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December 2009

  • The practice of Naturopathy

    Naturopathy form of medicine relies on completely natural therapies to cure an ailment alongside the natural healing process of the body. The treatment lays emphasis on a person’s ‘vital force’ to take shape and thwart the disease, rather than using chemical drugs to cure the patient. Therefore, when a patient decides to adopt the naturopathy form of treatment, he usually has to provide a detailed history of his medical health as well as lifestyle. It is only after investigation that a physician of naturopathy can start the treatment.

  • Practitioners of Naturopathy

    People who wish to practice Naturopathy can do so in three manners. Firstly, they can become naturopathic doctors (ND) or naturopathic medical doctors (NMD). The second way of becoming a practitioner of naturopathic form of medicine is self-education or undergoing an apprenticeship under the tutelage of a practicing naturopath. The third way, though somewhat vague in nature, allows people to practice some methods of Naturopathy.

  • Evidence in Naturopathy

    Due to the fact that Naturopathy is not a branch of medical sciences such as allopathy, it is often difficult to gauge the efficacy of the medicines and therapies prescribed by this form of medicine. In order to remove much of the ambiguity regarding the success of the techniques employed by naturopathy, a method called the ‘evidence-based medicine’ (EBM) has been devised. The objective of EBM is to apply to decisions pertaining to patients and medicine, the best available evidence. This evidence would be based on the scientific methods of medical science.

  • Regulations for Naturopathy

    Most of the countries where Naturopathy is practiced on a large scale have created a set of rules to regulate its practice. These rules differ from country to country. Some countries on the other hand, may not feel the need for this alternate form of medicine to be regulated. This article discusses various regulations enforced by governmental agencies in different countries for to facilitate a safe practice of Naturopathy.

  • Basic concepts of Siddha medicine

    The fundamental concepts driving the Siddha form of medicine are quite similar to those of the Ayurvedic form of medicine. With the help of natural elements such as plants, minerals, and metals, this form of medicine is able to completely cure an ailing body, without any side effects. 

     
    According to the Siddha school of medicine, the universe is made up of two elements, Siva and Shakti. In other words, the universe comprises of matter and energy. Neither can exist without the other.
     
  • Diagnosis in Siddha form of medicine

    The methodology used in diagnosing an illness or ailment in the Siddha medicine form is almost as unique as the medicine form itself. Here, physicians diagnose an illness based on their clinical proficiency. In order to make the correct diagnosis, siddhars make an eight-fold examination of the patient. This is known as the asthathana-pariksa. As part of the asthathana-pariksa, the siddhars make a thorough examination of the following aspects of the human body:

  • Diseases and their causes in Siddha medicine

     According to Siddha, ill-health of any kind in the human body is the result of an imbalance between the three crucial factors that govern its function, namely, vatha or wind, pitta or bile, and kapha or phlegm. Vatha, and pitta are said to work within a ratio of 4:2:1 respectively.

  • History of Siddha System of Medicine

    The Siddha is the oldest and most traditional form of system of medicine in India. Based on the lines of the Ayurveda system of medicine, the Siddha finds its origins in the Dravidian culture. The complete literature of this medicine system is preserved in Tamil. Practitioners of the Siddha are known as Siddhars. 

  • Drugs used in Siddha medicine form
    The drugs that are administered by the siddhars under the Siddha form of medicine can be divided into three broad groups. They are:
     
     
    1.     Thathu or inorganic substances
     
    2.     Thavara or herbal products
     
    3.     Jangamam or animal-based products
     
     
     
    The Thathu drugs can further be divided into the following groups:
     
  • Treatments in Siddha medicine

    Two principles reign supreme while a patient is being treated using the Siddha form of medication. The first crucial principle is to ensure that the three humours that govern the functioning of the human body have to be brought in sync. These three humours or faculties are vatha or wind, pitta or bile, and kapha or phlegm.