Research in Ayurveda has to be Scaled Up, Says Expert

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Research in Ayurveda has to be scaled up from its present stage to harness the huge benefits of the traditional medicinal system considering its wide popularity and relevance in modern age, according to Dr Rajmohan V, Associate Professor, Department of Rasasastra and Bhaishajya Kalpna, Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram.

Dr Rajmohan was delivering a lecture on “Ayurveda for Healthy Living” at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here on Tuesday, in connection with Ayurveda Day, which was celebrated on October 23.

“We have abundance of medicinal plants in the Western Ghats. But only 10 percent of them have been explored and studied for Ayurveda treatment,” he said

Noting that our food patterns have changed significantly, he said Ayurveda believes that proper food and lifestyle, sleep and sex are important for leading a healthy life.

He said Prakriti (nature of the body) of a person is the individuals constitution based on differences in physical, psychological and physiological characteristics. It is largely independent of racial, ethnic or geographical considerations.

The age and mental status of the patient is important in his response to the medicine. It is important to follow congenial food and lifestyle and avoid salty, dried and preserved food.

Suggesting a methodology of eating, he said warm and freshly prepared food with optimal quantity is ideal for a healthy individual.

RGCB Director Prof Chandrabhas Narayana, in his welcome address, said the real values of Ayurveda have to be adopted to our life.

T R Santhosh Kumar, Dean, RGCB, was also present.