Ayurvedic Medicine

What is ayurvedic medicine? Forget about the legend. But a little history may help you give a clearer picture. The origin of ayurvedic medicine is from India. Well, a little legend may clear it up. Legend has it 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  the body which cause disease. These are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. We will talk about each one in turn.

Vata: humans 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? The drugs used in ayurveda are derived from vegetables and minerals, with plant alkaloids as the active ingredients.  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.

While western medicine relies on this basic principle, the derivatives are often chemically rather than naturally based. You absolutely must have the right balance of alkaline and acid in your soil, as well as stringent water and light conditions.  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.

Grandma probably didn't know that to bake the lemon to increase the acidity, but you get the point. Equal parts honey and the juice from a baked lemon. The Ayurvedic remedy for a hacking cough?  Some of the remedies might surprise you, as they are virtually the same as Grandma used.

By Readabout Alternative Medicine Guide Editorial Team