Discover the principles of Ayurveda

Ayurveda: An Overview

• Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system that originated in the Indian subcontinent, with historical roots dating back over two millennia.

• Ayurveda therapies include herbal medicines, special diets, meditation, yoga, massage, laxatives, enemas, and medical oils.

• Ayurvedic preparations are typically based on complex herbal compounds, minerals, and metal substances.

• The main classical Ayurveda texts begin with accounts of the transmission of medical knowledge from the gods to sages, and then to human physicians.

• Ayurveda emphasizes the balance of three elemental doshas viz. vāta, pitta, and kapha, and states that their imbalance results in disease.

• Ayurveda divides medicine into eight canonical components, including surgery, and identifies eight ways to diagnose illness.

• Ayurveda follows the concept of Dinacharya, which says that natural cycles are important for health, and hygiene is also a central practice.

• Ayurvedic remedies are mostly plant-based, but animal products, minerals, and alcoholic beverages are also used.

• Purified opium and cannabis indica are used in some Ayurvedic preparations, and massage with oil is commonly prescribed.

• Panchakarma, which involves five techniques to eliminate toxic elements from the body, is an important aspect of Ayurveda.

• Ayurveda is widely practiced in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, where formal study is offered in the form of a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree.

• Ayurveda is considered pseudoscientific, and there is no good evidence that it is effective to treat or cure cancer.Ayurveda: History, Classification, and Global Usage

• Ayurvedic practice in India has become more "biomedicalized" and secularized, while Ayurveda in the West may emphasize spiritual aspects and preventative medicine.

• Ayurveda was challenged by European medicine during colonization, leading to the development of "Modern Ayurveda" and "Global Ayurveda," which includes the practice of Ayurveda pharmacopeia and New Age Ayurveda.

• In India, Ayurveda is used by 80% of the population exclusively or combined with Western medicine, and the government supports research and teaching in Ayurveda through various channels.

• Nepal has a similar usage rate to India, while Sri Lanka has its own tradition of Ayurveda with an established Ministry of Indigenous Medicine.

• Ayurveda was introduced to the United States in the 1970s by Baba Hari Dass and is not licensed or regulated by any state.

• Ayurvedic medicine is considered pseudoscientific due to its lack of scientific soundness and quality of research, but some herbs and substances may have potential for effective treatments.

• The use of toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic in Ayurvedic practices has caused adverse reactions and led to concerns about quality control and regulation.

• Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced since ancient times, with some scholars claiming its origins in the Indus Valley civilization, but there is debate over its historical accuracy.

• The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns against the use of Ayurvedic medicine for heavy metal poisoning and emphasizes the use of conventional health providers first.

• Research in Ayurveda is undertaken by various institutions in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

• The World Health Organization has found a shortage of qualified doctors in India, particularly in rural areas, and a low density of all doctors compared to other countries.

• The global Ayurveda market was worth $4.5 billion in 2017, according to Industry Research.A Brief History of Ayurvedic Medicine

• Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of medicine that originated in India over 3,000 years ago.

• The practice of Ayurveda is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit.

• Ayurvedic medicine includes the use of herbs, massage, and other natural remedies to treat a variety of conditions.

• Three principal early texts on Ayurveda have survived to the present day: Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Bhela Samhita.

• The dating of these texts is historically complicated, but they are in their present form datable to a period between the second and fifth centuries CE.

• Ayurveda flourished throughout the Indian Middle Ages, and its medical works were translated into Chinese, Arabic, Persian, and eventually reached Europe by the 12th century.

• In Renaissance Italy, the Branca family of Sicily and Gaspare Tagliacozzi were influenced by the Arabic reception of the Sushruta's surgical techniques.

• British physicians traveled to India to observe rhinoplasty being performed using Indian methods, and reports on their rhinoplasty methods were published in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1794.

• Ayurveda became a part of the Indian National healthcare system, with state hospitals for Ayurveda established across the country.

• Debate about the place of Ayurvedic medicine in the contemporary internationalized world continues today.

• The use of herbs and surgical instruments became widespread in Ayurveda, and treatments were prescribed for complex ailments, including angina pectoris, diabetes, hypertension, and stones.

• The political debate about the place of Ayurveda in contemporary India has continued to the present, both in the public arena and in government.