Ayurvedic Medicines – What Makes Them Different?

It is now generally accepted, even in mainstream medical circles, that drug based medicines in targeting one set of symptoms often produce a whole new set. Indeed, the fresh problems created can often be worse than the original ailment. This is undoubtedly the main reason for the popularity of herbal medicines. However, herbal medicines are not all created equal.

Just as mainstream medicine addresses individual organs and symptoms, so does herbal medicine tend to employ specific herbs for a particular purpose. For example, St John’s Wort is frequently used for depression, Valerian for anxiety, Milk Thistle for the liver and Hawthorn for heart disease.

Ayurvedic medicine differ in that they are infinitely more complex and always work on the whole system rather than the individual symptoms, as they have the ability to treat multiple organs simultaneously. They are unique in having a bio-sense which enables them to work selectively according to the requirements of body system in question. For example: Asparagus, which can be taken by anybody of any age, can have beneficial effects for the hormones, the digestion, the bone marrow, the liver and the skin, having excellent cleansing properties and encouraging good sleep. All of these benefits are achieved completely without side-effects. Another good example is Ashwagandha, well known for its ability to promote energy and stamina without affecting the heart. It is also valuable in the treatment of insomnia, anxiety, thyroid problems and diabetes, as well as balancing cholesterol safely.

A fundamental concept of Ayurveda is that what heals also prevents. A good example of this is Turmeric, which in addition to having strong anti-inflammatory action can also be used as a culinary spice to play an active part in the prevention of illness. Another vital factor is the synergistic action of the herbs which are seldom used in isolation. Ayurvedic medicines are individually designed in such a way as to balance and harmonise the properties of the constituent herbs. It is therefore vital that the practitioner should understand the properties of the active ingredients.

The individual ingredients of any Ayurvedic herbal mixture will work differently from one person to the next but in every case the underlying principle is the balancing of the doshas, thereby treating the patient as a whole.