If we adopt the ancient science of Ayurveda as a way of life, it is perhaps the only complete health system in the world, capable of effectively addressing global health issues. But there are challenges galore with questions being raised over quality and safety of various Ayurvedic formulations and therapies, lack of adequate clinical trials and absence of international standard certifications.
These and many other issues were the focus of a National Seminar on “Challenges and Strengths of AYUSH For The Prevention & Management Of Lifestyle Disorders” organised by the Shri Dhanwantry Educational Society at the Shri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College & Hospital in Sector 46 Chandigarh. Ayurveda and naturopathy experts from the region and from other parts of the country delivered four technical lectures to an audience primarily comprising students from ayurvedic colleges from the region as well as alumni and faculty of the host college.
A new logo of Dhanwantry College being unveiled during the course of the National Seminar on AYUSH
Photo By : Life In Chandigarh
Retired judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Ashok Bhan, who has been closely associated with the institution for long, in his inaugural address, set the tone for the seminar. Sharing fond memories of his personal experiences with traditional forms of medicine and Ayurveda practiced by highly respected “vaids”, he said the science contained in these is matchless. But unfortunately the “shodh” (research) done by these great personalities remained confined to their families and were not documented for reference of others.
Noting that for ancient wisdom we are dependent on ancient Indian scriptures, he said the least that institutions like Dhanwantry College can do is to get these Sanskrit scriptures translated in the common man’s language and undertake further research, which should be documented for posterity.
In his technical lecture, Dr JLN Sastry, Head – Health Care, Dabur Research & Development Centre, emphasised that “our traditional simple meals, comprising roti/rice, dal, vegetables and ghee/butter, were balanced and wholesome. Eating habits and lifestyle were also disciplined. With modernity and fast paced life, our eating habits are now dictated by novelty, trends, taste and convenience, with least emphasis on having a balanced diet. Irregular gaps between meals and skipping a meal or two altogether is also leading to health issues,” he added.
Giving a presentation, Dr Sastry said Ayurveda emphasises on maintaining a correct lifestyle, considers prevention first, adopts a holistic approach towards health and wellness, and advocates maintaining a balance in the “Three Pillars of Life”, which are proper digestion, proper sleep and proper management of sexual activities.
Dwelling on recent drugs developed by Dabur, he particularly mentioned Glycodab which had proved effective in managing and containing Type II diabetes. The formulation was the outcome of research and testing by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Science (CCRAS) and, after securing rights, it was developed, standardised and further tested on various parameters by Dabur Research & Development Centre.
In his lecture, Dr Dharminder Vashisht from the well known naturopathy centre in the region, Sanjeevani Kaya Shodhan Sansthan, Jind Road, Gohana in Sonepat district of Haryana stressed the need to treat the mind before body. A good doctor must always shower his utmost attention and affection on all people who come to them for consultation and treatment to win their confidence and trust, he stated.
He strongly advocated that people recharge themselves at least every 12 hours by taking a few minutes out of their daily schedules to concentrate on their own selves by maintaining silence, doing yoga or meditation or just praying, because spirituality is the essence of life.
Dr Deepika Gunawant (MD Ayurveda), who is a Senior Consultant – Ayurveda & Wellness at the Max Multi-speciality Centre in New Delhi, in her presentation while hailing Ayurveda’s holistic approach, which emphasises on preventative aspects of health, well being and lifestyle, emphasised that clinical studies had substantiated the effectiveness and efficacy of Ayurvedic medicines and therapies.
At the same time, she said the Ayurveda industry had to address the growing concerns worldwide over quality and genuineness of raw materials used in its formulations and therapies. Non compliance with international quality and safety certifications was another area where the industry needs to seriously move forward without delay, she added.
Renowned naturopath Prof (Dr) BT Chidanandan Murthy, who is currently associated with Jindal Naturecure Institute on the outskirts of Bangalore, one of the top five naturopathy institutions in the country, said naturopathy believed that elimination of toxins from the body removed the cause of the disease. Suppression of disease leads to chronic disease. It also believed that there are tremendous healing potentials within the body, and body and mind have tremendous recuperative, rejuvenative and restorative powers. These potentials have to be activated through various forms of stimulations, he added.
Secretary of the Shri Dhanwantry Educational Society Naresh Mittal informed the gathering that 2,000 BAMS students had passed out from Dhanwantry College since its inception in the mid 1970s. Now the college-hospital is poised to rise to the next level with an entire new four-storey block under construction and introduction of Masters courses (proposed 12 seats in six specialities) besides increasing BAMS seats from 60 to 100.
Ayurvedic ‘Gyan’ Extracted From Presentations
Dos & Don’ts Of Sleep
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- Wake up in the Brahmi Muhurta i.e. 43 minutes before sunrise (between 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. in summers and 6:45 a.m. – 7:15 a.m. in winters)
- Retire to bed as early as possible, but not before sunset in any case
- Afternoon nap is advisable (43 minutes only), but while sitting in an armchair. Sleeping during daytime is ill-advised
- Sleeping in the right lateral (side) position is advised using a thin pillow. For digestive disorders left lateral position is recommended
- Going to sleep immediately after finishing lunch or dinner is a strict no-no
- Children, aged people, pregnant women and the sick and ailing are exempted from general restrictions
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Means To Induce Sleep
Oral
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- Ashvagandha with milk
- Brahmi or Mandukaparni as stress busters
- Tagar or Jatamansi as natural tranquilisers
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External
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- Ghee/curd application on the sole of feet
- Meditation/yoga
- Music Therapy
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