Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care originating from India. It is different from traditional medicine in assigning the causes of the illness to the whole system rather than to any specific area. All over the world, people are waking up to the benefits of Ayurveda in treating Arthritis, Paralysis, Stroke, Neurological disorders and numerous other ailments.
Ayurveda basically includes the use of herbs and plants pooled with psychic arts of a therapeutic nature. A good ayurvedic practitioner will include psychology as part of the analysis to get the patient to utilize his or her own mental or soulful energy.
As per Ayurvedic belief, arthritis is caused due to an excess of ama and lack of agni. This is caused due to indigestion and weakening of the colon. This boils down to the accumulation of toxic wastes in our body. Toxins are very hard to avoid. It is there in the air we breathe. It is there in the food we eat. It is there in the products we use. You just cannot escape them. These waste matters reach the joints and create havoc. Thus the best way you can treat the deadly disease of arthritis is by inspiring the digestive fire which is the agni and by reducing the ama.
Ayurvedic Distinction Of Arthritis
Ayurveda believes that arthritis can be of the following three types:
Vata
If arthritis is caused by vata in your body, your joints will become dry. It will also crack and pop.
Pitta
If arthritis is caused by pitta in your body, you will experience severe and painful inflammation of the joint. It feels hot.
Kapha
If arthritis is caused by kapha in your body, the joint becomes stiff and swollen. It also feels very cold and damp.
Ayurveda to Cure Arthritis
Arthritis is caused due to the imbalance in vata, pitta and/or kapha. The main object of ayurveda is to remove ama from the joints. It tries to bring it back to the colon and then gets rid of it. For a natural treatment to be successful, you first need to determine the kind of arthritis and then treat it accordingly. Ayurveda usually advises general techniques that will be effective in enhancing the power of agni – the digestive fire.
Various herbs and spices are available in Ayurveda that can be applied directly on the body or consumed. These techniques are very effective in cleansing the body as well as get rid of pain and stiffness. Such spices include mint, ephedra, golden seal, gentian, nirgundi, eucalyptus leaves, phellodendrom, aloe, guggul, du huo, ligusticum and various others. Various oils are available that aids the body to clear toxins and relieve pain.
Massaging the body with mustard or sesame oil goes a long way in reducing vata. Light exercise is also very useful. But you must be careful not to overstrain yourself. More and more people are realizing the benefits of massage. Effective massaging reduces the amount of cortisol – a stress hormone- in the body. It also enhances the digestion process, which is essential in getting rid of excess toxins.
Massage releases endorphins, which induces a sense of well – being in the mind and body. It is particularly very effective in providing relief to arthritis patients who are usually not able to exercise. It improves the motion of the joints. Massaging enhances the blood circulation of the body. The improvement in the healthy blood flow gets rid of toxic wastes. It enhances the flow of the lymph fluid, which results in increase in body resistance.
Ayurvedic massage has a history of more than five thousand years holistic healing including massage. It focuses on the use of aromatic oils and herbs with therapeutic properties. Ayurvedic massages should be performed in the early morning hours to reap the biggest benefits.
Ayurvedic massage places emphasis on using scented oils and healing herbs to heal and relax the body. People can learn how to give themselves an Ayurvedic massage, which, if performed in the morning, can increase vitality, circulation and stamina throughout the day.
Some people avoid undergoing massages. These are individuals who may have open wounds, disorders in the circulatory motion, tendency of blood clotting, may have undergone surgery recently, be pregnant ladies and so on.