The recipe for this traditional herbal supplement dates
back thousands of years and is referenced in the traditional
Indian texts the Charak and Sushrut Samhitas. Triphala
is considered a 'tridoshic rasayan', having balancing
and rejuvenating effects on the three constitutional elements
that govern human life: Vata which regulates the nervous
system, Pitta which maintains metabolic processes, and
Kapha which supports structural integrity.
Some of the most popular herbal remedies in the health
supplement departments are those which 'cleanse' by promoting
bowel movement. A reason is that one of the most common
problems among many individuals is constipation and bowel
irregularity. This can lead to poorer general digestion
and liver function, less vitality and perhaps even less
optimism and an overall poorer outlook and quality of
life. Consider how tremendously valuable a formula would
be that not only regulates bowel movement but at the same
time does the following things:
- improves digestion
- is antioxidant rich
- improves circulation (cardiotonic
and capillary strengthening flavonoids)
- potentiates adrenergic function
(helps the body recover from stress)
- contains linoleic acid (an essential
fatty acid) and phospholipids
- lowers blood pressure
- exerts a marked heart-protective
and cardio-tonic effect
- reduces serum cholesterol
- improves liver function and is
liver protective
- is anti-inflammatory (constituents
include Vit. C and quercetin)
- is expectorant
- has anti-viral (HIV, AIDS, herpes,
CMV) properties
- has anti-bacterial properties
- has anti-cancer properties
- has anti-allergy properties
- has anti-mutagenic properties
- assists in weight loss
Sound like a panacea? Well, it may
be just about that. Triphala is the most popular Ayurvedic
herbal formula of India partly because it is an effective
laxative which also supports the body's vitality. The
constitution of vegetarian Hindus cannot tolerate harsh
laxatives anymore than vegetarians in other countries.
Because of its high nutritional value, Triphala is considered
to uniquely cleanse and detoxify at the deepest organic
levels without depleting the body's reserves. This may
make it one of the most valuable herbal preparations in
the world.
How is triphala different from other
kinds of laxatives? There are three primary types of herbal
laxatives, sometimes overlapping in even one plant. The
first type is more irritating and draining while the other
two are more lubricating and nourishing.
The strongest (yet also potentially
most harsh) type is called the purgative and includes
herbs such as senna, rhubarb, buckthorn, coffeeberry and
cascara. These often contain bitter principles in the
form of anthroquinones which work by stimulating the peristaltic
action of the intestinal lining or by promoting the secretion
of bile through the liver and gall bladder. The tasting
of the bitterness induces many other beneficial digestive
secretions as well. Entire schools of herbalism in both
the east and the west have been largely devoted to this
bitter purgative road leading to the goal of detoxification.
The second type of laxative is a lubricating,
oily or moist laxative and includes oils and seeds of
hemp or sesame and the kernals of various members of the
'stone-fruit' genus Prunus such as Apricot, Peach, and
Bush Cherry. Oils cause the gallbladder to secrete bile
(in healthy people) which can enhance digestion as well.
These items are more nourishing in general than the purgatives,
but more care is needed in their use than in the last
type. Castor oil is in this oily group but castor seed
also has irritating properties (which are largely purified
in making the oil) which are more purgative. Flax gives
both the lubricating oil and another type of compound
in the seed which brings us to the last type of laxative,
a very thick topic indeed.
The third type is the soluble fiber
or mucilaginous bulk laxative, including demulcent substances
such as psyllium seed, marshmallow root, irish moss, guar
gum and flax seed. This is more purely nutritional and
local in action and usually does not have any significant
direct effect on either the liver or the gall bladder.
Rather, these materials work like a sponge by swelling
and absorbing fluid, thus acting as an intestinal broom.
Triphala combines both nutritional
as well as blood and liver cleansing (detoxifying) actions.
It has little function as a local demulcent but is more
of a lubricating source of nourishment and also possesses
some bitter anthroquinones which help stimulate bile flow
and peristalsis. The nutritional aspect is partly in the
form of its bioflavonoids, high vitamin C content and
the presence of linoleic oil, phospholipids and other
important nutrients which it makes more of a tonic.
Typically, people who are in need of purgatives are those
whose bowel irregularity is caused by liver and gall bladder
congestion. An 'excess' or heated pitta type may benefit
from this type the most directly as well.
