Ancient Indian Ayurveda

Ancient Indian Ayurvedic therapy is a traditional medical system that originated in the Indus River Valley and has a history of more than 5,000 years. Its core logic is to regulate the dynamic balance of body, mind and soul through diet, exercise, herbal medicine, meditation and other methods. It is currently included in the list of global traditional medicine complementary therapies by the World Health Organization. At the same time, there are widespread controversies due to the safety of some preparations and irregular commercial operations. The practical methods of different regional schools vary greatly, and there is no globally unified treatment standard.

I worked as a volunteer at an Ayurveda clinic in southern Sri Lanka for three months in 2019, learning basic conditioning methods from the local doctor Dissanayake, who was almost 80 years old. At that time, there was a girl from Munich who lived in the clinic. She had suffered from cluster migraines for 6 years, and she couldn't get rid of them even after taking various painkillers. According to Dissanayake's judgment, her pitta energy was too high, so she gave her "Hiro Kapidara" head oil drops of coconut oil mixed with sandalwood and turmeric twice a week. She drank a cup of three-fruit powder decoction made of myrobalan, amla and myrobalan after breakfast every day. She avoided all fermented foods and ice drinks. Three months later, she went back to the doctor. The frequency of migraine attacks dropped from 3-4 times a week to only once every two months. At that time, I also thought it was amazing.

But if you regard this method as the standard answer to treating migraines, you would be wrong. Last year, I met a practicing doctor from North India at the Ayurveda Exhibition in New Delhi. He said that it was also a pitta type migraine. The routine practice there was to do light fasting for 1-2 days, using only ghee and rice water to replenish energy, and then apply sandalwood powder mixed with rose water on the forehead. They did not use oil drops on the head at all. "The climate in different places and people's dietary structures are different, so how should the treatment be? How can it be exactly the same?" He said that the "authentic ancient Indian Ayurveda standardized package" promoted by many businesses is actually against the core of this system - Ayurveda has emphasized "one thousand people, one thousand ways" since its inception. Even with the three basic types of constitution (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), in reality 90% of people have mixed constitutions, and there is no absolute standard for classification.

Don’t believe it, I’ve been in trouble before. My friend has a typical Vata physique, is thin, and is prone to anxiety and insomnia. I read on Xiaohongshu and read that Ayurveda 7-day fasting and detoxification can nourish the skin. I tried it blindly, but on the third day I fainted due to hypoglycemia and was sent to the emergency room. In fact, the "Panchakama" detoxification and fasting therapy in traditional Ayurveda is originally only suitable for people with Kapha constitution (people who are obese, have slow metabolism, and are prone to edema), and it must be done under the full supervision of professional doctors. How can you do it at home? There is also the "Lhasa Therapy" that is now warned by many national drug regulatory authorities. It is a preparation processed from gold, silver, mercury and other minerals in traditional Ayurveda. It is said to be able to purify the blood. In fact, many cases have confirmed that long-term use can lead to heavy metal poisoning. This cannot be washed away.

Of course, there is no need to kill the entire system at once. Pharmacological studies from many universities have also confirmed that turmeric, amla, and tri-fruit powder commonly used in Ayurveda do have clear anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and intestinal flora regulating effects. Now when the seasons change and I am prone to allergies, I will also drink some tri-fruit powder and drink it. It is indeed more comfortable than carrying it hard. But if you want to say that this thing can cure cancer and diabetes, that is pure nonsense. Last time I went to a health care exhibition in Yunnan, I saw domestic practitioners combining moxibustion from traditional Chinese medicine with medicated oil from Ayurveda to condition the backs of customers with heavy moisture. The effect was actually good. I quite agree with what the doctor said: Traditional medicine is adapted to local conditions. How can there be any "absolutely authentic" statement?

Seriously, if you are interested in Ayurveda, don’t spend tens of thousands to sign up for some remote health care class in the mountains. First spend a few dollars to buy turmeric powder and drink it with warm milk every morning for two or three days. In the final analysis, traditional medicine is only useful if it suits you. There is no distinction between high and low.