Ayurveda is "The mother of all healing arts" on our planet, because
it predates all healing systems and all forms of natural medicine. It
was developed in India some 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. Knowledge of
Ayurveda has been recorded in two of the vedic texts: the Atharva veda,
and the Rig veda, which are more than 5,000 years old. It was many years
later that other cultures studied Ayurveda and created their own healing
systems, i.e. China, Tibet, Egypt, Africa, and other regions.
Ayurveda specializes in holistic natural remedies and
prevention, and focuses on rebuilding the cells and tissues to support
longevity. Hence its tools for healing are herbs,
yoga exercise, healthy diet and lifestyle, Vedic massages, meditation,
use of mantras, steam therapy and sauna, aromatherapy, use of gems,
colors, etc.
The philosophy of Ayurveda is to help people heal
themselves. A unique quality of Ayurveda is that healing is promoted by
balancing the different energies in the body. These are known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha (the "Doshas" or body humors). The Doshas are the three
main combinations of the five elements (ether, air, fire, water, and
earth). These five elements in the body can be balanced through diet and herbs that possess the essence of each element. Vata is air and
ether and it is the element that moves the energies and nutrients in the
body. Pitta is mainly fire and it is in charge of metabolism and
digestion of gross nutrients and energies. Kapha represents water and
earth and its main function is to provide strength and development of
tissues at all levels in the body.
Ayurveda is
the traditional healing science of India. This is an age-old
holistic medicine which emphasizes relaxed mind-body
harmony, keeping peace with the laws of NATURE.
As Modern
medicine with its strong synthetic chemical drugs fails to
compact nature, there is rapid & progressive acceptance in
the world over this natural medicine. The whole world is
desperately looking for new lifestyles that include healthy
diet, stress-free careers, happy lasting relationship & for
a relaxed mind-body harmony side-lining the laws of nature.
"Back to nature" concept lands here only.
Ayurveda
literally means "knowledge about life". The ancient saints
of India (2000 - 3000 BC) could perceive this divine "Wisdom
of life". According to Ayurveda human being is part of the
NATURE. This life-science could see the physiology of human
body in three Humors (Tridosha) & human mind in another set
of three Humors (Sathwa-Rejo-Thama). There total equilibrium
means POSITIVE HEALTH. As it implies, DISEASE is their
imbalanced state. So Ayurvedic treatment is balancing the
mind-body harmony - HOLISTIC MEDICINE.
Our ancient
worshipful saints could again see the human body is made up
of five basic elements i.e. earthen, water, energy, air and
space. These five elements constitute protoplasm -the life.
Among them water and air could be found only in this planet
of EARTH. Therefore, LIFE could so far be traced only on
earth. Again this protoplasm is differentiated into seven
TISSUES (Dhatu-macroscopically).
So finally
according to Ayurveda HEALTH means a complete state of happy
- relaxed mind & soul with balanced humors and "tissues".
This concept on deeper thought, it takes the modern human
wisdom to farthest of MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.
Origin and
History
Ayurveda originated in India long back in pre-vedic
period. Rigveda and Atharva-veda ( 5000 years B.C.), the
earliest documented ancient Indian knowledge have references on health
and diseases. Ayurved texts like Charak Samhita and Sushruta
Samhita were documented about 1000 years B.C. The term Ayurveda means ‘Science of Life’. It deals elaborately with measures for
healthful living during the entire span of life and its various phases.
Besides, dealing with principles for maintenance of health, it has also
developed a wide range of therapeutic measures to combat illness. These
principles of positive health and therapeutic measures relate to
physical, mental, social and spiritual welfare of human beings. Thus Ayurveda becomes one of the oldest systems of health care dealing
with both the preventive and curative aspects of life in a most
comprehensive way and presents a close similarity to the WHO’s concept
of health propounded in the modern era.
