Why is Allopathy more approachable than Ayurveda?
When should I consult for Ayurveda treatment?
Why should we choose Ayurveda ?
Is Ayurveda safe?
Is the treatment with Ayurveda slow?
Are there any side effects of Ayurvedic medicines?
Can Ayurvedic medicine be taken along with Allopathic medicine?
What do you mean by Ayurveda’s holistic approach?
Q Why is it that Allopathy is more approachable than Ayurveda?
Ans. Our body, our mind and our demands are conditioned to Allopathy because we have been using it over a long period of time. Hence it appears to be more approachable. Another reason is promotion of Allopathy, partly due to its quick results and partly due to lack of awareness about the Ayurvedic system of Medicine. Outwardly, yes allopathy appears to come easier though the fact is that Ayurveda, being our health culture, comes naturally to us if we do not resist it. It is all in our mind. We need to use our intellect rather than go blindly for allopathic system just because everyone else is doing so.If we re-condition and liberate our mind to an open thinking, everything will become equally approachable and we will have the privilege of choosing the right system of medicine at the right time. Fear of mind needs to be replaced by the desire to change for the betterment of health.
Q When should I consult for Ayurveda treatment?
Ans. Any person,whether he is sick or not, can consult an Ayurveda doctor. If the person is healthy he is advised on how to keep fit by analyzing his mind-body-constitution-analysis (prakriti) and guiding him about diet, lifestyle and precautions to be taken as per the analysis; if he is not in good health then medicine are prescribed as per the requirement. Individual mind-body constitution analysis is essential as unlike machine man has a mind. He has the power of thinking and deciding his acts and conduct. This power of decision depends on his psyche which in turn depends on the mind-body constitution of the individual.
Q Why should we go in for Ayurveda ?
Ans. Kindly see the section ‘East meets West’ for the answer.
Q Is Ayurveda safe ?
Ans. Yes, Ayurveda is completely safe. Ayurveda is the ancient most health care system in the world. It is an eternal science based on universal law of nature. It has its mention in our age old Vedas, especially Atharva-veda , which has extensive Ayurveda informations. Since the turn of the last century, books on Western medicine have completely changed, but Ayurveda is the only science which has retained its principles in the fast changing world. Every other day, we have contradictory views on the safety of majority of Allopathic medicines, over-the- counter sales of Allopathic medicines, so on and so forth. There are regular articles ‘pro & against’ allopathic medicines in newspapers and magazines, debates are always on and most of them are without conclusion. On the contrary, all the concepts (from purification of metals/herbs, to their percentage in medicines, to the line of treatment, to the examination, etc.) mentioned in our age old texts of Ayurveda stand the test of time by any standards, till date. This has been proved time & again by researchers all over the world. Today well-informed people all over the world are seeking safer, alternative forms of medical care, which do not involve treatment that is potentially dangerous and toxic. Many people including physicians have turned to older systems of medicine which have been tested down the centuries and have more complete and safer methods of treatment and Ayurveda is one of these.
Q Is the treatment with Ayurveda slow and does it take too long for cures?
Ans. No, it is not a slow process. It is observed that the epidemic of lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, stress, depression, asthma, hair/skin problems was not so prevalent about a decade back. Today every other person is suffering from a few of these. All these diseases do not have any defined time limit treatment even in allopathic system of medicine. In most cases the medicines for these are to be taken throughout the lifetime along with their due side-effects, because many inadequately tested drugs arrive in the market. In a few years when their side effects become apparent, the drugs are withdrawn and patients left to suffer the consequences for a lifetime. On the contrary, all the concepts mentioned in our age old texts stand the test of time by any standards till date. In Ayurveda, effort is made to address the root/cause of the disease along with the symptomatic treatments. The results can be analysed by regular monitoring of the investigations and it is observed that, as against the misconception, the treatments are not slow. In chronic ailments, the body has suffered a lot of damage and can take time to recover. This, however, is the same as every other system of medicine.
Q. Are there any side effects of Ayurvedic medicines?
A. With Ayurvedic preparations, generally, there are no side effects provided they are taken under the guidance of your practitioner. However, occasionally some discomfort or nausea may be felt as the herbs take effect and the body is adjusting. Often discomfort is a result of weak digestion and a build-up of toxins in the body. This can be alleviated by adjusting the doses. Depending on the imbalance, changing diet and daily regime to suit your ‘Body- Constitution'(Doshas) may(or may not) take some time to adjust.
Q. Can Ayurvedic medicine be taken along with Allopathic medicine?
A. Yes. Because of multi-dimensional wide range of efficacy of Ayurvedic treatment, a harmonised approach of these two systems is proven to be successful and fruitful. Sometimes Ayurvedic medicines act as a catalyst to Allopathic medicines while at the other times they minimize the toxicity of the latter.
Q: How is Ayurveda different from Allopathy?
A: Allopathy has a reductionist approach whereas Ayurveda has a holistic approach towards treatments. In other words the difference is in the basic principle of complete wellbeing.
Unlike allopathy, Ayurveda says that our body is not merely an isolated collection of atoms and molecules, but is an inseparable part of the infinite field of intelligence and energy-flow. From this holistic perspective, health is not merely the absence of illness or symptoms; but it is a positive state of health and happiness in a healthy mind and body. Ayurveda talks about complete wellness- physical, psychological, spiritual as well social wellness.
Ayurveda believes in individualized treatments of the patients on the basis of their ‘Mind-Body Constitution’, whereas in Allopathy the treatments are same for everyone. Ayurveda says that all health-related measures must be based on an understanding of an individual’s unique mind-body constitution or dosha. By analyzing the constitution of the body, diet, physical activities, and medical treatments can be worked upon for prevention of diseases, promotion of health and its preservation.
Allopathy is focused on treating and removing symptoms rather than treating the patient suffering from it. Ayurveda makes special contributions by addressing the uniqueness of each patient and by helping each body to heal itself. Instead of treating the symptoms of disease, Ayurveda focuses on eliminating the illness by treating the underlying cause.
Q: What do you mean by Ayurveda’s holistic approach?
A: Ayurveda is a healing system that treats the patient as a whole. It integrates body, mind, and spirit rather than simply treating individual symptoms. It says health is a complete state of wellness inside-out which includes physical, psychological, spiritual as well social wellness.
There are many aspects to this holistic approach. One of the aspects is that Ayurveda’s holistic approach says that we are microcosms of the macrocosmic universe. It believes that there is an underlying intelligence/energy that flows through and connects everyone and everything in the universe. Ayurveda sees life as the exchange of energy and information between individuals and their extended body – the surrounding/habitat. If our habitat is nourishing/healthy /positive, we remain healthy; if our habitat is unhealthy/toxic /negative, we may become sick. Therefore, learning how to eliminate toxicity from within and outside is the key to health.
