There are several mechanisms that have been used by different communities to cure diseases. (Pinto et al., 2006). It is quite common for people to show interest in other culture’s practices and even try to adopt them as an alternative to conventional healing techniques. However, in order to correctly use mechanisms of an unfamiliar culture, avoid mistakes and achieve the desired result one has to be cautious. For a particular case, T.R. Reid was taken to India for treatment on his shoulder that his doctor had said would only be cured by surgical procedure (Atlas, 2009). Mr. Reid challenged his doctor’s suggestion and went to India to try out Ayurveda – ancient Indian teaching that would offer a cure for his trauma. As a result, his shoulder healed without the surgical treatment his doctor had suggested. This essay is, therefore, aimed at exploring the abilities of Ayurvedic medication as the movie Second Opinion with T.R. Reid shows them.
Reid sought a safer way of treating his shoulder that would not require surgical intervention (Atlas, 2009). When he arrived in India, he found a traditional healing technique that was used by Indians. In this treatment, there was no medication applied to the body of the individual. Instead, several steps were to be taken to help heal the ailing body parts. Reid accepted the help of a specialist in Ayurvedic medication and allowed her to treat his body (Atlas, 2009). He was massaged in a specific manner every morning with the usage of oils, as suggested by Ayurvedic teaching. The massage required precise knowledge and experience that would be hard to get in other countries. However, in India, Ayurveda is such a common practice that there are plenty of experts in this area. The intense and précised pressure required to stimulate the removal of the toxic substances from the ailing parts of the body. Noticeably, some restrictions and rules supposed to be followed in Ayurveda treatment. Some of them may seem somewhat peculiar from the Western medicine’s perspective. For example, one has to go to the temple and walk three times around the healing god (Dhanwhantari) (Atlas, 2009). Indians who practice Ayurveda believe that circumnavigating the healing god three times helps to overcome the disease.
From the movie I also learned that a person could travel all around the world looking for an unconventional medication. For example, Reid moved to different places looking for a treatment that would help him avoid the shoulder surgery. The newly discovered methods of medicine may not only help to escape undesirable side-effects and danger that posed by the operation but also significantly decrease the cost of the treatment. Reid found that Ayurvedic medication was the cheapest method to treat his shoulder (Atlas, 2009). It is still worth to mention that, the person looking for the alternative has to adhere to the guidelines provided by medication. One has to assimilate the culture of the people who use such medication for the healing to take place. For example, Reid was requested to follow the religious faith of the Hindu where he performed faith-based practices such as going to the temple every morning and walking around the Hindu god of healing to align the stars and the heaven to facilitate the healing. He did not believe these Indian proponents, but by following the instructions, he got better.
The Ayurvedic medication changes the perception of an individual in many ways depending on it is applied in different scenarios (Pinto et al., 2006). Though the beliefs, spirit, and body are engaged in the process as well, the primary goal of using the ayurvedic medication is to fight diseases and promote good health of an individual. To achieve this, there should be a state of balance between the body, mind, and spirit. If the balance is disrupted by anything, the person becomes sick and advised be subjected to medical treatment to reinstate the normal state of the body. From the analysis I have done between the Reid healing history and the Ayurvedic doctrine, there is one proponent that initiates the healing process of the ailing parts of the body that worth mentioning. People’s beliefs play a critical role in their life. Furthermore, beliefs supported by faith and religion, become so powerful that they can affect our health. Therefore, it is impossible not to notice the significant contribution that beliefs make in the healing process. One’s health can start improving simply because he or she believes in the success of the treatment and accepts its methods. With no doubts there can hardly be any quicker way to understand and accept new culture than exploring their faithPutting all the trust in performed treatment and leaving preexisting beliefs and traditions behind is an essential condition that should be taken into account.
As asserted by Pinto et al., (2006), Ayurveda is the oldest technique used for treatment and a holistic approach to personalized medicine and sustaining individual health. Various practitioners of Ayurveda contributed in developing many hypothesis and concepts over the time. Additionally, Ayurvedic medication can cure chronic diseases like asthma, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and the heart attack which are challenging to treat using the traditional medicines (Chauhan, Semwal, Mishra, & Semwal, 2015). However, due to lack of validation scientifically, people are getting little insight into the Ayurveda techniques and principals. Consequently, it is hard for many people to trust and to invest more in the Ayurvedic medication despite its cheapness compared to other existing medicines. Therefore, evidence-based research needs to be conducted to validate the application of Ayurveda treatment (Chauhan et al.,2015). The research methods that can be used to emphasize the benefits of using Ayurveda to treat diseases and prevent them. Ayurveda practitioners can come up with various ways and plans to promote it and develop new mechanisms to cope with the side effect caused by its application.
In conclusion, recently Ayurvedic treatment gained popularity in almost every part of the world. Many people prefer it to other medical procedures due to its low cost and powerful healing. People from different backgrounds can travel to seek the assistance of accomplished Ayurveda specialists. For example, Reid went to India to be helped to heal his ailing shoulder (Atlas, 2009). This show that even in the ancient times there was a profound understanding of human body because the techniques created at that time are still able to help overcome the sickness. Through their invention, people nowadays get well accepting the ancient methods of treatment. Therefore, it is evident that seeking an alternative, especially when tradition procedures threaten to undermine his or her healthy lifestyle. Additionally, the modern researchers should look into ways to bridge the connection between Ayurveda and the world of scientific research.
References
Atlas, S. (2009). Second Opinion. Web.
Chauhan, A., Semwal, D. K., Mishra, S. P., & Semwal, R. B. (2015). Ayurvedic research and methodology: Present status and future strategies. Ayu, 36(4), 364.
Pinto, B., Goyal, P., Flora, S. J. S., Gill, K. D., & Singh, S. (2014). Chronic arsenic poisoning following ayurvedic medication. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 10(4), 395-398.