Disease and Ayurveda

Ayurveda, coming from Hindu beliefs, started more than 3,000 years ago. It was given to man from the Hindu God and was believed to be divine knowledge to heal man. This concept has history coming from spiritual, medical, and healing beliefs. It is based on healing methods that include personal balance between body, mind, spirit, and environment. Ayurveda translates directly as “knowledge of life” and the belief of this healing method brings personal growth and transformation. It focuses on natural therapies to keep and regain balance for oneself.

Cell metabolism is the complete system of pathways in our bodies which has been created to help keep the body functioning correctly. It is a very complicated system with millions of pieces, and each one is important to keep the body balanced. When each pathway is balanced and working, the system works like a circuit. This allows the body to stay in flow for the health of the person and to stay without disease. Ayurveda teaches us that disease comes from an imbalance in a person’s body or consciousness. That is why each reaction needs to be regulated for the overall body functions. The reactions are organized in specific enzyme-powered pathways that will be appropriately balanced according to needs. Hormones are used to help control the rate of reactions by releasing specific chemicals that can either increase the rate or inhibit it. Each of these things are important not only in cell metabolism but the overall immunity of each person.

Not only does cell metabolism and hormones play an impact on our body, but so does our gut microbiome. Which is every bacterium, fungi, eukaryotes, or virus that is found in the human body. There are around 100 trillion microbes and 5,000 different species in the gut, that is about 10x more than in the whole body. A single person may have greater than 160 species, and there are 18 species that are shared in most people. Scientists have found little information to know what a healthy microbiome is, the studies are trying to understand “who” is there and what their function is. The gut bacteria function is to gain energy from good and balancing composition. It also helps make neurotransmitters that are involved with immune and metabolic function. 

The gut microbiome communicates with the brain, and it is bidirectional. Environmental factors often are affecting our whole body because of this, if our brains and guts are correlated than so is our whole body. Ayurveda believes in the three doshas that are used to make up our body and connect it to the mind and environment, these are very important to stay in balance. Disease comes from one of the doshas being imbalance, or impure. When there is illness within the gut or brain many consequences can occur, including auto-immune disorders and mental health diseases. Hormones and other neuro responses also play a big role in this. There are many studies that are going on today that are trying to understand this relationship better.

When there are imbalances in the body, disease can occur. One common disease in the United States is diabetes. It has a great impact on both health and economic stability. It shows imbalance between organs, and hormones. It happens when the body loses control of glucose levels in the blood. This causes imbalances within the whole system and can affect many organs. The main organs being affected are the pancreas and the liver. The pancreas releases two hormones, insulin and glucagon. Insulin allows glucose to enter tissues and lowers overall blood sugar. Glucagon stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, which will raise blood sugar. Together the pancreas and liver will work to keep a balance within the body. This is a big deal within the body, and why it is a disease that is so important to take care of. 

There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is most common found at a young age and is an auto-immune disorder. This is less prevalent but relies on insulin being put into the body. Type 1 diabetics live with this disease for life and must take care of it every meal of everyday. Type 2 is a gradual onset and normally shows in older adults. Some causes of type 2 is obesity, low activity, genetics, being over 45 years old, high blood pressure, and race. 

Diabetes causes imbalances that can affect the whole body and many organs. In the eyes it is common to see cataracts, retinopathy, and glaucoma. It often increases blood pressure, which increases the risk of coronary heart disease. There is an increases risk of strokes and cerebrovascular disease. The kidneys get overworked due to all the excess blood glucose and high blood pressure, this can cause neuropathy. This is nerve damage and occurs most commonly in the extremities, like the feet. Feet wounds often go undetected and can lead to gangrene. It will also reduce blood flow in the legs, causing feet wounds to heal much slower. Just by these few examples we can understand how the concept of ayurveda plays a big role in diabetes. Our body is connected in every part, the hormones from our pancreas can affect so many other organs. That is why keeping a balance in our bodies is important and should be recognized more often. 

Diet, exercise, and sleep are three simple things that we could do every day to prevent illness. Exercise is a global epidemic, and physical inactivity is a leading cause of disease. Alone, it could help prevent obesity, coronary artery disease, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. A video by Dr. Mike Evans called “23 and ½ hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?” describes exercise as the biggest impact of preventative medicine. Having no exercise is the biggest predictor of death and causes the most disease or imbalance in our bodies. However, it only takes half an hour each day to show change and improvement. Dr. Evans describes various studies that show how exercise impacts health, and the results are tremendous. Connecting to the environment around us including healthier diet, better lifestyle, and finding joy in what we do could be a benefit to our physical health. Connection between parts of the body, could also be something that would better balance our bodies and create overall satisfaction. 

