Liver cirrhosis and Ayurveda
Liver is the largest and one of the most important organs in the human body. It is seat of all metabolism and all the toxins, hormones, drugs, alcohol, preservatives, chemicals, body toxins are metabolized.
Any disease of the Liver may lead to serious problems and Cirrhosis being one among them.In this disease, there is a blockage of blood through the Liver and unhealthy or scar tissues replace the normal tissues of the Liver.
Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and last stage of chronic liver disease; it is mainly caused by portal hypertension and leads to ascitis or fluid collection in the peritoneal cavity. Every time the liver is affected and damaged by harmful toxins, the liver tries to heal itself. And in this process, scar formation occurs in cells of the liver. As the liver’s cirrhosis progresses, more and more cells and tissues get scared and affect the liver’s function.
Fibrosis describes encapsulation or replacement of injured tissue by a collagenous scar. Fibrosis progresses at variable rates depending on the cause of liver disease, environmental and host factors. Cirrhosis is an advanced stage of liver fibrosis .It is a progressive disease, developing slowly over many years. If it is allowed to continue, the buildup of scar tissue can eventually stop liver function. 
Cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death by disease, accounting for 27,000 deaths each year. The condition affects men slightly more often than women.

Causes of Liver Cirrhosis:
Cirrhosis is most commonly caused by alcoholism, hepatitis B and C, and fatty liver disease, but has many other possible causes such as
*Obesity is becoming a common cause of cirrhosis
*Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
*Scarring of bile duct
*Cystic fibrosis
 *Excessive iron build up in the body/ Accumulation of copper in liver
*Genetic digestive disorders
*Overuse of Drugs, toxins, and infections
*Chronic constipation
In the early stage of liver cirrhosis problem you may not feel any symptoms, but as the time goes on the progression of diseases occurs, and you may notice some symptoms like,

• Loss of appetite
• Lack of energy
• Nausea, vomiting
• Weight loss or sudden weight gain
• Bruises
• jaundice
• Itchy skin
• edema in the ankles, legs, and abdomen (often an early sign)
• abdominal pain and bloating
• A brownish or orange tint to the urine
• Light colored stools
• Confusion, disorientation, personality changes
• Blood in the stool
• Fever

Diagnosis of liver cirrhosis
Liver and kidney function test,Hepatitis B and C tests,Imaging tests like MRI, CT and ultrasound images of the liver and Biopsy of liver

Liver cirrhosis treatment in ayurveda
The liver is called Yakrit in Ayurveda. Pitta is the predominant humor of the liver. Most liver disorders are aggravated conditions of Pitta. Excessive bile production or a blockage in the flow of bile usually indicates high pitta, which in turn affects the agni or enzyme activities responsible for absorption, digestion and metabolism.Kumbha Kamala is the classical description of cirrhosis of liver in Ayurveda.
It is a neglected or untreated stage of jaundice or hepatitis, when becomes chronic, produces dry or roughness to the Liver . It can become incurable if not attended immediately.
Detoxification of the body is an essential step to keep your liver healthy and functional. Natural antioxidants helps to excrete the hazardous chemicals and toxins from the body and improve the liver’s function and prevent tissue scarring.Proper Digestion plays a significant role in the health of the liver. Ayurvedic remedies help to boost your immunity against various bacteria and viruses and protect your liver from chronic hepatitis viral infections.

Ayurveda guidelines to  save your liver from liver cirrhosis.
Make a good habit of eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
Avoid alcohol consumption.
Avoid dairy products and non-vegetarian food in your diet.
Do yoga and meditation to keep your body, mind, and spirit healthy.
To keep your liver cell healthy and functional, detoxify your body.
Increase the intake of antioxidants rich food.
Keep your body always hydrated by drinking 2 to 2.5 litres of water.
Eat a low sodium diet, and avoid the overuse of allopathic medicines.
Some of useful herbs in Liver diseases kalamegha ,punarnava,guduchi,bringaraja .Treatment involves Shodhana chikitsa (Panchakarma procedures), Shamana chikitsa (Ayurvedic medicines), de-addiction and various dietary advises along with life style modifications. Ayurvedic  treatment is useful in improving the Liver heath and preventing further damage.

Ayurveda, is the oldest and traditional Indian science of health care  of India, a well established holistic system. It is a system survived and developed against all odd times for more than 5000 years. Ayurveda, the science of life,  It’s based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease.
Ayurveda - Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge. It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay active and healthy while realizing their full human potential. Ayurveda also emphasis the adage, 'prevention is better than cure'
During early years of  BC itself, this system has had main branches like General Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ENT, Ophthalmology, Surgery, Psychiatry, Toxicology, Sexology and Aphrodisiac treatments, Geriatrics and Rejuvenative treatments etc.
 Basic principles in Ayurveda
The two main guiding principles of Ayurveda
 1. The mind and the body are inextricably connected
2. Nothing has more power to heal and transform the body than the mind
Ayurveda defines health not as a mere absence of diseases, but ‘perfect balance of  body constituents and wellness of special senses, mind and soul’. In order to accomplish this health Ayurveda offers daily and seasonal regimes, dos and don’ts regarding food, social and occupational life and; medicines and treatments to prevent diseases.
One of the uniqueness of the Ayurveda is prakruti, understanding of individual characteristics (differences) and applying this knowledge in promotion of health and wellness, and prevention and treatment of diseases.
 
