Plant Rituals


Plant Rituals - Brahmi Thailam and Neem

(Assignment about 2 Plant Rituals for Prof David Presti's, Drugs and the Brain Class at Cal)
My family has been vegetarian for generations and so are deeply rooted in plant traditions.  I was hard pressed as to which ones to pick. I focus on two of these - Brahmi Thailam and Neem.
Many a  weekend, I’m given a hair oil massage with Brahmi Thailam. Thailam means oil in Ayurveda lingo. A head massage with Brahmi Thailam is a most relaxing experience.

Fingers massage oil into the scalp.
Transdermal absorption of Brahmi
Neurotransmitters observe as they flow
Neural Communication, dendrites grow

Brahmi Thailam is a widely used  Ayurveda Oil to improve the functioning of the brain and nervous system. The main ingredients of Brahmi Thailam are Bacopa monnieri and Emblica officinalis (Amla). Bacopa monnieri is a nootropic herb and is thought to directly impact cognition and memory while reducing anxiety. In addition to being an antioxidant it is also thought to promote  dendrite growth and thus neural connections.  It can’t really be ingested orally as it can cause nausea. The other ingredient Alma, is a widely used plant and is used in many forms. I found the fruit is sour and tart to taste. It is widely used in cooking (dried or pickled) and common in most  hair oil preparations sold in India. Amla  is high in Vitamin C and is believed to help in longevity and promoting hair growth as well as neural function.

Ayurveda doshas, underlying physiological energies
Vata  brain, nervous system
Pitha  bile, digestive system and more
Kapha wind, respiratory and circulatory
Balance of doshas is the goal.

I’ve had a personal love affair with Ayurveda oils after my few summers of Ayurveda treatment in in Kerala, South India. Most of my knowledge and love of Ayurveda comes from what I learnt during that time. The Shirodhara (warm Ayurveda oil is slowly dribbled on the forehead for a full hour) and Kizhi (warm bundles of oil soaked herbs are applied on the body) treatments were deeply relaxing for the body, and for that duration at least the mind and thoughts would be in tranquility. That is saying something, for my mind seems to be ever in an excitatory state with my hyperactivity and other autism challenges. I long for the calm meditative state that an Ayurveda treatment brings. Alas, the effect is but temporary for me. The days of intense Ayurveda treatments in the land of coconut trees and elephants maybe in the past but the ritual that has continued on is the hair oil massages. The strong tang of the ayurveda oil wafts all over the room and I feel I am back in Kerala again. I soak in the oil anywhere from 10 mins to half an hour before taking a shower.

Kerala,
Swaying Coconut trees, Elephants, Houseboats
Gentle backwaters meet the Arabian Sea
Ayurveda Central, deemed Danvantri

A specific set of herbs is boiled with either Sesame Oil or Coconut Oil as a base to make Ayurveda oils. The Ayurveda hospital in Kerala where I’d received treatment had its own manufacturing wing. There was one oil there which took 100 days to prepare over a slow wood fire. They believed in  old style preparation- wood instead of gas fires as the latter could destroy the property of the concoction. Coconut oil is thought to be a more effective base by many of the Ayurveda doctors. But Coconut Oil becomes rancid within a few months while Sesame Oil can have a shelf life of upto 10 years so is preferred. Kerala is kind of like the Ayurveda central of India as there is where Ayurveda originated and is most practised, even amongst regular families with the knowledge passed down from generation to generation.

As winter approaches here, my oil massages become less frequent as they cool the body and that is asking to catch a cold in cold weather. I just look forward to them when the weather warms up again.

Another interesting tradition is the use of Neem. (Azadirachta indica, Margosa or Indian Lilac).  It is supposedly the ultimate anti-bacterial. I brush my teeth every night with Neem powder. Actually, I sprinkle a little bit of Neem powder on top of the toothpaste. It tastes slightly bitter but one gets used to the taste. In the olden days, folks did not have toothbrushes or toothpaste so they chewed away at a twig of the neem tree each morning, which basically cleaned their teeth. My grandma mentioned that it has now made a comeback in modern India with local vegetable vendors selling fresh neem twigs. My grandma even got me some but I found it sensorily hard to sustain chewing the twig - it literally is like chewing on the end of a pencil - a woody taste. However, the twigs have to be fresh when they are still soft, which makes bringing them into the US difficult as they dry out. So the substitute  has been a sprinkle of Neem.

