Scope of Āyurveda

During my study years in graduation and post-graduation in Kayachikitsa i.e. Medicine, along with deeper studies on Āyurveda we also fortunately study everything about modern Allopathic system of medicine. Right from detail anatomy, dissecting human cadaver to deep physiology, indebt study of pathology, clinical methods, basic surgery and some specific surgical procedures, ENT and Eye surgeries, Gynecological and Obstetrics in details, Forensic medicine and much more. Except a very in-depth pharmacology of Allopathic medicines, as Āyurveda has its own vast pharmacopeia of 1000 plus herbs and formulations, we almost learn everything of modern medicine. So Āyurveda physician are learned professionals in both the two pathies, on the contrary to Allopath physician who know nothing about the Āyurveda system of medicine. While learning this both system of medicine what strike me was; except few diseases which are specifically caused by specific organism like bacteria, viruses or fungi there are almost more than seventy percent diseases for which the etiology is not known. Now it’s a bit logical that if u don’t know the cause of disease how can u give the solutions to it or even how can you prevent this conditions. These diseases were gradually classified as Psychological, Psycho-somatic, Stress related and nowadays as Lifestyle diseases.

The modern medical concept of Ideal health is no more than a temporary relief, achieved through use of prolonged synthetic or chemical drugs, after great hospital and surgical battles. Finally landing in dependency on medications for lifelong. Over past few decades the nature of disease have changed and many new disease conditions are immersing, be it lifestyle disease or caused by new dreaded organism like AIDS etc. The conventional system of modern medicine is falling short to keep the healthy state of mankind and even treat diseases completely. This is the reason for the search of an alternative, cheaper and complete cure like Āyurveda.

According to sacred Āyurveda system of medicine, each and every disease has a involvement of Satva - Mind, Sharir - Body and Atma -spirit. And imbalance in any one of this can create disturbances in the other two.  Now there is no any system of medicine which has so much deep insight on lifestyle, food, mental activities and its role in health, other than Āyurveda. It stand tall as the best solution to all the modern age lifestyle and mental diseases and above all it is very safe, simple, logical, universally applicable, economically cheap, for all age and sex. Above all the most important positive thing about the preventative approach is that there is no dependency on any pharmaceutical companies and professionals. You can be your own wellness guide if you know the key of maintaining good health, and that is to know what ‘Hita’ - good for you is and what is ‘Ahita’ - bad for you.  Also the knowledge of what gives you ‘Sukha’ -Happiness and ‘Dukkha’- Unhappiness is the gateway to mental and spiritual wellbeing.

Our state of health is determined and influenced in our lifetime by so many factors like the health of our parents who give us the genes that makes our ‘Prakruti’ -Body mind Constitution,  food of our mother when we were in her womb, her state of mind during the entire pregnancy, lifestyle and food habits of our lifetime, the unnatural assaults on our food material before it reaches us,  emotions, relationship, profession, friends and family members and social economic conditions. In addition to these there are other important external influencing factors like the place where we spend most of our time at work and home (Vastu Shastra), the seasonal impacts, astrological effects and many more. How can we expect that Good health can be achieved by one single ‘Magic Pill’ or by any extensively studied,  ‘Food/Health Supplement’ or an ‘Health drink’ or an ‘Multivitamin, or an ‘ HealthTonic’ ? 

There are so many things to be addresses and there needs to be a holistic, multidimensional approach and definitely meticulous efforts from an individual in order to achieve optimum ‘Swasthya’ –Ideal Health.  Above all Preventive care can save so much of economic wealth of the family, community and the nation.