Italian Article referencing Fairfield, IA. So I thought it would be appropriate to share here since it is FFL. This is a Google translation with the original link at the bottom. Ayurvedareally work? Ayurvedais one of the most popular alternative medicines, but what is the basis, andwhat is the evidence of its effectiveness? Published April24, 2015 Ayurvedais a form of alternative medicine and as such is often defense based on theprinciple " I have nothing to lose to try it", but the reality is quite different. InApril 2011, in Iowa, a man has undergone a medical examination because of intracranialhemorrhage he suffered two years earlier. Doctors riscontrarono worseningof neurological deficits, and it identified the cause of lead poisoningfrom an Ayurvedic preparation bought in India with which man wastreating. Forsix months after a group of epidemiologists then offered screening to patientsof the same community who practiced the 'Ayurveda. In early April, were published the results ofthe study of 115 people tested, 40% had concentrations of lead in the bloodmuch higher than normal. In Ayurvedic preparations provided by the patients(pills, powders, liquids) were present , in additionto lead, even high levels of mercury, arsenic and other heavy metals. Overthe years it emerged several cases of poisoninglinked to Ayurveda, but this is the most serious incident to date documented. Theseanomalies comparable to cases of food poisoning, or are the theory and practiceof 'Ayurveda that carry more risks than benefits? What is Ayurveda The history of Ayurveda is very similar to that of Chinese medicine (MTC): both practices are bornthousands of years ago, before modern science, in specific geographiclocations, and mystical-philosophical roots. Behind them it sees aprinciple similar to that of the Western theory of humors, that diseasesalways derive from some form of imbalance between fluid or vitalenergy, that nell'Ayrveda are called doshas. Thetreatments focus mainly on the 'ingestion of preparations of variousorigins and changes in their lifestyle, with the help of massageand meditation. There are also surgical procedures derivedAyurvedic, but today they are much less popular. Boththe MTC that the 'Ayurveda were then exported to the rest of the world,and in particular have become popular among Westerners, always looking forancient wisdom.
A famous preacher of Ayurvedic medicine is Deepak Chopra , doctor ofIndian origin that thanks to The Oprah Winfrey Show '90s hasbecome familiar to many Americans. Chopra, with the help of the inevitable quantum mechanics,is one of many who in recent decades have worked hard to give all 'Ayurvedaa scientific legitimacy. Ayurveda test As with all alternative medicines, there are abundant anecdotal evidenceof the effectiveness of 'Ayurveda, but were made very few rigorousclinical trials. SomeAyurvedic treatments seem to have some positive effects (insome cases comparable to drug therapies) for pain, while for the treatment ofsymptoms or conditions less subjective efficacy trials are virtually absent . Manyof the benefits attributed to Ayurveda are probably due to the change of lifestylethat imposes, which enhances the role of 'exercise of' power and sleep,the importance of which is also known to medicine. Asfor the remedies that come from plants, it is then reasonable to expect thatamong the hundreds of preparations with thousands of species may tick moleculesthat are of real interest to the medicine: for example reserpine, one ofthe first real drugs against psychoses, was isolated from the roots of Rauwolfiaserpentine, used in Ayurveda. Itis also certain that plants such as Boswellia serrata have analgesic and anti-inflammatory , and accordingto some test would lower blood cholesterol levels. In the latter case, however,it is yet to be determined if its effectiveness is desirable than, forexample, to a change in diet or medications already on the market: as with anytreatment you should understand not only if it works, but what. Butthe discovery of new therapeutic molecules from dall'etnobotanica is not nothing new,legitimate and not one iota pre-scientific principles of mysticism and ancientIndian medicine. Moreover,it is was demonstrated that thediagnostic methods used by healers are completely inconsistent. He writes aboutit with your doctor Edzard Ernst: "Itis as if you went by your family doctor and these measure your bloodpressure, or your weight or cholesterol level or any other parameter with atest that produces a different result every time someone tries to repeatit." "I have nothing to lose to try it" If efficacy trials are virtually non-existent, you can not say the samerisk. In this case it is not just the danger that someone abandon medicinein the hope of healing: there is a real risk of poisoning, asdemonstrated in the case of Iowa. Partof the problem is common to all practices herbal: when using direct parts of plantsis impossible to accurately assess the amount of a certain molecule inthe final product that goes to the consumer. Aherbalist prepared traditionally or for education, certainly knows howto avoid problems with the plants more dangerous, but as you can controlall the products which, legally or not, are sold all over the world? InAyurveda also the recipes are very complex: a single treatment may contain, inaddition to metals and minerals, dozens of plants, sometimes previouslycooked. This means that although it is theoretically possible to produceAyurvedic preparations in line with the rules euorepee, it is virtuallyimpossible to have a capillary controls quality of imported materialthat are equal to those of Western herbalism. InIndia most of the population is "care" with Ayurveda, but this isespecially true because the drugs that are discounted for us are tooexpensive for many people InItaly, fortunately, Ayurveda is generally practiced by doctors, Salvo Grazia(aka Medbunker) but recommended : "Inconclusion then: be wary of unsafe products and unaudited. Relying only doctorsare registered as qualified, always talk with your doctor to see if you canresort to this type of practice or if it was not advisable to view theirdisease. Suffice to say that the Ayurvedic medicine, which we considered almosta "whim" a bit 'quirky, in India it is used by the poorer class(because often practiced by healers improvised) but for real diseases, even inthat country, are turning hospitals, when they exist. " L'Ayurveda funziona davvero? - Wired | | | | | | | | | | | L'Ayurveda funziona davvero? - WiredL'Ayurveda è una delle medicine alternative più diffuse, ma su cosa si basa, e quali sono le prove della sua efficacia? | | | | View on www.wired.it | Preview by Yahoo | | | | |
