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A thorough examination, coupled with 'nadi pariksha' (i.e. feeling the pulse), tells the physician whether the disorder belongs to vata, kapha or pitta type. After knowing this, a suitable ayurvedic formulation is used to set right the disorder. The therapy either purges the system of disease-causing elements, or introduces new elements in the system to fortify body's own defense-mechanism. Then there are medicines to maintain the general level of well-being.
Ayurvedic medicines are taken orally, applied locally, inhaled or fermented with. This system of treatment also undertakes surgery and process of purification, called 'Punchakarma'.
Source of Medicines
Ayurveda derives medicine from Nature. Plant Kingdom and minerals mostly contribute to its treasure of Medicines. After a thorough study, experimentation and documentation of hundreds of plants over a period of more than a thousand years, India's ancient sages have come to accurate conclusions about the efficacy of different plants, herbs and minerals. Specific medicines have been extracted from various plant-parts like root, bark, flower, fruit, leaf, stem, etc.
On the whole, most of the Ayurvedic preparations are free from side-effects or reactions, unless, of course, indiscriminately used.
Eminent Masters
Indian mythology is replete with references of miraculous plants and wisemen of health-sciences. The earliest mention is that of Ashwini Kumar, who was the physician of gods.
The well-known churning of the Ocean (known as 'Samudra-Manthan') brought up many 'gems' hidden in the womb of nature. One of these was Lord Dhanwantari who brought with him the 'nectar of knowledge pertaining to human health'. Later day physicians on ancient Indian soil were Charak and Sushruta who, along with others, chronicled the results of Ayurvedic researches, thus providing a solid pedestal to Ayurveda as a perfect science.
In contemporary India, dozens of institutions are currently engaged in promoting Ayurveda as a viable alternative to the chemicals-based system of medicines. VICCO is one of them.
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ARTICLES IN ENGLISH
Ayurved – medicines plus many more things
Ayurved touches many aspects of our life. It’s not only about medicines. Yes, it heals cures and prevents disorders and malfunctions in human body. It is not all. It is omnipresent. It tells us everything about the way; we are to lead our life, a healthy life. It is really amazing when we find that, a great deal of thought was applied by our ancestors to small and minute details of everything that affects our life. They have done it through “Ayurved”.
Broadly, a year consists of 3 seasons, summer, rains and winter. Our Ayurved tells us what to eat and what to avoid during these seasons. Even, it specifies the dressing code. Following examples will prove the viewpoint.
In summer, the weather is hot. The surroundings are dull and drab. Meals must be light and easy to digest. The cereals to be used like wheat, rice, jowar, bajra, should be one year old. Pulses like gram, moong, matki, masoor can be consumed. Oils, ghee, butter, spices and non-veg. food are to be consumed in moderate quantities. Vegetables like dodka, padwal, methi, shevaga, carrot, pose no problems. Fruits like mango, banana, orange are most welcome. Abundant use of curd, butter milk and lime juice is advised.
In summer, people should wear light, white cotton clothes. This is for summer.
When the rains are around, weather is sultry and humid. During this period, the digestive system is weak. You are not to take heavy meals. Diet should consist of items that are light and easy to digest, with moderate dose of oils, ghee and spices. Seasoned cereals – for more than one year may be used in meals. Pulses like moong, masoor, kulitha and vegetables like karle, dudhi, dodka and fruits like pomegranate, banana etc. are good for consumption. Clean, cotton wares are advised.
In winter, weather is cool. Body needs nutritious, nourishing and fortifying food. Oils, ghees, butter, spices, milk, products made of milk, sweets are to be consumed in large measures. Fresh cereals, pulses, all vegetables and seasonal fruits can be used. Wear clean, warm and woolen clothes to avoid severe cold.
In short, Ayurved suggests specific food items [based on its nutritious contents, calories and seasonal utility]. Meals suggested consist of everything that the body needs, during that particular season. Every meal is a square meal.
Truly speaking, ‘Maharashtrian Thali’ provides everything that body needs. Normally, it consists of wheat flour chapatti, jowar-bajra bhakari, vegetables, rice, dal, salads – tomato, cucumber, beet roots, carrots, curd or butter milk and sometimes a sweet item. Recently, a team of dieticians from Japan visited Mumbai and studied our Thali meal. They were very much impressed by the contents of our meal.
The climatic changes, which follow the changes in seasons, have an enduring impact on human body and the body is susceptible to disorders. If suitable and proper food is consumed and if you are careful about your clothes then, the bad effects will be less and less troublesome, says the Ayurved.
