Comparison between Westernand Ayurvedic attitudes to health

(Please also refer to: ayurvedic and western medicine)

Here we have collected some of our own thoughts about the differences between Ayurvedic and Western attitudes to health. This is based on our own personal daily experiences. It may well be that the reader has had different experiences:


Diet/Food

In the West: The taste and sometimes the quantity of the meals are often the only criteria whether a restaurant is good or not.

Ayurveda: The taste is important, too (There are even 6 types of taste instead of 5) but it is equally important in Ayurveda that the meal is healthy and that it matches the individual’s type and condition.

One of our patients made it very clear by saying that it is like comparing fish and chips with rice and curry.

When people talk about a good restaurant in the West they often only consider the seasoning and the taste and ignore the health aspect. (In October 2004 Europe’s best kitchen team was selected among 1100 candidates. The jury based their decision on the following criteria: hygene, appearance, taste, and also speed. Health was not even mentioned among the criteria).

The Doctors’ advice about right diet

In the West: One particular advice is strictly followed and seen as „forever“. If the patient changes the diet they fear bad consequences. (For example, if the doctor says "Pineapple is not good for your skin" then the patient thinks that he or she should never again eat pineapple).

Ayurveda: Here, only recommendations are expressed unless the patient is really ill. When the Ayurveda-doctor says "Pineapple is not good for you" it means that the patient should not eat 5 pineapples a day. However, if you feel an „insatiable desire“ to eat pineapple it is better to eat it than to suppress this desire and to dream about pineapple. It is very important that you enjoy your food without feeling guilty about it.

The relationship between doctor and patient

Going to an Ayurveda-doctor is quite a different experience compared to a visit at a Western doctor’s surgery. In Sri Lanka the Ayurvedic consultation works like this:

Both doctor and patient greet each other with a smile and the patient takes a seat. The door usually stays open so that everybody can hear what is being said. Then the doctor starts by feeling the pulse and might ask the patient’s name to write the prescription. The prescription usually consists of a long list of herbs, roots, and leaves which the patient has to buy himself/herself. Then he or she is told how to prepare the medicine (e.g. bring everything to the boil for 45 minutes and then drink the liquid luke-warm). After that they say their good-byes with another smile. Hardly anything was spoken during this time but both were satisfied.

One reason for this type of „silent“ communication is that the diagnosis is done differently to that of a western doctor. The Ayurveda-doctor is familiar with around 10 or even more different kinds of diagnoses (pulse/iris/nails/tongue etc). Therefore, he or she reaches his conclusion about the patients’ problem in a very different way.

A western doctor on the other hand usually comes to his/her conclusion by questioning the patient and the kind of answers he/she gets will lead to his/her decision. Further details will be gathered by test results or specialists.

When an Ayurveda-doctor asks a question at all a western patient would perceive it as rather odd, for example, the doctor might want to know all the tiniest details about digestion, urine colour etc and might even ask the same questions every day. Or a patient might be asked many details about their family which could be quite embarrassing, especially if somebody can overhear the conversation.

Our own doctor in charge would like to point out however, that she does not like to be seen as a "magician" with supernatural powers when she was able to reach a good result quickly.

We would like to mention here one more thing: a patient should never play any games with the doctor just to find out whether the doctor was able to find out one’s illness alone or not. It is equally meaningless to be in competition with the doctor about the right diagnosis. On the other hand team work between doctor and patient has always led to the best results.

The immune system

In the West: For Western doctors there is only one immune system which is responsible for the whole body and the well-functioning of all body parts.

Ayurveda: Here, there are 3 immune systems (known under the names Vata, Pitta and Kapha) which are responsible for various areas of the body and they are treated differently by the doctor. For optimum health a smooth interplay among these 3 systems is therefore very important.

Hygene

In the West: Hygene is often understood only as external cleanliness and simply means to use water, toothbrusth, shampoo and soap. (Slowly, there are more and more people in the West also, who are starting to use herbal salt and purifying teas).

Ayurveda: The external washing needs to be complemented with an inner cleansing, such as the intestines, the blood, the nose (and this will also clean the brain), purifying one’s thoughts for example through meditation, and sweating whilst doing physical exercise. These purifying practises are done on a regular basis and are as important as a regular service for the car.

Beauty

In the West: Beauty is only external and mostly seen in terms of perfect measurements which, of course, do not last. When the beauty goes then cosmetic surgery should help.

Ayurveda: The attractiveness of a person lies not in the external appearance alone but in an inner „glow“. Only a person with a glowing face is accepted as beautiful. An example: A Buddha statue is only complete when the artist has been able to express this inner glow in the face of the Buddha.

Ageing and old age. In Ayurveda there are three ages: Childhood, maturity, and old age. It is important to behave according to one’s age and not to pretend to be younger. Therefore, people are free to age gracefully. Older people are respected and never seen as ugly or useless.




Success

In the West: Success is almost always seen in terms of money and power. A person with no money or little money is regarded as having failed in life.

Ayurveda: Success is not only limited to the individual. It includes one’s surroundings as well, for example, the family, the neighbours, friends, etc or the garden with plants and animals. An example from India will make the difference clear: In India there are old couples who go begging. They have chosen to do this because they want to demonstrate that they have made it in life and that all the family members are well looked after. That is why they can afford to go begging.

We will continue these reflections from time to time.