"I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in November 1999. My G.P said - there is no cure, there is no hope, don't hope.

For the next two years my condition deteriorated until most of my joints were stiff, swollen and very painful. This restricted my ability to do even the smallest task, such as writing. I also lost power in my hands and was constantly dropping things.

Then I had a consultation with Dr Donn Brennan . He suggested lifestyle changes in line with Maharishis Vedic healthcare and prescribed some Ayurvedic herbs. He said my condition would improve within two months. A month later I had noticed a considerable improvement. During the past year I have been able to reduce my conventional medication 3 times. The swelling and pain in my joints has decreased and my joint mobility is almost back to normal."

Helen Soraghan, Rathmines, Dublin

"At 44yrs. of age, having undergone a triple by-pass in August 1999 I was on quite a high dose of medication, necessary to control my blood pressure and cholesterol level. In the year 2003 I reached, what was probably, the lowest point in my life. Within nine months my whole world was turned upside down through the deaths of two very close family members and three very close friends. The stress exacerbated my condition and my blood pressure went out of control being as high as 250/110. After several visits to A & E and a stay in intensive care my medication was increased and I was now on 10mgs. of Istin, 800mgs. of Transdate, 10mgs. of Betaloc, .75mgs. of Aspirin, 40mgs. of Lipostat and 10mgs. of Tritace.

I was feeling so low, mentally and physically, I realised I had to take some form of positive action. I had studied Transcendental Meditation (TM) some years previously and thought maybe it would help me. I contacted Dr. Donn Brennan who, after a consultation, recommended food supplements suitable for my condition. We also discussed diet, exercise, from an Ayurvedic perspective I was seen as having a strong Pitta imbalance. When I talked to Donn about the adverse effect of my prescribed medication and he told me that through Ayurveda I could have my medication significantly reduced. It seemed a very sweeping statement at the time but my present situation has proved him to be right!

I changed my diet and now eat 8 portions of fruit and vegetables every day which I discovered, to my surprise, could be very tasty with the addition of herbs and spices, tumeric being the most important. Having always enjoyed cooking I discovered many new ingredients which are both extremely tasty and wholesome. I now regularly use organic honey, ghee in all my cooking and drink Ayurvedic herbal teas, which, because of the vast range, never become boring. I exercise, practice TM, use massage oils and other Ayurvedic products like toothpaste and Pitta hair oil every day. Through TM I am now coming to terms with my grief and so have considerably reduced my intake of alcohol, which, on reflection, I feel I had used as a crutch.

After six months using the Maharishi's Vedic food supplements and with the change of diet I lost three stone in weight and was feeling much better in myself until I began to suffer dizzy spells. I consulted with my cardiologist only to discover that my blood pressure was now too low! She arranged a cholesterol test for me and my overall cholesterol level was down to 3.5. As Dr. Donn Brennan had predicted my medication was drastically reduced and presently I am on only Aspirin, 20mgs. of Lipotor and 10mgs. of Tritace which I feel, if I continue with my lifestyle, may be eliminated.

I feel healthier now than I have felt since I was a teenager and, if what my friends tell me is true, I'm looking at least ten years younger. Knowing what Ayurveda and T.M. has done for me I couldn't recommend it highly enough. I have a new appreciation of nature and never realised life could be so enjoyable."

Hugo McGlynn, Clontarf, Co.Dublin

"I have had fantastic results with my narcolepsy which was regarded as an incurable lifelong disorder"
Kerr Byers, architecture student, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen .

"I noticed Kerr's problem six years ago," says Kerr's mother, Marlene. "When it came to a peak he was sleeping 20 hours a day and when he was awake he wasn't with you. He had sleep paralysis and terrible nightmares. Conventional treatment with amphetamines only gave him a different set of symptoms. I came along to learn TM to help me cope. Kerr was sceptical but 3 months later he also learned and also saw Maharishi Ayurveda doctors within a month. It took them a few seconds to diagnose what he had. Once he'd learned TM his medication dropped dramatically and now he lives a completely normal life" .

"two weeks after taking Maharishi Ayurveda my friends began coming up to me and saying, 'Wow, you look really good."
Jatinder Uppal

"Maharishi Ayurveda has helped me just be relaxed and enjoy the experience of having a child. It's also helped me to return to full strength again after pregnancy and labour."
Julie Andersen

"With Maharishi Ayurveda we see improvements in common chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, arthritis, eczema, sinusitis, etc., which we would not normally expect."
Dr Elizabeth Young, GP, North London