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Ayurveda |
| Ayurveda, (meaning “science of life”),
is a form of alternative medicine based on the principle that disease
is caused by an imbalance of life forces. Derived from spiritual visions
received by Indian sages 5000 years ago, Ayurveda is the oldest existing
system of medical practice and is regarded by proponents as a complete
way of life aimed at spiritual, mental, and social well-being as well
as physical health. The theory that informs ayurveda is wide-ranging
involving science and medicine. |
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Traditionally, ayurveda stresses the importance of self-care
and practitioners claim that treatments help maintain health and prevent
illness, although they can also help a wide variety of health problems.
Ayurveda’s stress on correct Lifestyle, simple procedures for
preventive Health care and comprehensive management of chronic ailments
has projected it as the perfect holistic Health Science. Ayurveda
has two disciplines. |
| PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE (SWASTHAVRITTA) |
| 'Swasthavritta' explains how to prevent
disorders and how to maintain social health. The branch parallel to
Swasthavritta is 'Preventive and Social Medicine' (PSM) which is now
considered to be one of the important branches in modern medicine.
Ayurveda defines the healthy state as: 'A person, whose somatic and
psychic humours are in equilibrium, digestion is uniformly healthy,
with normal functioning of the fundamental tissues of the body and
body wastes, accompanied by the processes of the soul, cognitive organs
and the mind, is said to be a healthy person. |
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| Ayurvedic treatment aims at not just alleviating/removing the problems
of the diseased person, but then to see to it that the same patient
do not recur the same disease. A more interesting part of Ayurvedic
treatment is that it discusses its treatment on three guide lines:
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| 1) |
Diet Regimen (Aharachikitsa) |
| 2) |
Seasonal Regimen (Viharachikitsa) |
| 3) |
Medication (Aushadichikitsa) |
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In Diet Regimen Ayurveda has described
the properties of different foods, starting from daily food articles
such as grains, pulses, and cereals to various other articles such
as milk, buttermilk, ghee, water and so on. It gives definite rules
about do's and don'ts of eating, for healthy eating. |
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In Seasonal Regimen, it speaks about certain
things that are to be undertaken and some of the things which are
to be avoided. For e. g. Ayurveda always mentioned that 'Vyayamam'
i.e. exercise, is to be carried out daily, but also cautions against
heavy, disproportionate work-outs / exercises . Also, it also gives
hints and do's and don'ts regarding sleeping patterns and several
other things. |
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In treatment with Medicines, Ayurveda discusses
a huge, rich compendium of medication, basically natural in origin.
'Ayurveda' describes its eight well developed branches of different
medical disciplines as follows: |
| 1) |
General Medicine- Kaya Chikitsa. |
| 2) |
Paediatrics- Balaroga Chikitsa. |
| 3) |
Psychiatry and Parapsychology-. Graha Chikitsa |
| 4) |
E.N.T and Ophthalmology- Urdhwanga Tantra or Shalakya
Tantra. |
| 5) |
General Surgery- Shalya Tantra. |
| 6) |
Toxicology- Agada Tantra. |
| 7) |
Geriatrics- Jara Chikitsa. |
| 8) |
Aphrodisiac Treatment- Vrishya Chikitsa. |
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