence of factors like limited exposure to varied climates and scarce sunlight in Europe. To remedy the situation, he points to emotional connections, such as family bonds, and re-introducing traditional herbs in our diet.
Successful case studies
Naturopathy addresses the entire body, targeting the root cause of diseases, in sharp contrast to allopathy, which mainly focuses on managing the symptoms.
Dr Gupta recalls a couple of his striking success stories. One patient had lived with a year-long embarrassing issue – discharge from his anus, leading to depression and the use of female sanitary pads. Following Samshudhi’s treatment for over a month, he says, the patient reported remarkable progress. The discharge ceased by the 35th day. Initial signs of recovery were evident as the unpleasant odor vanished.
In another case, Samshudhi treatment over 40 days eliminated the need for a doctor-recommended liver transplant.
Patients from around the world, including the UK, US, and Japan come to Samshudhi to seek relief from a variety of ailments. It has five rooms for in-patients, and treats an average of 30 patients in the male and female OPD wings.
At Samshudhi, nature cure treatments such as mud therapy are combined with Ayurvedic panchkarma treatments like Shirodhara.
Mental health challenge post-Covid
In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, people have become more health conscious and recognize the importance of robust immunity, Dr Gupta agrees. For example, they are opting for multi-grains and millets. Notably, the popular yoga guru Baba Ramdev has brought naturopathy and yoga into every Indian home.
Dr Gupta feels that Covid ripped the Band-Aid off our collective psyche. Social isolation, economic anxieties, and the constant specter of illness pushed mental health concerns to the forefront. Zoom therapy sessions became commonplace, mental health apps skyrocketed in popularity, and celebrities bravely shared their struggles, shattering the stigma once attached to seeking help. Suddenly, conversations about anxiety, depression, and burnout spilled from hushed whispers to dinner table discussions.
Dr Gupta, who also holds a corporate executive job, has noticed a sudden increase in cases of tinnitus post-Covid. Characterized by a persistent buzzing sound in the ears, tinnitus is more of a nervous system issue, exacerbated by stress, than an ear problem,
“While there is no outright cure,” Dr Gupta says, “tinnitus can be controlled through stress management and adopting a relaxed lifestyle. Yoga, pranayama, regular walks, and a diet rich in raw foods can help.” He also recommends Karna Basti, involving ear oiling and cleansing, and Shirodhara, dripping oil over the forehead, to manage tinnitus.
Dr Gupta, who has a doctorate in naturopathy, oversees treatment at the male wing of Samshudhi in the mornings and on weekends. His father, Dr Sumer Chand Gupta, had started a nature cure hospital way back in 1969 in Haryana. At age 80+ he still tends to patients at Ojas Naturopathy and Yoga Center in Gulabi Bagh, Delhi.
Upgrade your plate: simple diet hacks
In diet and food preparation, Dr Gupta’s advice is multipronged. Like mother’s love, positive thoughts during cooking can transfer energy to enhance both taste and nutrition. Also, opt for high-quality oils, substitute regular salt with rock salt, exchange red chilies for green chilies, and replace sugar with gur (jaggery) or khaand (unrefined sugar). Herbs like ajwain (carom seeds) and turmeric are helpful in digestion. Skip tea and coffee, and minimize frozen items.
For those with poor digestion, whey water – obtained by boiling 300ml of milk with lemon – is recommended at night. Including raw foods in the form of salads, without mixing fruits and vegetables, contributes to optimal gut health.
To alleviate dryness in aging intestines, Dr Shallu Gupta, Chief Medical Officer of Samshudhi, recommends boiling water with amaltas seeds or occasionally taking 30ml of castor oil in milk. Herbs like ashwagandha aid in strengthening bones and muscles. A teaspoon of Triphala (blend of three herbs in Ayurveda), with water before sleeping is good for overall health. A herb called Punarnava and cut-okra-soaked water is good for prostate problems.
Dr Shallu Gupta, Chief Medical Officer at Samshudhi, tells us to incorporate a colorful range of seasonal fruits and vegetables in our diet.
Natural cures for lifestyle diseases
Dr Shallu Gupta laments the litany of lifestyle diseases afflicting people today – from arthritis, indigestion, depression, diabetes, PCOD (polycystic ovarian disease) and leucorrhea in women, to prostate issues in men, skin disorders like psoriasis, and high cholesterol.
Addressing lifestyle issues involves preventive measures like knee lubrication through movements to prevent early knee pain. Adequate hydration, maintaining proper posture, and creating an ergonomic home office in remote work situations are essential.
For women obsessing over weight management, she says you must be watchful of not only what to eat but also when, and how. She advises, “Consume colored, seasonally available fruits and veggies. Also, a combination of 50% raw and 50% cooked food helps maintain the body’s pH. Variety in cooked meals is also good. Fasting on water/fruits/juice once a week is great.”
Her fundamental is to teach people that 80 percent of diseases can be treated at home and that we are our doctors. She wants people to avoid allopathic medicine for acute diseases. To spread awareness about health, she organizes various workshops on naturopathy through different forums.
-with Navni Chawla
Contact: Samshudhi Naturopathy, Panchakarma and Yoga Hospital, New Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, India. Ph: +91 9560433357; dryogesh.gupta2@gmail.com, gupta.shallu@gmail.com; https://samshudhi.com;
