Ayurveda Wisdom Series-2

Global Scenario of Ayurveda

• India: Birth place of Ayurveda. Full pledged CAM system recognized by the Government of India and regulated by CCIM, AYUSH and CCRAS, Government bodies. Ayurveda graduation will award BAMS degree (5.5 years course), masters will award MD (Ayu) [3 years] and PhD can be obtained after MD by studying under eligible guideship for a minimum of 2 years. Scope is wide in the field of private practice, hospital practice, teaching, pharmacies, agriculture, spa, wellness center and so on.


• Australia: Australian Traditional Medicine Society (ATMS) is the authority. Australian Association of Ayurveda, Adelaide and SA.

• Russia: Russian Government has recognized Ayurveda as potential system of medicine. NAAMI Ayurveda Medical Centre is a success. Recognized Panchakarma & Ksharasutra.

• Srilanka: Separate National Health Policy for Ayurveda. Qualified practitioners. Ayurveda Universities award BAMS degree.

• Nepal: Govt. recognized Ayurvedic system and has National policy. Recognized degree course in Tribhuvan University Kathmandu.

• Bangladesh: Ayurveda is practiced and taught legally. 5½ years’ graduation course in Dhaka University.

• USA: 47% of the population restored to alternative medicine and amongst them Ayurveda is highly preferred. Medicines used as dietary supplements. California college of Ayurveda- 2 yrs course and recognized officially to practice. In Florida, New Mexico, New York- recognized as herbal practitioners.

• UK / EU countries: Around 150 Ayurvedic doctors are practicing. 2 Ayurveda colleges in London offer BA (Hons.)- 3 years, 1000 hrs classes. Govt. is still hostile to recognize.

• Argentina, Brazil, Republic of Czechoslovakia, Greece, Israel, Netherlands etc- Ayurveda is coming up recently. Graduates of Medicine have PG course to learn the basics of Ayurveda.

• Australia & New Zealand: New Zealand is liberal. Australia is forming laws. The National Academy of Natural Medicine offers diploma in Ayurveda after 4 year medicine course.

• Germany: Greatly aware of Ayurveda. Not allowing to practice. But German doctors are prescribing Ayurvedic medicines and practice Panchakarma after trained in India.

• Italy: The Instituto Italiano di Ayurveda is disseminating the ideals of Ayurveda. But export of medicines and practice is not easy yet.

• Japan: Study, research and practice since 30 years. In 1969, Prof.Hiroshi Maruyama of Osaka Medical College established Society of Ayurveda. The Institute of Traditional Oriental Medicine in Tokyo offers short term Ayurveda course

• Mauritius: Government has recognized and sends students to India to learn Ayurveda.

• Sultanate of Oman: An Ayurveda doctor treated the Sultan of Oman. Being surprised by the efficacy of Ayurveda, the Sultan recognized the system and gave approval for the system. Qualified Ayurveda doctors can practice after passing the local entrance test.

• Hungary: Only European country, which has recognized Ayurveda as medical system. Practitioners are less. But, many foundations and centers are coming up.

• South Africa: Recognized as alternative system of medicine. Has a representation in South African Ayurveda Liaison Committee and also the African Allied Health Professional Act. Many medicines are also exported.

[Based on the information in Ayurvedline, a leading Ayurvedic Therapeutic Index.]

Ayurveda Wisdom Series-1

What is Ayurveda?

Ayu is the Sanskrit term for Life and Veda means wisdom. In a nutshell, it is an art and science about ‘how to live a healthy and happy life’ that too in a natural way.

What is the wisdom in it?

As seen and thought by many, it is not just a massage science or a herbal medicine alone. Ayurveda deals with many other aspects of life which can directly or indirectly influence our health and well being.

Ayurveda has two aims. One is to preserve and promote positive health and the other is to treat diseased person (note that it is not just treating the disease). Hence, it is useful for both healthy and the sick.

Ayurveda teaches about healthy eating, food, cooking, sleep habits, sexual life, pregnancy care, child care, healthy daily routine, seasonal regimen, rejuvenation, natural urges and such many factors for a healthy life and positive health.

On the other hand it also teaches about diseases, their causes, features, herbo-mineral medicines, cleansing procedures, rejuvenating procedures, diet advices, lifestyle advices and so on for a sick person.

A Glance into its History…

Ayurveda was originated in the Himalayas, snow covered mountains in the northern border of India, before 5000 years or more. It is believed to be a divine science given to mankind for the prevention of diseases and betterment of health. Since then, it was the only health care system available for many years and gradually different systems of medicines evolved with or without the influence of Ayurveda.