A perusal of its
several classical treatises indicate presence of two schools of
Physicians and Surgeons and eight specialities. These eight disciplines
are generally called "Ashtanga Ayurveda" and are :-
Internal Medicine (Kaya
Chikitsa)
Paediatrics (Kaumar
Bhritya)
Psychiatry ( Bhoot
Vidya)
Otorhinolaryngology
and Ophthalmology (Shalakya)
Surgery ( Shalya)
Toxicology( Agad
Tantra)
Geriatrics (Rasayana)
Eugenics and
aphrodisiacs (Vajikarana)
Compendia on these
subjects like Charak Samihta, Sushruta Samhita etc. were written
by the ancient scholars during B.C. period. These were used for teaching
of Ayurveda in the ancient universities of Takshashila and Nalanda.
The Beginning
During its early period,
it was perhaps the only system of overall healthcare and medicine which
served well the people in such crucial areas as health, sickness, life
and death. It enjoyed the unquestioned patronage and support of the
people and their rulers. This situation promoted maximally the growth of
this system. Practically all the systematic ground work of laying down
its basic concepts, principles and medicaments took place during this
period of Indian history.
The Medieval Period
Then followed a long
period of medieval history marked by unsettled political conditions and
several invasions from outside the country when Ayurveda faced
utter neglect. Its growth was stunted, its teaching and training were
stopped from being spread and its monopoly in practice or utilization
was eroded greatly by the officially supported systems. Ayurveda barely
survived because of its native roots and also because the official
systems of medicine could not reach everywhere particularly in widely
scattered and difficult rural areas.
The Present Era
The political situation of
the country was destined to change in favor of freedom from foreign
rule. With the awakening of nationalism and movement for freedom the
Indian cultural values and way of life (including health care and
sickness cure systems) surfaced again. The patriotic zeal of the
people, their leaders and benevolence of the rulers of princely States
initiated the revival of Ayurvedic system of medicine even before the
country got its freedom. In 1916, the Members of Imperial Legislative
Councils pressed the Government to accept this ancient and indigenous
system of Ayurveda for developing it on scientific basis and for
increasing its usefulness. In 1920, the Indian National Congress
demanded Government patronage for Ayurveda and Provincial Governments
began to grant assistance. The State and Central Governments appointed
several committees to suggest ways and means of rehabilitating this time
tested system in the service of the people and promote its further
growth following modern scientific parameters and methods. As a result,
several States started schools and colleges for training of competent
Ayurvedic practitioners with working knowledge of modern medicine.
After, the country became
free in 1947, the movement for revival gained additional momentum. The
first Health Ministers’ Conference resolved that Ayurveda should be
developed and put to use for providing Medicare to the people. In due
course of time this system got official recognition and became a part of
the National Health network of the country. In several ways, the
official health policies, national plans and programmes accorded to it
the same status as enjoyed by the dominant Allopathic system. At present
the system is well set to re-orient itself to modern scientific
parameters. Simultaneously, it is well poised for much greater,
effective utilization so as to enable the country to reach its goals of
Health for all and regulate population growth. In the present situation,
Medical Scientists are researching Ayurveda remedies for lifestyle
related diseases, degenerative and psychosomatic disorders.
DEFINITION
The
classical works on Ayurveda describe it as under :
It is that
knowledge of life which deals elaborately and at length with conditions
beneficial or otherwise to the humanity, and, to factors conducive to
the happiness, or responsible for misery or sorrow besides indicating
measures for healthful living for full span of life .
Ayurveda
is also considered as ‘Science of life’. This probably makes it the
earliest medical science having a positive concept of health to be
achieved through a blending of physical, mental, social moral and
spiritual welfare.
According
to the ancient books of knowledge, health is considered as a
prerequisite for achieving the supreme ends of life consisting of
righteousness, wealth, artistic values and spiritual freedom. Preventive
and curative aspects of diseases are considered as important components
of the concept of positive health.
Ayurveda
deals elaborately with measures of healthful living during the entire
span of life and its various phases. Besides dealing with principles for
maintenance of health, it has also developed a wide range of therapeutic
measures to combat illness. These principles of positive health and
therapeutic measures related to physical, mental, social and spiritual
welfare of human beings. Thus Ayurveda became one of the oldest system
of medicine dealing with both the preventive and curative aspects of
life in a most comprehensive way
Concepts and
Principles
Life in
Ayurveda is conceived as the union of body, senses, mind and soul. The
living man is a conglomeration of three humours (Vata, Pitta &Kapha),
seven basic tissues (Rasa, Rakta, Mansa, Meda, Asthi, Majja & Shukra) and the waste products of the body such as faeces, urine and
sweat. Thus the total body matrix comprises of the humours, the tissues
and the waste products of the body. The growth and decay of this body
matrix and its constituents revolve around food which gets processed
into humours, tissues and wastes. Ingestion, digestion, absorption,
assimilation and metabolism of food have an interplay in health and
disease which are significantly affected by psychological mechanisms as
well as by bio- fire (Agni).
