Ayurvedic Principles and General/Conventional Medicine - Term Paper Example

 Ayurvedic Principles and General/Conventional Medicine Introduction Ayurvedic medicine is a part of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) umbrella which may be used by some in conjunction or to the exclusion of conventional medical treatments. Broadly speaking, alternative medical treatments incorporate religious, spiritual, dietary, physiotherapeutic and medicinal remedies. Ayurvedic treatments are one such method where there are certain principles which can be applied to general/conventional medicine and the study of these principles is important for all stakeholders who are connected with either field. The word itself is a compounded word which can be roughly translated as understanding the meaning of long life. The basic principles of Ayurvedic medicine deal with measuring healthy lifestyles with therapeutic systems that allow a person to be better placed in terms of physical, mental and social harmony with the group and themselves (Padma, 2005). Unlike many other CAM systems, Ayurvedic treatments may also recommend surgery. This is certainly a significant link between Ayurvedic treatments and traditional medicinal approach where surgery may be recommended for a complete cure (Douillard, 2004). Ayurvedic Principles A complete analysis of all Ayurvedic principles is certainly not possible within the limitations of this paper but certain pertinent principles can be shown to be in line with the practice of general medicine. The inclusion of these principles in the practice of general medicine is certainly a route which can be taken by doctors today. By focusing on the central practices of balance and wellbeing Ayurvedic treatments also become principles which individuals can apply on their own. Simply put, Ayurvedic medicine takes ailments to come from a lack of balance in the human body and the treatment for these illnesses is simply a restoration of balance (Padma, 2005). Conventional medicine certainly agrees with this idea in many cases e.g. diabetes in which an excess of sugar within the body causes normal functioning to be impaired. Doheny (2006) reports that: “Ayurveda sees illness and fatigue as arising from imbalances in the body; restoring balance, therefore, is the first step toward restoring health. Rather than a go-to treatment for acute illness or injury, it's appropriate for the kinds of enervating conditions that plague stressed out individuals, e.g. depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, and symptoms of menopause (Doheny, 2006, p. 56).” Similarly, if we consider the general principles given for living a good life as per the Ayurvedic principles defined by Godagama (1997), we can see that they are the common recommendations which we get from doctors today. Regular intake of food and water, an established exercise routine, abstinence from smoking are all positive recommendations given by GPs around the world. These recommendations remain helpful for the majority of people for the majority of the time unless a person is suffering from a severe condition that requires alternative procedures for health. Chopra (2000) is one of the more famous proponents of Ayurvedic treatments and one of the basic principles forwarded and explained by him come very close to the explanations offered for many disease by traditional medical practitioners. Ayurvedic treatment begins by understanding that the choices made by individuals in terms of lifestyle are metabolized into biology. This raises some interesting questions as per how the Ayurvedic ideas can be applied in medicine today where biochemistry takes so much importance. A Biochemical Perspective Although Chopra (2000) goes as far as to suggest that everything a person hears, touches, smells, tastes, or does affects the health of the individual, there is still a genetic component to many diseases including mental diseases such as Major Clinical Depression and some mental disorders which may have very little to do with the choices made by an individual. The genetic link between certain diseases is still not fully understood even by modern science but research in that area is certainly progressing. However, it is doubtful that researchers will ever suggest that overeating, smoking and a lack of sleep are bound to be healthy choices for the majority of people (Douillard, 2004). We certainly know that imbalances in brain chemistry, imbalances in the levels of certain chemical within the body and an excess of certain biologically produced compounds can have a negative effect on an individual (Sharma & Clark, 1998). The same principles have been given by Ayurvedic guidelines which say that each person has three Doshas i.e. guiding principles within the body that can be described as vata, pitta and kapha (Warrior & Gunawant, 1997). A conflicting imbalance between them can lead to a manifestation of disease and even a traditionally trained doctor can recognize what chemicals within the body are imbalanced with medical tests and reports. In the same manner, a medical professional trained in Ayurvedic techniques would be able to understand the particular imbalances in the dietary conditions of an individual and to see the effect different seasons, ages and situations have on a person. In fact, as reported by Neimark (2004) the practical healing approach of the system begins by taking a detailed medical history of the individual which is used to evaluate if there are any imbalances in the Doshas. Hankey (2005) quite logically asks what the modern scientific inquirer would have to make of the situation he describes where empirical studies have come to results which are inline with the recommendations of the Ayurvedic practices. He says, “With empirical validation, the doshas can no longer be dismissed as vague concepts of an unscientific people (Hankey, 2005, p. 222).” He further goes on to say that the methods used by the ancients should be respected and appreciated since modern medicine uses many of the same processes. In modern medicine, taking a patient’s history and understanding the environment a patient comes from is also an important part of making a diagnosis. Clearly, a patient can be affected by a virus, bacteria, pollutants or other external sources which can negatively affect the body or the mind and doctors make it a point to get as much information as they can about the environment and the medical history of the case. This allows doctors to understand what could possibly be wrong with the patient once they have coupled historical information with