It all started five thousand years back whence Vedic civilization was flourishing. Hinduism was the backbone. It is an ideology with a propensity for vegetarianism which albeit it surfaced much later but I believe it had taken roots by then. Today almost 30% of Indians are vegetarian. Another feather in the cap was the development of another wellness therapy and that was Yoga.
The two gems of Indian healing systems are very much popular today in India as well as overseas. Most of the proponents of Yoga have been initiated in the Vedic Era or earlier perhaps. The guru shishya tradition has been instrumental in exporting the wellness system to many countries. The sages left no stone unturned to discover the holistic healing sciences. Although considered as an alternative or pseudoscientific term according to some Western prejudiced practitioners and scientists.
Ayurveda is in existence since its inception and the system is growing. New scientific logic is being applied to the system now subject to research and the quest for evidence as in the case of modern medicine. The sheer magnitude of consumption in the country of origin, and the growing popularity overseas should make habitual detractors of this ancient Indian medical science think.
Ayurveda is close to nature since Hindu or Santam Dharma is nature-centric. A majority of formulations comprise vegetative matter, and the animal matter used is derived from creatures not subject to killing. The use of ghee or clarified butter and honey is one such example.
The use of minerals and some metals are a cause of concern as rightly pointed out by scientists and modern medicine practitioners Some of them are toxic in large quantities. Hence all pharmaceutical concerns should create a standard for this usage that is suggestive of medicinal value.
Ayurveda practitioners are registered practitioners with degrees from colleges and universities. They are familiar with modern medicines. Many of the pharma companies that make Ayurvedic medicines are global or National concerns that will follow standards.
The formulations are available as tablets, powders, and liquids. Most of the popular formulations are consumed in India and abroad by the masses. Although the medicine comprises a complex mix of ingredients - herbs, roots, and minerals they are all mentioned in quantity in branded formulations.
This Indian healing system also prescribes diet regimen, exercise, and in some instances abstinence which means it advocates lifestyle changes necessary to deal with an anomaly in the system. Thus, it may still be not evidence-based but the lifestyle changes augur wellness, and the ingredients from the medicinal plants have beneficial properties many of which have been studied although more needs to be done to quantify.
The system lays more emphasis on lifestyle and consuming elements in harmony with nature. Many natural remedies like Isabgol or psyllium husk, ashwagandha, shilajit, sankphuspi, and Brahmi have become popular and are used by the masses. There are more herbal ingredients on the list may be in thousands.
India is biodiversity-rich and more herbs with medicinal properties would be discovered in time to come. Around 7000 herbs have already been classified.
**Never consume the medicine without the advice of a doctor
**Do not stop modern medicine treatments suggested by your doctor
**Consult doctor at every step.
Be safe and healthy!
