Traditional healing practice and folk medicines used by Mishing community of North East India.

Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have very rich tradition of herbal medicines used in the treatment of various ailments. Tribal communities practice different types of traditional healing practices. Enough documentation is available on the healing practices in other tribal communities except Mishing community of Assam and foot hill of East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh hence the attempt was made for the same. A survey on folk medicinal plants and folk healers of Mishing tribe was conducted in few places of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji district of Assam and East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, where this ethnic group is living since time immemorial. All information was collected based on interview and fi eld studies with local healers within the community. The identifi cation of medicinal plants collected with help of indigenous healers was done. Such medicines have been shown to have signifi cant healing power, either in their natural state or as the source of new products processed by them. This study is mainly concentrated with plants used to cure diseases and to enquire about different healing systems. Detail note on the method of preparation of precise dose, the part/parts of plants used and method of application is given.

Ayurvĕdic approach to pathya (ideal diet planning)--an appraisal.

Most health problems develop due to the wrong eating habits and cooking methods. Ayurvĕda deals with the pathya, apathya or pathya vyavastha (planning of diet- dietetics) in a very scientific and holistic way of Dietetics. The diet planning mentioned in our classical literature is very rational and based on certain principles. Lot of importance is given to the diet with regard to its processing, quality, quantity and so on. Due consideration is given to the atmosphere, psychological condition, status of health, digestion etc. of the person while dealing with this issue. The diet should also be planned according to the age, season, habitat and the preference of the person. In this paper the fundamental principals of Pathya vyavastha (dietetics) with appropriate references, recommended diet based on the texts and clinical findings for some important diseases such as diabetes, liver diseases, acid -peptic disorders, cardiac diseases are dealt with. The proper incorporation of diet not only can prevent many preventable disorders but plays major role in the management of the Diseases. Ayurvĕda has very holistic and scientific approach in planning the diet. The fundamental principles like tridŏşa, prakrti, the tastes, processing of food, the quality, quantity, and the rules regarding eating food if considered while incorporating the diet one can keep away from many diseases of body and mind.

Ayurvĕda gleaned through Buddhism.

The Păli canon consists of three Pitakas (baskets), which replete the Buddhism and is known as Tripiţaka, viz, Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma Piţakas. The original phase of Tripiţaka (Buddhisim started in 544 B.C. and lastly systematized up to 29 B.C. The Buddhist literature also possesses the esoteric material of Medical Science, which is practiced and conserved in India since centuries. It refers to the fundamentals of medicine, rules of good living, which lay considerable emphasis on the hygiene of body, mind. Internal Medicine, curative medicine including symptoms, methods of diagnosis, theories of causation, materia-medica, therapeutics and treatment and skills of Jivaka. Some famous and popular prescriptions are also dealt with.