Ancient Indian Ayurvedic Therapy

It is a traditional life science system that originated in the Indian subcontinent and has been passed down for nearly 7,000 years. Its core logic is to achieve disease prevention and physical conditioning by adjusting the balance of body, mind, and spirit of the individual. It is currently included in the global traditional medicine protection list by the World Health Organization. However, its effectiveness has obvious individual adaptability, and there is also a large amount of commercial hype that deviates from the traditional core on the market. It cannot be deified, nor is it necessary to completely deny it.

The first time I actually felt its effect was in the old town of Kandy, Sri Lanka, in 2018. At that time, my allergies were severe during the change of seasons. My face was red and peeling. I applied anti-allergic ointment for a week but it didn’t feel better. A local friend forced me to go to a small clinic in an alley that has been open for more than 30 years. The old man who attended the consultation had completely white hair and could only speak a few words in English. He touched my wrist and asked me if I often drank iced coffee and stayed up late to finish my manuscript recently. He said that I had a Vata energy imbalance. He mixed a small bowl of turmeric, holy basil mixed with coconut oil and applied it on my face. He also used warm sesame oil to massage my shoulders and neck for 15 minutes. Finally, he gave me a small packet of ground coriander seed powder and told me to soak it in water and drink it every day. Don't touch the cold ones. Don't tell me, most of the redness disappeared that afternoon, and the peeling was completely gone three days later. I felt at that time that this thing was really not a hoax.

Later, I checked a lot of information and learned some basic knowledge from the old man, and then I realized that the core logic of Ayurveda is not mysterious at all. It believes that everyone is born with a fixed ratio of three kinds of life energy: Vata, which corresponds to the elements of wind and space, is responsible for breathing, circulation and metabolism. If it is out of balance, it will lead to dry skin, anxiety and constipation. ； The pitta tube corresponds to the elements of fire and water, digestion and body temperature regulation. If it is imbalanced, it will be prone to breakouts, irritability, and acid reflux. ； Kapha, which corresponds to the water and earth elements, is responsible for body stability and immunity. If it is out of balance, it will be prone to edema, lethargy, and rapid weight gain. What’s interesting is that its diagnosis is never “one size fits all”. It’s the same as constipation. People with vata imbalance should eat more warm foods, people with pitta imbalance should eat cool and bitter foods, and people with kapha imbalance should rely on spicy food to promote metabolism. If you do it the other way around, it will only get worse.

Ayurveda schools vary greatly in different regions. I later visited a traditional health village in Kerala, South India. The school there followed the route of "hard-core physical therapy." The most famous Shrodhara therapy is to use warm herbal oil to be dripped evenly on the forehead between the eyebrows, often lying there for 40 minutes. There are also whole-body herbal ointment hot compresses, herbal steam baths, and even specialized detoxification courses. Special herbs are used to induce vomiting and diarrhea, which are said to be used to expel toxins accumulated in the body. The school in Rishikesh, North India, is much softer. It is often combined with yoga, meditation, and chanting, and focuses more on the psychological balance of energy. As for the "Internet Ayurveda" that is so popular in Europe and the United States, such as Ayurveda lattes and detox meal packs, the old man shook his head every time he mentioned it, saying that those people regard turmeric as a panacea and allow people to eat it regardless of their physical constitution. They are just selling products under a name and have nothing to do with traditional Ayurveda.

Of course, the controversy over Ayurveda has never stopped. I have checked relevant studies in professional medical databases before, and there are many ingredients that have been proven to be effective: the anti-inflammatory activity of holy basil, the antioxidant effect of curcumin, and the anti-anxiety effect of ashwagandha are all supported by large-scale clinical data. However, there are also many treatments that lack sufficient evidence-based evidence. For example, the aforementioned vomiting and detoxification treatments have reported cases of electrolyte imbalance and gastrointestinal mucosal damage every year. Some non-compliant Ayurvedic herbal preparations contain excessive heavy metals, which has been criticized by the academic community. The current mainstream view is also very clear: Ayurveda can be used as a supplementary conditioning method to modern medicine, but it can never replace regular treatment, especially for organic diseases and acute and severe diseases. If used blindly, it will delay the condition.

I now also incorporate some small Ayurveda methods into my daily life. It’s not too particular, it’s just comfortable to use. For example, in autumn, when your skin is peeling from dryness and you can’t sleep after tossing and turning in bed, you can take some warm coconut oil and apply it on your feet before going to bed. You can sleep until dawn ； If you are hungry and have diarrhea after eating too much ice, just soak some dried ginger and coriander seeds in water and drink it. It will take effect faster than taking probiotics. ； If you feel anxious recently, just smell holy basil essential oil twice and you will calm down in a few minutes. But I still do my annual physical examination. If I really have a fever and inflammation, I should take antibiotics. I never think of relying on Ayurveda to cure the disease.

The last time I had a video call with the old man, he said slowly that Ayurveda means "knowledge of life". It is originally the life experience passed down by our ancestors for thousands of years. It is just like the Chinese people drink ginger soup when they catch a cold or make chrysanthemum tea when they get angry. How can there be anything magical about it? Use it if it suits you, and don't use it if it doesn't. If you insist on touting it as a magic medicine that can cure all diseases, or labeling it as a feudal superstition with a stick, you are just out of your mind.