Ayurveda is mainly based on Atharvaveda and we find such healing practices being mentioned in other Veda's and other classical texts of Hindu tradition. Probably it was gradually developed by various sages and other herbal healers from villages/forests during those periods and was compiled by various scholars like Charaka, Sushruta, Vagbhata to become a systematic science of healing in the due course.

Somewhere in the mid eras of Ayurvedic propagation, it was suppressed due to colonisation, restrictions on practice, disbelieves and social stigmas and gradually disappeared from public usage. That was when probably, Kerala, a state of India, preserved Ayurveda as a family tradition and developed it by innovations and modifications up to date. Hence, the name ‘Kerala Ayurveda’ is very popular in today’s Ayurvedic world.

Ayurveda Now...

After Indian independence, gradually Ayurveda regained its popularity and developed into an institutional form by the formation of Indian Medical Central Council Act in 1970. Ayurveda underwent standardization and modifications from then to reach the present status.

Ayurveda is gaining popularity and presence at the global level. Now, there are many opportunities to study Ayurveda and become a professional in teaching, training, hospitals, clinics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, spas and so on based on Ayurvedic certificate or graduation courses. Many universities and colleges in India and abroad, are offering various courses in Ayurveda.

Pleasant Ayurveda? Comfort may cause you discomfort...!

Health problems these days are becoming more difficult to tackle due to their multidimensional causes, onset, progression and treatment options. The world, hence, is looking for more holistic and ‘wholistic’ approach to healthcare. In addition, people are concentrating towards more of preventive healthcare and promotional ways to positive health. This is evident by the increasing number of Health & Wellness centers, websites, information pages and professionals in various such fields. We can see increasing number of fitness centers, fitness programs, popularity of Yoga and such other modalities as well.

Ayurveda is one among such health and wellness sciences recommended these days worldwide. Its history dates back to more than 5000 years. It was originated in the Himalayas of Northern India and was the only medical science available during those days. It was not only a medical science to be practiced in hospitals or clinics but an art of living healthy and fit in the most natural way. Somewhere in the period in between, it was out of practice for various reasons and hence, lost various valuable information and links of practical knowledge. Now, again the signs of ‘reincarnation’ of Ayurveda are being observed not only in India but worldwide.

Ayurveda is being practiced in different forms in different set ups for different purposes. Basically they can be classified as Ayurvedic Spas & Beauty Centers, Ayurveda Clinics & Hospitals, Ayurveda Villages & Resorts and Ayurveda Education & Training Institutes, keeping research centers & institutes in a different list. These can exist all together in a same center or some combinations of them in a center or alone as a unit.

Among the people looking for Ayurveda, there are two basic differences. One group will be looking for a pleasant and luxurious experience and the other for more authentic, therapeutic and classical remedies. Even though there is no harm in making the experience luxurious and pleasant, this alone should not play a major role so that the genuine concept, methods and products are compromised. In such situations, it is better to have something effective, natural and beneficial even though it is a little unpleasant and uncomfortable. It is like taking a bitter medicine to control the elevated blood sugar. Sugar may be pleasant but not healthy or good in such condition.

Ayurveda is like ‘mother’. It cares for the health and happiness of living beings. Do we change our mother if she is not beautiful or pleasing? (Of course, mothers always look beautiful to their kids). Similarly, we don’t have to change the concept, methods or products which are proven to be effective and good, just for the reason that it is not pleasing to the mind or sense organs. Major reasons for our health problems are our efforts to please our mind, body and sense organs by unhealthy eating habits and life style including increasing comforts. Do we still need something comfortable and pleasing if it is of no use or adverse in effects?

My suggestion before ending is, look for a center or professional of Ayurveda where commercialization is not compromising the authenticity of concepts, methods or products in preventive or curative measures of Ayurveda, in the name of making it comfortable or pleasant. It hurts more, when such compromises are done by so called ‘Ayurveda propagators’ and ‘qualified’ Ayurveda professionals as well. It does not mean that all centers with comfortable facilities have compromised but it depends on the extent of such modifications made and the reasoning behind them. That’s all for now…

“Wish you a healthy & peaceful life”

Ayurvedic Solution to H1N1?

News release of University of Southampton

Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections

Ref: 06/13
1 February 2006
Copper could help prevent the spread of flu infections. Recent research at the University of Southampton shows that the Influenza A virus is virtually eradicated within six hours on copper surfaces. Influenza A viruses cause seasonal infections resulting in around 12,000 deaths a year in the UK(1). The influenza A family of viruses includes the avian flu strain.

