Ayurvedic Treatment Benefits and Side Effects

Under the premise of symptomatic and compliant operation, it can effectively improve chronic fatigue, metabolic disorders, emotional anxiety and other sub-health states. Some medicinal ingredients have also been proven to have anti-inflammatory and neuroendocrine regulating effects.； However, if the symptoms are not correct, non-compliant products are used, or if they are mistakenly used as a substitute for modern medical treatment, side effects such as liver and kidney damage, allergies, and aggravation of existing diseases are likely to occur. At present, the global academic community has not yet reached a unified consensus on its universal efficacy, and no standardized clinical application specifications have been issued.

Speaking of which, the first time I came into contact with Ayurveda was when I traveled to Sri Lanka in 2019. A local friend took me to a community clinic that had been open for more than 40 years. I stayed up late for three months straight and had migraines that I couldn’t take painkillers to suppress. The senior doctor at the clinic touched my wrist, looked at my tongue coating, and said I had a vata imbalance. , arranged a hair treatment for me - warm herbal oil was slowly dripped down the middle of the forehead, and the therapist's fingers were pressed along the meridians of the scalp. The smell of the oil was not pleasant, mixed with the bitter smell of turmeric and certain spices. I almost fell asleep after lying there for forty minutes. When I got up, my whole head felt lighter. After that, I slept on the pillow for the whole week, and the migraine never happened again. That was the first time I felt that this thing was not some metaphysical scam.

Later, I came into contact with many practitioners of traditional Ayurveda. In their system, all treatments are centered around the balance of the three constitutions of "Vata, Pitta, and Kapha": Vata constitutions that are prone to anxiety, constipation, and cold hands and feet often use warm herbal oils for full-body massage, and drink turmeric milk with cinnamon on a daily basis. Most people report that their mood will be much more stable.； If you have a pitta constitution with strong stomach fire, prone to ulcers, and short temper, eating more cooling coconuts and aloe vera and reducing the intake of spicy food can indeed reduce the frequency of getting angry. ； For people with Kapha constitution that are prone to edema, slow metabolism and sleepiness, if you exercise more and eat some bitter herbs, the edema will disappear quickly. These are summaries of experience that have been passed down for thousands of years, and even now there are many studies that can be applied to modern medicine: For example, ashwagandha, commonly used in Ayurveda, has been clinically proven by many small samples to reduce cortisol levels and improve fatigue caused by chronic stress. ； There is also the "oil pulling" therapy of gargling with oil. Studies have shown that persisting for 3 months can effectively reduce the load of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity and improve bad breath and gum bleeding.

But there are really many people who step into the trap. Last year, I came across a blogger’s rights protection post. She purchased “detox pills” from a popular Ayurvedic brand online, which were said to be able to dehumidify and treat thyroid nodules. After taking it for half a month, she went to the hospital with jaundice and was diagnosed with acute liver injury. When she sent the pills for testing, it was found that the mercury content exceeded the legal limit by more than 20 times. This situation is actually not an exception. There are indeed many mineral medicines in traditional Ayurveda, which use ingredients such as mercury, arsenic, and lead. The traditional processing process requires dozens of detoxification processes. However, many products made by small workshops are not processed in compliance with regulations at all, and heavy metals exceeding the standard are caught immediately.

There are also many side effects that occur without symptoms. I once had a student who had a pitta constitution and fell in love with fire. He heard others say that turmeric milk is good, so he drank it on an empty stomach every morning, and added two tablespoons of cinnamon. Within a week of drinking it, his mouth was full of ulcers, and he had two nosebleeds. In the view of traditional Ayurveda practitioners, this situation is completely caused by using the wrong method. Regular conditioning will not cause this problem at all. However, the view of modern medicine is that even symptomatic herbs may have individual intolerance: some people are allergic to ashwagandha, and even if the dose is correct, they will develop rashes and dizziness. ； There are also some people who have poor liver function. Long-term consumption of supplements containing turmeric will increase the metabolic burden on the liver.

Nowadays, the controversy about Ayurveda has never stopped: traditionalists believe that it is a complete medical system, and it can treat far more diseases than sub-health. Many chronic diseases that modern medicine cannot treat can be treated by it.； However, the evidence-based medicine school believes that most of the current efficacy of Ayurveda only has empirical evidence and small-sample studies, and lacks large-sample randomized double-blind controlled trials. It cannot be regarded as a "treatment" in the strict sense at all, but can only be regarded as a complementary alternative therapy. To be honest, I don’t feel the need to argue about right and wrong. I still gargle with coconut oil when the seasons change, and I will boil some turmeric milk to drink when I catch a cold in winter. But if I really have a fever, stomachache, or any organic disease, I will definitely go to the hospital as soon as possible, and I will not even think about drinking herbal medicine to solve it.

After all, whether it is Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, or other traditional therapies, they are essentially tools to help people regulate their physical condition. It is quite extreme to deify it and say it can cure all diseases, or to beat it to death and say it is all a scam. If you really want to try it, it's best to find a regular and qualified practitioner. Don't just buy products online and eat them blindly. If you try it a few times and find it useless, or if you feel uncomfortable, stop immediately.