Scientific advancement - Sanatana Dharma contd

Ayurveda uses a holistic approach. The treatment procedures incorporate life style changes. Portion control was emphasized for diet and nutrition. Meditation was prescribed for stress relief. The practitioners look at everything starting from the person’s symptoms, habits, environment, family life, and occupation etc. before providing a diagnosis. Patients were taught to maintain a balance between body, mind and soul. They were taught to take care of their body on a daily basis by massaging their body with oil, applying herbal hair oil, oil gargling etc. They were encouraged to use twigs of trees like neem as a toothbrush. The toothbrushes were disposable and people used a new twig every time they had to brush their teeth. These toothbrushes had antiseptic/antibacterial properties. Tongue scrappers made out of gold or silver were prevalent. Herbs and spices were incorporated in diet which helped to keep many diseases at bay. For example, turmeric provided a excellent source of curcumin which helped prevent cancer and diseases like Alzheimer. Ginger was used for its anti-inflammatory properties and was used as a digestive aid. Betel leaves with betel nut was used as a digestive aid. Other spices like cloves, cardamom, cumin etc found their way in to everyday cooking. Apart from these many more medicinal herbs were used to make teas and jellies which were ingested on a regular basis. Charaka Samhita asks everyone to stay away from people with mean mentality. It says that staying with such people is bound to increase a person’s stress level which in turn would cause other diseases like cardiovascular problems to manifest.