Revitalising kidney health through ayurveda

HYDERABAD: Ayurveda, an ancient Indian medical practice, has used natural remedies to cure several ailments for thousands of years. It is one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world that dates back over 5000 years. Compared to conventional modern medicine or allopathy, However, there are certain myths and misunderstandings often associated with the practice when it comes to the Ayurvedic treatment of some diseases. One of them is the Ayurvedic treatment of kidney or chronic kidney disease.

“Ayurveda has been used for healing and repairing kidneys for hundreds of years. Even after the advent of modern medical science, Ayurveda has helped by treating damaged kidney tissues and reducing the frequency of dialysis. Despite its benefits and a huge number of followers, there are several misunderstandings about the ancient practice,” says  Dr Puneet, Founder & Director, Karma Ayurveda.  

When it comes to kidney treatment through Ayurveda, here are some facts and myths:

MYTH: Ayurveda is a luck treatment
FACT: Some people think that not all ayurvedic medicines work and that you can be only treated for a certain disease if you are lucky enough. This is a common misunderstanding as Ayurveda treatments are very different compared to modern science. Ayurvedic treatment may be slow or not as instantaneous as allopathy, but it carries its benefits. “Every ayurvedic treatment takes its own time to bear results as it is a natural way of healing. So, Ayurveda is not a ‘luck treatment’; it can take some time but will show the results. On the contrary, modern medicines take less time to cure the symptoms, but the disease can come back,” explains Dr Puneet.

MYTH: Ayurveda has no side effects
FACT: It is often said about Ayurvedic treatment that since it is natural, it has no side effects. This myth evolved from the thinking that most treatments involve natural remedies and herbs. “The fact is that every medication has its side effects on the body. If it affects the body, then it would be wrong to say that it doesn’t have any side effects. Another important thing to note is self-medication, which is prevalent in India. Any medication that is not prescribed by the doctor can be harmful if your intake the medicines in your way,” shares Dr Puneet.

MYTH: Ayurvedic medicines have no expiry date
FACT: Another myth is that if it is Ayurvedic, it has no side effects or expiration; only good impacts. The fact is that Ayurvedic medicines are man-made, and they have an expiry date as well. Even if some Ayurvedic medicines are produced with herbals, some medicines prove that they are healthy only after some time.