Panchamahabhutas
According to Ayurveda all objects in the universe including human
body are composed of five basic elements (Panchamahabhutas)
namely, earth, water, fire, air and vacuum(ether). There is a balanced
condensation of these elements in different proportions to suit the
needs and requirements of different structures and functions of the body
matrix and its parts. The growth and development of the body matrix
depends on its nutrition, i.e. on food. The food, in turn, is composed
of the above five elements, which replenish or nourish the like elements
of the body after the action of bio-fire (Agni). The tissues of
the body are the structural whereas humours are physiological entities,
derived from different combinations and permutations of Panchamahabhutas.
Health and
Sickness
Health or
sickness depends on the presence or absence of a balanced state of the
total body matrix including the balance between its different
constituents. Both the intrinsic and extrinsic factors can cause
disturbance in the natural equilibrium giving rise to disease. This loss
of equilibrium can happen by dietary indiscrimination, undesirable
habits and non-observance of rules of healthy living. Seasonal
abnormalities, improper exercise or erratic application of sense organs
and incompatible actions of the body and mind can also result in
creating disturbance of the existing normal balance. The treatment
consists of restoring the balance of disturbed body-mind matrix through
regulating diet, correcting life-routine and behavior, administration of
drugs and resorting to preventive Panchakarma and Rasayana therapy.
In
Ayurveda diagnosis is always done of the patient as a whole. The
physician takes a careful note of the patient’s internal physiological
characteristics and mental disposition. He also studies such other
factors as the affected bodily tissues, humours, the site at which the
disease is located, patient’s resistance and vitality, his daily
routine, dietary habits, the gravity of clinical conditions, condition
of digestion and details of personal, social, economic and environmental
situation of the patient. The diagnosis also involves the following
examinations:
General physical examination
Pulse
examination
Urine
examination
Examination of the faeces
Examination of tongue and eyes
Examination of skin and ear including tactile and auditory
functions.
Treatment
The basic
therapeutic approach is, ‘that alone is the right treatment which makes
for health and he alone is the best doctor who frees one from disease’.
This sums up the principal objectives of Ayurveda, i.e. maintenance and
promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure of sickness.
Treatment of the disease consists in avoiding causative factors
responsible for disequilibrium of the body matrix or of any of its
constituent parts through the use of Panchakarma procedures, medicines,
suitable diet, activity and regimen for restoring the balance and
strengthening the body mechanisms to prevent or minimize future
occurrence of the disease.
Normally treatment measures involve use of medicines, specific diet and
prescribed activity routine. Use of these three measures is done in two
ways. In one approach of treatment the three measures antagonize the
disease by counteracting the etiological factors and various
manifestations of the disease. In the second approach the same three
measures of medicine, diet and activity are targeted to exert effects
similar to the etiological factors and manifestations of the disease
process. These two types of therapeutic approaches are respectively
known as Vipreeta and Vipreetarthkari treatments.
For
successful administration of a treatment four things are essential.
These are
The
physician
The
medicaments
The
nursing personnel
The
patient
The
physician comes first in order of importance. He must possess technical
skill, scientific knowledge, purity and human understanding. The
physician should use his knowledge with humility, wisdom and in the
service of humanity. Next in importance comes food and drugs. These are
supposed to be of high quality, wide application, grown and prepared
following approved procedures and should be available adequately. The
third component of every successful treatment is the role of nursing
personnel who should have good knowledge of nursing, must know the
skills of their art and be affectionate, sympathetic, intelligent, neat
& clean and resourceful. The fourth component is the patient himself who
should be cooperative and obedient to follow instructions of the
physician, able to describe ailments and ready to provide all that may
be needed for treatment.
