History of Medicine

One of the key elements of yoga is breathing exercises; in fact, many claim breathing techniques called pranayama form the foundation of yoga as one of its eight pillars, along with asanas (exercises), meditation.  Pranayama is derived from Sanskrit words,  prana meaning "life force" and yama meaning "control." So essentially it means controlling your life force. (More on the life force concept to follow, but I also covered it in a previous post which can be found at https://ancientmedicina.blogspot.com/2020/09/vital-energy-in-ancient-medicine.html)  One of the pranayama exercises used in yoga is called  Nadi Shodhana  which means purification of the channel or flow in Sanskrit. It requires timed deep inhaling and exhaling from alternate nostrils repeatedly. While pranayama is common practice for anyone with knowledge of yoga (including my family), what is not widely known is the real medical benefits of this breathing technique. Many people do it because it is p

While on the topic of exercise and health, one cannot ignore the growing popularity of yoga in medicine. Its health benefits have been touted in alternative medicine for many years, but yoga is finally being embraced by clinical western medicine. Consisting of a series of "asanas" or stretching exercises, deep breathing, and mental focus, yoga is known to release stress and relax the body and mind. Researchers have now found direct evidence that yoga can indeed have a quantifiable effect to treat a number of diseases. The biggest benefit yoga has is on cardiovascular health. The ability of yoga to reduce stress has a direct correlation to heart health because stress releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which narrow the arteries and increase blood pressure. Yoga also increases blood circulation, which further helps cardiovascular health. And there is data to prove this. A 2014 controlled group study showed that the group practicing yoga had lower total cholesterol a

Feeling happy causes you to smile, but is the opposite also true? Apparently so. Smiling (even forced) can trick the brain into feeling happy! This is because a smile and the resulting contraction of the facial muscles have a neurobiological effect on the brain by triggering a chemical reaction that releases certain hormones like dopamine and serotonin, both of which are associated with mental health. A low level of either hormone can cause depression, and conversely releasing these hormones can reduce depression. Dopamine specifically increases the feeling of happiness, while serotonin reduces stress and anxiety. While the effect of smiling on mental health is perhaps not that surprising, what is even more interesting is that a simple smile can also improve physical health in several ways:  Boosts the immune system Reduces blood pressure  Lowers heart rate Releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers And all this is simply from the physical act of smiling; the brain cannot di

I have previously written about the ancient medical science of India called Ayurveda. Tracing its roots back to 6000 BCE (unofficially), Ayurveda is older than the Classical civilizations and thus predates Greek medicine. Ayurveda is still in practice in many parts of India as alternative medicine. But I recently discovered there is another form of alternative medicine in India called Unani medicine. I first heard about it from a Harvard professor and I was embarrassed to admit I hadn't heard of it, so I decided to dig deeper and what I found is quite interesting. Turns out it is still used in practice today as one of the 5 traditional medical sciences recognized by the Indian government as AYUSH ( Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddhi, Homeopathy).   Interestingly, Unani medicine is none other than ancient Greek medicine practiced by Hippocrates and Galen. In fact, Unani means "Greek" in Arabic. Unani medicine was introduced in India around the tenth century by Arab and Persian

I read a fascinating discussion on the contrasts between ancient and modern medicine which really struck a chord since I have spent much time researching and writing about the concepts of experience versus evidence in medicine. Reflecting on cupping therapy, the paper's author, Dr. Anna Dinallo of the University of New Mexico, made the observation that modern medicine is based solely on knowledge of anatomy, which is learned primarily through dissection. Therefore, all modern medical knowledge is really obtained from a dead body. The author also argues that modern practitioners use anatomical dissections to discredit alternative medicine which does not have an anatomical foundation. I found that really interesting. All ancient medicine is based on experience. Diagnosis itself relies on examination through observation of pulse, smell, and sound-- all senses that the author argues rightly, are absent in a corpse during dissection. In fact, Ayurveda has 8 distinct examinations that ar

