Health In India

"The Greek idea that disease was due to an imbalance of humours and the key to expel toxins was blood-letting, sweating and vomiting was similar but the Indian effective and the Greek primitive, often deadly. Hippocrates and Galen were not the fathers of modern medicine and surgery. Indian medicine or Ayur Veda, literally life science, remained ahead of Europe until 18th-century East India Company surgeons learned plastic surgery and rhinoplasty, the repair or creation of noses, from Indians. Ayur Vedic medicine’s main principle was a balance of body and mind. As Camran Nezhat has written, ‘In surgery the ancient Indians were essentially unrivalled, achieving some of the earliest known surgical firsts.’... Egyptian surgery techniques declined thereafter but Indians kept theirs alive. The Sushruta Samhita from about the 6th century BC described plastic surgery, removal of the prostate gland, crushing bladder stones, eye-surgery including extracting cataracts, amputations, training techniques for surgeons and more sophisticated medical instruments than later Roman ones. It was more detailed, sophisticated and four times larger than Aulis Cornelius Celcus’ (c. 25 BC-c. 50 ad) De Medicina, the surviving section of a work on diet, pharmacy, surgery and related fields. The Carack Samhita from the 1st century, representing a much older tradition, had an initiation oath, which must have served as a model for the Hippocratic Oath..."

"In fact , in 1835 the British banned the practice of Ayurveda in favor of European medicine in those regions where the East India Company ruled."

"Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani systems of India appear to be the most formal and organized among traditional medical systems...Unani and Siddha are bracketed with Ayurveda by the Government of India and the general public when referring to Indian or indigenous medical systems...Most scholars put the origin of Ayurveda much before that of Siddha or Unani...the three systems are fundamentally similar in their approach to health and disease."

"Ayurveda as the name implies ('Ayu': "life" and 'Veda':knowledge) is the knowledge of healthy living and is not confined only to treatment of illness. It is widely practiced in India and caters to the needs of nearly 75% percent of the population. The pharmacopeia of Ayurveda is a rich heritage of herbal practices describing medicinal uses of over 600 plants in seventy books containing 8,000 recipes of drug combinations."

"One of the most important features of modern medicine differentiating it from Ayurveda is the method of breaking complex phenomena into their component parts and dealing with each in isolation."

"The samhita (compendia) of Ayurveda are written in Sanskrit...They were propagated through centuries initially by word of mouth through the guru-shishya parampara (teacher–pupil tradition). For making the propagation easy, Ayurveda was written in the form of sutra (stanza) which concise yet precise versions of text, easy to memorize but unfortunately subject to different interpretations. Thus the samhita underwent considerable additions, modifications and editorial revisions from time to time."

"Initially India was predominantly Hindu land. During this time Ayurveda was widely practiced and accepted...When the Moghuls conquered most of India they enforced Unani system of medicine...which was heavily influenced by Ayurvedic practices...British rule prevented the development of Ayurveda or Unani systems of medicine. They introduced the allopathic medical systems."

"The exact origins of Ayurveda are lost in the mists of antiquity and are difficult to pinpoint. They have been placed by scholars of Ayurveda and ancient Indian literature at around 6000 BC...This period of ancient Indian medicine may be divided into three different periods – the pre-Vedic, Vedic and the Arsha period. **In: P.10"

"In the pre-Vedic period the Hindu system of medicine is said to have originated from Lord Brahma, the fountainhead of all learning. Brahma passed on this knowledge of life to Indra through Daksha Prajapati and Ashwins. This story is constant in several texts."

"During the Vedic period, the fourth Veda, i.e., the Atharvaveda, is the first authentic record of the state of medical knowledge. The science of Ayurveda is an upanga (supplement) of Atharvaveda. The eight branches of Ayurveda are mentioned in Atharvaveda...However, the fundamental principles of Ayurveda was not documented during the “Vedic” period. The growth and development occurred during the Arsha period (period of rishis:sages)."

"During the Arsha period (period of rishis:sages) systemetized treatises on the subject of Ayurveda were developed – Dhanvantri and Bharadwaja received the knowledge of life from Indra and developed the surgical and medical aspects of Ayurveda separately around the ninth century BC."

"The significant growth of Ayurveda during Arsha period is evidenced by the existence of two great universities in India– one at Benares where the head of the medical section was Sushruta and the other at Takhshshila in the west on the Jhelum river where medicine was taught under the leadership of Atreya, later taken over by Charaka."

