Post on 24-Dec-2015
Holistic framework of Ayurveda and its clinical advantageProf. G G Gangadharan PhD
I-AIM Healthcare Centre, Bangalore
What's Ayurveda?
• Ayurveda is a knowledge system that measures life in terms of
What's wholesome
What's happiness
And opposites thereof
Hitaahitam sukham dukham ayustasya hitahitam… Charaka Samhita
What's the essence of Holism?
• The human body is combination of constituents (dhatus) derived from the five elements (bhutas) which constitute the physical universe
• All the substances in the physical universe (within and outside the human body are composed of five bhutas
What's health in Ayurveda?
• Health is a state of dynamic equilibrium of the fundamental constituents of body (molecule to cell to organ to system)
• That is constantly interacting with the external environment which is also in a state of healthy flux
• Coupled with tranquil mind, senses and spirit
Clinical advantage of holism
• A functional framework that can accommodate any medical condition one may encounter
• A practical taxonomy of physical universe and its effect on the living system
• Which, when understood makes everything around us a potential medicine
Vikaro nama akushalo na jihriyat kadancha…
Clinical advantage of holism
• Science is understood in traditional thinking at three levels• Tatvam (Philosophy)• Shastram (Theory)• Vyavahara (Application)
• What we are currently learning and practicing is only at the level of vyavaharam
Tatvam, Shastram, Vyavaharam…
Achievements of Biomedicine
Fair understanding of the molecular basis of health and disease (Genetics, metabolomics)
Management of communicable diseases
Trauma and emergency care
Advancements in Surgery
Promises of current research
Gene, Proteo, Metabolo-omics
Stem cell therapy Epigenetics Personalized
medicine Eugenics and
designer progeny
Reductionism vs. holism
• This is arguably the pinnacle of reductionism
• Result of centuries of liberally funded research by the crème of scientific minds
• But, When we juxtapose this with the fundamental principles of Ayurveda, one can find the emergence of a meeting point between these two knowledge systems
Health challenges today
• Chronic diseases• Cancer• Heart Disease• Diabetes
• Drug-resistance
Can Ayurveda come in?
• Detox (Panchakarma)
• Diet and Lifestyle (Pathya)
• Positive health (Rasayana)
RasayanaWhether rasayana has the capacity to influence the stem cells to become pluripotent?
Diet and lifestyle
• Diet in Ayurveda does not confirm to the one size fits all norm,
• It is not determined only the disease but equally determined by the constitution of the individual, space and time one is placed in
Panchakarma
• A systematic mechanism to eliminate multitude of toxins from body without causing harm to the healthy tissues
The need for integration…
• New science can be made only if we go to the level of shastra and tatva
• This is the realm of Indian medical knowledge that is yet to be explored
To conclude…
• India is uniquely positioned to give to the world a model of healthcare that judiciously combines a 5000 yrs old living health tradition with cutting edge science
• It will bring not only academic accomplishments but also economic progress
• It has the potential to change the way the world perceives us
Thank you…
Prof. G G Gangadharan PhD