A new study shows the decline in plasma metabolites associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk after undergoing the Ayurvedic-based well-being program that featured a vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga and massages.
“The researchers looked at the effects of a Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic intervention on plasma metabolites in a controlled clinical trial,” said first author Christine Tara Peterson, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at UC San Diego School of Medicine. “Panchakarma refers to a detoxification and rejuvenation protocol involving massage, herbal therapy and other procedures to help strengthen and rejuvenate the body.”
In the Panchakarma group a measurable decrease was discovered, in 12 specific cell-membrane chemicals correlating with serum cholesterol and inversely related to Type 2 diabetes risk.
“The study is part of our strategy to create a framework for whole systems biology research, our next step will be to correlate these changes with both gene expression and psychological health” says Deepak Chopra, MD, clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and a noted proponent of integrative medicine
