There is no clear-cut demarcation of food and medicine in Ayurveda; at the same time there are many scientifically proven rules in Ayurveda by which a medicine acts on the human body. Ayurveda has a proven pharmacology that works on the principles of Six-taste theory and ‘hot and cold potency’ theories. There are rules and exceptions within this taste theory. Almost all herbs and edible items available in our country are documented in all classical Ayurvedic texts including Charaka Samhitha and Astanga Hrudaya. The seers of India who wrote these books has even mentioned the qualities of meats including pork and beef which is often considered taboo by many in India and abroad.
The Ayurvedic or herbal medicines are more relevant in this age of antibiotics. Irrational use of antibiotics has made many a bacteria resistant to these dugs and new generation antibiotics are hard coming. If the microbes get resistant, administration of many antibiotics will become obsolete. We have to look at the Ayurvedic principles which treat diseases by ‘correcting the imbalance of humors (three doshas) which are based on universal laws of nature which are eternally true.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
MODERN MEDICINE AND AYURVEDA
Many a modern medical doctor is skeptical about the feasibility of Ayurvedic or herbal medicine. This opinion arises from lack of basic knowledge in Ayurvedic principles. To understand pharmacodynamics of Ayurveda one needs to have a basic knowledge about the five-element theory (Five Great Elements of Material Existence), thri dosha theory (three humor theory), concept of six-taste and their influence on doshas.
Modern medicine is based on scientific truths supported by the physical and molecular chemistry taking place within our body. The greatest advantage of modern medicine is its immaculate and infallible theories about how drugs act on somatic cells both within the body and in laboratories. The success of modern medicine in the last one hundred years is mainly due to the modern pharmacology’s success to combat bacterial diseases. Apart from this in the case of viral diseases modern medicine had lesser ammunition to fight with. But this drawback was nullified to some extent by the success achieved thru vaccination.
Mother Nature considers every living thing in this planet as equal. Like humans even bacteria and other microbes are also nurtured by it. Nature is a great leveler and it gives equal chance to its entire offspring including microbes.
We humans are selfish and take the lives of other organism for granted. Consider a honey bee or hornet attacking humans. An attack by these insects is always triggered by human intrusion. As far as honeybee is concerned it is protecting the colony from invaders. They defend their colony by sacrificing their life. (a honeybee can sting only once). They die in the process of protecting the colony. Likewise the microbes which attack us whenever they get a chance in the shape of an open wound. They are trying to do their ‘karma.’ We have all the right to protect ourselves from these microbes. Antibiotics are the biggest friend of a modern doctor to fight bacteria. Most of the time many practitioner of modern medicine use these medicines irrationally and ending up in microbes gaining tolerance to these drugs.
Modern medicine is based on scientific truths supported by the physical and molecular chemistry taking place within our body. The greatest advantage of modern medicine is its immaculate and infallible theories about how drugs act on somatic cells both within the body and in laboratories. The success of modern medicine in the last one hundred years is mainly due to the modern pharmacology’s success to combat bacterial diseases. Apart from this in the case of viral diseases modern medicine had lesser ammunition to fight with. But this drawback was nullified to some extent by the success achieved thru vaccination.
Mother Nature considers every living thing in this planet as equal. Like humans even bacteria and other microbes are also nurtured by it. Nature is a great leveler and it gives equal chance to its entire offspring including microbes.
We humans are selfish and take the lives of other organism for granted. Consider a honey bee or hornet attacking humans. An attack by these insects is always triggered by human intrusion. As far as honeybee is concerned it is protecting the colony from invaders. They defend their colony by sacrificing their life. (a honeybee can sting only once). They die in the process of protecting the colony. Likewise the microbes which attack us whenever they get a chance in the shape of an open wound. They are trying to do their ‘karma.’ We have all the right to protect ourselves from these microbes. Antibiotics are the biggest friend of a modern doctor to fight bacteria. Most of the time many practitioner of modern medicine use these medicines irrationally and ending up in microbes gaining tolerance to these drugs.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
History of Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the name given the ancient Indian science of healing. It is at least a couple of Millennia old. According to some schools of Ayurveda it was a secret revealed by Brahma, the cosmic creator, from his deep meditation. This knowledge reached mankind thru the sages of ancient India who were in deep meditation in the caves of mighty Himalayas. When saddened by the ill health of the mankind they sought to alleviate their sufferings.
A slightly less spiritual and possibly more rational explanation is that these sages experimented with the only aid they had at that time – herbs, to perfect a system of medicine which more and more people are turning to today, as an alternative to Modern Medicine, which though is very fast acting.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the indigenous medical system of India. The word Ayurveda literarily means knowledge of life. It is not only a system of medicine but knowledge and advices about the lifestyle to be followed by healthy people. It gives much importance for the preventive aspect as well. Ayurveda aims proper health and disease-free life.
History of Ayurveda
The origin of Ayurveda dates back to the period of Vedas* which dates back to 4000 BC. Sages of ancient India imparted this divine knowledge to mankind through their vision and insight.
Indian culture is an amalgamation of Dravidian and Aryan civilizations. Ayurveda has also gained considerably from this. Later on there has been contribution from Buddhists who in turn took this divine science to rest of Asia. Interestingly it was Srilankans who propagated Ayurveda to the western world in the late nineteen nineties, especially to German-speaking areas of Europe.
A slightly less spiritual and possibly more rational explanation is that these sages experimented with the only aid they had at that time – herbs, to perfect a system of medicine which more and more people are turning to today, as an alternative to Modern Medicine, which though is very fast acting.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda is the indigenous medical system of India. The word Ayurveda literarily means knowledge of life. It is not only a system of medicine but knowledge and advices about the lifestyle to be followed by healthy people. It gives much importance for the preventive aspect as well. Ayurveda aims proper health and disease-free life.
History of Ayurveda
The origin of Ayurveda dates back to the period of Vedas* which dates back to 4000 BC. Sages of ancient India imparted this divine knowledge to mankind through their vision and insight.
Indian culture is an amalgamation of Dravidian and Aryan civilizations. Ayurveda has also gained considerably from this. Later on there has been contribution from Buddhists who in turn took this divine science to rest of Asia. Interestingly it was Srilankans who propagated Ayurveda to the western world in the late nineteen nineties, especially to German-speaking areas of Europe.
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