Is Ayurveda magical?

As a practitioner who has been practicing Ayurveda for almost 6 years, I have to say that it is far from being as "very magical" as what is spread on the Internet. It is neither a magic cure for all diseases nor a baseless pseudoscience. It is essentially a traditional life regulation system originated in ancient India. It has its applicable boundaries and limitations.

I met a girl who works as an Internet operator two years ago. Her physical examination for three consecutive years showed that all indicators were normal. However, she suffered from constant bloating and unformed stools. She took digestive enzymes and probiotics for almost half a year but they were not very effective. Later, she was tested to have a typical Vata constitution and stopped her according to the recommendations of Ayurveda. She drank iced American style every day, replaced the cold salad for breakfast with multigrain porridge with a little ghee and turmeric, and did 10 minutes of abdominal breathing and massage on her abdomen before going to bed every day. In less than a month, she said that her flatulence problem was 70% better, and even the allergic rhinitis that she often suffered during the change of seasons was much less severe.

But these effects are essentially positive feedback brought about by long-term lifestyle adjustments, and are by no means some mysterious "miraculous effect." Nowadays, many businesses promote Ayurveda in order to sell products, such as "7-day detoxification to cure diabetes" and "Ayurveda". After applying the oil to remove freckles and remove wrinkles, I met an aunt before who believed in the so-called "Ayurvedic fasting and detoxification camp" and drank only the so-called customized herbal water for seven consecutive days. In the end, she fainted due to hypoglycemia and was sent to the emergency room. Instead, she starved her stomach and developed chronic gastritis.

There is actually a lot of research on Ayurveda in the academic world. Herbs such as turmeric, ashwagandha, and holy basil, which are commonly used in Ayurveda, have been proven to have clear anti-inflammatory and cortisol-regulating effects. Many modern health products also add these ingredients. However, its core three-body classification theory is currently not supported by enough large-scale evidence-based medical evidence, and it cannot replace formal clinical treatment.

In fact, it is more appropriate to compare Ayurveda to a "horticulturist" who provides daily care for the body. It cannot bring dead plants back to life, but it can adjust the frequency of watering and sunlight according to the growth habits of the plants, and help the plants that are not growing well to slowly return to a healthy state. If you really have an organic disease, you still have to find a professional doctor for symptomatic treatment, hoping that it will work wonders to solve all problems. In the end, you will only be disappointed or even frustrated.