AYUVEDIC MEDICINE
Ayurveda, "the science of life", is one of India's primary healthcare systems.¹ It has two primary principles 1) the mind and the body are one, and 2) The mind has the greatest power in healing and transforming the body. Nothing has more power to heal and transform the body than the mind. The disciplines include aromatherapy, diet, herbal medicine, acupuncture, yoga, massage, meditation and balancing of energies. Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to preventing disease by rejuvenating the body by maintaining it's natural harmony.
A practitioner will typically follow 3 main methods of diagnosis:
- Observation (Darshan): The doctor looks at the patient for movement, skin color, lips, hair, and nail qualities, along with body shape and facial lines.
- body shape — vata (thin), pitta(moderate with muscular limbs), and kapha(broad frame and long limbs) determines a course of treatment and diet. ³
- Touch (Sparsha): Next is pressing down on various parts of the body to listen to the sounds of the internal organs (shrvanaa). The doctor looks for indications from a patien'ts pulse, physical aspects of the tongue touch, including palpation (pressing down on pa, speech, and nails.
- Questions (Prashna): The doctor interviews the patients about the symptoms and their duration alsong with mental state, change of job, etc.
In India, Ayurveda is regulated and licensed. In the United States, Ayurveda is not licensed and can not practice as doctors. They may practice as counselors and the NAMA recommends that practitioners should sign documents detailing such relationships.
National Ayuvedic Medical Association Frontline Report The Legal, Unlicensed Practice of Ayurveda Association of Ayurvedic Physicians of India
EUROPEAN HERBAL MEDICINE
KAMPO MEDICINE
HOMEOPATHY
NATUROPATHY
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE
American TCM Association TCM is Regulated
REFERENCES
- University of Minnesota 3/4/2018
- bodyandsoul.com.au 3/4/2018