1. Why Ayurveda in the West?
-Dr. Atul Rakshe
Shree Niramaya Ayurveda Kendra, Pune
(INDIA). www.cozwecare.org
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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2. Philosophy of Ayurveda
• The term Ayurveda means
“knowledge (veda) of longevity (ayus).
• Ayurveda was evolved through intuitive,
experimental & perceptual methodology in
India.
• The philosophy of Ayurveda is aimed at putting
people in touch with themselves on a deeper
spiritual level .
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
3. Objective of Ayurveda
• Swasthasya swaastha rakshanam
(preventing the ailments)
• Vyadhakanam vyadhi paramokshaha
(to relieve the humanity from all categories
of miseries, i.e. physical, mental, intellectual
and spiritual)
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4. Concept of Arogya (Health)
• Ayurveda is a medical system that deals not
only with body but with the mind and spirit
as well.
• The fundamental aim of ayurvedic therapy is
to restore the balance between the three
humours or dosha (ie, vata, pitta, and
kapha) and coordination of body, mind, and
consciousness.
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5. The doctrine of four purusharthas
(fundamental objectives of life)
• dharma (righteousness or duty),
• artha (wealth),
• kama (desire for pleasure) and
• moksha(spiritual emancipation)
• The first three are for the body and mind and
the last one consists in the realization of the
soul.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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6.
7. Foundation Concepts
Vedic hypothesis of universal interconnectedness
• It states that there are common principles
underlying the microcosm (individual) and
macrocosm(universe) and that man and the universe
are composed of the same basic elements.
• Health will be good if one’s mind and body are in
harmony, and one’s interaction with the universe is
natural and wholesome.
• Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with
the universe.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
9. Doshas (The three bodily humors)
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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10. Prakriti (Ayurvedic Body Types)
• The prakriti is a person’s unique combination
of physical and psychological characteristics
and the way the body functions to maintain
health.
• The prakriti is believed to be unchanged over
a person’s lifetime.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
13. Uniqueness of ayurveda
• It heals from the root-cause of an illness, not
merely treating the symptoms.
• It looks at people as individuals, not as a
generic group.
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14. Gurukula
• The “Gurukula” system of education was the
method of the Ayurveda training that was
followed in ancient India.
• A “Gurukula” was a place where a teacher or
“Guru” lived with his family and
establishment, and trained the students.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
15. Marma (vital center)
• Treating important and sensitive spots on the
body called Marmas is described in Ayurveda
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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16. Noninvasive diagnostic tools
Nadi (pulse) reading
Observation
Physical exam through the five senses
Direct questioning
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18. Rasayana Chikitsa
(rejuvenation therapy)
Rasayana is defined as any
herb, food, or activity which
confers youthfulness and cures
diseases.
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23. • Time tested since 5000 years
• Natural
• Safer
• Cheaper alternative
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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24. • Ayurvedic treatment goals include
eliminating impurities, reducing symptoms,
increasing resistance to disease, and reducing
worry and increasing harmony in the
patient’s life
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
25. Management of chronic diseases
• fistula-in-ano
• chronic rheumatic diseases
• residual psychosis
• anxiety disorders
• chronic colitis
• IBS
• liver disorders
• degenerative brain diseases
• neuropathy and terminally sick patients who are
declared incurable
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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27. Ayurveda
mother of alternative therapies
Hearing: Music therapy, Touch: Massage (abhyañga),
mantra chanting. yoga, and exercise
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28. Sight: Color and art
therapy
Taste: Herbal medicines
given according to
there taste (rasa)
Smell: Aromatherapy
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29. Three pillars of life
• ahara (diet),
• nidra (sleep) and
• brahmacharya (observance of sexual discipline).
• Ayurveda believes in the principle where excess
in any walk of life be it food, sleep or sex causes
harm to the body. Hence regulated functioning
of the three triads i.e food, sleep & sex is
essential.
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30. Ayurvedic Diet
• Ayurvedic diet generally suggest
personalised diet for people whilst
considering factors like age and gender,
the doshic tendencies that needs to be
balanced at a given time, the potency of
the body tissues and the digestive
abilities.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
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31. Types of food
• Ayurveda classifies food into three types : satva,
rajas and of tamas nature.
• Rajas is responsible for all mental disturbances
• The right kind of satvic food aids purifying the
mind from this excess
Giuseppe Arcimboldo, 1527-1593, The Gardener
32. • Ayurvedic diet can be categorised depending
on dosha or constitutional type and also
based on the six types of tastes.
• According to Ayurveda well balanced diet
consists of food stuffs having six tastes
namely Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and
Astringent.
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33. • According to Ayurveda, the tastes can
increase or decrease the three doshas
namely Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
• Any diet, which solely concentrates on one
type of food, is incomplete as it is unable to
balance all aspects of the physiology.
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34. Eight factors determining the food utility
1) nature of food articles
2) method of their processing
3) combination
4) Quantity
5) Habitat
6) Time
7) Rules governing intake of food
8) Wholesomeness to individual who takes it.
Escorts Heart Institute & Research Centre Ltd, New Delhi, INDIA
www.cozwecare.org
35. Aharavidhividhanam
• Charaka, the great Ayurvedic practitioner
recommends aharavidhividhanam (ten rules
for food intake).
• Avoid uneasy combinations
• Fill half quantity of stomach with food, one
fourth quantity with water and liquid
substances and keep the remaining one
fourth for air.
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36. Rules Related to Diet
• Don’t eat food in a hurry or when you are in a
disturbed state of mind, full of tensions,
strains, and emotional outbreaks.
• Wash your hands, feet and mouth, using
clean utensils in a clean place which is well
lighted and well-ventilated.
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37. Dinacharya
• dina – day & acharya – behavior
• In order to keep the tridoshas in a state of
healthy equilibrium , digestion & agni
(metabolism) in proper order, Ayurveda
prescribes for each individual a specific daily
routine
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38. Arising
Natural urges
Head oil
Cleanliness
Massage
Exercise
Good sleep
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39. Ritucharya
• The doshas are influenced primarily by
seasonal variations.
• Knowledge of the seasons is related to the
balancing of the doshas.
• Hence Ritucharya i.e. the seasonal taste
adjustments, dietetics and regime is to be
followed.
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40. Ayurveda in India
• Due to countrywide presence
• easy availability
• affordability
• safety
up to 80% of the Indian population
use Ayurvedic medicine. (Gogtay et al., 2002).
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41. Ayurveda in West
• In UK, about 28% of the population use CAM
and up to 49% cancer patients use
traditional medicines (Simpson and Roman, 2001; Johnston et al., 2003;
Thomas et al., 2003).
• Ayurveda is recognized as an official
healthcare system in Hungary.
• In USA, up to 59% of the population use
CAM.(Eisenberg et al., 1998;Graham et al., 2005; Saydah and Eberhardt, 2006, Source : Los Angeles
Times * Economic times dated 25th July 2003 )
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42. Ayurveda as Global medicine
• WHO at Alma Ata in 1978 have recognized that
the role of traditional medicine is important in
the health care scenario of both the developing
and the developed world.
• Hence in view of the potential of Ayurveda, it has
been realized that Ayurveda can contribute
substantially to the success of the present health
care delivery system.
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Ayurveda has increasingly identified itself as a kind of preventive medicine; indeed, it has become as much a positive lifestyle index as a system for curing illness.