Professor Bill Keevil and Dr Jonathan Noyce, microbiology researchers at the University's School of Biological Sciences, detail the findings in a study being prepared for submission for peer-reviewed publication later this year. Professor Keevil, who heads up the School's Microbiology research group, explained: 'The findings are so pertinent to the current concerns about containing a potential outbreak of the avian flu strain, that we felt it important to provide some of the preliminary results at this time.'

The Southampton researchers placed 2 million plaque-forming units of Influenza A (H1N1) on coupons of C11000 copper (common, pure copper sheet metal) and on S30400 (common stainless steel) at room temperature and then came back periodically to determine the survival rates of the samples. On the stainless steel surface, the pathogen declined to 1 million after six hours and to 500,000 after 24 hours. Meanwhile, the copper surface achieved a reduction to 500,000 after only one hour and inactivated all but 500 - a 99.99% reduction - after just six hours.

In the research, Professor Keevil notes that the H1N1 strain tested is nearly identical to the H5N1 (avian) strain and that the effectiveness of copper's antimicrobial properties should be nearly identical as well. He explains that, while vaccines stimulate host antibodies to target specific exposed cell surface structures (epitopes), copper's antimicrobial action probably attacks the overall structure of the virus and therefore has a broad-spectrum effect.

These results are 'consistent with the demonstrated antimicrobial effects of copper cited in published studies on E. coli O157:H7, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (the superbug, MRSA) and Listeria,' said Professor Keevil, adding that similar antimicrobial efficacy may be achieved by the infusion of copper ions into fabrics, filters or other materials. However, such applications may have diminished effectiveness over time, because the amount of copper in such materials is much less than in solid copper alloys.

Suggesting it would be worthwhile to consider using uncoated copper orhigh-copper alloys, such as many brasses and bronzes, for common-touch surfaces to help minimise cross-contamination, Professor Keevil said: 'Door knobs and handles, push plates, countertops, sinks and other frequently-touched hardware in healthcare and other public facilities are prime candidates for use of copper alloys to help control the spread of infection.'

The Southampton research was sponsored by the Copper Development Association (CDA) in the USA and the International Copper Association.

Note:

• The University of Southampton is one of the UK's top 10 research universities, with a global reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. With first-rate opportunities and facilities across a wide range of subjects in science and engineering, health, arts and humanities, the University has around 20,000 students and 5000 staff at its campuses in Southampton and Winchester. Its annual turnover is in the region of £274 million.
  Southampton is recognised internationally for its leading-edge research in engineering, science, computer science and medicine, and for its strong enterprise agenda. It is home to world-leading research centres, including the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton; the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research; the Optoelectronics Research Centre; the Textile Conservation Centre; the Centre for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease; and the Mountbatten Centre for International Studies.
• The Copper Development Association is the information, education, market and technical development arm of the copper, brass and bronze industries in the USA.

Source: University of Southampton

Why am I linking this to Ayurveda?

• In India and in Ayurveda, it has been recommended to store water in copper vessels overnight and consume that water in the morning.


• There are advices to conduct 'homa / Agnihotra' (ritual of offerings through fire) by using copper container.


• In Hindu rituals copper vessels are used in many occasions, example: doing 'Aachamana' (taking sips of water) by using water in copper container during 'pooja' (worshiping the God).

There were some studies as well on this topic as below

• FRLHT study
• Dr. Edward Martin
• Info on Homa

Know your Prakriti / Body type

Prakriti is the elemental make up of what you are. Knowing this helps to recognise your possible problem areas OR to personalise health recommendations in terms of diet, lifestyle and / or treatments.

Choose your answers based on long term observations rather than recent changes

Choose the nearest answer suitable when there are multiple factors.

Swine Flu and Ayurveda - News

World is looking towards Ayurveda to prevent Swine Flu

Read the news in the given links below...

Thaindian News

Indopia - Sri Baba Ramdev

Press Trust of India - Sri Sri Ravishankar

Indian Express - Indian Government looks at Ayurveda

Indian Express - Delhi Corporation

Ayurveda has answer for sure, we have to open up and search the treasure
properly. All the best.

Read related article in my general blog

Ayurveda Uni in KKC Recommendations to the CM of Karnataka

KKC makes 26 recommendations to CM
Express News Service
First Published : 07 Aug 2009 06:49:16 AM IST

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Knowledge Commission (KKC) has submitted its first set of recommendations on Tuesday to the Chief Minister.

