Curated Paper 1

 

My first introduction to the idea of ayurveda was actually a while ago on a podcast I was listening to. The episode featured two doctors, one who was a proponent of ayurvedic medicine and the other who generally disagreed with the idea of ayurveda in medical practice. The doctor who wasn’t a fan of ayurvedic medicine said that the danger of ayurvedic medicine is that people who rely on it for their primary form of healthcare may miss easy treatments available from western medicine when focusing on alternative care. The doctor in favor of ayurvedic medicine said that the benefit lies in promoting a well-rounded and healthy life while providing relief for those who may not find easy medical solutions.

Upon spending more time learning about ayurveda, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. If we look broadly at society today, we have a society who is far healthier in many aspects of health than more ancient generations were. However, we are also probably unhealthier than they were in other aspects of health. For example, the bubonic plague killed more than 25 million people during the 1300s. Most people today do not realize the plague bacteria still exists and infections can still occur. This is likely because today most cases are easily treated with early detection and a course of antibiotics. This is a prime example of how we as a society face less health risks than previous eras of humanity did. While this is true to a large extent, we also face different health risks than previous eras. For example, just in the last 60 years the rate of obesity in the US has tripled with about 70% of adults being considered overweight or obese. Again this shows an example of how today’s population may face health risks that other generations did not face as frequently. An easy question to ask is: why? And perhaps a good follow up is: what can be done?

This to me is where a balance between western and ayurvedic medical approaches can provide benefit. A major idea of ayurveda is balance. By balancing the body, mind, and spirit it is believed that more optimal health outcomes can be achieved. This idea is not only a good theory, but to some extent is actually backed by scientific data. Data has shown that there are significant correlations between health conditions and factors like socioeconomic status and lifestyle. In this sense ayurveda can play a realistic role in providing better care for patients. By creating balance of lifestyle factors and physical health, patients can be better set up for long term health.

It is also intriguing to see how the idea of ayurveda and balance play a role in several aspects of our body’s functions. For example, our metabolism consists of chains or pathways of chemical reactions that are used to keep the cells or body alive. A proper regulation of the control of these reactions maintains the balance or flow of metabolites. If one area of metabolic functions becomes out of balance, it can cause several downstream effects and imbalances leading to further complications. Likewise, conditions such as diabetes are described as systemic imbalances.

Diabetes describes an imbalance of the system which is responsible for controlling glucose levels in the blood stream. When beta cells which normally produce insulin become nonfunctional, blood glucose levels can be raised. In turn, this can cause several associated complications such as increased blood pressure, decreased red blood cell flexibility, increased inflammation and much more. Other areas of the body can have complications as a result as well such as cataracts of the eyes, nephropathy in the kidneys, increased risk of stroke, and increased risk of heart disease. There are also associated life complications including financial stress and social stigmas. A unique connection here is what some people call type three diabetes. While most of us are well aware of type one and two diabetes, type three diabetes is an emerging idea that relates to the idea of balance. Type three diabetes is described as the condition in which the brain’s neurons stop responding to insulin which could be linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Again this shows an interesting connection to the idea of balance and how glucose and insulin levels can affect more areas than that which they are normally associated with.

Diabetes has a personal connection to many of us, or in other words, most of us know at least one person who suffers from a type of diabetes. My family has had several people affected by both type one and type two diabetes including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and in-laws. This has definitely led me to try to limit my risk factors as much as possible. One of the most identifiable risk factors associated with diabetes is inactivity. In other words, being physically active is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing type two diabetes and reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes. This is another interesting example of how balance is associated with health. While physical activity does not directly affect the pancreas and other organs associated with diabetes, the benefits of activity can cause downstream effects like improved blood flow, heart health, and more which in turn can improve the outlook for patients at with or at risk of diabetes.

Another example of the idea of balance in the body can be seen in the microbiome. The microbiome is the bacterial community of the human gastrointestinal tract. It differs somewhat between individuals and is affected by things like diet, exposure to bacteria, or antibiotic usage. The microbiome is linked with several other functions of the body such as sleep patterns, weight loss/gain, neurological function, and cardiovascular function among others. Imbalances of the makeup of the microbiome can result in clostridium infections, metabolic changes, and influence a variety of other conditions like diabetes or cancer. These examples show ayurveda can be used to describe the interconnectedness of many functions in our bodies.

I grew up in a generally health-conscious household with a holistic and western view on healthcare. We generally looked for holistic options and proactive, preventative care options before resorting to other treatments. However, we also did have times where we needed treatment for things like strep throat with antibiotics. I think sometimes about those care options and wonder how often they were actually necessary. It seemed like a lot of times we were prescribed antibiotics preemptively for symptoms without test results just to prevent the possibility of a bacterial infection getting worse. Certainly preventing a serious infection is worthwhile, but it also seems like it could’ve been handled better at times.

I have also noticed a lot of the effects of microbiome imbalance, or at least symptoms of it, in my life. Generally, I try to eat pretty healthy, but I notice when I am not eating a holistic natural diet that I tend to have a lot of inflammatory symptoms of microbiome imbalance. It also is interesting to see when a gastrointestinal illness passes through, like the stomach flu or something similar, effects the digestive system for some time after. I personally notice I don’t digest food quite as well for a short time after eliminating the infection. As another example of ayurveda, or balance among the body and its systems and our lifestyles, the microbiome is quite a complex aspect of our anatomy with a widespread effect on many other areas of our health.

With these examples, we can see how complex the interconnected nature of the body and its systems can make healthcare complex. It also shows how ayurveda and the idea of balance can be used to help improve overall patient health. When we look at treating certain ailments, it’s important to consider the downstream effects and how other areas of the body can be impacted. By keeping this in mind, we can hopefully create a more well-rounded model of care.

 

 

 

 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21590-bubonic-plague

https://usafacts.org/articles/obesity-rate-nearly-triples-united-states-over-last-50-years/

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/researchers-link-alzheimers-gene-to-type-iii-diabetes/