By Christina Collins
Interview Date: March 1th 2013
Christina Collins: Thank you Dr. Chaudhary for taking the time in your incredibly busy schedule to meet with us today to interview with the Jyotish Star!
Kulreet Chaudhary, M.D: It is my pleasure. Ayurveda has traditionally incorporated Jyotish readings into the recommendations so it is nice to see these two ancient sciences presented together.
Christina: To begin, could you give our readers a short explanation of what is Ayurveda?
|  | Kulreet: Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, according to Ayurvedic beliefs, each person has a distinct combination of traits � a specific combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics, that are used to treat current health problems and predict future health challenges. It is also believed that there are three basic mind-body types called doshas, present in every person.
Christina: would you please elaborate a bit on explaining each of the three doshas?
Kulreet: The three doshas of Ayurveda are vata, pitta, and kapha. Everyone has vata, pitta, and kapha, but usually 1 or 2 are dominant in a particular person. Many things can disturb the energy balance, such as stress, an unhealthy diet, |
the weather, and strained relationships. The disturbance shows up as disease. Ayurvedic practitioners prescribe treatments to bring the doshas back into balance. The three doshas defined:
Vata � energy that controls bodily functions associated with motion, including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and heartbeat. When vata energy is balanced, there is creativity and vitality. Out of balance, vata produces insomnia, constipation, and anxiety.
Pitta � energy that controls the body�s metabolic systems, including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and temperature. In balance, pitta leads to strong digestion, contentment, and intelligence. Out of balance, pitta can cause ulcers, rashes, and arouse anger.
Kapha � energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system. In balance, kapha is expressed as strong immunity, steadiness, and compassion. Out of balance, kapha leads to sinus congestion, obesity, and laziness.
From a Western medical perspective, stress relief seems to be one of the ways Ayurveda works to help fight illness. For example, studies have found that Transcendental Meditation�, a component of Maharishi Ayurveda, lowers anxiety. Other studies have found that Ayurveda lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, slows the aging process, and speeds recovery from illness. Many herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine have antioxidant effects, which means that they may help protect against long-term illnesses such as heart disease and arthritis. Many Ayurvedic practitioners also recommend a predominantly vegetarian diet, which is believed to be better for your heart than diets high in red meat.
Christina: That knowledge of a vegetarian diet is more and more becoming relevant. I heard that even former President Clinton went on a vegan diet to improve his heart health!
Tell us, what started you towards your journey towards medicine and Ayurveda? Are there other medical professionals in your family?
| | Kulreet: My grandfather was the only physician in a large Indian village. He used to take me to work with him every morning when I was a child. Watching him compassionately care for patients from early morning into the late hours of the day was one of the strongest influences for me to become a doctor. I first came to Ayurvedic medicine as a patient, not a physician. My mother took me for my first Ayurvedic consultation as a teenager to help with my digestion. She has a big believer in prevention so she took any health symptoms very seriously during my childhood. But it wasn't' until after I completed my medical training that I truly immersed myself into Ayurveda. I developed migraine |
headaches shortly after completing my Neurology residency and the side effects from the medications interfered with my ability to focus at work. These were the same medications I was prescribing to my patients. So, I went back to Ayurveda to find a better answer and within a few short months, the Ayurvedic recommendations I received completely stopped my headaches. I also noticed other unexpected benefits like improved energy, creativity, and mental clarity. I was then at a crossroads, how could I use Ayurvedic remedies to cure my own headaches, but dispense medications to my patients that cause side effects and don�t �cure� their headaches? It was then that I decided to get my own training in Ayurveda and incorporate it into my Neurology practice.
Christina: Your skin is so very beautiful; I understand that you recommend Ayurvedic remedies to prolong youthful skin. Would you care to discuss some of them?
Kulreet: Skin is a reflection of your digestive system. So for beautiful skin, you have to start with improving your digestion. Depending on your dosha, there are specific recommendations you can follow to improve your digestion, which will make your entire body beautiful from the inside out. In general, vata individuals should eat warm, cooked, and easy to digest foods.
Pitta individuals should avoid spicy and fried foods. Kapha types should avoid heavy foods, such as cheese, butter, and oil. When your digestion is working, your body is able to eliminate toxins easily and get the nourishment it needs to create healthy tissues, including beautiful skin. There are also specific herbs that really help with skin problems.
