Ancient Ayurveda

In ancient India every branch of science was developed abiding nature’s rules. So ancient Indian science & knowledge are extremely befitting for this age. Ayurveda is the ancient Indian health science developed through centuries long research works of sages, who were eminent scholars. As the term Ayurveda denotes to the knowledge of life it’s not only a system to cure disease but the regimen teaching us ways to achieve Perfect Health from diseased or abnormal conditions and guidelines to lead a life, both physical and mental, to attain the bliss of real life.

Keen observation and study of nature including all kinds of life in the world for hundreds of years could only have formulated such a life science which has a concrete basis in Indian philosophy and wide reaching applicability in life of all sorts. Since it is holistic, it approaches man as a whole and cares man’s physical mental and spiritual health. It’s almost as old as mankind and at the same time so new as modern man that no disease is there which is incurable or uncontrollable unless misled too much.

According to ayurveda human body is composed of three fun-damental elements called Doshas - which represent the physicochemical and physiological activities of the body, ‘Dhatu’ which denotes the materials entering in to the formation of a basic structure of the body cell, thereby performing some basic actions and Malas the substance which are partly used in the body and partly excreted in yet another from after serving their physiological activities. The dynamic equilibrium of these leads to perfect health and imbalance of any of these leads to disease. To attain perfect health we have to maintain the original, natural balance of these. The role of a physician is to understand the imbalance happened to this dynamic equilibrium and to correct or give advice as how can it be brought to the original state, whether with medicine or with changes in life style. He studies the patient; not only the disease, with some special techniques and gives you some medicines and lot of advice, after which you may feel healthier and no

the key to God’s own country

ayurveda

01

system upset. Though Doshas Dhatus and Malas are equally important, Doshas have added dominance; because human body and everything in it are influenced by doshas and maintenance of their balance will correct the defects of the other.

Doshas are three - vata, pitta, and kapha and they may not be equal and same in all. According to the dominance of each dosha every man is categorised to different types. There can be single dosha types - 2 dosha and 3 - dosha types.

There is abundant means to find out body types and it is easy for an ayurvedic doctor to comprehend anyone’s body type. A lot of rearrangements and adjustments we can do in a positive way in our life style, food habits etc; according to our body type to attain a stage of perfect health and to resist illness. So nowadays, in the age of dreadful diseases the ayurvedic system of identifying body types have unfathomable importance. Physical and mental co-operation of the patient to make necessary changes in his life style and food habits also are essential to procure the natural dynamic balance of the doshas and once that balance is maintained the illness is gone. So every ayurvedic doctor is making his patient very healthy and not treating the disease. Ayurveda gives special emphasis on prevention on disease. Signs and symptoms by which we can foresee an illness are well described in the texts so that can take necessary steps to avoid it or lessen the strength of it. More over it describes how to live to avoid disease in each climate and how can perfect health be maintained throughout the life. A strict follower of these advices can enjoy an ill-less enthusiastic life with high quality physical, mental and spiritual health.

02

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

Treatment of Making you healthy The treatment in ayurveda is classified mainly into two Samana and Sodhana.

Samana is the pacifying way of treatment and sodhana roots out the disease from the body. Oral therapy and easier means of treatment are prescribed under

04

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

Samana treatment. But Sodhana treatment is extensive, time consuming procedures to change a diseased man to the original healthy man. These are widely used all over India for patients with chronic illnesses. If done with special precautions, regular checkups and extra care these type of ‘Sodhana’ treatments can work wonders and this is what happens in India, especially in Kerala, which attracts a lot of foreigners from all over the world to this small state.

Medicine You are what you eat - according to ayurvedic principle. So much significance is given to the food habits and life style. Natural herbs are widely used as medicines.

In fundamental principles of Ayurveda 5 basic elements are very important. The universe, and anything in the universe is believed to be made of these 5 elementsair, water, earth, fire and space. Quality and nature of everything varies according to difference in the proportion of these elements. According to the dominance of these elements each plant or each mineral exhibits its own physical and chemical characters. This basic principle is made use of in the formulation of medicines in Ayurveda.

Since natural herbs being the main ingredients of the medicines, side effects or ill effects are negligible. So it is more or less safe to use ayurvedic drugs in any condition. In modern medicine side effects of drugs are the most scaring nightmare these days. Powerful chemicals used to cure simple illness usually

06

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

lead us to more complicated chronic diseases such as stomach ulcers, diabetes, kidney & liver problems, piles etc. This will never happen with ayurvedic drugs because of it’s tie with nature. There is a branch of ayurveda where solely chemicals are used as medicine. But on every step from the purification of the chemical to the directions for the usage, special care is taken to avoid any side effects and if used in the prescribed manner these are also reliable.

Panchakarma and Kerala Treatments Panchakarma is a term most mistaken among European people. It is really 5 main treatments, by which viciated doshas are expelled from the body. They include Vamana (induced vomiting) Virechanam (Purgation) Asthapanam (enema with decoction) Anuvasanam (enema with oil) and Nasyam ( Nasal application of oil). According to another school, both the enemas are included under common title Vasti and 5th one is Rakta-moksham (Blood letting).