Ayurveda is holistic and considers the mind, body, and spirit to be connected. 
Ayurveda approaches holistic way of treatment as it concentrates not only on physical health but also aims in achieving mental, social, and spiritual wellness. The very beauty of ayurveda is that it does not try to suppress the ailments by prescribing drugs. Instead it treats the whole body and aims to prevent the ailments by finding and eliminating the root cause of the disease. Ayurvedic tools are holistic, natural, and benign—natural herbs, yoga, meditation, marma, and palliative (shamana), and cleansing (shodhana) therapies.
 
Swasthya and balance. 
Charaka & Vaghbhata in Sutrasthana define health as:
“Samadosha, samagnischa samadhatumala kriyaha prasanna atmenindriya manaha swasthya ityabhidheeyate”
 Susruta has described the features of a healthy person in the above quote. It follows that the doshas(energy principles) must be in equilibrium, the digestive fire (agni)must be in a balanced state and the tissues (dhatus) and malas (wastes) must work in a normal state. The sensory and motor organs and mind, atma must be also in a pleasant state. Such a person is called a healthy person or Swastha.
 
Importance of the gut and concept of nutrition. 
Irregular eating habits and accumulation of toxins causes extensive damage to body and mind. According to Ayurveda, the digestion and gut play leading roles in immunity. Ayurveda speaks about a substance or a process called Ojas, the finest product of healthy digestion, which strengthens the immune system and has many beneficial effects on the mind and body.
 
Preventive health. 
Ayurveda focuses on preventive medicine through diet and lifestyle interventions. It’s first goal is “Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam”—preserving the health of the healthy. In the present day circumstances, several bad factors play a major role in deteriorating our health.
• Hectic lifestyle plays havoc in inducing stressful conditions and leading to numerous health problems.
• Improper sleep due to anxiety and stress levels saps body energy.
• Postural issues due to work conditions and complete lack of physical activities further deteriorates the situation and results in muscular problems.
 
Trayopastambha of health. 
 Ayurveda state that for the appropriate maintenance of health one needs to have three Sthambhas (i.e. pillars) as well as three Upasthambhas (supporting pillars) functioning properly. The word Trayopastambha is derivative of two words Traya and Upasthambha. Traya means three and the word Upastambha means supporting pillars. The three Sthambha are the three Dosha (humors) Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The three Upastanbha are Aahaara (Food), Nidraa (Sleep) and Bhramacharya (Celibacy) i.e. regulated sexual conduct. Proper food replenishes the Bhautika constituents, sleep is helpful to soothe the mind and sensory motor apparatus and observance of celibacy or moderation in sex is responsible for spiritual well being
 
Disease management, chronic ailments, and root-cause analysis. 
The other goal of Ayurveda is ‘Aaturasya Vikara Prashamanam,’ or disease management with root-cause analysis rather than merely providing symptomatic relief.
 
Personalized medicine. 
Ancient Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda, strongly emphasize on personalized patient care under the concept of Prakriti (phenotype-based human constitution). Every individual is different. Ayurveda emphasizes the imbalance in doshas (vatta, pitta, and kapha) as the main reason for occurrence of any disease. A patient’s primary dosha is evaluated to find the quantum of domination of one over the others. A detailed analysis that includes checking of pulse, skin, hair, tongue, gums and analyzing of sleep pattern is carried out to determine dosha. Over dominating doshas are the main reason for any ailment and ayurveda helps in balancing these doshas by altering lifestyle, diet, yoga, and other natural therapies.
 
Circadian Science. 
Ayurveda advises a daily (Dinacharya), seasonal (Ritucharya), and lifespan regimen for health management. Ayurveda has divided each day & night in to 4-hour periods dominated by vata, pitta or kapha. Wake up: Rise early in the morning, before the sunrise (4 to 6am), preferably around 5 am. Sleeping after 6 am will make us lazy and increases our tendency to put on weight.
 
Prodromal symptoms and stages of a disease, including rehabilitation.
The five main types of diagnostic methods in Ayurveda,  involve an examination of Purvarupa (prodromal symptoms), Rupa (manifested symptoms) and Samprapti (pathogenesis), and the conduct of Upasaya (therapeutic tests), and Ashtavidha Pareeksha (physical examination). The aim is to interrupt the pathological process. This goes on to understanding the samprapti, or etiopathogenesis of the disease. For each ailment, there are interventions at well-defined stages of the disease, or shat kriya kala.
 
Immunity and Rasayana. 
Boosting immunity is a cornerstone in Ayurvedic health management. Ayurveda rasayana remedies are known for their immuno-enhancing, neuro-nutrient, anti-aging and anti-cellular stress effect. The programme focuses on balancing nutrition, creating a richer ojas system, boosting agni and enhancing microcirculation to strengthen immunity.
 
Cleansing techniques
 Cleansing helps in many chronic ailments and in de-addiction and the most efficacious is Panchakarma which has its clear indications and contraindications. Ostensibly the most eminent branch of Ayurveda is Panchakarma. The name Panchakarma literally means "Five Actions" which is well-suited given the fact that this technique relies upon five distinctive basic activities that control the body namely Vomiting, Purgation, Niruham, Anuvaasan, and Nasyam. In other words, Panchakarma healing technique is a pillar on which majority of Ayurvedic techniques stand.