One of my favorite herbs for the skin is neem. You can use it topically in lotions or face masks or as a supplement to help treat chronic skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, and rosacea. | | |
Christina: Thank you! I plan to try that right away. I use the MAPI products now. Since we understand that you are/were a part of Maharishi Ayurveda, so I assume you meditate? I have practiced TM (Transcendental Meditation) since 1968, and I know meditation helps me look younger than I am, well a bit anyway! (Laughter)
Kulreet: Yes, my training in Ayurveda was in Maharishi Ayurveda, which places a strong emphasis on the role of stress in causing chronic disease and specifically on how meditation helps to combat that stress. I learned Transcendental Meditation at nine years of age so it is hard for me to remember what life was really like before meditation. I can say that if it wasn�t for my meditation practice, I wouldn�t have survived many of the challenges of my medical training. Even for my patients, I try to emphasize the impact of stress on their physical, mental, and emotional health and I offer a variety of tools to counteract that. But meditation is one of the most powerful tools I have ever found for truly combatting the stress of modern day life, which most of us face. That is why Maharishi Ayurveda was a perfect match for me.
Christina: Yes, it certainly makes a difference in my life, and I was twice your age when I learned at 18! How very fortunate you were to learn at such a young age.
I understand that you are the Keynote speaker at the upcoming NAMA (National Ayurvedic Medical Association) convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico on the weekend of April 18 -- 22. What will you be presenting at NAMA?
| | Kulreet: I will be giving a lecture entitled, �Modern Ayurveda, The Science of Immortality.� Immortality is a reoccurring theme in the study of Ayurveda and in this lecture I look at some of the ancient references to Immortality in the Vedic texts and bring that into the light of modern scientific advances in the field of longevity. I am bridging the knowledge of the past with the technology of today.
Christina: That sounds fascinating! I look forward to attending. I am also excited to be presenting on Medical Jyotish at the NAMA conference and to seeing you, there as well. I�m interested; do you use Jyotish or Vedic astrology as well along with your traditional work with Ayurveda?
Kulreet: It is becoming an increasing part of my practice. I don't give Jyotish consultations personally, but whenever I have a |
patient that is facing a challenging medical condition that seems to be refractory to both modern and ancient medical interventions, I will often recommend a Jyotish consultation. We are able to gain a perspective from Vedic astrology that helps guide our path ahead. I was never a big believer in Jyotish until I completed my Ayurvedic training and then I was astounded by how much medical information was in a person�s Vedic astrology chart. The more I understand about my patients, the better prepared I am to help them. This includes understanding their diet, relationships, and daily routine in addition to understanding the tendencies of planetary influences through Jyotish. I leave it up to my patients whether they want to pursue it or not, but almost all of my patients get fascinated by the information Jyotish provides.
Christina: Yes, I agree it is not only helpful to the doctor and the patient, but also to the astrologer. Many medical Jyotishis use this aspect of Jyotish for rectification. We take a history of accidents and medical incidents and their timing in the past. From this we glean insight into how (and which) planets have operated, so we know that when their dasa periods and similar transit activations reoccur, though in slightly different combinations that attention needs to be paid to that potential condition or event to reoccur Such as eczema or potential accidents to give an example.
Because you are also an M.D. physician, I am curious about where you see the future of allopathic medicine since you seem to be one of the doctors who act as a bridge between allopathic and complementary health care?
Kulreet: Young medical students are now getting exposed to alternative therapies during their medical education. That means, in 10-15 years when they are practicing medicine on their own, they will be more open to using complementary healthcare systems, such as Ayurveda. But I think what is even more important is the rising concern over outcome measures in medicine. Outcome measures let us know if what we are doing is actually making a difference. Insurance companies, hospitals, and patients want to know which medical interventions actually work. People should be getting healthier as a result of seeing a physician, not sicker. There will be more importance placed on the factors that actually cause disease, which are predominantly lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise, and stress management. This is where the ancient medical systems offer modern medicine tremendous insight. Rather than rebuilding the wheel, doctors can use the knowledge that has survived for thousands of years that answers these core questions about how lifestyle choices impact health.
Christina: Do you use Ayurveda in your Neurology practice?
Kulreet: Yes, Ayurveda is used in 95% of my Neurology practice. My patients demand Ayurveda. They are looking for a new way to control their medical conditions that doesn�t involve starting multiple new medications. I am giving my patients the same answers that I was looking for when I was suffering from migraine headaches. I want my patients to have the same options that I had when I was in their shoes.
Christina: That is so fantastic that the percentage is so high! I am also curious about what you see as the greatest health issue in the West at this time?
| Kulreet: The quality of our food is the greatest health issue for the West. In Ayurveda, food is considered to be medicine and the basis for health. If the food you are eating is toxic, how can you build a foundation for a healthy body? That is why that I only shop at local farmer�s markets or eat food grown in my own garden. People look at healthcare issues as something complex, but I think it is as simple as what you put in your mouth. Change how people are eating and we will be able to change our nation�s health issues within one year without a trillion dollar budget. | | |
The beauty of this approach is that we each have the control to do this, what we eat is not dictated to us by our insurance companies or the government. Just start with one small change, drink fewer sodas or cook a meal at home rather than eating fast food. It only takes one small step at a time that is done consistently to completely transform your health.