Those in need of oily or demulcent laxatives are those
with intestinal dryness caused by a variety of metabolic
factors including dietary and nutritional deficiencies
as well as conditions of metabolism. The oily ones may
be better for vata ( and some 'deficient' ) types in general
and the milder demulcents for anyone really but particularly
for kapha (or 'damp') types, who may not do well with
'cold' or oily herbs. As mentioned, triphala does well
for all these types. Triphala has strength as well as
gentleness and versatility. It will prove useful for all
kinds of constipation except that caused by a lack of
vital energy (or 'qi'). Even for the latter type, it will
not further deplete such an individual and can be made
to work well if it is combined with other qi, blood or
yang-warming tonic herbs such as ginseng for qi tonification,
tang kuei for blood tonification and prepared aconite
for yang tonification.
Herbal healing is largely a matter
of strategy. One approach may emphasize tonification while
another emphasizes elimination. The problem with overemphasizing
tonification is that it can lead to further stagnation
and congestion in an excess condition. Emphasizing elimination
through the overuse of purgatives in an already deficient
individual can further deplete the body's store of minerals
and essential B vitamins as well as create an imbalance
of beneficial intestinal micro-organisms. The result is
weakness with a likely tendency towards chronic fatigue
and anemia. Since the body is always simultaneously involved
with maintaining and gaining strength through good nutrition
as well as eliminating waste, triphala is unique in that
it is naturally able to support both vital processes simultaneously.
Because of its high nutritional content, Ayurvedic doctors
generally do not regard Triphala as a mere laxative. Some
of the scientific research and practical experience of
people using it down through the ages has demonstrated
that triphala is an effective blood purifier that stimulates
bile secretion as it detoxifies the liver, helps digestion
and assimilation, and significantly reduces serum cholesterol
and lipid levels throughout body. As a result, it is regarded
as a kind of universal panacea and is the most commonly
prescribed herbal formula. A popular folk saying in India
is, "No mother? Do not worry so long as you have
triphala." One reason is that Indian people believe
triphala is able to care for the internal organs of the
body as a mother cares for her children, nourishing like
a mothers milk and cleaning like her gentle hand. Each
of the three herbal fruits of triphala takes care of the
body by improving digestion and assimilation while gently
promoting internal cleansing of all conditions of stagnation
and excess.
The name 'Triphala' means 'three fruits'.
The three fruits of triphala (Harada, Amla and Bihara)
each correspond to the "three humours" or "tridosha"
of Indian Ayurvedic medicine. According to Ayurvedic theory,
the body is composed of three doshas or humours. Vata
is sometimes translated as "wind" which corresponds
to the mind and nervous system. Its nature is dry, cold,
light and activating. The second is pitta which is also
translated as "fire" or "bile." It
is responsible for all metabolic transformations including
the digestion and assimilation of food as well as assimilation
and clarity of thought and understanding. The nature of
pitta is primarily hot, moist and light. Kapha is sometimes
translated as the "water" or "mucus"
humour and is responsible for all anabolic or building
functions such as the development of muscle and bone tissue.
Its nature is cool, moist and heavy.
Triphala Ingredients: Whole powdered fruits
and/or herbal (fruit) extracts of Beleric myrobalan, Chebulic
myrobalan (Terminalia chebula), Emblic myrobalan (Indian
Gooseberry).
Chebulic myrobalan (Terminalia chebula)
Harada, Haritaki (mispronounced as 'He zi' in chinese herbalism)
bitter, sour, astringent., salty, sweet, warm; Stomach,
Lung, Large Intestine. Harada has five of the six ayurvedic
flavors but particularly a bitter flavor. It is associated
with the vata humour as well as the air and space elements.
It treats imbalances and diseases of the vata humour. Harada
possesses laxative, astringent, lubricant, antiparasitical,
alterative, antispasmodic and nervine properties. It is
therefore used to treat acute and chronic constipation,
nervousness, anxiety and feelings of physical heaviness.
Among Tibetans, Harada is so highly revered for its purifying
attributes that it is the small fruit that is depicted
in the hands of the "medicine Buddha" in their
sacred paintings or tankas. This was because the herb
is so useful in many ways for lessening suffering among
beings (which is the primary goal of life for Tibetan
Buddhists, among a few others). Of the three fruits, Harada
is the most laxative and contains anthroquinones similar
to those found in rhubarb and cascara.
This is a 50 to 80 foot tall tree that grows at various
altitudes. The fruit, traditionally picked in the spring,
is a rich source of tannins, amino acids, fructose, succinic
acid and Beta Sitosterol. One of numerous studies of Harada
demonstrated its 'anti-vata' or anti-spasmodic properties
by the reduction of abnormal blood pressure as well as intestinal
spasms. This confirms its traditional usefulness for heart
conditions, spastic colon and other intestinal disorders.
Japanese studies show it is of potential value in treating
AIDS, herpes and acyclovir resistant herpes and obesity.