Oleation of the body and steam bath are performed before Vamana (induced vomiting) Vire-chana (Purgation) etc. The viciated doshas, waste materials and toxins are expelled by panchakarma. But for the convenience of the complete expulsion they are collected at particular sites by these pre-panchakarma process

08

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

called ‘Sneh-apanam (oleation) and Swedanam (Steam bath). There are particular, prescribed procedures and steps by which these are carried out.Kerala is a small state situated at the south west of India. This state has a very unique cultural background and has a special nature that it won’t accept anything as such. If anything new comes, it will sow the seeds of that in its own soil and cultivate with its own water and air and then will reap the results and that will be used.

This happened in the case of ayurveda also. Apart from all over India, Kerala has a special method of treatment. Though the lessons and texts studied are same, the system of treatment is entirely different and far more effective as well. These special methods of treatments which can be included in the pre and post – panchakarma procedures are Sarvanga snehadhara /Pizhichil (oil bath), Shashtikapinda-swedam (rice bundle massage), Patrapo-dalaswedam (leaf bundle massage) Sirodhara (head bath) etc.

Sarvanga Snehadhara /oil bath: Basically oil bath is a treatment to get rid of the blockages in blood vessels, nerves and other channels. So it is very effective and essential in diseases where the basic cause is blockage.

Shashtikapindaswedam / rice bundle massage: This treatment is basically a strengthening one and is used in conditions where joints or muscles need more strength or lubrication.

Patrapodalaswedam (Leaf bundle massage): It’s an anti inflammatory treatment which helps to get rid of blockages in the muscles and joints, to reduce swelling and to promote circulation.

10

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

Sirodhara / oil or medicinal bath of the head: This treatment is indicated in various problems such as loss of memory, sleeplessness, neurosis, migraine, headache and some other brain and nerve diseases. These are some other Kerala special treatments such as different sweating procedures, head packs, localised oil baths etc; which don’t need special mention. There are prescribed preparatory procedures and post treatment regimen for all intensive ayurvedic treatments. If it is not observed, these treatments may make serious ill effects on the body, which are very difficult to get rid of.

Some very important points to be borne in mind before undergoing intensive ayurvedic treatments: Pizhichil (oil bath) is contra indicated in serious liver and renal problems. After each set of 7 oil baths a purgation is essential, because the toxins and waste materials collected in the intestine, as a result of the oil baths, should be expelled or it will be reabsorbed in the body. Blood parameters should be checked and kept in safe level before starting any of the intensive treatments.

Whole body rice bundle massage is contra indicated in diabetics, obese and patients withserious cardiac, heptic and renal problems. In summer and in patients with elevated pitta, leaf or medicated powder bundle massage(whole body) is not good. Sirodhara should not be done in cerebral thrombosis or may lead to fatal embolisms. Sirovasti has strong impact on brain. So it should be done with proper care and under the guidance and presence of a physician and only in serious brain and nerve diseases. Perfect rest, regular oil massage, oral drugs and

12

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

peace of mind are essential throughout the curative period (after the intensive treatments) or it may affect body negatively. Steam bath should not be done: If you are not treated with oil inside and outside OR if you are: obese, too lean, too weak, having loose motion (diarrhoea) or bleeding of any sort, After trauma, alcoholic having cataract, ascitis, some of skin conditions, tuberculosis, arthritis, prolapsed rectum, fatigue, anger, depression, fear, hunger, thirst, jaundice, hepatitis, anaemia, diabetes, excessive pitha and preganancy. Ayurveda cares for patient’s physical and mental satisfaction and so these treatments are done in patients with peace of mind or they have to be made so before starting with.

Healthy mind is seen only in a healthy body - ayurveda believes. Mental derangement can lead to ill health and contrariwise. Mind - body relation is well explained in ayurveda with an example of ghee in a pot. The heat of the pot may conduct to the ghee inside and the heat of the ghee vice versa. Thus any mental aberration can lead to physical abnormalities and physical problems to mental distortions. So an ayurvedic doctor has to think always about the patient’s mental status and capabilities.

Studying Ayurveda In ancient days ‘Gurukula’ ie. one master system was the way to teach ayurveda.

Then one eminent physician teach a group of selected students accommodating

14

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country

all of them in his own house and they had to work for him. Thus they could gain a thorough theoretical and practical knowledge in every aspect of the system from the basic principles of different ways of management. Whenever he felt them to be fit to practice he would let them to start their own practice. This was the right and effective means to study ayurveda well. But as time changed started to function under various universities where ayurveda is taught now. In south India there are a lot of ayurveda colleges now. After matriculation interested ones can seek admission there by passing an entrance examination. The duration of the course is usually 5 years and after passing the qualifying examination they can have an internship for 6 months in hospitals attached to the college. Thus ayurvedic doctors are made now. Still after finishing studies most doctors approach skillful and renowned doctors for better practical knowledge and experience. In India we have got enough such physicians with skill and fame. This makes the thinking lot of South India to seek ayurveda for help when they have health problems. Now it is the time for retreat. From the hypnotic sleep created by the crave for modernism, man is waking up slowly to find his final and original shelter in his mother’s lap - the coming back to nature is going on. So everything natural is becoming precious and here comes the importance of ayurveda - the natural way of healing physical mental and spiritual illness.

(Courtsey - Dr.M.C.Vijayachandradas, Sree Sankara Hospital,Changanacherry-02,Kerala)

16

ayurveda

the key to God’s own country