Ayurveda: A Belief System or Science?

There is a controversy behind a life and health system whether it is run for 5000 years as a belief system or there is science behind it. We are talking about Ayurveda. Of course, it is a scientific system. Let us know about the 20 major scientific principles of Ayurveda.

1. Panchamahabhoot: Each and every creature and all the objects of this world are made up of 5 basic elements. They are – Space, Air, Water, Earth, Fire.
2. Tridosha: the 5 basic elements constitute the 3 basic physiological factors that are responsible for all the metabolic functionalities of the body. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
3. Prakriti: All humans have one of the dominant doshas in their bodies since their birth. This Prakriti makes a typical phenotype of each individual making them with a bunch of common features.
4. Objective: There are 2 objectives of Ayurveda
   1. To maintain the health of a healthy person.
   2. To treat a diseased person with medicines.
5. Definition of Health: Anybody who has a balance of 3 doshas, 7 dhatus, balanced digestive fire, and all the 11 Indriyas, Atma, and mana is in a happy mood is called a healthy person.
6. Dinacharya: A set of disciplines meant for the lifestyle of a person which is designed from waking till sleep in the night comes under dinacharya. Assured health can be obtained by following these principles.
7. Food Discipline: Ayurveda has given clear directions about the diet of a person. One can eat what he/she can digest easily. There has been given more emphasis on the quality of the food rather than its quantity.
8. Emphasis on Quality: Ayurveda has given more emphasis on quality over quantity while assessing anything and everything.
9. Ritucharya: Special diet and lifestyle discipline about what to eat and what not to eat, different combinations of Rasas to be used in a particular season have been advised for every 6 seasons separately. Following these rules ensure health.
10. Adharneeya Vega: There is a very powerful concept of 11 Adharneeya vega described in Ayurveda. These forces if hold forcefully can lead to dreadful metabolic diseases and hence should be kept in priority.
11. Satmaya: If a person practices a typical set of things, foods, habits for a longer duration of time, they become an integral part of his lifestyle in spite of the fact that they are harmful to the body. There is a guided method for leaving any of the habits also.
12. Rasayan: There is a special category of herbs, foods, and etiquettes. By adopting these practices, one can stay healthy for a longer duration of time and can enjoy youthfulness and disease-free life.
13. Ashtang Ayurveda: Different Specialties of treatment had been described in Ayurveda even 5000 years ago. These are
    1. Surgery
    2. Medicine
    3. Eye & E.N.T.
    4. Gynaecology & Obstetrics
    5. Paediatrics
    6. Toxicology
    7. Rejuvenation
    8. Vigor & Vitality
14. Disease Classification: 8 categories of disease classification have been described in Ayurveda
    1. Hereditary
    2. Congenital
    3. Metabolic
    4. Traumatic
    5. Seasonal
    6. Idiopathic
    7. Natural
    8. Psychiatric
15. Causes of Diseases
    1. Abuse of Indriyas
    2. Abuse of Buddhi
    3. Wrong impact of Time
16. Prognosis of the Disease
    1. Sukhsadhya Rog (Easy to cure)
    2. Kashtasadhya Rog (Hard to cure)
    3. Yapya Rog (Can only be managed)
    4. Asadhya Rog (No treatment)
17. Chatushpad: Emphasis has been given on the qualities of the 4 pillars involved in the treatment.
    1. Doctor
    2. Paramedical staff
    3. Patient
    4. Quality Medicines.
18. Principles of Treatment: The treatment of a patient is done by means of 2 broad categories
    1. Shodhan (Detoxification treatment)
    2. Shaman (Treatment by medicines)
19. Panchakarma Treatment: There are 5 powerful treatments explained for the complete detoxification of the body that ensures an effective and complete cure.
    1. Vaman(Emesis)
    2. Virechan(Purgation)
    3. Vasti(Enema)
    4. Nasya (Nasal Administration of the medicine)
    5. Raktamokshan (Blood Letting)
20. Purushartha Chatustaya: The route of any individual life follows either anyone of the path or all to achieve one’s target of life.
    1. Dharma
    2. Artha
    3. Kaam
    4. Moksha

Ayurveda says Health is the basic requirement for everyone irrespective of the way one chooses to move ahead in life.

These 20 scientific points ensure that there is enough science behind this life and health system and we can be benefited even today by following the basic principles of health.