Indigenous science and practices all over the globe have been erased by the capitalist aspects of modern medicine. It has taken me 3 yrs to convince my dad to have a herbal drink instead of a Cetirizine in case of common flu. Im yet to convince my mom to have a cucumber instead of Digene when feeling acidic.
There are Ayurvedic practitioners who criticize modern medicine for its side effects, symptomatic course of treatment and short-term approach.
There are doctors who believe that Ayurveda is hocus pocus, mumbo jumbo, archaic, need I say more?
Is there a middle path exists wherein both these sciences meet?
I would definitely say YES.
I have been extremely fortunate to meet scholars and practitioners of both the fields who are now complimenting each other in their treatments and ultimate winner is the patient.
Modern medicine offers symptomatic treatment and Ayurveda offers causative holistic cure. In times of emergencies like accidents, poisoning, acute pain, severe injuries, modern medicine offers several life saving surgical and non surgical options for the victims. Ayurveda helps in the rehabilitation of physical and mental health of such victims towards a healthier, happier life.
Modern medicine today provides excellent tools for physiological diagnosis of ailments, DNA research, neonatal care and much more.
Principally the traditional tools of Ayurveda diagnosis and modern medicine do not differ in their approach. For instance blood and urine analysis, checking the tongue, eyes ,sounds of breathing and sight of infection of a patient. Ayurveda Acharyas are now making use of tools like blood tests, X rays, CT scan, sonography etc to provide a more comprehensive and directed treatment for the patients.
Which doctor in the world has not asked us to open our mouth wide and pull out our tongue? Doesn’t it mean that in the history of modern medicine also the conclusion were the same as Ayurveda i.e. colour of the tongue, eyes, skin are all the mirror of our internal health.
When it comes to food both streams differ a bit in what one can have during times of ailments. But there is definite camaraderie when it comes to the don’ts like junk food/stale food/overeating/ too oily or spicy/ irregular meal times/going hungry for long durations and the list is endless. Ayurveda believes that food is the culprit and the cure whereas modern medicine believes that causes can be multiple but the Pill is the only cure.
Allopathic medicine practitioners are now seen recommending yoga and basic home remedies to patients instead of tossing painkillers. Pediatricians have decreased antibiotic prescriptions for common infections amongst kids.
Haven’t we all met family physicians whose only recommendation used to be exercise daily, eat on time , sleep on time and eat salads and fruits.
Medical practitioners who have dived in the study of Ayurveda have reported much higher success in treatment of chronic conditions and now recommend holistic changes in lifestyle to their patients.
Youtube is now full of videos wherein you have an Ayurveda acharya collaborating with an allopathic doctor advising on lifestyle diseases like diabetes and blood pressure. Most of the Ayurvedic medicines come with an advisory whether they can be taken alongwith allopathic pills or not. As streams of wellness, both the industries have already started gelling well with each other. We as individuals can do the same.
As an individual it is our responsibility to know our body more than a medical practitioner. Ayurveda empowers us with that capability. When we know our basics we also become capable of understanding our ailments better. The next step is only to start finding our own cures.
It is needless to say that when you can’t understand what’s wrong with you consult a medical or an Ayurveda practitioner at the earliest.
According to Ayurveda there is nothing that is right for everyone and everything is right for someone. According to modern medicine one Crocin is right for every kind of fever and every kind of fever needs a Crocin.
Lets attempt to know the difference only for our own body.