Cost of diabetes has a great impact on both the individual and the U.S. as a whole. An individual will spend 2.1 times more on their health than others. In the U.S. it is estimated to cost around $327 billion. Indirect costs such as inability to work and reduced productivity, cost around $90 billion per year. It is about $1 out of every $4 is in the U.S. that is spent on diabetic care. The amount of money spent on diabetes is a huge health crisis and many of us never really understand the impact it makes. 

On an individual level, type 1 diabetics reported spending more than $2,500 out-of-pocket cost are about $16,750 with insurance each year on diabetes supplies and healthcare. Insulin being only 18% of the out-of-pocket costs. While insulin is very expensive, it is not the only thing people need to survive. The issue with this cost, they need it to live, and it was not a choice. This also takes a lot of time away from people caring for either themselves or their loved ones. Many type 1 diabetics spend 4-5 hours a day caring for it, they also tend to see the doctor more often, deal with mental barriers, and have to worry about other illnesses. This not only affects money and time, but it can also affect social life and mental health. Type 1 diabetes is not a choice, however it a is an imbalance that is lifechanging. 

Another common disease in the United States is cancer. Cancer is when abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissues. It can be caused by genetics, environmental factors, unknown reasons, and the gut microbiota being imbalanced. Cancer treatments are very harmful to the body, especially the gut microbiome. Chemotherapy and radiation will not only kill cancer cells but can cause healthy cells and bacteria to die. This leaves the person very sick and causes many extra imbalances in the body. Environmental factors such as diet, hormones, and antibiotics are some common things that may cause the imbalances that may increase the risk of cancer, but they can also help cure cancer and be beneficial. While these can be controlled, it is very hard to do, and they are not defining factors. This illness will not only be harmful one area but can cause lasting changes to the entire body’s microbiome and health. We currently do not understand all the influences that cancer and treatment have on the gut microbiome and cell metabolism, but they are impactful and important. 

Cancer also has a huge impact on money, and often causes financial crisis. The National Cancer Institute calculated the average cost of medical treatment to be around $42,000 in the year following a diagnosis of cancer, and sometimes it can be higher than $1 million. While insurance does cover the majority of the cost, most people still end up paying around $5,000-20,000 out of pocket. This also doesn’t take into account the amount of time the person diagnosed, and family spend traveling to and being at treatment. Cancer can also affect eye and dental health, which this does not include as well. Another impact is on mental health of the diagnosed person, and their families and friends. This will include social life changing and needing to adapt. Many families struggle to stay mentally and physically healthy during the time of cancer treatments, and much of this goes unnoticed. 

Mental health is one the greatest health crises in the United States. It is becoming one of the leading causes of needing medical treatment, and another big contender in health costs. Cancer, diabetes, and really any imbalance in our system can affect a person’s mental health. Depression and anxiety are imbalances in brain chemicals or hormones. Any disease, but especially one that may take over your entire day or life can change someone mental health incredibly. It is very important to know the symptoms of all mental illnesses because of how prevalent they are in today’s society. This is also having a big impact financially on many people and the United States as a whole. Ayurveda teaches balance between the mind, body, and spirit and this is showing more important each day. As we see increases in mental illnesses, we are finding more symptoms that are affecting the body’s physical health, or vice versa. Finding balance between the three doshas could help someone find strength mentally and physically. Being healthy is a goal of almost everyone’s and it takes the whole body to be healthy. Diet and exercise are two things we can work on to help prevent disease and stay balanced. Overall, finding healing in all parts of the body and mind should be a priority for everyone. 

This idea of Ayurveda may be an old belief but could still be useful in today’s society. Connecting to the environment around us including healthier diet, better lifestyle, and finding joy in what we do could be a benefit to our physical health. Connection between parts of the body, especially mind and body could also be something that would better balance our bodies and create satisfaction. Finding balance between the gut microbiome and cell metabolism is going to help us find balance and prevent disease. Diabetes and cancer may or may not be preventable but controlling the factors we can, should be a top priority in health care. Understanding what we need to be balanced, healthy, and happy is the goal of Ayurveda and should be a goal of each of ours. I believe including more of these beliefs in our current medical system could be an amazing step forward in prevention of disease and healing.