Medical care dates back to our ancient hominid relatives, but has come a long way since the dawn of man. Although modern medicine is colloquially referred to as a miracle, these advancements are only possible because of research, practice, and strict record keeping. Thanks to ages of expansion on past medical treatment, modern people are able to develop treatments for diseases that may have been untreatable and detrimental to entire populations in the past. Many modern practices are effective, but there is still value in looking to popular medical practices of the past, because these treatments had to be effective enough to keep populations stable, otherwise large populations of ancient people would not have survived. One of these ancient practices that still has remnants today is a practice called ayurveda.
Ayurveda is a holistic healing practice dating back 3,000 year to India. It is centered around the idea that wellness depends on a balance between the body and the mind, and that an imbalance between these two causes disease (John Hopkins). In ayurveda, the body is split into three doshas, these are “elemental concentrations” in the body, which control certain parts of the body. Disease and illness occur when these doshases are out of alignment (Hankey, 2005). There are certain treatments used to help maintain balance in all parts of the body, but the entire process starts “with an internal purification process, followed by a special diet, herbal remedies, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation” (John Hopkins). Treatments such as oils, herbs, and spices are used frequently in ayurvedic treatment to help maintain balance.
In India, ayurveda is a more common form of medical care, and to become a practitioner people need special licensing and education. However in the United States, there is no licensing needed for this practice, which has caused concern, because many of these treatments, if administered in the wrong amounts, can cause more harm than good. Whether or not someone chooses to follow ayurveda entirely, there are ideas that come from it which can be beneficial, like stressing the importance of movement (e.g. yoga) and the importance of keeping the mind and body balanced by keeping things like stress level under control.
There are many instances where stress, which is something mind related, has physical manifestations on the body. Many diseases are more prone to flare up during periods of stress, and some of them have visible physical manifestations, like rosacea. Rosacea is a skin condition that tends to be associated with a redness, a distinct rash, and pustules on the skin. There are different kinds of rosacea, but these are fairly common characteristics between them. Generally though, “rosacea results from an inflammatory process… the stimulus of which include a wide variety of foods, as well as environmental, chemical, psychologic, and emotional factors.” According to the American Family Physicians, sun exposure is listed as the most common factor causing rosacea at 61%, followed closely by emotional stress, causing 60% of rosacea cases
(Blount, W.R, Pelletier, A.L., 2002). This is a visible example of an imbalance in the mind, excessive stress, causing damage to the body, which is the inflammation and rosacea.
Conversely, the body can come out of balance and affect the mind. Take for example the experience of being “hangry.” This is a term for short temper and general bad mood caused by hunger. In a study done on male fruit flies, there was a clear link between food deprivation and aggression. When the males were deprived of food, their behavior changed and there was an increase in lunging, tussling, chasing, and fencing with their competitors, as well as a perceived increase in value to the food (Edmunds, D., Wigby, S., Perry, J.C., 2021). Although this experiment was done on fruit flies, being “hangry” is something often seen in people.
One of the ways that ayurveda promotes balance in the body is through yoga, which is a type of exercise. Exercise not only helps to improve people’s moods through the release of endorphins, but it can also help maintain a healthy body weight. Maintaining a healthy body weight is dependent on many factors, not only limited to a healthy diet and consistent exercise, but these are two good places to start for most people. A healthy body weight looks different on everyone, but it has many benefits like lessening chances of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease that has to do with the body's insulin production. There are 3 types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is genetic, this occurs when the body does not produce insulin or produces very little insulin, this affects the bodies ability to maintain steady glucose levels, and tends to start at an early age for most people affected by this. Type 2 diabetes does not have a clear genetic inheritance pattern, but people with type 2 diabetes may be predisposed if they have family members who have also been affected. However, type 2 diabetes generally appears later in life than type 1 diabetes, and is often related to a heavier weight. Similar to type 1, the body does not produce insulin, but unlike type 1 diabetes, heavier people are much more at risk, but this type can be managed with diet and exercise (Diabetes UK), type 1 cannot. The third type, gestational diabetes, is pregnancy related. It can cause high blood pressure, and can also cause difficulties during the birthing process. Mother’s who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy may be more at risk for developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy (Mayo Clinic).
Although type 2 diabetes is often associated with diet, there are certain dietary factors that may affect a person’s chances of getting type 1 diabetes, which come mostly very early in life. During the fetal lactation period, babies who drank formula and cow milk were more likely to develop type 1 diabetes than those who were fed with breast milk. Young children who ate processed foods were also at risk, because of a process called glycation, whose end products are glycated lipids and proteins. Nitrate compounds in processed meats were also a concern for increased likelihood of developing type 1 diabetes (Virtanen, S.M, 2016).
In terms of ayurveda, there is a link between type 2 diabetes, which stems from the body, and depression, which stems from the mind. According to the American Diabetes Association, the prevalence of depression in the diabetic population is 24%, whereas in the non diabetic population, it is 17%. There were many listed factors that may contribute to this, including BMI, work status, gender, whether or not a person is a smoker, and more. One important point though, was that people affected by depression may have trouble maintaining exercise habits, healthy eating, and other lifestyle factors that generally help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes (Goldney, R.D., et. al, 2004).
The human body is full of intricate processes. If these processes have an issue, or if something changes their effectiveness, there can be a ripple effect that is not only isolated to the part of the body that was originally disrupted. The practice of ayurveda, although ancient, has many teachings that can be applicable to today. Keeping the mind in balance through stress management and exercise can help keep the body from being affected by things like inflammation and diabetes. Keeping the body in balance can help keep the mind more positive, ideally leading to less stress, and a positive feedback loop for both the mind and body.
Sources
“Ayurveda.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2 Dec. 2019, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda#:~:text=Ayurveda%2C%20a%20natural%20system%20of,translates%20to%20knowledge%20of%20life.
Blount, R. Wayne, and Allen L. Pelletier. "Rosacea: a common yet commonly overlooked condition." American family physician 66.3 (2002): 435.who
Gary-JayBourley. “Differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes.” Diabetes UK, Diabetes UK, https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/differences-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20the,producing%20cells%20in%20your%20pancreas.
“Gestational Diabetes.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 9 Apr. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gestational-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20355339.
Hankey, Alex. "The scientific value of Ayurveda." Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 11.2 (2005): 221-225.
Robert D. Goldney, Pat J. Phillips, Laura J. Fisher, David H. Wilson; Diabetes, Depression, and Quality of Life : A population study. Diabetes Care 1 May 2004; 27 (5): 1066–1070. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.27.5.1066
Virtanen, Suvi M. "Dietary factors in the development of type 1 diabetes." Pediatric diabetes 17 (2016): 49-55.
Virtanen, Suvi M. "Dietary factors in the development of type 1 diabetes." Pediatric diabetes 17 (2016): 49-55.