Why Ayurveda in the West ?

Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA

Why Ayurveda in the West?

-Dr. Atul RaksheShree Niramaya Ayurveda Kendra, Pune

(INDIA). www.cozwecare.org

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• The term Ayurveda means “knowledge (veda) of longevity (ayus).• Ayurveda was evolved through intuitive,

experimental & perceptual methodology in India.

• The philosophy of Ayurveda is aimed at putting people in touch with themselves on a deeper spiritual level .

Philosophy of Ayurveda

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Objective of Ayurveda

• Swasthasya swaastha rakshanam (preventing the ailments)• Vyadhakanam vyadhi paramokshaha (to relieve the humanity from all categories

of miseries, i.e. physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual)

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Concept of Arogya (Health)

• Ayurveda is a medical system that deals not only with body but with the mind and spirit as well.

• The fundamental aim of ayurvedic therapy is to restore the balance between the three humours or dosha (ie, vata, pitta, and kapha) and coordination of body, mind, and consciousness.

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The doctrine of four purusharthas (fundamental objectives of life)

• dharma (righteousness or duty),• artha (wealth),• kama (desire for pleasure) and • moksha(spiritual emancipation)• The first three are for the body and mind and

the last one consists in the realization of the soul.

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Foundation Concepts

Vedic hypothesis of universal interconnectedness • It states that there are common principles

underlying the microcosm (individual) and macrocosm(universe) and that man and the universe are composed of the same basic elements.

• Health will be good if one’s mind and body are in harmony, and one’s interaction with the universe is natural and wholesome.

• Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with the universe.

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The Five Basic Physical Elements


Doshas (The three bodily humors)

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• The prakriti is a person’s unique combination of physical and psychological characteristics and the way the body functions to maintain health.

• The prakriti is believed to be unchanged over a person’s lifetime.

Prakriti (Ayurvedic Body Types)

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Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIAwww.cozwecare.org

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Uniqueness of ayurveda

• It heals from the root-cause of an illness, not merely treating the symptoms.

• It looks at people as individuals, not as a generic group.

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Gurukula

• The “Gurukula” system of education was the method of the Ayurveda training that was followed in ancient India.

• A “Gurukula” was a place where a teacher or “Guru” lived with his family and establishment, and trained the students.

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Marma (vital center)

• Treating important and sensitive spots on the body called Marmas is described in Ayurveda

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Noninvasive diagnostic tools

Nadi (pulse) reading

Observation

Physical exam through the five senses

Direct questioning

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Panchakarma(Detoxification regime)

Swedana

Shirodhara Snehanawww.cozwecare.org

Rasayana Chikitsa (rejuvenation therapy)

Rasayana is defined as any herb, food, or activity which confers youthfulness and cures diseases.

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Yoga and Pranayama (balancing the breath)

Ahimsa - Non Violence

Preventive ayurvedic lifestyle

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Emotional and Spiritual wellness

Rise of popularity in West

Holistic approach

Greater patient control

Greater personal focus

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Rising interest in Indian philosophy

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• Time tested since 5000 years

• Natural

• Safer

• Cheaper alternative

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• Ayurvedic treatment goals include eliminating impurities, reducing symptoms, increasing resistance to disease, and reducing worry and increasing harmony in the patient’s life

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Management of chronic diseases• fistula-in-ano • chronic rheumatic diseases• residual psychosis • anxiety disorders• chronic colitis• IBS• liver disorders• degenerative brain diseases • neuropathy and terminally sick patients who are

declared incurablewww.cozwecare.org

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Ayurveda mother of alternative therapies

Hearing: Music therapy, mantra chanting.

Touch: Massage (abhyañga), yoga, and exercise

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Sight: Color and art therapy

Taste: Herbal medicines given according to there taste (rasa)

Smell: Aromatherapy

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Three pillars of life

• ahara (diet),• nidra (sleep) and• brahmacharya (observance of sexual discipline).• Ayurveda believes in the principle where excess

in any walk of life be it food, sleep or sex causes harm to the body. Hence regulated functioning of the three triads i.e food, sleep & sex is essential.

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Ayurvedic Diet

• Ayurvedic diet generally suggest personalised diet for people whilst considering factors like age and gender, the doshic tendencies that needs to be balanced at a given time, the potency of the body tissues and the digestive abilities.

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Types of food

• Ayurveda classifies food into three types : satva, rajas and of tamas nature.

• Rajas is responsible for all mental disturbances

• The right kind of satvic food aids purifying the mind from this excess

Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1527-1593, The Gardener

• Ayurvedic diet can be categorised depending on dosha or constitutional type and also based on the six types of tastes.

• According to Ayurveda well balanced diet consists of food stuffs having six tastes namely Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent.

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• According to Ayurveda, the tastes can increase or decrease the three doshas namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

• Any diet, which solely concentrates on one type of food, is incomplete as it is unable to balance all aspects of the physiology.

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Eight factors determining the food utility

1) nature of food articles2) method of their processing3) combination4) Quantity5) Habitat6) Time7) Rules governing intake of food8) Wholesomeness to individual who takes it.

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Aharavidhividhanam

• Charaka, the great Ayurvedic practitioner recommends aharavidhividhanam (ten rules for food intake).

• Avoid uneasy combinations • Fill half quantity of stomach with food, one

fourth quantity with water and liquid substances and keep the remaining one fourth for air.

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Rules Related to Diet

• Don’t eat food in a hurry or when you are in a disturbed state of mind, full of tensions, strains, and emotional outbreaks.

• Wash your hands, feet and mouth, using clean utensils in a clean place which is well lighted and well-ventilated.

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Dinacharya

• dina – day & acharya – behavior

• In order to keep the tridoshas in a state of healthy equilibrium , digestion & agni (metabolism) in proper order, Ayurveda prescribes for each individual a specific daily routine

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Arising

Natural urges

Head oil

Cleanliness

Massage

Exercise

Good sleepwww.cozwecare.org

Ritucharya• The doshas are influenced primarily by

seasonal variations.• Knowledge of the seasons is related to the

balancing of the doshas.• Hence Ritucharya i.e. the seasonal taste

adjustments, dietetics and regime is to be followed.

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Ayurveda in India

• Due to countrywide presence• easy availability• affordability• safety up to 80% of the Indian population

use Ayurvedic medicine. (Gogtay et al., 2002).

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Ayurveda in West

• In UK, about 28% of the population use CAM and up to 49% cancer patients use traditional medicines (Simpson and Roman, 2001; Johnston et al., 2003; Thomas et al., 2003).

• Ayurveda is recognized as an official healthcare system in Hungary.

• In USA, up to 59% of the population use CAM.(Eisenberg et al., 1998;Graham et al., 2005; Saydah and Eberhardt, 2006, Source : Los Angeles Times * Economic times dated 25th July 2003 )

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Ayurveda as Global medicine

• WHO at Alma Ata in 1978 have recognized that the role of traditional medicine is important in the health care scenario of both the developing and the developed world.

• Hence in view of the potential of Ayurveda, it has been realized that Ayurveda can contribute substantially to the success of the present health care delivery system.

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Dr. Atul RaksheShree Niramaya Ayurveda Kendra Opp. Dnyanaprabodhini,Sadashiv Peth,Pune +91 94220 34506www.cozwecare.org

Dr.Vikas ChotheEmpire Estate, M-2, 001Chinchwad, Pune+91 [email protected]

Thank youwww.cozwecare.org

Health & Medicine

Why Ayurveda in the West ?