Overview
As per Ayurveda our food and lifestyle are the two very important factors responsible for keeping good health. If these get disturbed leads to disturbances in the natural equilibrium called prakrity (constitution). Prakrity has two aspects physical and psychological, constitutional features or equilibrium with which a person is born. This natural constitution (Prakriti) helps the person to grow, adapt and survive. The disturbance of natural equilibrium due to internal or external causes gives rise to Vikrity ( unhealthy condition) in the body. That further causes various disorders in the body.
Thus the root causes of auto-immune disorders are low Agni and weak Ojas and hence the Ayurveda treatment focuses on restoring Agni and Ojas. By strengthening Agni and Ojas, one can naturally reverse the disease process and restore balance to the system.
What is Autoimmunity?
Autoimmunity is the condition of when immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues, and other body normal constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an “autoimmune disease”
According to Ayurveda autoimmunity starts in the body due to toxins, produced by following unhealthy food and lifestyle for a long time. That further leads to weakness of Agni ( metabolism ) and Ojas ( Immune power ) and causes autoimmune disorders. The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may cause autoimmunity in the body. Sometimes genes can also make people prone to autoimmune disorders.
An autoimmune disorder may lead to, the destruction of body tissues, abnormal growth of tissues, malfunctions or loss of functions of organs and organ systems. An autoimmune disorder may affect one or more organ or tissue types.
Diseases related to Autoimmunity; there are more 80 autoimmune disorders, few very common are listed as ;
Rheumatoid arthritis – a joint disease
SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus) – is an inflammatory disease that can affect, joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs.
Psoriasis – skin disease
Psoriatic arthritis – skin disease affects joints also
Lupus – a disease condition that causes inflammatory changes in skin, joints, bones, and organs.
Thyroid function-related diseases – Grave’s disease ( hyperthyroidism ) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis ( hypothyroidism).
Addison’s disease – adrenal insufficiency to certain hormones.
Celiac disease – sprue (gluten-sensitive enteropathy)
Multiple sclerosis – a potentially disabling condition of the brain, where the immune system damages the protective sheath over the nerves.
Pernicious anemia- a condition where the body is unable to absorb B12, resulting in anemia.
Sjögren syndrome – An immune system disorder characterized by dry eyes and dry mouth.
Type-1 diabetes – In this disease immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
Common signs and symptoms of autoimmunity in the body;
Signs and symptoms vary with the severity and kind of autoimmune disease. Irrespective of the type of disease few of them are similar in many of the autoimmune conditions, like;
- Pain, malaise, and swellings
- Skin-related issues.
- Fatigue and low energy.
- Digestion-related issues.
- Feverish feeling
- Joints pains.
- Swollen glands.
Treatment for autoimmunity ;
There is no cure as such for autoimmunity, but symptoms can be managed with Pain killing and anti-inflammatory medicines, steroids, immunosuppression medications, physical therapies, etc. Prolonged use of these medications, has many adverse effects on the body.
Here Ayurveda line of treatment provides a ray of hope for the sufferers. Ayurveda advocates setting up the natural physiology back in the body as much as possible. All kind of treatment starts with the process of detoxification. Further followed by the balancing process of dosha , dhatu , mala, and agni . Many of the signs and symptoms go off with this only. At Ketav’s Ayush Health Paradise, we have Rasayana therapies in the treatment plan for autoimmune disorders after detoxification and setting back the equilibrium. These therapies are planned as per the disease, its symptoms, severity, and involvement of organs. Here our approach is to stop the disease pathology and settle down deviated/disturbed immune response. Once the immune system gets corrected, we work for the correction or repair of the damages. In the case of management of autoimmune issues in takes a couple of sitting of the complete treatment plan and even more, depending on the severity of the disease. Here at Ketav’s Ayush Health Paradise, we conduct 30 to 40 therapies for the duration of 21 days, to correct autoimmunity. Along with therapies, yog , medication, and havan / spiritual practice ( not compulsory) sattvic ahara – vihar also plays a supportive role in healing.
Ayurveda supports the natural physiology of the body and our nature is to grow, adapt, heal, harmonize, etc by its treatment methods and teaching about how to live healthily.
We recommend Ayurveda to live healthily
Live healthy and live life to the fullest
By ;
Dr.Seema Santoshi