Do we really need a health day?
Do we really need Health Day?
This year World Health Day is having a theme "Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone". Aiming everyone should try & contribute to creating a beautiful and [healthy] world for everyone else in the world. Surprisingly, it took a long time for modern medical science to understand what it means to be "HEALTHY". Let us first understand how.
What is the definition of health according to modern medicine?
Medical Science is the branch of science concerned with the study of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.2
Medicine is the art, science, and practice of caring for a patient and managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, or palliation of their injury or disease. 3
From these definitions of Modern Medical Science, we will know that all the subjects of modern medicine are based around diseases i.e. causes, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. From this, the misconception that "no disease means healthy state" can spread in society. Having no disease in the body does not conclude that a person is healthy.
So what exactly is health? Opinions of Ayurveda-
Sushrut Samhita Sootrasthan Adhyaya 15 Shlok number 41
Actual Swasthya [health] is to have the Dosha in the equilibrium state, the same amount of Agni, an equal amount of Dhatu [body structures], a proper amount of Mala [waste material]in the body, and along with proper functions of blissful body, mind, and soul. In this, however, all the body constituents must function properly. Ayurveda strongly believes that a person is not healthy unless his body, mind, and soul are also blissful.
Let us see an example to understand how this definition of Ayurveda is comprehensive. If a person does not have any apparent disease but has gained a lot of weight, then due to excessive Meda Dhatu [fatty tissue], the person is not healthy as per the definition of Ayurveda. But according to Modern Medical Science same person having no diagnosable disease may raise doubts as to whether he is healthy or not. At the same time, since the mind & soul are healthy, the definition of mental, spiritual & social health is included in the Ayurvedic definition of Swasthya.
What exactly should be done to maintain health?
Who can find such solutions?
This corona epidemic & changing pattern of different complex diseases taught everyone that more emphasis should be to maintain good health than finding a disease cure. So everyone will be curious to know what exactly should be done for health care? The simple answer in one sentence is to adopt Ayurveda for health care. This is because Ayurveda is probably the only one of the various medical disciplines that have given priority to preventing illness. This has been mentioned in the purpose of Ayurveda described below.
Charak Samhita Sootrasthan Adhyaya 30 Shlok number 26
Ayurveda was originated with the two objectives of protecting the health of a healthy person, and of treating them in the event of illness. The same thing is reflected in the definition of Ayurveda.
Charak Samhita Sootrasthan Adhyaya 01 Shlok number 41
What is beneficial for a healthy life [for survival]? What is harmful? What is pleasant and what is disturbing? The science in which all this is properly considered for the sustenance of good health is Ayurveda.
Maybe learning from this, when the World Health Organization was established, they had to change the definition of health to dispel the misconception that 'nonexistence of disease is health'. And further new definitions of health became widespread.
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. 4
According to Sir William Osler, the father of Modern Medicine, “A good physician treats the disease but the great physician treats the patient who has the disease.” - Famous quote by Sir William Osler. There is a need today to strive for a holistic approach to health and treatment. Ayurveda has that holistic approach to maintaining health. Ayurveda has distinct concepts such as Dincharya- daily routine to take care of the body, Rutucharya- to counteract the effects of seasonal changes on the body, use of Rasayan Kalpa to reduce the effects of the aging process, Panchakarma for body detoxification, Yoga for spiritual & mental health, Achar Rasayana for social health. These concepts are useful & effective even in today's changing era.
Surprisingly, the 2200-year-old definition of Swasthya[- health] written in Ayurveda is still comprehensive, meaningful, and in line with the World Health Organization's definition of health.
The basic message conveyed is Ayurveda is of the view that maintaining health is not a one-day affair but an ongoing process. Therefore the World Health Day will be successful only if the necessary measures described by Ayurveda are implemented continuously and regularly to maintain our health.
About 2200 years ago, Ayurveda gave a comprehensive approach towards Swasthya [health] emphasizing the importance of not only physical, mental but spiritual & social health and the value of maintaining a happy soul-body-mind. This approach helps everyone to clear a narrow mindset that health is not the only absence of disease. This great approach towards the maintenance of Health makes Ayurveda OMG AMAZING AYURVEDA....!
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Information about the author
Dr. Ninad Nayan Sadvilkar, M.D. [Ayurveda]
[Strong supporter, believer, motivator, teacher & practitioner of Ayurveda]
Assistant professor, MES Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Lote, Tal.-Khed, Dist.- Ratnagiri, Maharashtra &
Owner, Aarogyavardhan Ayurved & panchakarma Treatment Centre, Shop number-1, Sagar plaza, Chiplun
Assistant professor, MES Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Lote, Tal.-Khed, Dist.- Ratnagiri, Maharashtra &
Owner, Aarogyavardhan Ayurved & panchakarma Treatment Centre, Shop number-1, Sagar plaza, Chiplun
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