Ayurveda – Hog Wash or Science?ÓHelena Pöhlmann, 1998-2009 |
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In recent years, Ayurveda has become rather popular in the “western” world. All over Europe, many licenced physicians are practising ayurveda and there is an increasing number of hospitals that treat patience according to ayurvedic principles. In Johannisburg, South Africa, the first ayurvedic conference will be held September 1-14, 2009. There is however also a large non-medical, commercial industry that uses the term to make money. There are bakeries, that offer ayurvedic bread – weird, as ayurveda doesn't recommend bread at all, there are plenty of ayurvedic teas, hotels that offer ayurveda etc. But what really is Ayurveda? What does it do? How can it help you? I shall try to answer some of these questions in this article. The Word Ayurveda:Ayur means 'life' and 'veda' can loosely be translated as 'science', hence Ayurveda can loosely be translated as the 'the Science of Life'. Dr. Robert E. Svoboda in his book “Ayurveda for Women- a guide to vitality and health” also translates it as 'knowledge of life', 'the art of living' or 'science of longevity'. It is all of these! It is a science and a philosophy that has been shaped by the history and the culture of India. Ayurveda belongs to no country or culture. It knows no creed and no borders. The History:The Encyclopedia Brittanica writes that the ayurvedic scriptures may have been written as long ago as 2000 B.C.. According to Indian mythology 'the system of medicine called ayurveda was received (not created) by a certain Dhanvantari from Brahma, and Dhanvantari was defined as the God of medicine. In later times his status was gradually reduced, until he was said to have been an earthly king, who died of snakebite. He is supposed to have passed his knowledge on to Daksha Prajapati, who has often been described as the son of Brahma. Dakasha Prajapati handed his knowledge down to the Ashvins who have also been called the Gods of Paradise. They are the energies of Shiva and the moon. The Ashvins taught their knowledge to Indra, the leader of the Gods, who represents the level on which energy is transferred to the sensory organs. Indra taught his disciples Atreya, Bharadvaja, Kasyapa and Dhanvantari. Athrya was the son of Atri, a wise man. It is assumed that there were many Atreyas who taught the knowledge of medicine verbally and in writing. One of their students was supposedly a professor at the University of Taxilla, where Javaka - the personal physician of Buddha - studied. The ayurvedic scriptures:A famous student of Atreya was Agnivesa, who passed his knowledge on to the famous Charaka Samhita. His works have been passed down and preserved (with many alterations, additions and gaps) to this day. They are now also available in many foreign (non-sanskrit) languages. Another important ayurvedic scripture is Agnivesa Samhita, written about 100 B.C. under Atreya. A further book, Shushruta Samhita (700 B.C.), belonged to the famous school of Dhanvantari and deals mainly with surgery. This work contains detail descriptions of caesarian sections and plastic surgery, similar to modern surgical methods. It describes for example the reconstruction of the nose and the removal of cystic stones. Buddha has been claimed to have had treatment for an anorectic fistula but died, due to postoperative complications caused by non-compliance. As a result of this, surgery was prohibited for some time and other forms of treatment had to be developed further. The use of metals in medicne, Rasa Shastra and phytopharmacy (the use of botanics) was refined. The medicinal uses of metals like mercury and gold, the use of diamonds, corals and plants were researched and classified. Complex alchemical preparations were created. Although the wars that raged in India and around the world destroyed many scriptures some of the ayurvedic knowledge became an integral part of Hinduism and survived in everyday Indian life, or was passed down from generation to generation. Indian cuisine uses many ayurvedic principles and these were taught from mother to child. Its reemergence:Ayurveda was rediscovered in the late 19th century. In today's India, ayurvedic wards are right next to wards of western medicine. Often, treatment of patients is multidisciplinary and not limited by allopathic or ayurvedic doctrine. Since the early 1980s ayurveda has spread all over the world and is fast becoming the most popular discipline of medicine. Click here for links to hospitals, treatment centres and books on the subject. The Three Dosha Theory:One of my first semesters of allopathic medicine, at the University of Leipzig, saw me study the history of western medicine. Naturally, it included the theory of the three humors defined in ancient Greece. With a pitying smile the tutor told of a theory, where disease was caused by an imbalance of three humors: Gall fluid, the soul and phlegm. Today's physicians however, dissatisfied with conventional explanations of disease, are coming back to this theory. Ayurveda holds a similar theory alas much more refinde. The humors are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha or, all together Tridoshas. If these Doshas are in balance, the person is happy and healthy. Disturb the balance and disease will result. This might sound absurd at first but, according to the Indian literature, Vata is dominated by the element of air (Vayu), Pitta by fire (Tej) and water (Aap or Jaala) and Kapha by water and earth (Prithvi). Ayurvedic view of life:A book on biochemistry, by Loeffler and Petrides used at just about every Medical University in Germany, says that the four elements mainly found in the human body are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Together with non-metals phosphate and sulphur, they constitute the human body and are the molecular building blocks of life. Taking a closer look we find that these elements have a lot in common with the ayurvedic 'elements'. They correspond as follows:
It is hard to believe, but perhaps ancient Indians knew more about the molecular composition of life then we give them credit for. After all, ayurvedic literature described how to dissect a human body and how to perform plastic surgery at a time where western medicine had not even been 'invented'. In addition to the 5 chemical compounds mentioned above, ayurveda speaks of three non-material factors - the Trigunas.
