Ayurveda is the science of health and longevity. But this science and yoga therapy are being misused by quacks with the help of mass media. Naturopathy is another area which requires no specific qualification to practise. Hippocrates, ‘Father of Medicine,’ advocated naturopathic medicines. Natural diet and exercise are part of treatment.Benedict Lust is supposed to be the father of naturopathy. He had been schooled in hydrotherapy. He also practised herbal therapy. In our country, the practitioners of naturopathy require no particular education and training. Some of them are wind bags and they are unscrupulous and boastful. Nature cure is a term coined by John Scheel in 1895.There was a decline of this type of cure in the US which happened to be revived in 1970s. The healing power of nature became part of holistic treatment and the body’s vital ability to heal itself too is being experimented. More relevance is given to diet and life style. Gandhiji experimented with this method and wrote extensively on the results of his trials. He had firm faith in the healing power of nature.A five-and-a-half- year degree course is offered in doctor of naturopathy and yogic sciences. Diploma in naturopathy is also offered. Despite this, people cleverly come up proclaiming their skill in naturopathy without acquiring any basic qualifications.Buddha sanyasis forbid suppression of natural urges. They advocate moderation of food, sleep, sex and medicine. Exercise, yoga, meditation and massage are essential to maintain health. ‘Panchakarma’ enables elimination of toxic elements from the body. Internal medicine, paediatrics, surgery, eye and ENT, psychiatry, toxicology, aphrodisiacs etc. are the branches practised by our ancestors.Hinduism and Buddhism have contributed a lot to the medical field in ancient India. Other methods included foot massage, head massage, face mask and steam. Physicians discover diseases after long interviews and physical examination. They suggest change in lifestyle while using their medicines.Diet and lifestyle are given utmost importance in ayurveda. In Adharva Veda, there are 114 hymns and formulations for treatment. Dhannuanthari is believed to be the ‘deva of ayurveda’ who came out while churning the Palazhi by the Asuras and Devas. His second birth was in Dwapara Yuga.Yoga is the union of ‘Jeevatma’ and ‘Paramatma’. (Agnipurana Ch.372) It is also a physical exercise and helpful to coordinate the material body and the soul.Yoga is a cure for many diseases and also helpful to maintain good health. A rudimentary knowledge of yogic exercises is low-brow and such a person is not qualified to train.Let us evaluate the modus operandi of quacks.Pot belly is the mark of a tacky, physical condition. An idea flashes in a quack’s mind to acquire easy money. He produces in bulk a concoction to be massaged on the protruded part with wide publicity in the media. Attractively packed, it reaches the market. A special oil and the sap of some medicinal plants are the ingredients. The product is pushed with pomp and tumult. The hunk on the bottle has packs on the abdomen. Within a few weeks, he amasses wealth before too much complaints reach him and then he stops production.Another quack, as fresh as daisy, produces an ointment with enchanting smell which can make lilies and roses on the otherwise rough cheeks. One week is more than enough to ginger up vitality and acquire the beauty of the cinema star on the packet. Narcissism is an innate trait that moulds a puppet. The producer of this ointment too becomes a multimillionaire though he appears as a jinx to a bad face.Some well-advertised medicines are sold like hot cakes as they will increase memory. Lean ladies develop muscles all over by consuming another medicine!Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, arthritis, kidney problems, epilepsy, schizophrenia etc. have easy cure if you purchase the medicines and use them according to the instructions in the ads! A so-called physician has agents all over India to bring patients to him.We are made to believe that he can cure diabetes with some kind of herbs though we should not stop the medicines we use now. He has paid-employees to trump up his products and the popularity he gets is through ads. Another wizard can diagnose your problem simply by touching some parts of your body. He claims that the accuracy of his findings can be verified by lab tests.Charlatans thrive with the help of people who propagate the extraordinary skill of the miracle man. All these people have one aimbig bucks! The government should stop the emergence of incompetent people with ulterior motive. Unscrupulous people should not be allowed to sell medicines. Yoga training should also be monitored along with massage centres. Misleading ads require stringent punishments.(The writer is a retired principal and social critic. The views in the article are the writer’s own. e-mail: [email protected]).
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