As medicine developed independently in all of the ancient civilizations, it is interesting to note the many similarities in beliefs and practices; however, there were also some important distinctions in all four of the major civilizations. Although I touched upon it in my previous post, I wanted to explore and highlight the similarities and differences among the four medical sciences in more detail. Cause of Disease Supernatural forces: Both Mesopotamian and Egyptian medicine believed that disease was caused by supernatural forces and not natural causes. Mesopotamians and Ancient Egyptians alike blamed various gods, demons and spirits for disease- each spirit was responsible for one disease. Although Mesopotamians knew that various organs in the body could malfunction and lead to disease, they attributed the malfunction to an evil spirit. Likewise, Egyptians believed spirits blocked channels in the body and caused its malfunction. Body Imbalance: Indian and Chinese medicine, on the o

Although western medicine has its roots in the Classical Greek civilization, the history of medicine dates back thousands of years before Classical Greece. Medicine started developing as a science in the earliest human civilizations and developed independently in all four of the major ancient civilizations: • Babylon/Mesopotamia • Egypt • India • China They represent four of the oldest branches of medicine with each developing independently and presumably without any interaction or influence from each other. And yet, they have many similarities. Ancient medicine in (clockwise from top left) Babylon, Egypt, China, and India  Babylon Babylonians believed that diseases were caused by supernatural forces (gods and demons) and therefore, did not distinguish between magic and medicine, yet they introduced the practice of diagnosis and prognosis. Treatment included identifying the illness according to the power that caused it, and treating it with medical agents and rituals to appease t

Since I have been writing about Ayurvedic remedies of late, I decided to explore the history of the ancient branch of medicine that was practiced in India. Ayurveda is considered the oldest healing science by many scholars. Although its exact origin is unknown, it is believed to be as old as 6000 BCE, predating the Indus Valley civilization. The name Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit words ayus and veda , which mean "life" and "knowledge" respectively. Therefore, Ayurveda literally means “the knowledge of life.”  The five elements of Ayurveda There are two main books in Ayurveda- Charaka Samhita and Susruta Samhita, which were written around 1000 BCE and 5th century AD, years after it came into practice. These texts include diagnosis, treatments, and strategies to prevent illness, herbal remedies for various ailments, as well as surgical techniques.Ayurveda, although described to be a traditional system of medicine, is more accurately a holistic system of welln

 Ashwagandha (also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry) is another common herb that is used commonly as an Ayurvedic remedy. The woody plant native to India and Africa has the scientific name of Withania somnifera. Somnifera means "sleep inducing" in Latin. Ashwagandha, on the other hand, means "smell of horse" in Sanskrit, which suggests it is a rather foul-smelling herb!😒 Another explanation for the name, however, is that it imparts the strength and energy of a horse, thereby earning the unique moniker. Ashwagandha plant with fruit While ashwagandha is a well-known plant in India, its reputation is only now reaching western medicine, but it is fast gaining popularity as a sleep aid and anxiety reliever for alternative medicine seekers. I have seen ashwagandha bottles stocked on Costco shelves and featured in television infomercials in recent years, much to my amusement. Ashwagandha is considered a natural adaptogen, which helps the body manage stress.  Ashwa

Turmeric is a very popular spice used in Indian cooking- it is what gives curry its distinctive yellow color. The yellow color can also cause staining in clothes that is practically impossible to get rid of! Turmeric is also one of the oldest medicinal herbs and extensively used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is well known in India for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. Commonly referred to as the Golden Spice, turmeric (or haldi in India) is said to have many medicinal properties including strengthening energy and improving blood circulation, and is used to treat a variety of ailments like asthma, bronchitis, arthritis, sprains, and swelling. In fact, whenever I suffered a minor injury, the first thing my mom applied on my wound was a paste made from turmeric (which is found in every Indian kitchen even in America, and used in almost every traditional Indian dish). I grew up rolling my eyes at one of the most common household remedies for most Indians.🙄 Turmeric, also known as