The Tridoshas and Trigunas make up life as we know it. Four Main Aims of Ayurveda
According to ayurveda, proper attention to these four 'rules' allows us to break through the cycle of life and death and to again become part of the whole. The above explanations of Dharma , Artha, Kama and Mokscha are, of course, very simplified as each contains a very complex idea. Dincharya - the daily routine, Rutucharya - the seasonal routine and Sadvritta - ethical behaviour helps us achieve our ayurvedic purpose. Of particular importance are
Ayurveda has defined the following branches:
In ayurveda, man is seen as a microcosm within a macrocosm. Just as the planets move around the sun, electrons move around the nucleus. Each cell contains a microcosm. The more we understand of the universe we live in, the better we understand our bodies. Ayurveda aims to establish and maintain spiritual and physical well-being i. e. keeping the Tridoshas in balance. Adhering to the daily and seasonal routines helps us, there. Ayurveda contains much common sense and teaches ethical behaviours. The scriptures tell us for instance, to brush our teeth daily and not to eat too late at night. They contain also however, a comprehensive materia medica to combat ill-health. In traditional ayurveda, observation, auscultation; anamnesis and the examination of pulse, urine, stools, eyes, tongue, skin, nails and psyche of the patient are used to arrive at a diagnosis. Modern methods of diagnosis can be a valuable aid, also. Ayurvedic diagnosis is based on Nidan – the aetiology, Purva-Rupa - previous symptoms, Rupa - current symptoms, Upasaya - therapeutic treatments that can be used for differential diagnosis and Samprapti – pathogenesis. To show how sophisticated ayurveda is, this table of 23 aetiological factors as known in ayurveda, is provided.
An example of an ayurvedic view of illness: We shall take a closer look the disease of Aamavata (rheumatoid arthritis). Aama are metabolic waste products which accumulate in the body and cannot be digested. In other words they are a part of our diet which can't be used. If we eat food which cannot, for one reason or another, be digested Aama is created. Aama is also formed when the tridoshas are so far out of balance that they start to interfere with each other. (This is an oversimplified explanation but it would go far beyond the scope of this article to go into more detail.) Aama is heavy, fatty, sticky and smells bad. It contains threadlike structures and distributes itself throughout the body. It congests the vessels of the body (digestive tract, blood and lymphatic vessels). It particularly attacks those parts of the body where Kapha is located (stomach, joints, head, throat and thorax). As it influences the digestive tract more Aama is created. Symptoms of Aamavata are, fever, a heavy feeling in the body, joint pain, limitations in the movements of joints, swelling, inflammation and pain. Inability to smell and digestive disorders. Complications include excessive thirst, vomiting, dizziness, heavy feeling in thorax, constipation and flatulence. Its treatment includes fasting, heat therapy to induce perspiration, bitter and hot foods which are easy to digest and everything that will help improve digestion. The dietary recommendations include honey, milk, apples, bananas, figs, grapes, Indian gooseberry (embilica officinalis), fresh lemon, some types of melon, carrots, garlic, potatoes as well as fruit and vegetables in general, cheese, mutton, grains and yogurt. Special drugs and regiments are also mentioned in the texts. If you want to learn more, there are now many excellent books on the subject. Bibliography:
Books on ayurveda here.last update: 19.08.2009 |