Indian women are very well known for their beauty, fairness and lovely complexion. In historical books, we will find a proof and plenty of examples of beautiful women. Remember, the wars fought for the women. Indian artists have portrayed images of beautiful women in paintings, sculptures, especially shown in our old temples and caves. Ayurved suggests a bagful of herbs and plants, which are used in preparations that enhance the beauty of human body, particularly teeth, eyes, hair and skin.
Herbs like brahmi, maka, shankhpushpi, shatavari, ashwagandha, korphad, tulas, pudina, chandan, halad, kadulimba, shikekai are used in such preparations for years together. All this you will find in Ayurved.
Look, how different this ancient Indian science of Ayurved is. It is not only medicines, but it tells us lot of other useful, helpful information to make our life better, more healthy and full of vigor and strength.
Ayurvedic medicinal herbs that are used have well-known qualities and are effective for various types of diseases says Sanjeev Pendharkar.
Recently, there was a news item in the media. An Indian cricketer from Kerala unfolded the story of his recovery from the injuries he had suffered while playing. He was advised surgery and a particular treatment alongwith physiotherapy. He skipped the operation part and the accompanying treatment. Instead, he opted for ayurvedic medicinal treatment and believed in the ageold oils and creams–massage of his doctor. His fitness was accepted. Recovery time from injuries was also remarkably and favourably, comparable with what was suggested earlier. You may as well ask what is so significant about this news item? Briefly, it is about ayurved and ayurvedic medicinal system. People are now accepting this form of treatment as an alternative form of medicines.
India is the origin of this ayurvedic medicinal system. It has a history of hundreds of years and it is time-tested. Of course, it is not well documented. But then, the medicinal herbs that are used have well-known qualities and are effective for various types of diseases. All this can also be proved in laboratory tests. Remember, the big fight for the patents of Neem and Turmeric. They knew it very well that these plants have lot of uses and that they are medium for treatment of some disorders. In seventeenth century, a Dutchman had paid a visit to Kerala, then Malbar. He was impressed with herbal remedies used by Vaidyas and he wrote a book on the subject, painting out of the richness of an ancient Indian treatment in the form of medicinal plants and herbs. Countries like Japan, Germany, China and now to some extent USA have understood the usefulness of this ayurvedic medicinal system. People from corporate world, to sustain, and even to get rid of modern day stress seek the help from this alternative medicine. Luckily for us, we too are taking steps for the further development of Ayurved. The subject is now vigorously taught at university level. Recently, Government of India has decided to establish an institute for Ayurved on the line of All India Institute of Medical Sciences. What is needed is giving “Ayurved” a status of an industry. Look upon it as an industry, so that the development of Ayurved in all the directions will be possible. There will not be any problem in getting finance from the banks as well as financial institutions. You will get the return in handsome measures through foreign exchange earnings. China is doing that. Why not India?
They say India is a rich country with poor people. How true it is. Nature has bestowed on us its bounties in the forms of mountains, rivers, seashores, jungles-forests full of medicinal plants and herbs, lot of sunshine and variety of minerals. An abundance of natural resources. But, we do not fully exploit them and convert them in the form of national wealth. The Indian people as a community are intelligent and talented lot. What we lack is hard-work and discipline. If these are combined, then our dream of India becoming an economic global power will not be far off. 21st century will be surely dominated by Indian presence in every field, in the world.
“Yoga, Meditation and Ayurved”
An old man, a sort of public figure, was once asked about the secret of his great health! He was more than eighty and was still going strong with life full of zest. You know, what he replied! Yoga, Meditation, a little drink and a little sex as well. These keep me going for on and on. For many of us yoga and meditation, yes, are O.K. But to talk about the remaining two things is taboo. But it was never so in the good older days. In many of our centuries old temples, we find a proof of this. Painting, carving of beautiful women and men, depicting a life full of lust, emotions and desire. The Kings and the Queens had their harems and in their Durbars along with music, dance, wine used to flow in abundance.
In some of the modern day medicines as well as in ayurvedic medicines such substances are freely used. They are not harmful. Perhaps useful. But, it is not an intention here to propagate the usefulness of such item. The emphasis is on Yoga and Meditation ¼/;ku/kkj.kk½. If you wish to lead a life free of both body and mind stress then yoga and meditation must form a part of your daily life routine. It will be pertinent to know what the Japanese people think about it. Japanese are very hard working people and in their quest for more production and progress, they even neglect their private life and the stress they go through disturb them physically as well as mentally. They have found meditation keep them away from stressful life. Even Americans and people from Europe are slowly adopting these two with enthusiasm.
