We are witnessing a new interest in natural medicines, and we see that single herbs or their derivatives have become heroes.
This is news that I should welcome as an Ayurvedic doctor who has dedicated his life to natural medicines. It’s true, I do. But I find some aspects of it troubling.
Let me explain. Ayurveda is a system of medicine that uses over 34,000 documented and registered formulations, created by combining about 10,000 plant species.
Today, when something is popularly accepted by the public it’s immediately viewed as a panacea. It’s troubling that people take what their friends recommend and then claim nature did not work for them. Nature is the only thing that keeps us alive.
Moringa, coconuts, turmeric, and CBD are some of the plants that have been hailed as miracle cures in the past year.
These claims of cure-alls are rarely accurate and precise. In Ayurveda, each plant is not only understood for its molecular properties but also for its five-element properties. Garlic, which is good for the flu because of its saponins but bad for herpes due to it being hot is a great example. Ayurveda has studied CBD for thousands of years and we know its side effects and uses. I have never seen a Doctor or an article that mentions the Ayurvedic view of CBD. Coconuts have some wonderful uses but also come with warnings and restrictions on consumption. Coconuts are cooling, and they only grow in warm climates. Coconuts are not suitable for consumption on cold nights in winter. The article on coconuts won’t tell you this.
Ayurveda would not have 34000 formulas if it had a single cure-all. It doesn’t exist, so we have a lot of precise formulas that are based on prior knowledge.
Ayurveda’s study of synergies seems to be lost in this obsession with single herbs. In Ayurveda, you will rarely hear a single herb prescribed. These combinations were created by enlightened doctors in the past for a specific reason. Now, the importance of this combination is being ignored. Patients will sometimes tell us that the capsules we sell only contain 50mg of turmeric, while another one has 500mg. In such observations, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the liver will flush out 490 mg of the 500 mg of Turmeric. The synergistic mixture of 50 mg turmeric will be absorbed by the body and will do its job. For example, we have a number of formulas that contain turmeric. Each formula has a specific use. The turmeric we use contains 95% curcumin and you won’t find it anywhere else.
It is my mission to make plants known and understood as medicine. My ancestors, who were both horticulturists as well as doctors, have passed this mission on to me. Please contact us if you have any questions about plants or foods. You can do this via the Doctor Consult feature on www.biogetica.com.