indian ayurvedic therapy

Indian Ayurveda, which has been circulated for more than 5,000 years, is neither a "magic cure for all diseases" spread online, nor is it a metaphysical scam that relies entirely on deception. It is essentially a traditional life and health system with "the balance between the individual and nature" as its core. Some physical therapies and herbal remedies have been proven to be effective for specific symptoms by modern evidence-based research. At the same time, there are also many contents that lack scientific basis and even pose health risks. Currently, it cannot replace modern medicine as a mainstream treatment method.

I spent half a month in Pokhara, Nepal, two years ago, and spent every day in a small local Ayurveda clinic that had been open for almost 40 years. The owner was an old healer, Raj, whose hair was half gray. Bamboo plaques were always spread out in the yard to dry various wrinkled herbs. When the wind blew, the smell of bitter incense mixed with sandalwood was everywhere, and even the linen robes he wore were soaked in this smell. The free tea usually made for guests is a three-fruit soup made with sun-dried myrobalan seeds, amla emblica seeds, and myrobalan seeds. It is sour and a little sweet. I drink two large cups every day. After I came back, my allergies became less severe during the change of seasons, but I can’t tell whether it was the effect of this tea or the lack of smog in Pokhara.

Don't tell me, on the third day I went there, I met an older sister from Germany who had been suffering from migraines for almost 10 years and couldn't suppress them even after taking a lot of painkillers. Raj made her Shrodhara for almost an hour - warm sesame oil mixed with herbs, dripped evenly on the forehead between the eyebrows, and soothing incense was lit next to it. The whole process required people to clear their minds. After the treatment, the eldest sister said on the spot that most of her headaches were gone, and her brows, which had been furrowed for several days, were relaxed. Later, when I returned to China, I specifically asked my friend who is a jinnai, and they said that this therapy can quickly relieve the tension of the pericranial muscles through continuous warm stimulation and maintaining a relaxed state throughout the process. It is indeed useful for tension headaches caused by high pressure. However, if the headache is caused by organic lesions, such as brain tumors, it will be useless even if it is done ten times, and it may also delay the treatment time.

Interestingly, the differences within the Ayurveda community are actually greater than the doubts from the outside world. Traditional old-school healers firmly believe that everything in the ancient Ayurveda books is correct, including those "Rasha" medicines refined from minerals such as lead and mercury. They say that after dozens of purification rituals, they can be detoxified and can cure difficult diseases such as cancer and diabetes. However, India's own drug regulatory department has randomly tested such products on the market in the past two years. More than 80% of the heavy metals exceeded the limit. Not to mention curing diseases, eating them may also cause acute liver and kidney damage. The modern reformist Ayurveda, which has emerged in recent years, has long eliminated all these extremely risky mineral medicines, and only retains relatively safe contents such as herbal medicines, dietary adjustments, physical therapy, and work and rest adjustments. Many reformist healers even have a background in modern medicine. They will clearly tell visitors if they have organic problems to go to the hospital first, and not to expect physical therapy to solve the problem.

Nowadays, many yoga studios in the country are doing the Ayurvedic constitution test. You should have seen it at some point. It divides people into three constitutions: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, which correspond to the three natural attributes of wind, fire, and water. I was found to have a typical Vata constitution at that time, which meant I was easily anxious, had cold hands and feet, and was frequently constipated. The advice given by Raj was very simple. When I wake up every morning, drink a cup of warm milk with half a spoonful of ghee and a small half spoonful of turmeric. Do not drink iced coffee. You must go to bed before 11pm. I came back and drank it on and off for a month. To be honest, my constipation has indeed improved a lot, and even the cold hands and feet in winter have become less severe. However, a friend of mine who has a Pitta constitution is prone to getting angry and developing ulcers. After drinking it for two days, her nose bleeds immediately, which scared her to stop. To put it bluntly, the core point of Ayurveda is "individual differences". Good things used by others may be a burden to you. There is no "magic prescription that applies to everyone".

I have read public reports from the Indian health department before. Ayurveda now accounts for almost 30% of India’s primary medical care system. Many remote villages with inconvenient transportation do not have regular hospitals. Local Ayurvedic doctors use herbal medicine to treat colds, diarrhea, and food accumulation. Such common ailments have a clinical effectiveness rate of about 60%. However, Indian officials have long made it clear that Ayurvedic therapy cannot replace modern medicine in the treatment of severe diseases such as tuberculosis, AIDS, and cancer. Once an institution is found to be promoting the treatment of these diseases, its license will be revoked.

In fact, many people now have very polarized attitudes towards Ayurveda. They either think that the wisdom of the Indian ancestors is 10 times more powerful than Western medicine, or they think it is all a metaphysics that charges an IQ tax. I don’t think it’s necessary to be either/or. If you’ve been under a lot of stress recently, haven’t slept well, and have soreness everywhere on your body, but there’s nothing wrong with you going to the hospital, and you want to find a place to relax and adjust your condition, there’s nothing wrong with finding a regular healing shop that doesn’t treat you randomly. But if you really find out that you have a real problem, don’t blindly believe in some Ayurvedic miracle medicine. Go to a tertiary-level hospital to report honestly, which is more reliable than anything else.