(Box 2)
Quoted below are thoughts of an engineer that touches on Ayurveda particularly in the context of National Medical Integration where an optimal strategy to making connections between different ways of knowing and doing in healthcare has become urgent :
"Those who have followed medical studies have either
1. Been driven by an intense desire to serve
Or
2. They have wanted to achieve a good standing in *science*
Those in the first category are already talking about *integrative medicine*. They will decide in favor of whatever reduces the pain and suffering of their patients.
The other group of those who may be into medicine for a greater love of science, will talk logic just from the perspective of their standpoint. They may be naive about economics of pharma and awareness is a challenge there. But they can be convinced to become *skeptical experimentalists* to *disprove* the claims of Ayurveda. In doing so, either they will be venerated or stand corrected. Either way humanity will win.
For this second group to be enabled we need to translate Ayurveda into modern language. _Vaat, pitt and kaph_ along with the _nadi_ intricacies need to be stated in terms of modern science - as a measurable quantity. This is a place for *engineering* to pitch in. The correlates may have better accuracy and specificity than modern diagnostics.
At the same time, it should be possible to interpret modern diagnostics in terms of vaat, pitt, kaph and nadi. That way Ayurveda practitioners will be able to more actively participate in *modern scientific* integrative medicine.
Modern science has trained us into *reductionists*. We are *gnostic* in our approach to nature. This, again IMHO, is the lacking factor that renders psychology a dark pseudo science - it still adheres to what I will differentially term as magical thinking and heresy. As far as physiological medicine though, such reductionism does work quite successfully now. We need to therefore *remove any apprehension of magic surrounding Ayurveda*.
On such a rational platform, even our second group of *science loving physicians* will contribute.
There is another group. That's not a group of physicians, engineers, Ayurveda acharyas, or any other devoted workers. That's a group that worships money. This group practices *econopathy* even if it fosters *idiopathy*.
Unfortunately, this group finds strength in the edifices of capitalism and capitalistic exploitation. Dealing with these people, whether they are in allopathy, Ayush, or any other system - needs a willing leadership in both the political and professional domains."
Response 1
Nice.. Very thoughtful.. Don't know about the fourth group of people.. But the second group of people that he talks about.. The need for engineers to translate the ideas of VAT pitta kapha.. May be possible in some way.. One example that comes from the top of my head.. The nadi gatis have been explained in our shastras as hansa , sarpa...i. e. The way a swan, frog or snake walks... That can be easily captured in a device and correlated by an engineer..
There must be ways by which gati signatures could be captured using some devices and this in turn could be correlated with hansa Sarpa and Manduk Hari where Sarpa gati is equal to vata prakriti etc.
Response 2:
It is impossible to translate Ayurveda terminology into Modern Medicine terms. A fact to be noted that CCMB-CSIR-IGIB have done an extensive work on tridosha theory of Ayurveda, and after analysing the constitution of around 100000 people and their gene mapping, they have concluded that there were three patterns of gene sequence under which all the population can be included, which could possibly be the reason behind the vata, pitta, kapha theory. But practically speaking it has nothing to do with the clinical practice.
It's very unfortunate that none among the modern fraternity, including doctors , scientists, researchers know that Ayurveda can never be explained in modern terms, *atleast as of now*. For example, when modern medicine has touched peaks in understanding human physiology and pharmacology, still the medical solutions for Diabetes is a challenge. Either one has to take medication life long, else switch to insulin etc. But we have personally *cured* many patients from Diabetes, and they are having a complete healthy life without any medications (including Ayurveda). This is something unimaginable, and as this didn't come in any peer review journals, people can never know about this. There are many such examples, just unpublished, where Ayurveda offers a permanent cure.
The inability to explain the potential of Ayurveda in modern Research framework, if is the criteria to blatantly reject Ayurveda, is an an insult to science as such. This is the ground where I feel that integration shouldn't not dilute the actual inherent scientific principles of Ayurveda, rather give a stage to explain the cause effect mechanisms in its own language. May be after that translational researchers, along with biologists, doctors and Ayurveda fraternity can work together to find the link between systems physiology and later the actual integration can happen.
Just to cite an example, in case of respiratory conditions like asthma, we study the different pathologies happening in bronchus, various allergic responses, bronchospasms etc. But in Ayurveda it's a disease linked to digestive tract (grossly speaking for a better understanding). So is the case with migraine where we address the gastric disturbance. It's a undeniable fact that after trying all the measures of modern medicine, patients finally land into Ayurveda to find a cure. When in hands of a good clinician, they'll be cured of the issue in no time.
So the basic understanding of human body, physiology and host responses vary a lot. First we'll have to understand the missing link, then can join with integration of streams.
