The Doctrine of Truth

Page 146

Diet, Physical Exercise and Natural Herbal Supplements along with periodic Vision and Holistic treatment will adequately maintain Energy’s flow in the Body. The Reasonable in the New Age will consider the philosophy of Ayurvedic medicine, one of the most ancient forms of medicine that originated in India, and bases its theoretical foundation upon a balance of three Forces—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Any vitiation from normalcy of one of the three results in Disease. These three Doshas, or Forces, each consist of two different natural elements which contribute to their qualities. Vata is a combination of Air and Space, which make its properties dry, light, and cold. Pitta is a mixture of Water and Fire, making it slightly oily, hot, and in the liquid form. Finally, Kapha consists of Earth and Water, thus it is oily, heavy, and cold. Each Dosha houses a seat in a different region of the Body and is responsible for different functions during Digestion. Furthermore, there are seven Dhatus, or Tissues, in the Body. When Food is consumed, it is converted to one of the Dhatus and thus provides nourishment for the Body. Disease results over Time from a buildup of Ama, a buildup of undigested Food. This occurs when the digestive fire in one’s body does not effectively convert Food into the proper Dhatu, or Tissue. The formation of the undigested food creates Illness and its removal results in the restoration of one’s health. To rid the body of Ama, the Ayurvedic Perspective proposes distinct and more effective treatments that give medical practitioners a different paradigm for understanding Disease. Ayurvedic medicine is completely natural and its treatment is primarily noninvasive. While there are surgical operations performed in Ayurveda, they are very basic. Those that are Ayurvedic follow the principles of balancing the Doshas and restoring Harmony in the patient’s Body. “Remove the Cause. Purify, to eliminate excess Doshas. Balance the Doshas and rekindle the digestive Fire. Rejuvenate, to rebuild the Organism.” Its complex yet simple philosophy is based on Balance of the three Forces in Nature and the human Body, and is the first step in conceptualizing how to maintain one’s health. Moreover, an imbalance in the three components results in Disease. The holistic approach in treating diseases in Ayurveda involves an in-depth analysis of the patient’s constitution and daily regimens. Ayurvedic treatment stems beyond medicine; it includes the diet one should have, the specific taste(s) one should eat more or less of, what type of exercise one should perform, the time of the day it should be done, etc. Furthermore, Ayurveda’s holistic approach emphasizes the individual Patient, not the Disease. The concept of patient-centered medicine, alone, will be the goal of most, if not all, healthcare practitioners. Ayurveda’s unique approach makes patient-centered medicine easily attainable for practitioners.

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