Ayurveda: A complete system of medicine without side-effects

Dubai: Ayurveda, translated to the science of life, is a 5,000-year-old Indian health system. Those who use it believe it to be a complete system of medicine, whether the area for treatment is internal and external — all, they say can be cured by a combination of its eight branches.

It has been approved by the Dubai Ministry of Health and the Dubai Health Authority.

“The basic principle of Ayurveda is that there are three energies in our body, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, which are controlling all of our functions,” explained Dr Asha Jones, an Ayurvedic Practitioner at the Dubai Herbal Treatment Centre (DHTC).

Vata is responsible for all movement in the body and is the most important of the three doshas. Pitta is responsible for all metabolisms in the body. Kapha provides the structures and the lubrication that the body needs.

“If they are balanced, our body will be perfectly healthy,” she said. “When we see a patient, we see what energies have gone up or down with the main purpose of balancing these energies.

“The main aim of treatment is to remove toxins from the body and healing from ourselves,” Dr. Jones said. “It is very popular in India and now it is accepted worldwide. Ayurveda has no side effects if you are diagnosed properly.”

Dr. Jones also advises lifestyle changes and prescribes purely herbal medicines for people in the early stages of depression, anxiety and insomnia. She gave the example of a 12-year-old girl with psoriasis, a skin condition that causes skin redness, irritation and severe itching.

“In one month her condition had improved, it took three months for almost full recovery. She was given herbal medicines and external applications and a special diet,” she said.

The girl’s father agreed.

“The better treatment for this was Ayurveda,” he said. “Taking antibiotics from a young age will collapse the immune system. The Ayurveda medicine will have long-term goals and strict restrictions on the food, but I am willing to sacrifice this for my child’s health.”

More and more patients are beginning to realise the benefits of traditional healing.

“People are becoming aware of the side effects of medicines they take.,” Dr Jones said. “ Ayurveda has no side effects. I think that is the main reason people are getting attracted to Ayurveda.”

Durga M., a 47-year-old marketing researcher and professor, suffered from severe sciatica for two years. She was limping from pain and could barely walk.. for months, she had used pain pills in an effort to find relief. Then she discovered Ayurveda.

“I wanted something that would help me now and in the future as well,” Durga said. “I was told that pain pills would mess up my sciatica even worse.”

She took Ayurvedic medicines and 14 therapy sessions. She will return to DHTC next winter to continue treatment and permanently expel sciatica from her life.

“I did believe in Ayurveda, but the problem was it was expensive-- but my friend dragged me there and I could tell immediate results. I was living with knee pains for a couple years. I didn’t go for knee pains but this treatment helped in curing my knee pains as well,” Durga said.

Ayurvedic therapy session prices depend on the problem the person has. The first consultation is Dh250 and there are usually seven to 14 sessions. It is not generally covered by health insurance, but some companies give reimbursements to patients.