The Commission has made twenty six recommendations spread across six focus areas- Literacy and School Education; Health Sector; Humanities, Social Sciences, Law & Management; Libraries and Knowledge Networking; Higher Education and Vocational Education.

The Knowledge Commission, headed by former ISRO Chairman and Planning Commission member Dr K Kasturirangan, was created in 2008 to look into implementing the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission and other issues.

Here are some of the important recommendations made by the Commission.
● To establish an advanced centre for legal research and law related studies on the lines of ISEC, NIAS etc. This centre could be either an autonomous one or part and parcel of the newly created law university
● To transform two of the existing universities into model Universities in order to make them trendsetters for others
● To develop the proposed Ayurveda University as an unitary and contemporary research oriented university rather than an affiliating university with the conventional UG and PG courses
● Establish ‘Karnataka State Research and Innovation Fund’ for encouraging colleges and universities to pursue relevant research and also to build interface between state planning and research in higher education
● To rank all colleges (UG & PG) teaching Humanities, Social Sciences, Law and Management at the university level to start with and in the entire state subsequently
● To design and develop an online catalogue of all Kannada books and materials and other knowledge resources available in the state of Karnataka along with their location and availability
● To design and develop catalogue and digitisation of medical manuscripts of Karnataka to bring into light and enrich the traditional knowledge heritage of the state
● To design and launch State level programs on preventive healthcare (swastha-vritta).
● To make necessary amendments to the existing policy on apprenticeship in Karnataka in order to make it to align with the changes in job market.

The proposed amendments could include increased stipend to students, creation of an environment for private public partnership and adoption of open apprenticeship placement instead of ‘designated trade’.


Appointed KKC member

The Karnataka government has passed an order on Thursday nominating well-known homeopath Dr BT Rudresh as an additional member of the State Knowledge Commission.
Rudresh has gained huge popularity for his selfless service in homeopathy for the last three decades.

Around 200 people register daily at his Ashwini Homeo Clinic, Gandhi Bazaar, seeking treatment.

The Karnataka Knowledge Commission was started by the Karnataka government under the chairmanship of Kasturirangan on September 5, 2008.

Source: Express Buzz

Ayurveda adds to protection from H1N1 - Cow Colostrum !

PUNE: Calling Gau piyush' or cow colostrum a powerful nutritional immunity solution that could help arrest the spread of the H1N1 flu.

Noted computer scientist Vijay Bhatkar on Wednesday said that the solution should not be considered a cure but a supplement to other medication. Cow colostrum is a thick lemon yellow coloured secretion produced by cows for about 72 hours after the birth of a calf.

Addressing a news conference here along with a few medical practitioners in the city, Bhatkar pointed out that this solution, that has its origins in Ayurveda, was now available in capsule form.

Bhatkar's recently founded Institute of Integrative Healthcare (IIHc) started research on this solution almost three years ago. "But we started focusing on the H1N1 flu only a few months ago. Our focus was on nutritional immunology inspired by Ayurveda rather than vaccine-based immunology.

Different countries have different conditions, so it is vital for each and every country to look for a solution to the illness themselves," said Bhatkar. Stressing the fact that the solution was only meant to be a supplement to the medication for H1N1 and not a replacement, Bhatkar said that it could be taken by both those suffering from H1N1 and those who want to take some kind of preventive measures.

The task force formed by the institute to conduct research on the solution include a mix of medical practitioners and Ayurveda practitioners and G T Phanse, the former deputy director of the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL). "The colostrum contains about 20 specific antibodies and it also has antibacterial properties," said Ramesh Patil, a member of the task force.

The solution has already been tried on 7,000 patients successfully during the course of the research, 20 per cent of them displayed influenza-like symptoms. "We have not been able to obtain the necessary permission to test it on those suffering from the H1N1 flu but we are in talks with various authorities including the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) who have promised to get back to us," said Bhatkar.

On being asked about the effectiveness of the solution, another task force member, Vinod Marathe, said that it starts taking effect within an hour after it is consumed. "It quickly builds up your immunity system and the effect only gets stronger. The antibodies start functioning immediately," he added. He also clarified that the solution was not advisable for those who were lactose intolerant.

