For the best part of the 20th century, doctors of medicine would refer to the entire gamut of Ayurveda, homeopathy, herbal medicine, yoga and other arts as "alternative medicine" or even "fringe medicine." But the presence of several highly qualified cardiologists, cancer specialists and neurophysicians at the recent Global Holistic Health Summit in Bangalore has shown clearly that these 'traditional' healing arts are now ready to move to centre stage. Together they form what is now being described everywhere as Holistic Health.
Among the luminaries present at the six-day summit are Dr. R M Verma, former director, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) along with Dr. S M Chennabasavana, psychiatrist, who had served at NIMHANS, Dr. K S S Bhat, physician and cardiologist.
"Therapeutic modalities like yoga therapy, naturopathy, acupressure, reflexology and hydrotherapy have brought lasting symptomatic relief to patients, where modern medicines have sometimes failed," said Dr K S S Bhat. He pointed out that holistic therapies can proceed alongside allopathic drugs, and this was a major plus in their favour. Besides, he said, a lot of research into yoga was being conducted at Harvard Medical School, thus showing a high level of its acceptance even in the West.
Holistic system of medicine emphasises on the prevention of a disease. The concept of 'prevention better than cure' is vital in modern day illness that is extremely expensive to treat or find a relief, noted Dr. B P Gururaja Rao, physician and cardiologist. "The complementary therapies like yoga, acupressure and reflexology helps release the blocked energies and accelerate the healing process," he explained.
Many clinical conditions like Unmada (Schizophrenia), Manodvega (anxiety disorders), Manasa Mandata (mental retardation), Apasmara (epilepsy), Mamsavata (muscular dystrophy) and Pakshavadha (hemiplegia) are controlled by Ayurveda therapies. "The administering of allopathy drugs has resulted in temporary relief, while Ayurvedic medicines have shown positive signs in the control of the disorder without recurrence, noted Dr. Chennabasavana.
In the case of cancer, even if cure is not there in the alternative systems of medicine, patients have found relief in pain and many of the symptoms, said an oncology specialist.
For cases like arthritis, gout, asthma, back pain, hypertension obesity and computer related disorders, patients have found a lot of relief from holistic systems of medicine, said Dr. Andrea .J Cohen, director, CAM Research, Programme, University of Colorado USA. Some of the integrated medical approaches to cancer treatment and prevention have data supporting this approach, she added.
Indian allopathy doctors also air similar views for the chronic disorders like osteoporosis, spine problems, depression, digestive disorders that have been controlled to a great extent or cured, noted Dr. Nagarathna, an FRCP-UK who heads the faculty at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation. She is of the firm view that alternative therapies are the only answer for such problems.
Holistic health is neither a new discipline, nor a mix of different systems of medicine nor the prerogative of a single system of medicine but an approach that the practitioner of any system of medicine should take, Dr. Verma informed.
Modern medicine has certain shortfalls and traditional medicine has its limitations but it is the integrated approach to treatment instead of an isolated single medicine practise which helps diagnosis or controls symptoms, noted Dr, Devi Prasad Shetty, a noted cardiac surgeon and managing director, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore.