The basic ingredients used in the formulation of Ayurvedic medicines are herbs and natural products. The physical and chemical properties of each plant and mineral are determined by its elemental composition. Ayurveda views the universe and everything in it as being composed of five basic elements – earth, water, fire, air and space. The attributes of each material vary according to the proportion and correlation of these five elements in its composition. Research has revealed the therapeutic value of each herb and mineral and how these are to be compounded and administered for maximum efficacy.
‘You are what you eat’. This underlying principle of Ayurveda is reflected in the emphasis not merely on “medicine” intake, but also on the type and quality of food ingested and on the eating habits of a patient.
The era heralded by the discovery of penicillin saw the proliferation of an incredible number of chemical cures that promised quick results. However, mankind was soon to discover that with these drugs there was no escape from the penalty of alarming side effects. Worse still, they often induced chronic conditions stomach ulcers, diabetes, kidney and liver disorders, piles and the list goes on.
On the other hand, Ayurvedic medicines are all nature-based and so side effects are minimal; and the treatment does not give rise to chronic disorders. Any wonder then that the world has gone full cycle and is now increasingly turning to Nature, to Ayurveda?