Source: The Times of India

AYUSH dept validating ayurvedic drugs developed by private institutions to treat cancer

Wednesday, August 05, 2009 08:00 IST
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

Many ayurvedic plants including turmeric, semicarpus anacardium, and tinospora cordifolia have shown anti-cancer properties in the recent studies conducted by the government institutions. The government is now in the process of validating some anti-cancer drugs developed by private institutions through clinical trials.

Clinical studies have been done under different projects by the Union Ministry of Health to assess the use of ayurvedic treatment in different types of cancer. A pilot project was sanctioned by the ministry to study the effects of metal based formulations prepared by Vaidya Balendu Prakash of Dehradun in the treatment of acute pro-myllotic leukaemia (APML) in 90 days. As many as 15 patients were enrolled in the study out of which 10 patients had shown a complete remission in peripheral blood smear, sources said.

In another effort to develop ayurvedic drug for cancer, clinical trials of 'Ayush QOL - 2C' developed by Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS) for improvement of quality of life of those receiving chemotherapy/radio-therapy, have been initiated at St Johns medical college, Bangalore and at the All India Institute of Medical Science, New Delhi.

"The government is ready to promote any research initiative taken up by the private doctors or institutions, along with research by government bodies. The goal is to have cheaper and effective drugs to treat cancer. All projects are in progress, but it will take some more years to officially introduce a drug with government approval after all validations," an official of the Ayush department said.

On the request of Nand Lal Tiwari of Jaipur, the CCRAS has undertaken the study of anti-cancerous property of herbal compounds 'Carctol' to ascertain the claim. Similarly, a claim made by Krishn Gopal Ayurved Bhavan, Dharmartha Trust, in Rajasthan on their proprietary drug 'Cancer Gaza Kesari' has been subjected to pre-clinical safety studies by CCRAS, he said.

Source: Pharmabiz

Patent of Ayurvedic Medicines - PIB India Release

Monday, 03 August 2009
Lok Sabha

The Indian Patent Office has received a number of applications from Indian as well as foreign inventors and companies seeking patents in all fields of technologies, including possibly Ayurvedic medicines, which are published on the website of the Patent Office, namely, http://www.ipindia.nic.in/.

Patents are granted to inventors, including individuals and companies, for products and processes which meet the criteria of novelty, inventive step and industrial application under the sovereign prerogative of countries according to their respective laws which have territorial effect only, that is, they are effective only in the country of grant. Patents granted in other countries are not applicable in India and do not affect the Ayurvedic medical practitioners in India.
In order to protect traditional knowledge from being patented, provisions have been made in the Patents Act, 1970. As per section 3 (p) of the Act, an invention, which, in effect, is traditional knowledge or which is an aggregation or duplication of known properties of traditionally known component or components is not patentable. Sections 25 and 64 of the said Act, include anticipation of invention by available local knowledge, including oral knowledge, as one of the grounds for opposition as also for revocation.

The Government has undertaken the development of a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) database which includes codified knowledge of traditional medicine, including Ayurveda and Unani, in five international languages, namely, English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese to prevent patenting of inventions which are mere traditional knowledge.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Information Bureau, Government of India

An Effort to Prove Ayurveda Can Cure Faster....!

CIIE supports health centre enterprise
BS Reporter / Mumbai/ Ahmedabad August 05, 2009, 0:46 IST

The Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship, an initiative of the Indian Instutute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA)'s has churned out yet another start-up in the form of a health centre. An employee at CIIE, Charmie Haria has set up her own enterprise — Aikya Ayurveda Cure. Apparently, the centre aims at breaking the myth that ayurveda cures slowly. "Most of us believe that ayurveda medicines take long to work on the body. At Aikya, we want to break this myth by using the 'panchkarma' treatment, which cures ailments from the root cause between 10 days and two months. We are trying to fill a gap between traditional ayurveda vaidyas and hi-end Ayurveda spas by providing state of the art panchkarma and other treatments at affordable rates," says Charmie Haria , founder, Aikya Ayurveda Cure.

According to Haria, Aikya concentrates not only on lifestyle disorders like stress, obesity, insomnia but also looks at mainstream health issues like asthma, nervous system problems, arthritis, hypertension, migraine and various health ailments.
After launching the first centre in Ahmedabad, Haria plans to open a chain of centres across the country next year.
CIIE encourages innovation-driven entrepreneurship through incubation, research and dissemination of knowledge. It was setup by IIM, Ahmedabad in 2001 and is supported by Government of Gujarat and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. CIIE aims at supporting innovation driven entrepreneurship in hi – tech and mass impact areas

Source: Business Standard

PrasannAyurveda wishes all the very best to Aikya's efforts and committment.