current symptoms. The same information is used by Ayurvedic experts to create a detailed analysis as to what diet, lifestyle or procedures would be required by a patient to bring their life into harmony and their ailment to an end. The focus in Ayurvedic treatment for diet and daily intake of water is possibly the same as the focus placed by traditional allopathic medicine which commonly suggests that people should eat right and drink plenty of water. There is certainly evidence which supports the theories forwarded under the ideas of Ayurvedic medicine and reports have been given for patients who had been suffering long term illnesses but were able to regain a lot of ground on their disease through this alternative form of treatment. Even for diseases which have a genetic component and have eluded treatment from currently accepted practices things such as Ayurvedic treatment and massage therapy have shown a lot of promise (Hardy, et. al. 2005). For example, Silva and Cignolini (2005) describe their experiences with a group of young autistic children who were given massage treatment twice per week from a professional therapist and once daily from their parents. After more than two months of this therapy, the children took standardised tests which showed that they had less inclination towards autistic behaviour and had actually increased in language development, motor skills and sensory functions. Clearly, there are implications as to how Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) can be used to help patients suffering from a wide range of diseases but it is clear that further research in this area is warranted. Hankey (2005) explains his own appreciation of the Ayurvedic process and our lack of current knowledge by saying that: “Having watched many medical colleagues and other friends learn the ancient system and be amazed at its power and simplicity, healthy respect seems well-merited. It appears that tridosha represents a valid way of looking at physiology, containing insights about its structure and function, which we in the West have somehow missed. For this reason, the doshas seem to be a challenge to biology (Hankey, 2005, p. 222).” In fact, it is clear that our current understanding of medical science, biology and the chemistry of the human body can be furthered if the insights given by the doshas are used effectively. The Counterpoint While many scientists and medical practitioners have accepted the relevance of Ayurvedic principles and the teachings of the system which are perfectly inline with modern medicine, there are others who show examples of mistreatment or flawed diagnosis. While this can be take as a counterpoint to the teachings of Ayurvedic guidelines, it must be noted that allopathic medical practitioners can also be wrong in their diagnosis and if a patient finds that his/her health is placed in the hands of an absolute quack then the field itself should not be blamed for the failure of the doctor. For example, the WHO (2005) has reported that certain medicines recommended by some practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have been noted as having heavy metal contents which can be harmful for a patient. We can use this information to throw out the entire field or we can dig deeper into the same report which says that these medicines were produced by unlicensed factories in India where there were few quality controls or measures to ensure the right quantities and the right mixtures. Similarly, a doctor who has training in both modern medicine as well as the Ayurvedic method might be less likely to misdiagnose a patient or to prescribe incorrect medication therefore there is certainly room for both disciplines to work together (Hardy, et. al. 2005). Moreover, as in traditional medicine, when a person seeks out assistance and help they try to find the best doctor available to him/her who knows the principles of the field as well as having some knowledge about other fields which make him/her a well rounded professional. Similarly, when a person is seeking out Ayurvedic practitioners they should be careful in who they seek out and who they are asking for help with their body. Ayurvedic medicine may not work for everyone and anyone but for those who have gained a better a life out of using it; it is certainly a good thing. Conclusion In conclusion, I agree with the evidence that has been presented and the research which has been done on the topic which shows that Ayurvedic principles are inline with the majority of practices suggested by conventional medicine. That should be the primary answer to why Ayurvedic systems can be used for the treatment of various diseases in individuals since the principles of Ayurvedic systems are in agreement with both time tested dictates and experimental science. However, I feel that there is not yet a sufficient answer to how the guidelines of Ayurvedic medicine can be applied to the conventional practice of the medical arts as we know them. This is not because those principles can not be applied, but due to the fact that we have not yet conducted sufficient research on either to understand them fully. In the final analysis, it remains up to the researchers of the future to come up with ways in which Ayurvedic principles can be used by everyone in conjunction with the process of using conventional medicine. Works Cited Chopra, D. 2000, Perfect Health: the Complete Mind-body Guide. Bantam Doheny, K. 2006, ‘Calm your mind, heal your body’, Natural Health, 36(5), p. 56-103. Douillard, J. 2004, ‘Ayurveda--For Optimal Health and Well-Being’, Asia Pacific Biotech News, 8(23), p. 1285-1289. Godagama, S. 1997, The Handbook of Ayurveda. Kyle Cathie. Hankey, A. 2005, ‘The Scientific Value of Ayurveda’, Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 11(2), p. 221-225. Hardy, M. et. al. 2005, ‘Are Ayurvedic herbs for diabetes effective?’, Journal of Family Practice, 54(10), p. 876-886. Neimark, J. 2004, ‘Ayurvedic medicine’, Natural Health, 34(6), p. 76-81. Padma, T. 2005, ‘Ayurveda’, Nature, 436(7050), p. 486-486. Sharma, H. and Clark, C. 1998, Contemporary Ayurveda, Medicine and Research in Maharishi Ayurveda, Churchill Livingstone. Silva, L. and Cignolini, A. 2005, ‘A Medical Qigong Methodology for Early Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Series’, American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 33(2), p. 315-327. Warrior, G. and Gunawant, D. 1997, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Ayurveda. Element. WHO. 2005, ‘Ayurvedic medicines and heavy metals’, WHO Drug Information, 19(3), p. 215-216. Read More