The use of traditional methods of medicine have slowly gone out of the limelight with the great strides that modern medicine has taken, leading to a lot of the people forgetting their effectiveness. However, over the years, a few of the traditional forms of medicine have stood the test of time and, after a few decades of being lost in the wilderness, have also returned to play a pivotal role in the healing process alongside medicine. One of these traditional medicines is the increasingly popular Chinese form of acupuncture which is the modified version of its older cousin - acupressure. The other, is one that is still finding its feet amongst the large followings of acupuncture and modern medicine - the traditional therapy of Ayurveda. This form of healing found it roots in ancient India and follows the belief that five elements - earth, water, air, space and fire make up the universe as well as the human body. The principles of the medicine also believe that one must attain a balance of three substances - wind / air/ spirit, bile and phlegm, which represent divine forces. These substances are split up into "doshas" or energies and it is essential, for ones overall well being that a balance is found amongst all these elements within the body. The three doshas or "tridoshas" can be classified as:
- Kapha: This pertains to the water and earth elements and is responsible for ones growth and protection. Some of the common examples of fluid that make up this category include the mucus that lines the stomach or the cerebral-spinal fluid that protects the brain and the spinal column.
- Pitta: is the classification that involves fire and water elements. This group is responsible for the metabolism of the body
- Vata: includes the air and ether elements and is considered to be the force that directs circulation, nerve impulses, respiration and elimination.
Given that it is a traditional form of medicine, Ayurveda has been reviewed with a lot of skepticism over the years, both in its home country of India as well as abroad. Most of the recent tests have, as yet, found inconclusive evidence that the treatment is beneficial at all. Government funded research including the effect of Ayurveda on cardiovascular diseases have also shown insufficient data to conclude that the treatment is beneficial in any way. However, this has not stopped a number of private practitioners from pumping money into even more research on the back of some evidence that, depending on the type and extent of the condition, it could be a very helpful form of treatment.
answered by G M