Neem Neem, the village Pharmacy
Central gathering place, shade and cool air
Treetop to root, how I use thee

The neem tree was often called the village pharmacy as it had so many beneficial qualities and can be used from treetop to root. The Neem tree was usually found in the central village square. My other grandma (who has a large Neem tree in her front yard) tells me that neem leaves are used to treat chickenpox even today. Neem has been found to have many medicinal  properties -  anti-inflammation, anti-ulcer, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-mutagenic, anti-viral, anti-carcinogen and a powerful immunomodulator. It is thought to be a powerful medicine for the GI tract. I was on Neem supplements a few years back to help with GI inflammation. At my home,  the dried Neem inflorescence is often toasted in sesame oil and sprinkled on food items like our digestive drink called Rasam, which I’ve learnt to make. It lends a lovely flavor though it can be a little bitter.

I could go on about other plant rituals, but alas this assignment only calls for two.

We Embrace, Accept CA

I was the Guest of Honor at the talent show of the newly formed non-profit for special needs individuals, We Embrace Accept CA. Accept CA was formed with a view to bridge the gap between the neurotypical experience and the special needs population.

It was an impressive set of performances from some quite "extra-ordinarly" special needs individuals. I was especially impressed by the bicycling skills of my 19 year old friend Athish who has CP. Most typical individuals take skills like biking for granted,  a skill that is easily mastered in childhood and then automated by the body. The act of biking actually involves all kinds of coordination, balance and motor skills. Athish has been learning to ride a bike only the last few months and was able to bike around the stage with little assistance all by himself. Bravo Athish! Athish's parents, Meena Kalyanasundaram and her husband Som are very old family friends of my folks and founders of Accept CA.

I also loved the Stand Up Comedy by 16 year old Riley Ross. This joke of autists taking phrases literally was definitely the best. His mom had told him his birthday was just around the corner and he walked around the block looking for it. He asked why his mom could not just have said that his birthday was the next week.  Young Aarnav has some lovely calendar skills - ask him any date in any years and within some 30-40 seconds, he comes back with the day of the week. He even throws in whether that year was a leap year or not.  Many of the kids performing have some pretty severe challenges, nevertheless they joyfully showcased  their Bollywood skills in the Happy Feet performance.

The Vatsalyam Bharatanatyam performance by co-founder Seena, was a poignant dance-drama portrayal of a mother's expectations and transformation. She expects  a typical child. the joy and fun activities she would have with that child. Instead she is bewildered with a child with  all kinds of issues that she was unprepared for. The dance interpretation of the transformation was quite riveting, especially the eye expressions.  She goes from devastation, grief and hurt to trying to pick up the pieces and fighting for her child. The sadness never quite goes up but it gets buried deeper along the way. I can totally understand as I have observed my mom (and Dad) go through many of these emotions. And these emotions are an ongoing process as disability continually brings with it periods of setbacks and new challenges at every stage of life which are very discouraging, yet they have to find the courage to move ahead.  I'd written a poem few years back, You Never Gave Up on Me.to appreciate not just my mom but all the mom's and caretakers.

I only stayed till intermission unfortunately. The mood-vagaries of my own disability caught up with me, causing a sudden bout of anxiety. It was just better for me to leave at that point. I was sad to have missed the rest of the event but I'm sure it was superb.

I know my journey has been an inspiration to many parents and given them lot of hope for their kids. A decade ago, no one would have thought that my someone with my significant level of challenges would make it to a world-class and top university such as UC Berkeley. Meena Aunty asked me to present a powerpoint of my journey plus any thoughts I had to share. The slides follow in next post

My family has known Athish and his parents Meena and Som since he was a baby and I’ve observed Athish’s progress over the years. Though we don’t communicate openly due to our respective sets of challenges, I could not be prouder to call him my friend. What a wonderful idea to start Accept CA.

Thanks Meena Aunty for having me there and honoring me as well by making me Guest of Honor.




Poison Plant Unmasked

Hari Srinivasan
Prof David Presti / GSI Carson McNeil
Psych C19 Drugs and the Brain


Commentary on Page 56, Pharmako Poeia by Dale Pendell

Poison Plant Unmasked

That plants have power is without a doubt. All are plant people in the end by fact and form, whether they be the modern science-backed western medicine or Ayurveda or the African Traditional Medicine. At times the poison of plants itself is the remedy. For instance, Foxglove is toxic yet has been used to develop treatments for congestive heart failure.

