Brain and Skin-- Aindri in powder form
Please DO NOT order this if you are not in the US.
Organic powdered Aindri. Dose is 500 mg. (1/6 tsp) twice a day.
Properties of Aindri (Bacopa Monnieri)
2 ounces is $32
3 ounces if $42
In Ayurveda the body is understood as a crystallization of the soul. Impaired "fire" or agni and indigestion is at the root of disease, but the heavy energy in the soul/mind is the cause.The name aindri (often pronounced "endri") comes from the name, Indra, because this plant was one of his favorites. Indra was famous for his love of soma, and aindri has a lot of soma.
Aindri is Medhya (Good for the Mind)
The special property of aindri is increasing the power of the mind. Aindri does this by enhancing the three basic components of the mind independently, and by improving their interaction with each other.
The three components of mind, according to Ayurveda, are dhi (power of learning), driti (power of retention) and smriti (power of recall). Modern research also describes these three factors to be the most fundamental aspects of mental function, and interestingly, modern studies on aindrii show improvements to each of these areas when this herb is ingested.
Recent studies show that aindri is a very good neurotransmitter modulator. If the brain needs more serotonin or ACTH, it stimulates the brain to release the neurotransmitters in the needed quantities.
Modern Approaches Can Be Shortsighted
Unfortunately, modern science always wants to isolate an active ingredient, and it has found one in bacopa, and has named it bacopacide. Ayurveda does not agree with this approach. When one chemical is isolated from a plant, it loses the balancing factors that exist in the remainder of the plant chemistry.
Ayurveda prefers not to use any strong compound in isolation because the chance of creating imbalance in the body is much higher. In fact, Ayurveda usually recommends a combining (samyog) of powerful herbs with other herbs to create a more balanced formulation.
In addition, whenever an active ingredient is isolated in the laboratory, harsh chemical solvents such as hexane and benzene are used. These solvents destroy the divine vibration found in the herb which, according to Ayurveda, is the most powerful aspect of its healing properties.
Aindri's Dipani (Flame Enhancing) Quality
While the bitter taste and warming quality of aindri do stimulate the fire in the digestive system and liver, the main fire referred to here is in the brain.
When dhi (power of learning), driti (power of retention) and smriti (power of recall) are all functioning optimally, the mind gets fully connected to the light of the gem, the light of consciousness, which contains true knowledge of everything in the universe.
Aindri is Good for the Heart
When the mind is strong, it does not easily come under the grip of the senses, which lead us on a roller coaster ride of emotions. In the presence of a balanced and clear mind, the heart also becomes balanced and blissful.
Aindri and the Skin
One interesting benefit of aindri is its ability to help the skin. It does this through several means. The bitter taste of aindri stimulates the liver. When the liver is strong, it keeps the blood free of toxins, and this improves complexion.
Finally, the most important way that aindri helps the skin is by strengthening the mind. There is a strong connection between skin problems and mental issues.
Whenever the connection between the mind and the light of the soul becomes weak the senses start to possess the mind. At the same time, contentment and tolerance begin to wane and the mind starts to find fault with everything. The combination of being unable to control the senses and being at war with the way things are brings on a desperate state of deep unhappiness--full of guilt, regret and fear. It is not the wild actions of the senses themselves that cause long term health problems, but it is the lack of peace of mind, combined with a high dose of guilt regarding those actions, which causes ill health.
Psychoneuroimmunology describes a cascade of chemical reactions, including the release of cortisol and other toxins into the bloodstrem when we think in a stressed manner. It is the toxic, chemical by-products of continous negative thought that ultimately affect the skin.
Most skin problems are related to autoimmune problems and autoimmune problems, according to Ayurveda, are related to an overload of reactive toxins in the blood, liver and the whole body. By strengthening the mind, the herb, aindri, helps to remove the original source of autoimmune related skin problems.
Most Ayurvedic remedies are taken in formulas made up for the individual. You can make an appointment with Vaidya Athena on the Healing page of this site to have an individualized remedy made up to improve the function of your mind.
Research"Controlling for baseline cognitive deficit using the Blessed Orientation-Memory-Concentration test, Bacopa participants had enhanced AVLT delayed word recall memory scores relative to placebo. Stroop results were similarly significant, with the Bacopa group improving and the placebo group unchanged. CESD-10 depression scores, combined state plus trait anxiety scores, and heart rate decreased over time for the Bacopa group but increased for the placebo group. No effects were found on the DAT, WAIS digit task, mood, or blood pressure. The dose was well tolerated with few adverse events (Bacopa n = 9, placebo n = 10), primarily stomach upset.
CONCLUSIONS:This study provides further evidence that B. monnieri has potential for safely enhancing cognitive performance in the aging." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18611150
"Although BM clinical research is in its infancy, at least six high-quality (by the Jadad Scale randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled (RDBPC) human trials have been conducted. Pase et al. conducted a systematic review, finding some evidence that “Bacopa could potentially be clinically prescribed as a memory enhancer” even in non-demented subjects. BM administration significantly improved 9 out of 17 free recall memory tasks. One out of six of the studies' collective scores evidenced improved memory span; however, BM showed no improvement in memory involving the recall of short passages of text. The analysis of Pace et al. supports previous findings that BM most effectively reduces the rate of forgetting, but not acquisition or other aspects of cognition (though this matter is by no means settled).
In a meta-analysis, Neale et al. compared the nootropic effects of BM to Panax ginseng and modafinil (an eugeroic-wakefulness drug). Chronic BM produced the most consistent and largest effect sizes of the three. BM showed small- to medium-effect sizes for attention and information processing tasks. Larger-effect sizes were evident for auditory verbal learning tasks, sizes ranging from d=0.23 for delayed word pair memory tod=0.95 for delayed word recall (on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and d=1.01 for protection from proactive interference during delayed memory. These findings evidence the potency of BM, particularly in measures of verbal recall. Remarkably, contemporary findings appear to support the alleged use of BM in Vedic antiquity by scholars memorizing lengthy hymns." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746283/
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