The term Ayurveda is quite ancient and can be said to have been used since the Vedic era, which is about 3000 years ago. Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term. It has been derived from two words Ayur which means life and Veda which means knowledge. So the term in actual Sanskrit means knowledge of life.
The entire concept of Ayurveda has been about the balance between body, mind, soul, and environment. It is believed from ancient days that any disease or discomfort in the body arises due to an imbalance in body, mind, or environment. Hence Ayurveda provides you with natural therapies and lifestyle interventions to regain the balance between mind, body, and soul.
Treatments through Ayurveda mostly start with an internal purification followed by a special diet, herbal remedies, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation. Many times Ayurveda is used to complement or in addition to conventional medical approaches. Since its birth, Ayurveda has been mentioned in many relics and ancient folklores.
Ayurveda has also been specially mentioned in popular Hindu culture books such as Ramayana. One can say with confidence that Ayurveda has been curing people or removing the ailment of people for a long time.As with it, its presence is being known more and more every day. There have been a lot of misconceptions circulating about Ayurveda as of now.
The major reason for these misconceptions is a lack of knowledge and awareness of Ayurveda. Although Ayurveda has been with us since Vedic times, the recent onset of the covid virus has given more light on Ayurveda. There are misconceptions about Ayurveda such as it takes longer to effect or it does not have any side effects and so on. But we are here to burst the bubble and talk about these misconceptions and why they should not let you affect your decision of using Ayurveda.
Five misconceptions about Ayurveda are:
1. Ayurveda takes a long to effect
One of the most common myths or words about Ayurveda is that it takes a longer time to affect Ayurveda as compared to modern medicine. But the fact is that there is no rule which states that the allopathy way of treatment is going to work more instantly than the ayurvedic way. It depends on the ailment or disease one is trying to cure.
The other factor is that most people go to the ayurvedic way of treatment only when every other path has been closed off. Hence it takes a lot of time to cure the ailment as compared to the time it would have taken if the patient has consulted the ayurvedic way from the beginning.
One more point to note in this regard would be that every person or every disease is unique and with Ayurveda, you not only remove the effects of ailment but also the root cause of the ailment or discomfort. Removing the root cause of the discomfort can take time in comparison to removing the effects of the ailment. Hence Ayurveda takes time in some cases to cure the disease or ailment.
2. Ayurveda has no side effects
Another misconception revolving around Ayurveda is that it does not have any side effects which is not exactly true. As it is once said by a popular scientist, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It is also said in Sanskrit that if taken in heavy doses then even medicine can harm the body.
So if there’s an effect then there can be side effects too. If you do not take medicine or therapy as prescribed then the chances of side effects are higher than the chances of effects. A popular saying goes that even if poison is taken with appropriate measures and inappropriate quantities then it can act as medicine. But if a medicine is taken in heavy quantities then it can act as a poison.
With Ayurveda, there are two types, one which is passed down through generations and is mostly on a word of mouth basis. There is no written record or script of this knowledge. On the other hand, the other aspect of Ayurveda is written in manuscripts and has recorded knowledge of more than 3000 years.
3. Ayurveda asks one to be vegetarian
Another myth circulating the Ayurveda and ayurvedic way of treatment is that it asks one to be on a regular vegetarian diet. Although it is recommended to be on a vegetarian diet, it is not at all compulsory. One can indulge themself in their choice of diet as long as their body allows.
There is a reason behind the fact that a vegetarian diet is recommended during ayurvedic treatment. A recommended vegetative meal is easy to digest and as well as full of required nutrition. This does not mean that consumption of meat or any other dietary requirement is prohibited, it simply means that one can not indulge in a diet that would not benefit the body. As such every individual can practice their diet as per their choice and need.
4. Everything herbal is Ayurveda
One misconception about Ayurveda is that you do not need to see an ayurvedic doctor and can rely totally on home remedies and herbs. This is not true. For every ailment, disease, or discomfort one needs to consult the experts to understand effectively what is causing the ailment and how to better cure that ailment.
One can not take any herb or medicine without proper knowledge of Ayurveda. Although ayurvedic medicine is comparatively less harmful or has fewer side effects as compared to the medicine of other branches if taken without proper care or consideration.
Although these days anything saying herbal is costly and popular, having everything herbal is not recommended without proper consideration as it might be possible some herbs do not suit your physical body. One should always consult an expert when dealing with ailment or discomfort of any kind to find the root cause and eliminate it effectively.
Another saying is that Ayurveda is medicine for old people, this is entirely not true. Even if Ayurveda can not completely eradicate the disease it can always help with the prevention of the ailment or discomfort. And as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. One should always try to practice the ayurvedic way of life.
If you are interested in Ayurveda or our piece has inspired you to get more knowledge about Ayurveda, then please check our other piece on Urbanic Organix which has made a successful knowledge of ayurvedic knowledge and Nani-Dadi ke nuskhe.