A Korean study shows that an extract of the fruit is more
antioxidant than either BHA or BHT, two strong antioxidants
long used as food preservatives and now as so-called 'anti-aging'
supplements.
Beleric myrobalan (Terminalia belerica )
Bibitaki, Bihara (sanskrit): astringent, sweet, bitter,
pungent, warm; Lung, Heart, Liver.
Bihara is tonic, digestive and anti-spasmodic. Its primary
flavor is astringent and the secondary is sweet, bitter
and pungent. It targets imbalances associated with the kapha
or mucus humour, corresponding to the earth and water elements
in Ayurvedic medicine. Specifically Bihara purifies and
balances excess mucus, treats asthma, bronchiole conditions,
allergies and hiccoughs. Bihara is a 60 to 80 foot tall
tree widely distributed in Indian foothills. The fruit is
collected in late winter.
Studies of the fruit of Bihara found that it contains
up to 35% oil and 40% protein. The oil is used in soap making
and by the poorer classes as a substitute cooking oil for
ghee. The sweet smelling oil is 35% palmitic, 24% oleic
and 31% linoleic. Linoleic oil is an essential fatty acid
important for increasing HDL cholesterol, associated with
a healthy state and reducing LDL cholesterol, considered
to indicate a higher-than-average risk for developing coronary-heart
disease. Some of the phospholipids this fruit contains are
now marketed for mind enhancement (such as phosphotidalcholine).
A study done by K. Anand shows it has liver protective activity.
Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Gooseberry (Emblica
officinalis)
Amalaki, Amla (sanskrit) sour, astringent, sweet, pungent,
bitter; cool; Lungs, Liver, Stomach, Heart. Amla has a sour
flavor which corresponds to the pitta humour and the fire
element in Ayurvedic medicine. It is a cooling tonic, astringent,
mildly laxative, alterative, antipyretic. It is used to
treat fire imbalances that include ulcers, inflammation
of the stomach, intestines, constipation, diarrhea, liver
congestion, eruptions, infections and burning feelings throughout
the body. In various studies, Amla has been shown to have
mild anti-bacterial (1) properties, pronounced expectorant
(2), anti-viral (3) and cardiotonic (4) activity. Amla is
a source of antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and Vit.
C. It is the among the highest known land sources of vitamin
C, Having 20 times the vitamin C content of an orange. Amla
is also uniquely heat stable. Even when subjected to prolonged
high heat, as in the making of the Ayurvedic tonic formula
called Chyavanprash, Amla, as the primary herb comprising
50% of the formula, hardly loses any of the vitamin C that
is present when it is freshly harvested off the tree. The
same is true of Amla that has been dried and kept for up
to a year. This age and heat stable form of vitamin C in
Amla is due to the presence of certain tannins that bind
and inhibit its dissipation.
One Indian study reported by C.P. Thakur, demonstrated the
enormous value and effectiveness of Amla, reducing serum,
aortic and hepatic cholesterol in rabbits. Gulati also showed
liver protective action in vivo. In another study, extracts
of Amla fruit were found to decrease serum free fatty acids
and increase cardiac glycogen. This helps to prevent heart
attacks by providing significantly greater protection and
nourishment to the heart muscle. A Japanese study shows
it is anti-mutagenic. A comparative study of the efficacy
of Emblica officinalis fruit powder with a conventional
antacid formulation was performed. In a 4 week study, 38
patients with dyspepsia and with or without stomach ulcer
were divided into two groups : one group received the fruit
powder and the other, the antacid. Emblica was used at the
level of 3 gm per dose, three times a day while gel antacid
was used at 30 ml per dose, up to 6 times a day. The improvement
in the clinical symptoms score (belching, fullness, heartburn,
regurgitation, nausea and vomiting) in ulcer dyspeptics
was from the initial 4.2 to 0.4 (p < 0.01) post treatment
score for antacid group, and 4.6 to 0.6 (p<0.05) for
the Emblica group. Endoscopic examination showed all ulcers
in the antacid group in the process of healing, while all
but one patient in Emblica group had completely healed ulcers.
In the non-ulcer group both antacid and Emblica produced
a significant decrease in clinical symptoms score from 4.4
to 1.53 (p<0.01) and 5.0 to 1.61 (p<0.01) respectively.
All three fruits have proven to be antioxidant, anti-HIV
and anti-allergic. With all the virtues of the three individual
herbs, triphala has many wide and varied uses as a therapeutic
herbal food. Before considering pathological indications
for which triphala would be appropriate, we should never
ignore the value of taking it on some regular basis whether
once daily or once or twice a week simply for health maintenance.
Triphala, having great nutritional properties, may certainly
help to support health.
