If you have psoriasis, it’s important to always stick with treatment plan prescribed by your doctor. This is crucial to prevent the flares from recurring. Though it can be a controllable condition, but it is a lifelong condition that can make you frustrated. And then you may wonder to try some alternative treatments such as Ayurveda.
It is considered as one of the oldest healing sciences. It is a kind of holistic approach to help people have a well-balanced live.
To help prevent and treat illness, Ayurveda uses the balance of mind, body, and consciousness through lifestyle approaches as well as herbal remedies and some therapies.
In general, there are two major types of this technique; Maharishi and traditional. Maharishi is also a part of traditional version, but it is based on translations from the ancient texts by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Both types use herbs, the same remedies, and have the same principle that the disease can come from the imbalance of a term called doshas (the basic types of energy in Ayurveda). There are 3 major doshas, these include:
- Kapha! It is a term used to call energy that regulates growth in the body. It has a role in moisturizing the skin, supplying the water to all parts of the body, and maintaining the body immune system. The imbalance of Kapha can cause envy and insecurity.
- Vata! It is the energy that regulates the functions of the body associated with motion such as heartbeats, breathing, and blood circulation. The imbalance of Vata can cause anxiety and fear. On the other hand, if it is in balance, you can gain vitality and creativity.
- Pitta! It has a vital function to control the metabolism of the body such as for controlling temperature, digestion, absorption, and nutrition. When it is balanced, it leads to intelligence and contentment. But if it is out of balance, it can lead to arouse anger and ulcers.
Ayurvedic practitioners believe that each individual has unique (different) fingerprint. An individual can have a distinct pattern of energy that involves a specific combination of mental, emotional, and physical characteristics.
Everybody has all types of energy (doshas ‘Kapha, Vata, anda Pitta’ mentioned above). But most people have one or two of doshas that are dominant.
There are many factors that can lead to the imbalance of doshas. These factors include changes in weather, bad diet, stress, and social issues (like strained family relationships).
The imbalance of energy shows up as a disease. And in Ayurveda, the main goal is to restore the balance of doshas in order to improve and cure the disease.
On your first visit, an Ayurvedic practitioner will do some physical examinations related to the disease that you have, take your medical history, and analyze your general health.
Typically, the practitioner also concern about your diet and lifestyle. Then he will recommend the appropriate ways to get back the balance of your doshas through lifestyle approaches, particularly diet.
Along with diet, the practitioner can recommend some of the following suggestions:
- The use of herbal medicines to help get back the balance of dosha.
- Yoga! Some studies found that this technique can help improve chronic pain, anxiety, digestion, and circulation – and also helpful to reduce bad cholesterol & high blood pressure.
- Pancha karma for cleansing the body and decreasing bad cholesterol. In this therapy, practitioner can use some techniques that can cause bowel movement, sweat, or even vomit to cleanse the toxins.
- Rasayana to rejuvenate a patient! It uses repeated phrases /words along with the use of certain herbs.
- The use of herbal oil by rubbing it on the skin to improve the blood flow and draw toxins out of the body! This therapy called abhyanga.
- Breathing exercise (pranayama) to help make patient feel calm.
So in general, there are 3 major approaches in Ayurveda; with lifestyle changes (such as diet), the use of some herbs, and therapies.
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for psoriasis. As mentioned before, it is a chronic /lifelong condition. It may improve and go away for a long time but then recur.
The best way to cope with the problem is staying with the treatment plan and practicing a good skin care to prevent the flares from recurring.
If Ayurveda does have an effect in helping to treat psoriasis, it doesn’t act as a cure that can get rid of the disease permanently.