Christina: Perfect! Thank you so much for taking this time with us today, especially someone of your caliber and an expert in both fields, of allopathic and Ayurvedic medicine!
Kulreet Chaudhary Biography
 | | Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary is passionate about helping people achieve their goals by fine-tuning their health. She effectively combines her expertise in Neurology and medicine with her proficiency in Ayurvedic wellness programs to develop tailored health plans for her clients. She is also committed to bringing national awareness to the need for a paradigm shift in medicine that focuses on patient empowerment and a health-based medical system.
Dr. Chaudhary is the Director of Neurology at Wellspring Health in Scripps Memorial Hospital and a pioneer in the field of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Chaudhary has successfully developed a powerful system to manage chronic neurological disorders-such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and |
migraine headaches-by incorporating fundamental changes in diet, behavior, and stress in addition to the standard allopathic approach to Neurology.
Dr. Chaudhary is the Director of Neurology at Wellspring Health in Scripps Memorial Hospital and a pioneer in the field of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Chaudhary has successfully developed a powerful system to manage chronic neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson�s disease and migraine headaches, by incorporating fundamental changes in diet, behavior, and stress in addition to the standard allopathic approach to Neurology.
Dr. Chaudhary also serves as a consultant to large medical corporations to integrate complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies with existing allopathic programs. She is the President of Habit Change, California where she has founded the division to change existing allopathic medical practices into Integrative Medicine Centers using compassion-based health coaching, meditation, and Ayurvedic knowledge to combat chronic diseases such as Diabetes, Obesity, Coronary Heart Disease, Depression, etc. Dr. Chaudhary is creating a new model for healthcare that is based on teaching patients the principles of health and personal transformation.
Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary is also a neuroscientist for Coordinated Clinical Research where she has participated in over twenty clinical research studies in the areas of Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer�s disease, Parkinson�s disease, ALS, and Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. Her research includes groundbreaking work in stem cell therapies for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and drug development for the treatment of ALS. Dr. Chaudhary is also on the board of directors of the non-profit organization, Center for Neurologic Study, which is dedicated to researching the cause and treatment of neurological disease as well as supporting patient education programs.
Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary completed her Internship in Internal Medicine at UCLA and her Neurology Fellowship at UCSD. She received her M.D. from Loma Linda University Medical School and was elected into the Alpha Omega Honor Society, which is it is one of the highest national honors bestowed to medical students based on their academic, leadership and ethical performances. She received her Bachelor�s Degrees in Biology, English Literature and Chemistry from La Sierra University.
Dr. Chaudhary's Contact Information:
9850 Genesee Ave Suite 330
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 646-0400
[email protected]
Christina Collins Biography:
 | | Christina Collins, Jyotish Visharada, CVA, Jyotish Kovid, ICAS and CVA, Jyotish Vachaspati, ICAS ,Jyotish Medha Pragya, ICAS and Jyotish Mahasagara from Raman and Rajeshwari Foundation 2013, is a third generation Astrologer specializing in the Vedic system. She received her honorary titles from the late Dr. B.V. Raman, former President of the ICAS (Indian Council for Astrological Sciences) in New Delhi and Bangalore, India, from CVA (Council for Vedic Astrology, USA),from the ICAS in Bangalore 2012, and from the Raman and Rajeshwari Foundation in 2013.
From1997 to 2012, she was the first and sole American woman to be honored by the highly held title of Jyotish Vachaspati (Jyotish - the light bearer and Vachaspati - the one who speaks the truth and whose predictions come true. (In Sanskrit, Vac = speech and Brihaspati is a name of Jupiter the planet of wisdom and truth. Her |
most recent titles from India, are the Jyotish Medha Pragya title, which means that consciousness has merged with Jyotish, from the ICAS, and from the Raman Rajeswari Foundation, the title Jyotish Mahasagara which means the great ocean of Jyotish.
As a founding member, she currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American College for Vedic Astrology (ACVA online), and was former Editor of the ACVA News. President of Celestial Resource (The Timing Coach) she serves corporate and private clients from students to celebrities. For the Jyotish Star you can reach her in Boulder CO at [email protected]:
Christina's Consultation Contact information:
Christina Collins, J.K., J.V.
Editor in Chief The Jyotish Star
Lafayette, (Boulder County) CO, USA
web site: http://www.christinacollinsastrology.com
email: [email protected]
phone: 303-665-9996
|
