Triphala is a popular Indian herbal concoction with many medicinal uses. Ayurvedic medicine, India's 5,000 year old healing system, holds triphala in high regard. While there's no direct connection between the herb and yoga, many Western yoga aficionados have become interested in Ayurveda, and yoga studios commonly hold workshops on this alternative medicine system.
Ayurveda
The Sanskrit word Ayurveda translates to "knowledge of life." Ayurveda looks at more than the physical body. Subtle energies are considered, and most of the system is based on trying to balance three distinct "doshas," or manifestations of life force. Ayurveda believes that all people are composed of differing qualities of these three doshas, and that over the course of our lives these proportions constantly fluctuate. The doshas are pitta, characterized by a fiery, driven nature; vata, airy and creative; and kapha, earthy and stable.
Three Fruits
In Sanskrit, "triphala" means "three fruits." The three fruits are from trees that grow in the Middle East and India. The dried fruits are ground into powder and carefully blended. Amalaki, also known as amla or Indian gooseberry, is a natural antioxidant with 20 times more vitamin C than you get in orange juice. Harataki, a strong laxative, is pictured in the palm of the Buddha in many Tibetan artworks. Bibhitaki is prescribed for lung problems, and decreases excess mucous.
Uses
Triphala is used for cleansing the body and strengthening the immune system. It's an excellent laxative, says the Chopra Center website, because it detoxifies and cleanses without colon irritation, and nourishes instead of depleting. The Chopra Center, founded by wellness expert Deepak Chopra and located in Southern California, is one place that combines triphala and yoga for people who stay there during healing retreats. Other uses of triphala include treating jaundice, anemia, fever, asthma, inflammation and ulcers; and fighting off immune system infections like tuberculosis, AIDS and pneumonia, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website.
Research
Researchers have been studying triphala as a possible anti-cancer treatment. T. Sandhya, K.M. Lathika, B.N. Pandey and K.P. Mishra reported on their work in the January 2006 edition of Cancer Letters. These researchers at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai, India, found that triphala significantly decreased the size of cancerous tumors in mice. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center website mentions these hopeful results, but says scientists thus far lack data on whether triphala can help humans with cancer.
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