Look, how yoga helps you :
i] It keeps you healthy.
ii] Your face, hair, skin all glow.
iii] You feel always fit and raring to go.
iv] Disease – Disorders – you remain away from them.
Many Gurus from India have propagated yoga in different countries and some of them have certainly succeeded with many followers to toe their line. Many celebrities in the different fields of activities, in the world have now taken to yoga with all the seriousness because they know it is very effective. It does control many diseases that have no remedies in the allopathic system of medicine. Yoga, meditation along with ayurved are our precious possessions. It is a gift our forefathers have bestowed upon us, and all the people in this land with their different attire varied food habits even totally different cultural and social leanings, geographical background are all for Ayurved, yoga and meditation.
What is Meditation? There is nothing mystic about it. It is very simple. You have to imbibe the art of controlling yourself. You can do it while working, while playing, while going through your daily chores. Japanese, while at work snatch a few moments and go through the process of meditation. Because of stresses and the disturbed family life, many Japanese were found with suicidal tendencies. Meditation has taught them to conquer these frailties in life.
Students, who cannot handle anxiety, fear of failure, do develop suicidal tendencies. Some of them do commit the act of suicide. It is now found if they learn the art of meditation, they can overcome the fear of failure, accepting it as a part of struggle in life and move on.
In short, make yoga, meditation and ayurved, inseparable part of your life and add little, little of so many things and you will have a long and healthy life.
Our rich Ayurvedic Traditions/Heritage
We all remember very well, a very expensive battle has to be fought before the patents on Neem and Turmeric were revoked in favour of India. Most of the countries especially industrially advanced now know that all drugs used in olden days to combat diseases were such specialty chemicals and plant compounds were used as therapeutic agents. There is a growing interest in the products of living organisms not only as source of drugs for treatment of human disease but in a multiplicity of other applications aimed at reducing the use of synthetic chemicals. The ongoing search for Neem-based pesticides is similarly an expression of interest in doing away with synthetic pesticides.
Likewise Ayurvedic medicinal preparations, which some people may like to use to enhance the beauty of complexion are now on demand. Countries like Japan, Germany have shown deep interest in the traditional herbal remedies of disease and they are actually importing various tropical plants and herbals from India. India’s medicinal practices like Naturopathy and Ayurveda are becoming very popular in countries like US, France, Germany and Italy, apart from other Afro-Asian countries in the world. Traditional remedies based on Neem, Turmeric, Shankhpushpi, Sandalwood, Shatavari had been a part of the traditional Ayurvedic medicinal system since ancient times. It has a history of thousands of years and it is time-tested. Even in the grand old days, in the absence of modern medicines, various traditional herbal treatments used to take care of health of the people. In the late 17th Century, a Dutch official, named Van Rheede visited Malbar and studied Ayurvedic traditions of Kerala and took the help of Etty Achyuthan and other Vaidyas to record the treatment of various diseases with the help of herbal remedies. To aid in correct identification of the plants from which the drugs were derived, he described them, classifying them with the help of the system used by the Kerala Physicians. The result was ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ – published between 1678-1703, a landmark of the history of modern botany. Only thing is that the traditional remedial knowledge is not well documented. It is also true, there is not enough research in securing better cures for diseases like T.B., Malaria and other contagious and epidemic form diseases. Those associated and concerned with the future of Ayurveda, must pay attention to these short comings through the establishments of R & D laboratories. Ayurveda systems are not so fully standardised and therefore are opened to confusion. What is needed is new exploration, documentation and systematic propagation, so that the wealth of tropical plants is used for the betterment of people.