Ancient and modern medicine differ primarily in their approach to finding a cure- the former relied on experience and accumulated knowledge (tried and true method, if you will), whereas modern medicine uses chemistry and research to determine the therapeutic potential of a drug. As a result, the two are often distinguished as Experience vs. Evidence-based medicine. Another important difference between ancient and modern medicine is that modern medicine uses targeted treatment of the specific illness whereas ancient medicine relied on holistic healing.  Experience Vs. Evidence- Based Medicine While both are on opposite sides of the medical spectrum with modern medicine seeming far more logical and therefore reliable, modern medicine still lacks cures for many diseases that traditional medicines seemed to have a remedy for, including common ailments like the cold and stomach issues.  In fact, after years of dismissing ancient (mainly traditional eastern) medical practices as non-scientif

Another herbal remedy for COVID-19 is making news, this time in India. A company called Patanjali Ayurved that sells products based on ancient medicinal herbs from Ayurveda is marketing a new product called Coronil that it claims is effective against covid. The company has met with criticism in the past for overselling its products, but the company stands by its claims and claims to have clinical test data to back its claims. The Indian ministry's AYUSH section of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization has approved Coronil as a drug that can be used as “supporting measure in Covid-19” and as an immuno-booster. Coronil is the first product against covid-19 to be marketed by a prominent company and one that is based on ancient medicine. The medicine reportedly contains active compounds from three common Ayurvedic herbs, ashwagandha, giloy, and tulsi, and is touted as exhibiting high anti-viral and immunity boosting properties. The product has approval for export to 158 countries

It's been over a year since COVID-19 first made its appearance, yet it remains as challenging as ever to beat. As cases surge around the world with no clear remedy in sight except for the vaccine (hopefully!), there is increasing attention being paid to ancient remedies. After various Indian and Chinese remedies made their rounds (which I wrote about some time back), here's a new one that made news this month. Andrographis paniculata , a herbal plant commonly known as green chiretta, was recently approved by Thailand for treating COVID-19. Their ministry of health has started a pilot program to test the alternative treatment after human trials showed patient condition improving within days of treatment with the extract. The ancient herb has apparently reduced the severity of inflammations in early stages of the disease.  Turns out, Andrographis paniculata is a well known ayurvedic herb, called  Kalmegh,  and is used to treat liver disease and fever. According to ayurveda, the &

As I wrote previously, researchers in the U.S. and India are exploring the ancient Indian science of Ayurveda to combat the coronavirus. There are clinical trials underway to study the efficacy of Ayurvedic medicines touted by many Indian doctors. In the meantime, the Indian ministry has endorsed immunity boosters specifically for COVID-19. They include concoctions like turmeric powder mixed with hot milk- a common remedy in India, also known as "golden milk"- and daily meditation with deep breathing.   Indian Ministry of Ayush poster. Image: Twitter Even though these therapies may not kill the virus, they can help boost the body’s natural immune system and improve lung condition. Lungs are the most affected organ in COVID. According to Ayurveda, herbs such as holy basil, Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu and other common household (to Indians) spices like turmeric can help boost immunity against respiratory diseases and help fight pathogens.  Because people are skep

As the world struggles to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers around the globe are racing against time to find a cure and vaccine for the coronavirus. One of the therapies under investigation is the ancient Indian healing science, Ayurveda. It turns out Harvard and MIT scientists recently investigated the potential of Ayurvedic science to cure coronavirus and found promising results. They are not the only ones to look at Ayurveda- Indian researchers have been investigating it for the last several months and some doctors are already prescribing medicines based on Ayurvedic herbs. A doctor in India conducted clinical trial with a small number of patients with mild to moderate symptoms and found 100% recovery rate in 9 days or less. There is also an example of an Indian man who made a full recovery from COVID-19 in a short time after taking only Ayurvedic medicines. Interestingly, I read that Ayurvedic medicine was used extensively during the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago. A