It is interesting to observe how different disciplines of medicine follow very different treatment protocols. Sharing some of my observations!

Four of my family members underwent treatment for jaundice and recovered using different disciplines of medicine.

1. Allopathy – Medicines to help the liver get back to normalcy. Avoid oily and fried food, typically suggest a bland food (not too spicy).
2. Hospital treatment – Strong dosage given through IV (Intravenous). Patient needed to be on fruit juice diet.
3. Yunani – Medicines prescribed. Patients must eat oily and heavily fried food while on medication
4. Acupressure – Pressure points based healing, bland diet, establishing a healthy bed time routine

Made me wonder how can the same disease treat the same organs in human being in such different ways with such opposite diet and treatment protocols – just because of the cultural differences in the origins of these medicines.

I started learning more about the various types of medicines and origins. Some of them treat the root cause, some of them treat the lifestyle, some treat the symptoms and let us evaluate and make our necessary lifestyle choices!

In all these, the Ayurveda chikitsa (treatment) method helped me through my parenting days

1. Find out the patient’s prakruthi (constitution) – that is – Vata, Pitta or Kapha
2. Find out the vikruthi (present altered state of the doshas in the body)
3. Find out the cause(s) of illness, such as diet, lifestyle, emotional patterns, quality of relationships, genetic predisposition and so on
4. As the first line of treatment, remove the cause
5. Provide proper regimen (diet, exercise, pranayama (breathing techniques) according to person’s prakruti, vikruthi, season, climate, age etc
6. Provide a detoxification procedure
7. Suggest inputs to increase immunity and strengthen specific organs and tissues
8. Provide therapies that act against the specific dosha and disease using the principle of opposite qualities balance

I found the above steps to be very useful in problem solving simple issues as a mother while parenting!

These 8 steps when understood and applied with a proper diet, has the ability to sustain good health! In simplified terms, check what the kid has eaten / whom he played with, where he played, what they did and that gives a clue on the specific sudden onset of the disease or condition. Understanding the diet and its impact on the day to day routine, helps figuring out the opposite qualities balance principle – For example, fever – bland diet, plenty of rest and sleep, lots of fluids etc.

Have often heard my mother say – Every mother is a doctor without a degree 🙂

Maybe every mother internalizes these 8-steps or figures out their own set of such steps to deal with quick and simple health challenges while parenting! Do share your tips in the comments below!

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