"According to Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, it was Lord Brahma who composed Ayurveda and divided in to eight branches since he believed that man had limited intelligence. The branches of Ayurveda described are: Kayachkitsa (Internal medicine); Shalakya (Surgery of head and neck, optholomology and otorhinolaryngology; Shalya (Surgery); Vishagarva virodhika tantra (Toxicology); Bhootavidya (Psychiatry); Kaumarbhrutya (Pediatrics); Rasayna tantra (Gerontology or science of rejuvenation); and Vajikarana tantra (Science of fertility)."

"Ayurveda must necessarily be differentiated from folklore medicine and ethnomedicine. It is instead a precise science with a strong philosophical basis. “Herbal medicines” does not form the soul of Ayurveda."

"Ayurveda is a holistic science and lays emphasis on preserving and promoting the fitness of healthy individuals besides giving methods for treatment of diseases. Health is defined in Ayurveda as “soundness of body, organs and mind." Thus sharira (the body), manas (the mind) and atma (the soul), “The Tripod of Life” receive equal attention for achievement of sound health’"

"The objective of “preserving and promoting health” in Ayurveda is achieved through different modalities , based on principles within its own conceptual framework. Ayurveda is not a science dealing with drugs. It is more a “way of life” and describes methods for promotion, prolongation and maintenance of positive health. It emphasizes the importance of a specific daily routine dinacharya, and seasonal routine rituacharya along with diet, drugs, physical exercise and good hygiene to achieve physical and mental health."

"The conceptual framework of Ayurveda is based on certain basic doctrines: the Darshana. These visualize the fundamental functional units of the body to be formed by these dosha (humors), seven dhatus (tissues), and mala (metabolic end products) which are in equilibrium during health."

"Ancient Ayurvedic physicians describe disease as a disequilibrium of these functional units. The objective of any therapeutic measure is therefore primarily to re-achieve a state of equilibrium."

"The ancient Ayurvedic tests have characterized the types, sites, sources and qualities of each of the dosha. Attempts have been made in the past to verify the concepts of tridosha by different scholars. Though there is no conclusive proof for the theories, all are in agreement that the dosha control and affect cellular function by altering the milieu interior in a very subtle but intricate manner."

"Thus the three primary forces: vata (motion), pitta (energy) and kapha (inertia) control all the functions if the human body. They are produced and regulated endogenously. The vata dosha controls the utilization of energy cells as well as the other two dosha, while the pitta dosha gives energy and is responsible for celluar, enzymatic and metabolic functions. Kapha dosha helps in synthesis and preservation of cellular components. They are subject to qualitative and quantitative change due to the influence of factors within or outside the body."

"From its ancient origins in India, Ayurveda has now spread all over the world. Its teaching uses a blend of herbal medicine, massage, nutrition, spiritual insight, practical experience, scientific analysis, and artistic creativity to guide us to a balanced fulfilled life style."

"There will be twists and turns along the way [in life], but as you learn to integrate Ayurveda in your daily existence you will be able to take more ownership over your life: your response to what crosses your path will begin to be your choice as opposed to what you feel you “should” do."

"Having developed at a time when cultures were profoundly dependent on their environment, Ayurveda uses language derived from nature as a metaphor to describe and prescribe for our health. According to its teachings, the foundational elements of Ether (or Space), Air (or its most dynamic aspect wind), Fire, Water and Earth are the building blocks that make up our physical world. We use adjectives to describe these elements as they appear in different forms, which Ayurveda depicts as ten pairs of opposing qualities (known as gunas) [[w:Hot|hot, cold; heavy, light; dry, greasy; sharp, dull; rough, smooth; stable, mobile; soft, hard; liquid, solid; subtle, gross; slimy, non-slimy."

"All of nature has qualities that impact on our own constitutional well-being. For example if we are already a “hot” body type, and we live in a desert and lots of heating food, we will become too hot! This elucidates a fundamental Ayurvedic principle that like increases like, meaning that the qualities of our constitution can be added to by qualities that are similar to it. This principle of “like increasing like” and “opposites balancing opposites” is central to understanding how Ayurvedic treatments work."

"Ayurveda divides us into three main constitutions types, vata, pitta and kapha, otherwise known as doshas. The doshas are qualities that influence all of the body’s functions; from biological processes to thoughts and feelings...the division between the doshas is the keystone in understanding Ayurveda, helping us determine and manage our genetic constitution or prakriti."

"Ayurveda spends a lot of its time teaching us how to remain within our threshold, and understanding the three doshas."

"[in genetic language.] Ayurveda is interested in our constitutional phenotypes (the results we can observe when an individual interacts with their environment) rather than our human genotypes (the genetic constitution of the individual)."

"Ayurveda recommends integrating your "being" into your “doing,” so that your life is your “practice.” Whether your focus is on health, wealth, joy, or spiritualgrowth, how you lead your life becomes an expression of who you really are."

