AYURVEDA- THE ANCIENT WISDOM FOR HEALING
Ayurveda is considered as the ‘Mother of Healing’. It is the ancient Indian system of natural and holistic medicine that was developed more than 5000 years ago. ‘Ayurveda’ can be translated into ‘the science of life’ (Ayur – ‘life’ and Veda – ‘science’). It was first recorded in the Veda, the world’s oldest existing literature. It is also the first scientific medical branch, which was practiced since ancient times. Ayurveda thus offers a unique blend of science and philosophy that balances the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components necessary for holistic health.
Ayurveda is based on two fundamental theories, the Pancha Mahabhuttas and Tridosha theory. Ayurvedic philosophy believes that everything in the universe is made of the five elements. When the Pancha Mahabhuttas or five elements (space, air, fire, water, and earth) is balanced, the body is healthy and when they are imbalanced, there is disease. These elements manifest into life forces and make each of us unique, physically and mentally. The elements combine into three Doshas (life forces) – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The combination of the three Doshas influences our mental, emotional and physical tendencies.
‘The science of life’ from Vedas were comprehended in the form of principles by great Acharyas and Rishis. Of the treatises on Ayurveda, the most famous are Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita. The art of Ayurveda had influenced many older traditional methods of healing including Chinese and Greek medicine. The philosophy and techniques of Ayurveda remain essentially the same even now as at its inception. Sushruta Samhita was also known as the earliest surgeons of the recorded history (600 B.C.). He is believed to be the first individual to describe plastic surgery. In this age where people think that plastic surgery is a modern concept, the studies and findings of Sushruta reveals that Ayurveda is a mainstream treatment and not just an alternative one. It also shows how significant Ayurveda is and how it has influenced the growth of modern conventional treatments.
Ayurveda is the science of combating problems with natural solutions and hence there are no side effects as such of this branch of medicine. The medicines in this field are prepared perfectly on the discipline and rules presented in the Ayurvedic scripts and texts and hence they have still retained their effectiveness in curing even incurable diseases. Even today the medicines are prepared by following the same ground rules.
In the 1970s, the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted a study in conjunction with the Ayurvedic Trust — a public charitable health care organization in India — to test the effectiveness of Ayurvedic treatments in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The study found that such treatments were both safe and effective, providing symptomatic relief of arthritis with no harmful side effects.
Ayurveda plays a significant role in the diagnosis and treatment of ailments. In situations, when the mainstream medical science fails to provide restoration of health, Ayurveda has been the embraced as the best solution for holistic cure. The most important factor that makes Ayurveda so popular is the fact that it follows the traditional and natural way to restore the balance of human system and free the body from ailments. It has thus not only amassed people from India, but also from all over the world.
Ayurveda specializes in treating many types of ailments such as Psoriasis, all types of Arthritis, Back pain and other types of body pain, Obesity, thyroid and other lifestyle diseases and such. Modern medical science also may provide treatments for the various diseases, but has different side effects of the medicine. As Ayurveda uses natural medicines, there are no side effects and would help the body realize holistic health. The rejuvenation and relaxation therapies in Ayurveda will help in keeping the body, soul and mind stress free.
Currently, it has greatly influenced health care practices both in the east and the west. Recently in the last decades, Ayurveda has received a very big boost in the West, due to its holistic approach and good success rate in handling psychosomatic cases and for the promotion of positive health. It has gained popularity in Europe and America in the form of massage therapy or to the best detoxification therapy.
The countries where Ayurveda is practiced include: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Argentina, Australia, Republic of Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Russia, Japan Portugal, New Zealand, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, Arab countries like UAE, Oman etc.
The importance of Ayurveda has not waned and have been increasingly gaining momentum even after the evolution of multiple other way of treatments or the popularly know mainstream medical science. It yet, continues to grow on, asserting the fact that it is one of the most trusted medicinal and health approaches available.