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AYURVEDIC MEDICINE :
The legend of the beginning
of ayurvedic medicine is that the one creator, Brahma, taught the
theories and practices to one of the animal lords, who taught it to
the Asvins-the divine twins. They taught this to the chief of the
shining ones, called Indra. These were the deities of ancient verdict
times.
As mankind fell victim and suffered from ailments and disease the
wise men went to Indra and were taught the ancient remedies and healing
cures. This is the knowledge of medicine, which is divided into 8
separate branches of the divine tree.
• Kaya chikitsa is the medicine of the internal organs and workings
of the body;
• Baala is the study of the medicine needed in order to heal
children;
• Urdhvanga is the original study of the ears, nose and throat
(as well as dentistry.)
• All surgery, including plastic surgery, is called Salya;
• The study of toxicology-stemming originally from the poison
extracted from bug bites-is Danstra.
• The study of what we now know as Alzheimer's and other diseases
of the age advanced is called Rasayana
• The study of pregnancy and gyneocology is Prasuti;
• The study of mental illness and demon possession is the treatment
called Graha.
The belief is that there are three elements in /of the body which
cause disease. These are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. We will talk
about each one in turn.
Vata: We are all made up of space and air, with some light, water,
and earth thrown in. Vata transmits perceptions to the mind and body
and maintains the body's natural balance. If this energy which is
used to transmit so much of the outside world to our inner selves
becomes imbalanced, disease sets in.
Pitta: This is the energy responsible for vision, digestion, heat,
hunger and thirst, happiness and intelligence. When this element is
out of alignment, it results in depression, weight gain or loss, dehydration,
apathy, and digestive problems.
Kapha disease is the result of lack of conserving and stabilizing
the body, we commonly call them viruses or "bugs."
All disease is called Vyaadhi. It is the state of the being when we
are full of discomfort or pain, but while all are caused by an imbalance
in one of the three elements, they are treated according to the classification
of the trauma:
Adhyatmika: physical and constitutional (physical injury, hereditary,
and pre-disposition)
Adhibhautika: contributed to environment (allergies, etc.)
Aadhidaivika: contributed to gods or spirits (demons. mental imbalances)
So how does Ayurvedic treatment differ from modern medicine? Practitioners
of ayurvedic medicine believe that although antibiotics have their
uses (take into consideration post surgery antibiotics to edge out
infection or post transplant antibiotics which if not taken will surely
cause certain death) ayurvedic doctors would rather see the balance
of the body resume as quickly as possible.
The drugs used in ayurveda are derived from vegetables and minerals,
with plant alkaloids as the active ingredients. While western medicine
relies on this basic principle, the derivatives are often chemically
rather than naturally based. Before you study up on this medicine
further and decide to grow your own medicinal herbs, be forewarned
that where the plants grow have everything to do with their potency
and ability to fight infection. You absolutely must have the right
balance of alkaline and acid in your soil, as well as stringent water
and light conditions.
Some of the remedies might surprise you, as they are virtually the
same as Grandma used. The Ayurvedic remedy for a hacking cough? Equal
parts honey and the juice from a baked lemon. Grandma probably didn't
know to bake the lemon to increase the acidity, but you get the point.
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