The Coronavirus outbreak has challenged our claims of being the super intelligent species. Though we are known to be the most intelligent species on the planet and are capable of tackling any adversity, the COVID-19 pandemic has left us baffled. No one could ever imagine that a microscopic parasite would once control human activities all around the globe. It is true that medical science has seen exceptional advancement over centuries, and the diseases that were once considered incurable have found their cure now, but this highly advanced medical science could not counter the COVID-19 virus. Even the nations that are considered to be the most advanced in terms of medical science, failed to stop the spreading of the deadly virus or save the lives of thousands of people. COVID-19 pandemic has taught us many lessons and has made us aware of our unpreparedness.
In today’s context, the term “Unpreparedness” has a deeper meaning. Right from the availability of health care facilities, to equipment, resources and to our own ability to cope with the pandemic, we were totally unprepared. There is still no full-proof treatment for the COVID-19 virus, and more and more people are getting infected with it every day, even after 10 months of its detection. When a disease has no cure, prevention becomes the top most priority. In the case of COVID-19, the preventive measures included;
- Social distancing
- Wearing mask and other personal protection accessories
- Disinfection and sanitization
- boosting immunity
Following these preventive measures did stop spreading of the virus to an extent, but its highly contagious nature won over prevention and infected millions of people. Nearly a million people have lost their lives to the deadly virus globally, but millions of people have recovered too. It has been observed that people with stronger immune system recovered faster and did not need any medication or treatment. In fact, a considerable percentage of infected people recovered without even showing any symptoms of the disease and were totally unaware of the infection. Immune system acts as a shield against infections that is why it is very important to strengthen it. A wide variety of naturally available substances like herbs, minerals and spices are capable of boosting our immunity and people are being advised to consume them along with healthy diet and regular exercise to keep the virus away.
Ayurveda- sustainable health solutions
India is presently placed at second position in terms of number of people infected with COVID -19, which is about 7.99 millions and at the same time , India is one of the nations with highest recovery rate which is nearly 77% and lower fatality rate at about 2%. Many people link India’s high recovery rate and low fatality rate to the fact that more than 50% of India’s population is less than 60 years old, some credit it to government policies and some claim it is because of Ayurveda. India’s alternative medicine system “Ayurveda” originated in the Indian sub-continent, more than 3000 years ago. According to Ayurveda, good health can be achieved by maintaining a balance between mind, body and spirit, while being in harmony with nature. It is believed that any disruption in this delicate balance makes a person sick. This medicine system emphasizes more on maintaining good health than treating diseases. Along with medicines, yoga and dietary changes are also prescribed as part of Ayurvedic treatment for overall healing.
The basic idea is to strengthen one’s immune system to such an extent, that the person’s health is not affected by any agent. Ayurvedic medicines are made of naturally available ingredients like herbs, minerals and spices having health benefits. With the advancement of modern medicine system, Ayurveda started losing its popularity. Many people do not consider Ayurveda as a reliable medicine system, and many people do not prefer Ayurvedic treatment as they believe modern medicines show faster and better results. But, since past few decades, lifestyle based diseases including cancer have been on the rise, and the awareness regarding the harmful side effects of modern medicines and cosmetics, has been growing among people. People around the world are now looking for healthier and natural solutions for health , beauty and lifestyle related problems, and Ayurveda has it all.
Ayurvedic products are beneficial not only for one’s health but everything required for complete wellbeing.
Health
Ayurveda focuses on treating the root cause of a disease rather than curing it’s symptoms. This kind of treatment provides long term benefits and reduces the chances of recurrence of
diseases. Immunity boosting Ayurvedic medicines have proved to be very effective against infections and are gaining tremendous popularity all round the world. As these medicines are made of natural ingredients, there are very little chances of serious side effects and are considered to be safer than modern medicines.
Fitness
The Indian form of exercise- “yoga” has been trending globally since a past few decades. Yoga is an integral part of Ayurveda, it involves healing through physical exercise. The practice of yoga provides health benefits along with fitness. It has proved to control health conditions like high blood pressure and high blood sugar without any medication and is very effective for weight loss. Yoga also helps in improving a person’s mental health through meditation and other relaxing asanas. The government of India has been promoting yoga for better health and people all around the globe have recognised the benefits of yoga and Ayurveda.
Personal care and beauty
Ayurvedic personal care and beauty products are made of natural ingredients and are free of chemicals; this makes them suitable for all skin types. In recent years, many cases of serious allergic reactions due to cosmetic beauty and personal care products have been reported, and in some cases, beauty treatments have even led to harmful diseases like cancer. Such incidents have spurred people to choose products and treatments cautiously, and people are now showing more interest in Ayurvedic personal care and beauty products.
Nutrition
Ayurveda encourages people to eat healthy and nutritious food to stay healthy and fit. People seeking Ayurvedic treatment for any health condition are suggested necessary dietary changes for better results.
Sustainability and Ayurveda
Nature has been warning us of serious consequences, if we don’t stop exploiting our environment in the name of development, in several ways; be it floods, earthquakes, wildfires or the on-going pandemic. There is an urgent need to change our ways and go sustainable through all our activities and practices. We need to learn from our past, where humans lived in complete harmony with nature. Ayurveda is a perfect example of how natural resources can be used for the betterment of humanity, without disturbing ecological balance. there are many facts about Ayurveda, that make it a sustainable practice and encourage sustainability
Natural raw materials
Use of naturally available substances for producing Ayurvedic products, makes the process safe for workers as well as the environment.
No chemical waste
As the raw materials are natural, no chemical waste is released in the environment and the waste produced is mostly bio-degradable which does not cause pollution.
Less energy usage
Most ayurvedic products do not require heavy machinery and refrigeration, thereby using less energy
Safe work environment
There are very low chances of chemical hazards in the manufacturing of Ayurvedic products and the work environment is safe
Easy availability of raw materials
Most of the raw materials are easily available and can also be produced locally, therefore transportation can be minimized
Long term benefits
Ayurveda is known to provide long term health benefits, thus it prevents over-use of medicines
Owing to its benefits, Ayurveda is being recognized and promoted in India and globally through various agencies.
As discussed earlier, the basic principle of Ayurveda is to provide holistic health solutions and strengthen a person’s ability to fight against diseases, it has been very helpful in our fight against COVID-19. Ayurvedic health supplements were given to COVID patients all over the nation along with other medications, which proved to be very effective. Ayurveda has emerged out as an effective alternative medicine system globally and is likely to gain worldwide popularity post COVID-19. Further research and development would be helpful in preventing pandemics in future.
