| Welcome to the final article in this seven part series | | | | based upon not only prevention and maintaining a |
| on Ayurvedic Medicine and the natural botanicals used | | | | health body and mind, but additionally on combining |
| in this ancient medical science that is becoming | | | | treatments so that together each of them enhances |
| increasingly popular in the West. The prior articles | | | | their individual benefits. This is the concept of |
| have individually focused on the medicinal treatments, | | | | synergy and one that has been embraced, |
| such as Turmeric, Ginger, Guggul and Amalaki, and | | | | researched and employed in Ayurveda for hundreds |
| their capacity to treat and prevent diseases. As | | | | of years. It is actually standard practice in Ayurveda |
| promised in a past article, I will now devote this final | | | | to treat patients with synergistic natural treatments, |
| one to a major precept of Ayurveda that may seem | | | | such as combining Turmeric with Ginger in order to |
| foreign to those in the United States who are | | | | potentiate their effects. Synergy is a standard in |
| educated in or treated by Western (Allopathic) | | | | Ayurvedic Medicine and is just one reason western |
| Medicine. This precept of Ayurveda is medical | | | | culture is incorporating the tenets of Ayurveda into |
| synergy. | | | | daily living. |
| Before I get into this concept as it applies to | | | | Western medicine has made truly remarkable |
| medicine, think about this question. You go to your | | | | advances in medical technology and treatment that |
| doctor due to an illness of some sort and are hopeful | | | | have allowed people to live longer, healthier lives. Our |
| for a treatment, perhaps a cure, which usually comes | | | | country is undergoing a medical revolution at this time |
| in the form of a medication. How many of us go to | | | | that will change the way doctors practice and |
| the doctor when we are healthy as a method of | | | | patients are treated. From this revolution will evolve a |
| preventing illness? Yes, there are guidelines for | | | | medical system that combines the wisdom of |
| screening for Cervical, Breast, Colon and Prostate | | | | Eastern Medicine with the advancements in the |
| Cancers at varying ages. Yes, there are | | | | West, thereby creating a balanced medical approach |
| recommendations for yearly physicals as well. | | | | focusing on prevention. In the future, the terms |
| However, these visits are to check for symptoms or | | | | Eastern, or Ayurvedic Medicine, and Western, or |
| signs, to ensure there is nothing wrong. They are | | | | Allopathic Medicine will cease to exist. The new global |
| generally not focused on how to do things right from | | | | medical system may be termed Integrative or Holistic |
| a healthy perspective. | | | | Medicine, terms that are familiar today, or perhaps a |
| Secondly, as we all know from the numerous | | | | new name will be given, such as Synergistic Medicine. |
| advertisements, medications have side effects some | | | | Whatever we call it, it will undoubtedly contain some |
| of which are life-threatening, though most people get | | | | of the major concepts covered in this series on |
| lesser ones instead of major ones. This brings me to | | | | Ayurveda, such as adaptogenic medicines that |
| my second question. When you report such side | | | | modulate the body's response to stress. As we in |
| effects to your doctor, and you should always do | | | | western medicine are now discovering, there is much |
| this, what is the next step in treatment? The options | | | | to gain by studying a medical science that has |
| are few and in my field of Pediatric mental health, like | | | | prospered for millennia and continues to evolve. |
| many others in western medicine, a popular option is | | | | To further your knowledge in eastern medicine, or |
| to give another medication to treat the side effects | | | | Ayurveda in particular, search this term on the |
| of the first. This can be effective of course, yet as a | | | | internet and you will find a wealth of resources and |
| physician I am concerned about how the combination | | | | practitioners, many of them closer to you than you |
| of medications may interact. Another common option | | | | think. I welcome you to follow the link below as an |
| is to prescribe a second medication to combat the | | | | additional resource. |
| disease itself. However, there is often a scarcity of | | | | Thanks for reading this article series and my hope is |
| clinical research studies that support multiple | | | | that I have introduced you to new outlets of health |
| simultaneous medications for treating an illness. | | | | that can change your life. |
| Now, imagine a scientific medical approach that was | | | | |