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Ayurveda is well known throughout the world as “The Science of Life” as it is derived from two Sanskrit words, “Ayu” which means life, and “Veda” meaning knowledge. This 5000-year-old system of traditional medicine from ancient India has been in practice through generations. Ayurveda has proven remedies for all kinds of diseases of the body as well as the mind and spirit. Ayurveda is all about healthy living through healthy eating, yoga, meditation, massage, counseling, group therapy, and certain other natural remedies to keep the body in balance with the mind.
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Ayurveda believes in herbal medicines, oil treatments, massage, and cleansing. These treatments are aimed at improving the immune system and strengthening the whole body. The system lays emphasis on prevention, cure, rehabilitation, and promotion. Ayurveda Treatment is a completely natural system of healing that uses natural medicines, ingredients, and natural processes involving no chemicals. Thus it has no side effects as in the case of modern medicines.
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Related: Importance Of Knowing Ayurvedic Doshas
Ayurveda is considered to be the oldest healing science with a divine origin. It originated from Artharva Veda which extensively deals with Health, Disease, Treatments, description of Medicinal plants, etc. It is based on two Ayurvedic schools, Atreya, the school of physicians, and the school of the surgeon, Dhanvantari.
Ayurvedic Texts
Presently available Ayurvedic texts are Charak Samhita – the text by Charaka, that primarily deals with Internal medicine known as Kaya Chikitsa, Susruta Samhita text by Susruta, that deals with surgery, A part of Kashyap Samhita– authored by Kashyap with elaborate details on Bal Roga (Pediatrics). Other Ayurvedic texts include Bhela Samhita and Harita Samhita. Vagbhatta’s Ashtang Samgraha contains the essence of the eight major parts of Ayurveda.
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8 parts of Ayurveda Treatment
1. The Eight parts of Ayurveda are
2. Kaya Chikitsa (General Medicine)
3. Shalya Tantra (Surgery)
4. Shalakya (Eye, ENT and Dentistry)
5. Bal roga (Pediatrics and Obstetrics)
6. Grha Chikitsa (Psychiatry)
7. Visha Chikitsa (Toxicology)
8. Rasayan (Preventive Health)
9. Vajikaran or Bhajikaran (Sexual Medicine)
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Ayurveda Concept
Ayurvedic treatment is based on the concept of the three doshas known as Tridosha. Dosha means ‘force’ or ‘fault, when disturbed and gets out of balance leads to a disorder either in the body or in the mind.
Ayurveda philosophy suggests that every substance is made up of a combination of the three doshas and that these doshas are a result of a combination of two of the five elements of the universe. According to Ayurvedic principles, Vata represents Ether and Air; Pitta represents Fire and Water; Kapha represents Water and Earth.
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Lifestyle Modifications
Ayurvedic treatment suggests lifestyle modifications for curing various disorders and maintaining normal health. They are
- Dincharya, the daily routine
- Ratricharya, the night routine
- Rutucharya, the Seasonal routine
- Aahaara, the food
- Nidra, sleep
- Aachar Rasayan, namely moral and ethical activities
- Brahmacharya, regulated action
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Methods of Ayurvedic Treatment
The first step of Ayurvedic treatment is Shodana, cleansing. The process eliminates or neutralizes toxins both physical and emotional. Shamana is the palliative treatment given to reduce the disease’s intensity and to balance the dosha disturbances. Rasayana, the rejuvenation therapy is meant to reduce the negative effects of the disease and also to maintain good health. Sattvavajaya is to nurture mental disorders and provide spiritual healing.
Panchakarma
Panchakarma is the Ayurvedic procedure done to cleanse the entire human body to purify it. This enables the body to get rid of the disease as well as prevent its recurring. This treatment is meant for healthy people only. It involves five steps namely Vaman (emesis) is done to remove Kapha toxins from the respiratory tract. It is used to cure bronchial asthma, hay fever, nasal congestion, chronic allergies, etc.
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Virechan the process of purgation is for removing the pitta toxins that accumulate in the liver and gall bladder. This is performed in the case of digestive disorders, chronic fever, skin disorders, constipation, and more. Basti is the procedure of an enema that removes all the three dosha aggravations from the body. Medicated oil or ghee is used in the enema to cleanse the colon and to improve muscle tone. This is beneficial in the case of colitis, irritable bowl syndrome, paraplegia, cervical spondylosis, infertility debility, etc. Nasya, the nasal administration works well against Kapha dosha disturbances. Administration of medicated oil through the nose is beneficial in the treatment of disorders like Bel’s Palsy, insomnia, premature graying of hair, loss of smells and taste, and in improving eyesight and memory and improves voice. Rakta Moksha is blood cleansing that is used very rarely.