Recently there appeared in the ‘Times of India’ issue an article under the caption of “Deadly Cocktail or Right Remedy?” Canadian Government has banned Ayurvedic drugs because of the finding of presence of heavy metals in some of the drugs. Countries in the world have their own domestic, internal laws regarding production and use of drugs. You will not find the same yard-stick everywhere. Canadian Government’s decision may not be an isolated case. Their findings may be true. But you cannot blame the whole system. Manufacturing Practice, shelf-life of the product, how the products are stored, are some of the things which definitely need look into.Banning Ayurvedic oriented drugs totally, just because some of the drugs contained foreign articles, is really inexplicable and highly unwarranted. They have overlooked the interest of their own people, who consumed Ayurvedic preparations because they do not have side effects like allopathic medicines and basically, these drugs cure the disease and not just contain it. In case of allopathic drugs, it can be said that, these drugs sometimes cure and affect organ of your body but at the same time the side effects damage other organs of the body. The glaring example is that of ‘use of Steroids’. They harm the mechanism of the body in many ways. Likewise the same thing can be said about different vitamins. Knowing this, suppose, we ban the import and use of these products, what will happen? Can the multinationals engaged in manufacturing medicines afford to ignore a huge Indian market? Population wise, India is only second to China in the world, with more than 100 crores of people and the market potential it provides, if ignored, will be detrimental to the existence and the growth of these companies. We have good alternatives to these imported vitamins in the form of Gulvel Satva, Chyavanprash etc. Of course, it does not absolve those units manufacturing Ayurvedic drugs from responsibility of adhering to ‘Good Manufacturing Practice’. A failure here and at other steps like packaging, transport conditions etc. may create problems. These short-comings are to be removed.
In spite of the development mentioned above, there are heartening news as well. For example, we can mention that many ‘Natural Health Food Shops’ in US stores Vicco products like Vicco Vajradanti and Vicco Turmeric Cream. The cliental is mostly foreigners. It seems that the government is not overlooking the fact that more and more people are turning to alternative medicines which have far less side-effects and are not based on synthetic chemicals, but have a base of herbal plants. That is why a decision has been taken to include traditional practices of medicines in the curriculum of MBBS examinations. Several countries in the world have integrated modern and their traditional practices in the curriculum for their medical students. This has been done in China, Japan and Korea. Thank God, we are not far behind. At least a step has been taken in that direction.
Now the people have become more health conscious. Before buying products, they pay attention to its source and they prefer natural ingredients. They want to go in for products which have less and less side-effects. That is why there is a great potential for Ayurvedic products. We must take advantage of the situation and support the system.
“Look upon Ayurved as an Industry”
Recently, there was a news item in the media. An Indian cricketer from Kerala unfolded the story of his recovery from the injuries he had suffered while playing. He was advised surgery and a particular treatment alongwith physiotherapy. He skipped the operation part and the accompanying treatment. Instead, he opted for ayurvedic medicinal treatment and believed in the age-old oils and creams–massage of his doctor. His fitness was accepted. Recovery time from injuries was also remarkably and favourably, comparable with what was suggested earlier. You may as well ask what is so significant about this news item? Briefly, it is about ayurved and ayurvedic medicinal system. People are now accepting this form of treatment as an alternative form of medicines.
India is the origin of this ayurvedic medicinal system. It has a history of hundreds of years and it is time-tested. Of course, it is not well documented. But then, the medicinal herbs that are used have well-known qualities and are effective for various types of diseases. All this can also be proved in laboratory tests. Remember, the big fight for the patents of Neem and Turmeric. They knew it very well that these plants have lot of uses and that they are medium for treatment of some disorders. In seventeenth century, a Dutchman had paid a visit to Kerala, then Malbar. He was impressed with herbal remedies used by Vaidyas and he wrote a book on the subject, painting out of the richness of an ancient Indian treatment in the form of medicinal plants and herbs. Countries like Japan, Germany, China and now to some extent USA have understood the usefulness of this ayurvedic medicinal system. People from corporate world, to sustain, and even to get rid of modern day stress seek the help from this alternative medicine. Luckily for us, we too are taking steps for the further development of Ayurved. The subject is now vigorously taught at university level. Recently, Government of India has decided to establish an institute
for Ayurved on the line of All India Institute of Medical Sciences. What is needed is giving “Ayurved” a status of an industry. Look upon it as an industry, so that the development of Ayurved in all the directions will be possible. There will not be any problem in getting finance from the banks as well as financial institutions. You will get the return in handsome measures through foreign exchange earnings. China is doing that. Why not India?
They say India is a rich country with poor people. How true it is. Nature has bestowed on us its bounties in the forms of mountains, rivers, seashores, jungles-forests full of medicinal plants and herbs, lot of sunshine and variety of minerals. An abundance of natural resources. But, we do not fully exploit them and convert them in the form of national wealth. The Indian people as a community are intelligent and talented lot. What we lack is hard-work and discipline. If these are combined, then our dream of India becoming an economic global power will not be far off. 21st century will be surely dominated by Indian presence in every field, in the world.
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Sanjeev Pendharkar
Director,
Vicco Laboratories |
ARTICLES IN MARATHI
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