"Ayurvedic wisdom says that our waking consciousness rests in the heart. Experiencing how your mind lives in your heart is central to understanding how your feelings and emotions affect your experience of wholeness."

"Charaka Samhita says that there are two very important concepts in Ayurveda: prana and agni, the life force and the digestive fire. Ayurveda weaves myriad insights into how we can nurture these vital energies and make our life full of health and wonder."

"In fact, Ayurveda considers diet to be the most important factor in health and uses food for medicinal purposes as well as for nutritional effects. Herbal remedies, massage, exercise, and spiritual practice can balance and repair the body, but its is a “good diet” that gives us an easy, everyday opportunity to take control of our health."

"Ayurveda has a theory that anything can be food, medicine, or a poison, depending on who is eating, what is eaten, and how much is eaten. A familiar usage in this context: “One man’s food is another man’s poison”."

"Ayurveda says that poor digestion leads to every disease, and many insights can be gained from this. Ayurveda thinks of digestion as a fire, which is known as agni in Sanskrit. A warm fire burns well with good-quality, dry wood that is put on the fire at the right time in the proper place, with plenty of air to fan the flames."

"In Ayurveda there are four types of agni that categorise people’s digestive tendencies. These are: Balanced (regular hunger), irregular (erratic appetite), intense (intense hunger), and weak (low appetite)."

"Ayurveda identifies six tastes, each of which has a different effect on the body and influence on the doshas."

"You have to be on your toes with Ayurveda: There is always an exception to the rule! The sour flavor is associated with Fire, together with a little Earth and Water, and creates both moisture and heat within us. Examples of sour foods are lemon, lime and vinegar."

"Salt is found in minerals and Ayurveda classifies different types: rock, sea, black, pink, and lake salt. Rock salt is considered the best as it is high in minerals and has fewer negative effects. Salty is the flavor most rarely found in food, but seaweeds and selery are good sources."

"Most important in all is a healthy diet. Ensuring that you get the best nutrition means that you start with best ingredients. Fresh, unprocessed, and organically grown. In Ayurveda there are some essentials that should be in every pantry, and a number that, depending on your individual constitution, should be limited."

"Generally speaking, Ayurveda considers the most beneficial foods to be rice, wheat, barley, mung beans, asparagus, grapes, pomegranates, ginger, ghee (clarified butter), unpasteurized milk, and honey. These are all thought to be rejuvenating to the tissues and digestion (provided the food is good quality and there are no intolerances). Ayurveda also recommends avoiding habitual use of “heavy” meats (e.g.beef), cheeses, yogurt, refined salt, processed foods, refined sugar, yeast, coffee, tomatoes, bananas, citrus fruits, and black lentils."

"Because Ayurveda developed in India, where the cow is worshipped as a sacred animal, high quality and properly prepared dairy products have a revered status and are central to its practice."

"Vegetarian foods also contain high amounts of various “super-nutrients," such as protective antioxidants, healingphytochemicals, and essential micronutrients, known to protect from a host of degenerative diseases."

"In keeping with its holistic view of life, Ayurveda extends the idea of digestion to our emotional as well as nutritional diet."

"To any one practicing natural medicine both the concept and reality of toxins is very clear....difference is because of the language and perspective of each tradition, for example “damp” and “heat” can be thought of as toxins in Ayurveda."

"Remember that Ayurveda is not just about taking appropriate remedies—it is a eat a simple, organic diet (avoid processed foods, sugar, yeast, nonorganic dairy, and reduce strenuous exercise; practice a gentle form of yoga instead have a massage."

"In the Ayurvedic view immunity is a strength within all of us that resists the causes of diseases and their aggressive tendencies."

"In Ayurveda immunity is literally known as “the self avoidance of disease. It considers immunity in terms of both quantity and quality; how much of it you have as well as how effective it is. Its holistic view includes an understanding ob both natural immunity and acquired immunity. This approach is like considering your immunity as a combination of the genetic bank balance you inherit from your ancestors, the savings deposit you make yourself and the interest on your account."

"From the Ayurvedic perspective, there are many components that build healthy immunity –ojas, the heart, the eyes, digestive strength and tissue health – and there are general princiles we can all follow everyday to achieve optimum health."

"Ayurveda recommends nourishing yoga practices such as the dynamic salutation (Surya namaskar). Regular relaxation and daily breathing practices can keep everyday stress at bay."

"As an Ayurvedic practitioner I firmly believe that the prevalence of cancer today is because we, as a society, are taking the wrong approach to managing the condition."

"The Ayurvedic formula triphala is known to be toxic to tumor cells but life-enhancing to healthy cells."