Curated Paper 1- Does Ayurveda Have a Place in Westernized Medicine?

Does Ayurveda Have a Place in Westernized Medicine?

Ayurveda is a form of alternative medicine that was developed with the hope of rebalancing life’s stressors to alleviate physical symptoms. To do this, the practice attempts to cure illness by recreating a balance in emotional, spiritual, and physical health. This holistic approach to healing originated over 3,000 years ago in India. In fact, Ayurveda literally translates to ‘knowledge of life’ from Sanskrit (Ayurveda, 2020). This ‘knowledge of life’ isn’t purely from an objective or medicinal perspective the way biology or ‘life studies’ are understood in Western culture. Rather, it is an all encompassing science that views a person as a being that should strive to be healthy in many aspects.

Treatment using Ayurvedic methods look different from traditional Western medicinal techniques. Today in the United States, a common experience when fighting off an infection or disease would be a prescription for pharmaceutical drugs, a recommendation to rest, and in extreme cases, surgery or operative removal of the disease. These practices are completely different from Ayurveda. To create peace between the mind, body, and spirit, most ayurvedic treatments recommend yoga, meditation, specific diets, therapeutic massages, and herbal teas. The hope is that the disruption of the flow between life and its stressors that caused the disease can be fixed by recreating harmony between the mind and body. 

One prominent example of these differences could be in the treatment of diabetes. According to Mayo Clinic, Modern westernized medicine would recommend rigorous macro-nutrient tracking, constant insulin therapy, all to be used in conjunction with blood glucose monitoring and significant changes to one’s diet to treat type I diabetes (Diabetes - Diagnosis and Treatment - Mayo Clinic, 2020). Type II would bring its own set of challenges. Modern medicine, again according to Mayo Clinic, would recommend significant lifestyle changes, like a high fiber diet, increased activity, and weight loss in addition to an impressive medication regimen (Diabetes - Diagnosis and Treatment - Mayo Clinic, 2020). These interventions have proved to be successful in reducing symptoms of diabetes, but have never cured a person of their disease entirely. 

Ayurveda provides a different perspective. Specific herbs and botanicals are recommended to improve a diabetic’s symptoms and prolong life. Among these is Coccinia indica, which is believed to induce hypoglycemia using a similar process to insulin. According to new research, two successful studies have been aimed at discovering this claim’s validity. One study in particular gave 60 subjects either Coccinia indica or a placebo. The Coccinia indica was shown to decrease fasting blood sugar levels by 16% in type II diabetics (Birdee & Yeh, 2010, p. 150). 

Another recommended botanical is Gymnema sylvestre, which suppresses one’s ability to taste sweetness. In Hindi, the name of the plant translates to ‘sugar destroyer’. Studies have found significant results when studying both humans and other animals. Both type I and type II diabetics have seen improvements in fasting blood glucose levels than control groups (Birdee & Yeh, 2010, p. 150). 

Although these Ayurvedic techniques seem promising, there are still reasons to doubt the evidence. For example, the most successful research studying Coccinia indica only involved 60 participants- an incredibly small sample size. This means the drastic results could be much less significant if sample sizes were more proportional to people actually suffering from diabetes. Additionally, researchers studying Gymnema sylvestre failed to provide group comparisons and randomization. Without these, there is little definitive evidence. 

In the US today, there are multiple Ayurvedic schools and teach about the alternative methods to healthcare. These graduates aren’t recognized as healthcare professionals with strict training standards and conventional licenses to practice like they are in India, but they have gained popularity in recent years. Because of their unregulated certifications, it is recommended that Ayurvedic medicine be supplemental to Western medicine and not a replacement. 

Johns Hopkins recommends the combination of modern and holistic medicinal approaches. The hospital worries that some of the treatments (like heavy metals contaminants in medications) can actually be harmful to people if not first checked with a licensed and practicing physician (Ayurveda, 2020).  

Regardless of how a person chooses to feel better from a chronic disease, it is important to respect their decision. Focusing solely on objective biological methods can severely alter a patient’s mental health, which can be expressed physically. On the other hand, focusing on holistic approaches could neglect the extensive studies could mean one endures adverse effects of an approach when there are other options available. Again, a combination of the two techniques is completely possible, and could be best for some while something else could best for others. Learning to respect each other should be a significant consideration to healthcare professionals, patients, and bystanders.

References

Ayurveda. (2020). Johns Hopkins. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda

Birdee, G. S., & Yeh, G. (2010). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Therapies for Diabetes: A Clinical Review. Clinical Diabetes, 28(4), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.2337/diaclin.28.4.147

Diabetes - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic. (2020, August 26). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20371451