|
Ayurveda - most ancient, rich, esteemed and celebrated medicine systems in India, has its roots in sacred texts of Veda. The term Ayurveda was originated from two Sanskrit words, Ayur meaning life while Veda translates into knowledge. The indigenous medicine system is a 'Science of Life' that focuses on maintaining a harmonious balance among mind, body and soul.
According to Ayurveda, five basic elements make up the universe - Vayu (air), Jala (water), Akash (space), Teja (fire), and Prithvi (earth).
The permutation and combination of these elements are believed to form three different doshas (Tridoshas), Pitta (fire+water), Vata (air+space), and Kapha (earth+water), which are described as types of energy that circulate within a human body. Each dosha is responsible for a specific physiological function. Vata governs the subtle energy of movement, Pitta determines the metabolism and body temperature, while Kapha is the energy responsible for the bodily structure.
Every individual possesses these bio-physical forces (doshas) in their system, but one of them is relatively prominent than the other two. As per Ayurveda, the body acquires any disease either due to deficiency or abundance in these doshas. So, it is vital to maintain an equivalent balance among tridoshas through correct diet and lifestyle.
The main principle of Ayurveda says that the mind and body are interconnected and that the mind has the power to heal and transform a person’s whole being. Ayurveda recognizes even minor distress in the mind to be profoundly influential, with the potential to jeopardize the quality of one's life and to induce many diseases - physical and otherwise.
For instance, if an individual experiences chronic stress due to their job or any other reason, the pitta energy grows in abundance, which leads to more heat build-up in the body. Generally, pitta-dominant body types tend to have a high basal metabolic rate and energy consumption, which results in tissue loss and premature aging.
Ayurveda approach
Ayurveda represents a healing approach by revealing the deeper causes of one’s health conditions. The ayurvedic practices strive to discover the primary cause of the disease, which originates from diet, heredity, psychological state, or lifestyle. A human being is an indivisible and interconnected complex of mind, energy, and soul, according to Ayurveda. Thus, the traditional healthcare system aims to restore the natural state of harmony by a deeper level of correction. Successful ayurvedic practices appeal to a healthy lifestyle and conscious prevention to tackle health problems in the early stages. Ayurveda also offers a deep insight into the context of condition that influences our mental and physical state.
Ayurveda history
Originated in India, Ayurveda is one of the oldest traditional systems of medicine that is accepted worldwide. It is believed that Lord Brahma, the Hindu God of the universe was the creator of Ayurveda. The divine passed onto the holistic knowledge of healing to the sages, which they further transferred to their students/disciples. The information about the medicinal properties of herbs is contained in the form of poems, known as Shlokas in Sanskrit. The knowledge from the sacred texts of Vedas was compiled, edited, and codified by Charaka and some scholars into a manuscript, which is presently called Charaka Samhita.
As the deeper wisdom held in the Ayurveda spread across the physical boundaries of India, its impact swayed both the eastern and western worlds. To break the language barriers, Ayurveda has been adapted into an endless number of languages such as Chinese, Greek, English, Spanish, Tibetan, Greek, Arabic, Persian, Hindi, etc.
Ayurveda in contemporary times
The natural and holistic system of medicine is not restricted to human health as it also encloses the health and well being of other living organisms such as plants and animals. Thus, the science of Ayurveda can be consolidated in the field of agriculture and veterinary sciences to attain beneficial outcomes.
Although Ayurveda has existed among us for centuries, people have started to realize its true potential in the past few years more than ever. Despite a great deal of advancement in the field of allopathic medicines, many people still rely on age-old ayurvedic remedies to improve their quality of life.
There has been a gradual shift in people's sentiment towards adopting natural medicine and healthcare practices. For many health-conscious populations, natural has become the new mantra for a healthy lifestyle, and they are ready to embrace anything natural over synthetic and artificial. Every day more and more people are inclining towards herbal remedies and are gaining confidence with their results.
From an alternative method of healthcare, Ayurveda is unwaveringly moving towards center stage owing to the challenging concerns faced globally in regards to the modern healthcare system.
Perfected over centuries, Ayurveda has the ability to revolutionize the modern healthcare ecosystem and make the future medical system more sustainable. Renowned for its 'Prevention is better than cure' philosophy, Ayurveda aims to provide solutions for a healthy lifestyle to promote overall well-being. There have been quite a few incidences where ayurvedic medicines have worked wonders to cure such illnesses where allopathy failed.
As per Ayurveda experts, the traditional medicine system offers crucial insights into the understanding and management of diseases in the contemporary world. While western medicines mostly treat external factors responsible for any disease, Ayurveda focuses on analyzing the person apart from the disease by classifying people into different constitutions and type of treatment they require. Moreover, Ayurveda puts a great emphasis on the psychological state in the prevention and management of diseases.
However, Ayurveda has not yet gained the recognition it deserves due to a lack of evidence-based studies on ayurvedic medicines. But, it would not be a surprise if Ayurveda achieves a global forefront in the upcoming years as people would become more aware of its potential.
Ayurveda to fight against Covid-19
Although Kadha has been consumed for years, especially during cold and cough, it has gained immense popularity in recent months. Since an early rise in Covid-19 cases, consumer interest and demand for Kadha has been on a steady rise. Kadha is a concoction of several potent herbs and spices, combined in the right quantity to keep the immune system strong and ward off infections. Natural herbs such as turmeric, giloy, black pepper, tulsi, ginger, etc. have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to boost the immune system. These ayurvedic formulations offer an optimistic and prophylactic solution towards strengthening the body to fight against diseases. Contrary to allopathic medications, the consumption of ayurvedic drugs (in recommended amounts) has no long-term side-effects.
Covid-19 has proven to be a blessing in disguise for the ayurvedic field as India continues to demonstrate the potential of Ayush to the world against this pandemic. In India, many states have approved ayurvedic treatment as an alternative for Covid-19 positive patients. Kerala is one of the major states that have been successful in decreasing the spread of coronavirus by adapting ayurvedic methods. Research studies over ayurvedic medications during the time of pandemic would also be beneficial to gather a better understanding of the ancient system of medicine.
Future of Ayurveda
Ayurveda has been proving its worth since forever, and its positive results have been attracting a large number of audiences to adopt the same in their life. The ancient concept of Ayurveda holds its relevance to date and will continue to do so in the coming future. Increasing awareness about the efficacy of natural and traditional medicines, a surge in research and developmental activities, and less dependency on the allopathy healthcare system, the emergence of self-learned customers, and prevalence of chronic ailments could help in expanding the scope of Ayurveda across the world.
I think we all need to adapt this wholesome, healthy, and soothing approach for our betterment. The more natural the remedies, the lesser are the side effects, leading us towards a healthy and pandemic free future.
(The author is CEO at Medy365.com, Punjab)
|