Preventive Treatment &
the concepts of Aetio-Pathogenesis
Ayurveda has developed a very vivid analytical description of the stages
and events that take place since the causative factors commence to
operate till the final manifestation of disease. This gives this system
an additional advantage of knowing that possible onset of disease much
before the latent symptoms become apparent. This very much enhances the
preventive role of this system of medicine by making it possible to take
proper and effective steps in advance, to arrest further progress in
pathogenesis or to take suitable therapeutic measures to curb the
disease in its earliest stage of onset.
Types of Treatment
The
treatment of disease can be classified as
Shodhana therapy (Purification Treatment)
Shamana therapy (Palliative Treatment)
Pathya Vyavastha (Prescription of diet and activity)
Nidan Parivarjan (Avoidance of disease causing and aggravating factors)
Satvavajaya (Psychotherapy)
Rasayana therapy(use of immunomodulators and rejuvenation medicines)
(a) Shodhana treatment aims at removal
of the causative factors of somatic and psychosomatic diseases. The
process involves internal and external purification. The usual practices
involved are Panchakarma (medically induced Emesis, Purgation,
Oil Enema, Decoction enema and Nasal administration of medicines), Pre-Panchakarma procedures (external and internal oleation and induced sweating). Panchakarma treatment focuses on metabolic management. It
provides needed purificatory effect, besides conferring therapeutic
benefits. This treatment is especially helpful in neurological
disorders, musculo-skeletal disease conditions, certain vascular or
neuro-vascular states, respiratory diseases, metabolic and degenerative
disorders.
(b) Shamanatherapy involves suppression of vitiated humours (doshas). The process by which disturbed humour subsides or returns
to normal without creating imbalance of other humours is known as
shamana. This treatment is achieved by use of appetisers, digestives,
exercise and exposure to sun, fresh air etc. In this form of treatment,
palliatives and sedatives are used.
(c) Pathya Vyavasthacomprises indications and contraindications
in respect of diet, activity, habits and emotional status. This is done
with a view to enhance the effects of therapeutic measures and to impede
the pathogenetic processes. Emphasis on do’s and don’ts of diet etc is
laid with the aim to stimulate Agni and optimize digestion and
assimilation of food in order to ensure strength of tissues.
(d) Nidan Parivarjanis to avoid the known disease causing
factors in diet and lifestyle of the patient. It also encompasses the
idea to refrain from precipitating or aggravating factors of the
disease.
(e) Satvavajayaconcerns mainly with the area of mental
disturbances. This includes restraining the mind from desires for
unwholesome objects and cultivation of courage, memory and
concentration. The study of psychology and psychiatry have been
developed extensively in Ayurveda and have wide range of
approaches in the treatment of mental disorders.
(f) Rasayana therapy deals with promotion of strength and vitality. The integrity of body
matrix, promotion of memory, intelligence, immunity against the disease,
the preservation of youth, luster and complexion and maintenance of
optimum strength of the body and senses are some of the positive
benefits credited to this treatment. Prevention of premature bear and
tear of body tissues and promotion of total health content of an
individual are the roles that Rasayana therapy plays.
combines Western medicine with Complementary and Alternative medicine and mind-body-spirit approaches to health and healing.
Live Blood Analysis
Two drops of blood under a specialized high powered ultra-dark field microscope, reveals anomalies in the blood. The unique tool for prevention.
Ozone-Oxygen-Therapy
Is recognized by most as the most powerful and versatile therapy known in alternative health because it plays a vital role in maintaining the well-being of the body. Check it out why.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition.
In no event will the DrEddyClinic.com be liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance upon the information provided through this web site.
Contact Information
DrEddyClinic.com Integrated Medical Clinic Chiang Mai 50230, Thailand
Phone. +66-53-436284
Fax. +66-53-436284
Mobile. 089-8505066
email contact
live blood cell analysis, live blood analysis, blood cell analysis, live cell blood analysis, live blood cell analysis training, live blood analysis course,live blood cell, live cell analysis, live blood cell microscopy, live blood microscopy, nutritional blood analysis, nutritional microscopy, nutrition course