My sensory experience with plants has been largely influenced by the Ayurveda treatment I received in India over 5 summers in the coconut tree filled state of Kerala in South India. I have vivid memories of the scent of Ayurveda meds freshly concocted onsite from locally grown herbs in the nearby fields. The coconut and sesame oils boiled with Ayurveda powders made for sheer tranquility during the Shirodhara and Kizhi massages. The mind would be at peace and the soul in balance for that duration at least. The breeze from the nearby Bharatapuzha river would waft the scent through the cabin even as the cows on campus would wander up to receive a treat in the evenings. Even the very effective Ayurveda mosquito repellent smoke spread in the cabins in the evenings would carry the herbal tang in the air. But in all this euphoria, our eyes are blinded to the fundamental duality in life. For opposites coexist in all planes of life.

I am the power plant. I am the poison plant
… I build, I destroy
Fundamental Duality of Life
… Knowledge interlaced with ignorance

Debate: Plain Packaging on Tobacco Products

Hari Srinivasan
Prof David Presti / GSI Carson McNeil
Psych C19 Drugs and the Brain


First Debate at Cal for Prof David Presti's  Drugs and the Brain class
My task - Opening Statement 

Debate Topic: A plain-packaging requirement for tobacco products should NOT be implemented in the USA.

Our group supports the negative motion, that plain packaging for tobacco products should not be implemented.

It is ironic that in an age where more states are legalizing marijuana, which to a large extent is smoked, there is yet another move to suppress tobacco smoking through plain packaging. Tobacco has been around from ancient times. As we learnt in our last lecture, it was the primary shamanic plant of the Americas. It was used to bind friendships and seal covenants by Native Americans. The Hookah of the east has been around since the era of Akbar the Great in India. Why should Tobacco alone be demonized, targeted and penalized? After all it is but one of the many poison plants that we are surrounded by.

We argue that plain packaging is not evidence based, infringes on our intellectual property rights, curtails freedom of speech and  increases illicit trade.

A Guiness Record

Bragging Rights on the first day at UC Berkeley

Day 1 of Golden Bear Orientation for the incoming class of 9500 students
The incoming class got to participate in a Guinness World Record Event for the largest human letter. Took a few hours to form the letter inside Memorial Stadium. We were in line for a couple of hours outside the stadium waiting to get in. I'm somewhere in the bottom of the letter C.




Suite Seats for the Ball Game

SF Giants vs Oakland A's at AT&T Park last Thursday. Giants won 11-2. 
What an amazing suite level seats to see the game. The view from up there is amazing.
Thank you David and his parents Linda and Gary for inviting us. 
I totally loved the experience.

Happy Father's Day

Moods from worry about my future
To elation over past accomplishments

My dad
Dives with passion into cooking
Explore hip youtube recipes
International eating, GFCF  style

My dad
Fingers fly over the qwerty keys
Searching for solutions that may help me
unendingly

My dad
We watch basketball and football heavily
Sprinkles of cricket and tennis thrown in
Warriors Champs 2017

My dad
Quite the best Bud really
Happy  Father’s Day


Plans. Dad and I will have a father-son lunch on sunday.

SJCC Commencement

I graduated from San Jose City College. Yeah!

Looking forward to going to UC Berkeley



Highlights

- Special Callout for Outstanding Academic Achievement during the Commencement.

(That was quite unexpected)

- I had been shortlisted (list of 5) for valedictorian too

- Three tassels on my cap. Yellow for Honors, Purple - Transfer, Black - Regular)

- Yellow Honor Cord

- Lots of Sashes - a silver one from DSP too.

- My Patti (grandma) was able to attend.


Graduation Album

A Baby Bundle



A Baby Bundle

A baby bundle handed to you.
Eyes in slumber or gazing at you
Innocence personified!!


Lightning flash……..


It’s gonna be...
Love at First Sight!





Impact of Autism and Coping Strategies in Indian-American Families


Impact of Autism and Coping Strategies in Indian-American Families.
Hari Srinivasan

APA Poster


Abstract
This paper explores the impact of autism and coping strategies amongst  Indian-American families living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Descriptive information on the challenges faced, coping strategies and a stress score (as measured by the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale) was gathered from 18 Indian-American parents of individuals with autism. The study finds that  high levels of stress amongst the ASD families (sample mean of 19.2) compared to the non-ASD families (population mean of 13). The study found that the age of the ASD family member does not seem to influence stress levels. There is however  a direct correlation between the severity of challenging ASD symptoms and the level of stress.  

This study suggests that if causes are better understood about the underlying physiological conditions for each specific case of autism, rather than classifying autism into one broad bucket, it may lead to more targeted treatments and better support systems could be put in place as well.

Positive outcomes for ASD individuals lead to less stress for families. Families also need more comprehensive support and resources in planning and supporting the needs of their ASD family member. Less stress for families leads to better outcomes for the ASD individuals.