AYURVEDIC MEDICINE

Ayurveda means 'the knowledge of life'. It is one of the oldest and most complete medial systems, and Indian scholars date its origins to around 6,000 BC. Ayurvedic physicians believe that health reflects the harmonious operation of the body, mind and soul, and that disease is caused when an imbalance occurs. Ayurvedic medicine is part of a complex philosophy, which most conventionally trained health-care practitioners today would not consider to be an integral part of healing.

In Ayurveda the human being is regarded as a microcosm of the universe. The five elements of the universe correspond to the five senses of the body and five modes of action. The life force, known as prana, is controlled by three basic forces, or doshas, which exist in all things and function in human beings as follows: pit, or bodily fire, controls the biochemical functions of the body; kaph, or biological water, controls the fluid metabolism of the body and certain psychological functions; vat, or bodily air, controls movement and the nervous system. Diseases occur when these forces are not n balance within the individual.

Polarity Therapy
Polarity therapy, developed by Randolf Stone (a chiropractor, osteopath and naturopath) in the 1950s, is based on the Ayurvedic principle that health and happiness depend on the free flow of energy between the five chakras, the energy centres of the body. Therapy includes the use of touch, the development of psychological awareness, cleansing diets and gentle exercises.

Ayurvedic Elements, Senses And Actions
Element

• Space or ether
• Air
• Fire
• Water
• Earth

Sense

• Hearing
• Touch
• Vision
• Taste
• Smell

Organ

• Ear
• Skin
• Eye
• Tongue
• Nose

Action

• Speech
• Holding, giving, receiving
• Walking
• Procreation
• Excretion

Vehicle of action

• Mouth
• Hand
• Feet
• Genitals
• Anus

Ayurvedic Practice
Various therapeutic methods are used in Ayurvedic medicine, and specialities, such as surgery, have developed in modern conventional medicine. Treatment is chosen to match both the constitution of the patient and the particular illness that has occurred.

There is great emphasis on diet, both for its direct effect on the patient and also for its influence on the action of any medicine that might be prescribed. It is believed that an inappropriate diet can cause the accumulation of toxic substances. These are called ama and are thought to cause disease by disturbing the natural balance of the body. As a result, dietary changes, including the use of fasting, are usually recommended at the start of treatment.

Yoga, meditation (see previous post), chanting, attention to posture, sleep and other aspects of lifestyle are also usually included in an initial prescription. Herbal medicines may be recommended, and again these are chosen specifically for the individual. They may be prescribed to be taken at particular times during the day, a concept that has only recently begun to be developed in modern conventional treatment.

Stronger treatments may be required if the disease fails to respond to the initial therapy. These include purification by inducing diarrhoea or vomiting and surgery. These treatments are recognized to be potentially weakening and so, when the disease has been eliminated, rejuvenation therapy is prescribed to restore full balance and strength.

Medication
The Ayurvedic pharmacy is highly developed and complex. There are more than 8,000 preparations, most of which derived from plants and minerals. Some of the substances used have been subjected to modern research and found to have pharmacological properties relevant for the disease for which they are prescribed. For example, cumin, which is given for rheumatic conditions, contains curcurmin, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

It is possible that some Ayurvedic medicines may have useful properties that, so far, the pharmaceutical industry has been unable to re-create. These include substances that may protect the body from the side effects of drugs that suppress the immune system, often used after transplant surgery, or protect the live from overdoses of paracetamol.