Ama is a term denoting a substance associated
in Ayurveda with chronic disease patterns and symptoms of
aging. It is described as a kind of sticky buildup of material
that clogs the circulatory channels. In many ways it is
nearly identical to the accumulation of excess cholesterol
and blood lipids described in the West. Both conditions
seem to contribute to a wide variety of circulatory disorders
ranging from senility, rheumatic interesting that in Traditional
Chinese Medicine there are also a pathological condition
like this. The Traditional Chinese conditions known as 'damp
heat' and 'invisible phlegm' sometimes overlap with ama.
These conditions can include manifestations as varied as
allergies, excess phlegm, skin conditions and foggy thinking
as well as high cholesterol.
One of the body's reactions to coping with stress is to
increase the production of corticosteroids. The accumulation
of these stress hormones can also contribute to the formation
of cholesterol. Internal stress and the resultant buildup
of cholesterol can be caused by the abuse of stimulants,
spicy, hot foods such as garlic and cayenne, excessive aerobic
exercise and repression of the emotions. It is interesting
that an excess of some of those same warming substances
and activities that lower cholesterol in some, when not
utilized in a holistic, balanced manner, can act as a stimulant
and add further stress that would precipitate the further
accumulation of cholesterol in others.
Triphala is one of two Ayurvedic formulations that are
specific for eliminating Ama and cholesterol from the body.
Triphala is a completely balanced energetic formula, being
neither too cold, nor too hot. When taken regularly over
a long period, it gently effects the elimination and purification
of Ama from the tissues of the entire body. The three fruits
have been scientifically studied and confirm some of its
known traditional benefits. These include the lowering of
cholesterol, reducing high blood pressure, benefiting circulation,
improving digestion and regulating elimination without causing
any laxative dependency.
Regardless of any other herbs used, triphala can be prescribed
singly or adjunctively whenever there are symptoms of inflammation,
heat, infection, obesity and other conditions of excess.
Because of its combined tonic and eliminative properties,
it is generally quite safe to give even for deficiency diseases
including anemia, fatigue, candida, poor digestion and assimilation.
Unlike other eliminative and cleansing herbs, triphala is
safely taken for symptoms of wasting heat that frequently
accompanies diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and
AIDS. The one time not to use triphala is during
pregnancy. It's 'downward flowing' energy is
believed to favor miscarriage. It is also the case that
some other anthroquinone containing herbs are traditionally
not used in pregnancy either.
There are two ways to take triphala,
as a powder or tablet. Traditionally triphala is taken
as a churna or powder. One would stir in two or three
grams of the powder with warm water and consume the entire
amount each evening or divided into three doses throughout
the day, between meals if possible. Since for most people
it does not possess a flavor that one would look forward
to experiencing, it is convenient that triphala is available
in tablet or capsule form.
Generally the dose is from two to
six tablets taken one to three times daily. Children may
only require one or two tablets in the evening. The larger
dose is more laxative while the smaller dose tends to
be more gradually blood purifying. A smaller dose might
be one or two tablets three times daily. One should increase
or decrease the dose according to one's bowel movements.
Since there are no problems in using triphala, the dose
can be adjusted upwards from the suggested amount.
Triphala is also widely taken for
all eye diseases including the treatment of conjunctivitis,
progressive myopia, the early stages of glaucoma and cataracts.
For these conditions, it is traditionally taken daily
both internally as described above, as well as externally
as an eye wash. This latter method requires some expertise
in use and preparation so we cannot suggest it here.
As stated, there can be different reactions to the same
dose of triphala. For some it causes too loose bowels
while in others it may have little or no effect. As a
result, it may take two or three days to regulate the
dose that is best. After the constipative tendencies are
removed, usually within 15 days of daily application,
it will no longer cause loose bowels. In fact it has been
used against irregularly loose bowels. Some people suggest
using it two weeks on and two weeks off, such as just
during the waning moon for those naturalisitically inclined
types.
Many Ayurvedic doctors both here and in India regularly
prescribe triphala for most of their patients to be taken
once each evening. For millenia, triphala has been known
and used as a standard household health supplement much
as vitamins are in the West. In many households, triphala
is taken on a weekly basis by all family members to prevent
disease and maintain health.
In India, Triphala is considered the greatest and most
versatile of all herbal formulations. With the presence
of such a Vit. C rich herbal food as Amla, it possesses
unique nutritive tonic and eliminative properties. Both
the public and therapists of all disciplines should be
able to benefit from its unique therapeutic virtues.
Rewritten by: Gus
Turpin with permission from Michael Tierra's
'The Wonders of Triphala' and from other sources.
|
