Ayurveda And Its Significance
Ayurveda and Its Significance
Ayurveda is the mystical Pandora’s box for human health and medical sciences. Be it Asclepius, Greek-Roman god of medicine, son of Apollo (god of healing, truth, and prophecy), or Lord Shiva ( the revered first surgeon of the world ), have resurrected human faith in naturally occurring components on our Mother Earth.
As mentioned above, Ayurveda has been around for thousands of years and was considered one of the best ways to treat diseases and lead a healthy lifestyle in ancient India. Owing to the significance of maintaining good health, humankind started using the principles and concepts of Ayurveda in the modern world as well. Ayurveda blends our modern lifestyle and health-oriented habits with the ancient wisdom of using natural substances, medicines, and herbs to help us lead a healthy, happy, stress-free, and disease-free life. Ayurveda was officially recognized by WHO (World Health Organization) in 1976.
The cardinal aim of Ayurveda is to restore the individual balance between mind, body, and spirit. Ayurveda classifies all individuals and body types into three categories: Kapha (Earth and Water) Pitta (Fire and Water)
Vata (Air and Ether) So, all Ayurvedic treatments and therapies vary for individuals depending on the fact that they belong to which aforementioned body type. Every individual needs to perform exercises, yoga, meditation, and take nutrition depending on his/her body constitution.
As long as you are eating as per your body type and performing the exercises accordingly, Ayurveda claims that you will stay disease-free. The primary requisites of living an Ayurveda-inspired healthy life include wholesome food, meditation, and yoga. If you are indulging in these three, you can prevent a lot of diseases, lead a happy life and perform optimally every day. With the Ayurvedic way of life, we can beat stress, which is one of the underlying causes of an array of health troubles that people suffer from in this modern world.
Ayurveda as a Complementary System of Healing The basic difference between Ayurveda and Western allopathic medicine is important to understand. Western allopathic medicine currently tends to focus on symptomatology and disease, and primarily uses drugs and surgery to rid the body of pathogens or diseased tissue. Many lives have been saved by this approach. In fact, surgery is encompassed by Ayurveda. However, drugs, because of their toxicity, often weaken the body. Ayurveda does not focus on disease. Rather, Ayurveda maintains that all life must be supported by energy in balance. When there is minimal stress and the flow of energy within a person is balanced, the body’s natural defense systems will be strong and can more easily defend against disease. It must be emphasized that Ayurveda is not a substitute for Western allopathic medicine. There are many instances when the disease process and acute conditions can best be treated with drugs or surgery. Ayurveda can be used in conjunction with Western medicine to make a person stronger and less likely to be afflicted with disease and/or to rebuild the body after being treated with drugs or surgery. We all have times when we don’t feel well and recognize that we’re out of balance. Sometimes we go to the doctor only to be told there is nothing wrong. What is actually occurring is that this imbalance has not yet become recognizable as a disease. Yet it is serious enough to make us notice our discomfort. We may start to wonder whether it is just our imagination. We may also begin to consider alternative measures and actively seek to create balance in our body, mind, and consciousness. Evaluation and Treatment of Imbalances Ayurveda encompass various techniques for assessing health. The practitioner carefully evaluates key signs and symptoms of illness, especially in relation to the origin and cause of an imbalance. They also consider the patient’s suitability for various treatments.
The practitioner arrives at diagnosis through direct questioning, observation, and a physical exam, as well as inference. Basic techniques such as taking the pulse, observing the tongue, eyes, and physical form; and listening to the tone of the voice are employed during an assessment. Palliative and cleansing measures, when appropriate, can be used to help eliminate an imbalance along with suggestions for eliminating or managing the causes of the imbalance. Recommendations may include the implementation of lifestyle changes; starting and maintaining a suggested diet; and the use of herbs. In some cases, participating in a cleansing program, called panchakarma, is suggested to help the body rid itself of accumulated toxins to gain more benefit from the various suggested measures of treatment. In summary, Ayurveda addresses all aspects of life – the body, mind, and spirit. It recognizes that each of us is unique, each response differently to the many aspects of life, each possesses different strengths and weaknesses. Through insight, understanding, and experience Ayurveda presents a vast wealth of information on the relationships between causes and their effects, both immediate and subtle, for each unique individual.