Common Health Diseases

Ayurveda, and its wealth of knowledge accumulated over many centuries of practice, is known to cure a variety of diseases. The following is a list of some common diseases, their causes and symptoms, and how Ayurvedic treatments handle them:

Anemia

Anemia is known in Ayurveda as pandu roga. There are several forms of anemia, but all relate to one main cause: a deficiency of iron. The symptoms of anemia are not that apparent: save for a palish complexion, instances of fatigue, difficulty in breathing, and headaches, one may seem rather normal.

For treatment, foods that include iron or which encourages its absorption are recommended, and foods that reduce absorption, such as iron, eggs, soy, coffee and milk, are to be avoided.

The Ayurvedic approach is to use herbs such as wormwood (a rare herb, with an iron-rich content), celery, fenugreek (both herbs and seeds), ash gourd, and onions to treat anemia.

Arthritis

Arthritis refers to an inflammation of the joints. This inflammation can occur anywhere in the body, the onset of which is often signified by acute pain in one or two joints. Arthritis may be caused by a number of reasons, such as old age, infected joints, and other illnesses, such as gout.

The Ayurvedic approach would be to recommend the usage of herbs such as tumeric (a strong anti-inflammatory agent), garlic (an anti-arthritic herb), ginger, and licorice (used since ancient times to curb many inflammatory diseases).

Coughs

People cough to expel foreign matters stuck in the respiratory tract. The reason for coughs are numerous: inhalation of dust and toxic fumes,  common colds, asthma, diseases such as pneumonia, influenza and tuberculosis, lung cancers, smoking, and so on and so forth.

The Ayurvedic approach would recommend liquid-based foods, such as fruit juices and milk, and fibers;  foods with oil content, such as coconuts and nuts, are to be avoided. The kind of Ayurvedic herbs often used to treat coughs are linseed, tumeric (an ancient household remedy), Indian aloe, garlic, ginger (especially mixed with honey) and fennel.

Constipation

In Ayurveda, constipation is known as anaha. Constipation refers to when the body is unable to excrete bodily waste in a normal manner. Constipation by itself is relatively harmless, but if the condition continues, it could become severe, and lead to serious problems such as acute intestinal obstruction.

The cause of constipation, according to Ayurvedic knowledge, is an excess of the wind (vata) or fire (pita) elements in the body; these cause the bowels to dry. Diets low in fiber, fresh fruits, hot and spicy foods, alcoholism, and a sedentary lifestyle all may contribute to this.

The Ayurvedic approach would recommend more vegetables, fruits such as banana and apples, the avoidance of spicy foods and lots of water. Herbs such as Indian ginseng (a natural laxative), cumin (effective against indigestion, diarrhea and flatulence), Indian aloe and acacia.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease with no cure. It appears often in the form of high glucose content in a person's blood and urine. An affected person loses weight, feels immense hunger and thirst and urinates excessively, and requires a long time for the healing of wounds.

Though the disease is incurable, Ayurveda is able to prescribe treatments effective enough to control the onset and effects of diabetes (called madhumeha in Sanskrit), through the use of herbs and vegetables such as Indian gooseberry, curry leaves, onions (low sugar content), bitter gourd, and honey (which, though sweet, is not at all harmful to diabetic patients).

Depression

Depression is a serious ailment, that is very common but rarely identified and treated properly. It is a psychological illness, which Ayurveda is unable to treat. However, Ayurvedic has massages that help greatly, which can relax and calm the soul.

Ayurvedic treatments recommend eating foods such as oranges (a high Vitamin-C content, which helps release stress-fighting hormones), cardamom (prepared in tea, for the smell excites the senses, and reduces stress levels) and ginger.

Migraine

Migraine is a common problem of the nervous system, which manifests itself in the form of headaches. The attack is severe and recurring, and often accompanied by feelings of nausea. The cause of migraine is due to the dilation of blood vessels, through genetic traits, or the use of drugs (even common ones, such as birth control pills, and drug-based painkillers) and lifestyle choices (smoking, non-proper sleep patterns, hormonal changes, etc.)

Ayurveda employs herbs such as ginger (an effective painkiller, best mixed with water and rubbed against the head) and water hyssop to treat migraines.

Menopause

Menopause refers to that stage in a woman's life when her menstruation stops; it is a natural process, though occasionally it can be a painful one.

Ayurveda uses herbs such as Indian ginseng (to reduce the effect of mood swings), beetroot (a natural painkiller powerful enough to reduce the painful effects of menopause), and licorice. Bitter foods, vegetables, nuts, fruits, milk and egg yolk  are recommended, while salty, sourish foods are to be avoided.