Response 3:
Why do we need to translate ayurveda?? We need to define the terms in english and let the doshas be in its original form.let the Ayurveda terms be there or they will just be replaced by non scientific language. Its like trying to simplify phd for a middle class student. We know sanskrit is more scientific than english so whats the need to downgrade it, rather need to firm a bridge and let them upgrade.
My personal belief- Ayurveda practitioners and other practitioners need to be taught management of emergencies. Diet and lifestyle is best in ayurveda. Alll can learn new investigations and procedures. And research /evidence generation of this integrative approach while its being practiced. All go together or we will die and still it wont get integrated
Nadi and dosha identification we all must learn, its interesting as i see my ..., she diagnoses quiet well . Even dream analysis of the patient they have.
So many orientation programs, we can add sanskrit as a language in first year so all can read patanjali yog sutras, sushruta for themselves. Innovate integrative projects eight from first year.
Response 4:
Very well put.
Each point is valid.
To dismiss off a system which has existed for so long may not be appropriate,I guess no one even precisely know since when the system started.
But the problem is in inadequate understanding and interpretation which has happened after introduction of modern medicine.
So it might be worthwhile to integrate it after appropriately interpreting whatever they are trying to convey by those terminologies which at this point don't sound too good or appealing to us.
Just as we don't understand their terms,they don't understand or agree with ours.
Watched in one of Rajiv Malhotra's interview of an Ayurveda person this ,we mean the same yet we don't.That needs to be sorted out.
And I have seen people like Dr BRamamurthi,the pioneer neurosurgeon have a n Ayurveda research unit working on some projects.I trust the wisdom of these people .
Response 5:
This is what I have been telling all along. Apni jokhon ... te chilen we used to agree on most points except one. ...believed in homeopathy, ayurved or any other form of medicine but Prof ... would always ask for evidence and rightly so
Ami aj o biswas kori in homeopathy and ayurveda. I had gone through some of their texts and it is wonderful. Where we fall behind is we without knowing it deeply tend to remain in prejudice.
Moving on the best allopathic centres in India have started to open departments of homeopathy and ayurveda in conjunction with allopathy
I believe medicine would be far more advanced if people took up homeopathy and ayurveda and researched it and put up those in public domain
My culmination would be when we can have evidence based medicine why not have evidence based ayurveda and homeopathy
Do you think ayurveda will open up new frontiers in medicine?
Response 6:
It's a sad truth that our country being one of the oldest to introduce and use many kinds of treatments and healing techniques, a greater percentage of people deny due to lack of scientific research evidence. Most of the people who believe in such techniques are considered as spiritual teachers rather than a teacher integrating different fields of study. But I, being a Health Psychologist, very strongly believe that integrated treatment is the best for better prognosis.
We all study western psychology, Medicine but currently there is increased awareness and research on Indian Psychology that has its root way back in our vedas and upanishads. I am not so aware of Medicine and its research in Indian perspective. But, I Studied about Ayurveda during my masters in Indian Psychology Course which was integrated in the curriculum because of my great professors. Here is something i learned from their
“The very first invocatory stanza of Ashtanga Hridaya (the main text in Ayurveda, written in 4th century A.D.) describes how emotions lead to both physical and mental diseases”
According to what I have learned so far Ayurveda focuses not just on the physical aspects but also on the Psychosocial aspects of an individual which is most required in the process of healing. I also agree about the difficulty with terminology used in ayurveda, indian psychology and the meanings. We were lucky to have a professor from philosophy who came to help us in understanding vata, pita, athman, brahman and so many other things. To help people understand research in that area knowing the words and their synonyms in medicine would be very helpful.
I am lucky enough to have met and have been meeting lots of “type one” professionals who inspire me because of which even though i am from psychology background which is not considered as science by many due to lack of awareness, I still joined to learn clinical hypnosis (which is neither considered science nor believed or understood my many mental health professionals themselves, again comes the role of creating awareness) to help patients/clients deal better with the problems they have physically and mentally in scientific ways. I am about to get my PGD in Clinical hypnosis and during this process I could help my own self in healing from the ... or ... as my doctors call it. Medicines did help me, but not just medicines is what I would say that controlled my symptoms and distress.
Many people do complain about the capitalist nature of treatments, but I think it’s reasonable for the pressure professionals have in the process of investing themselves in. Integrated treatment will take time and many visits which is not friendly to those patients who can’t afford it and those who want immediate results due to the collective conditioning that happened over the years.
Response 7:
There could be some exceptions in both the groups, even some people who desire to serve, they dont accept integrative medicine.
We can convince them through the evidence generated through integrative medicine.
But, finally either of their goal must be patient centered healthcare in which patientcare should have a pivotal role.
I think, this is the basic aim of most of the doctors, whether its allopathic or ayurvedic.
Their Languages (Ayurveda, Allopathy, etc.) might be different, but the essence or outcome could be the same.
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