'Ayurveda is a time-tested system of medicine'

Nihar Gokhale / TNN / Jul 2, 2007, 00:00 IST

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Renowned Ayurvedic physician Dr Saji D'Souza , speaks about Ayurveda and its significance today.

'Ayurveda is a time-tested system of medicine'

Renowned Ayurvedic physician Dr Saji D'Souza , speaks about Ayurveda and its significance today.When Dr Saji D'Souza opened a clinic and a hospital in Hyderabad ten years ago, little did he know that this was going to be his launch-pad. Today, he is known for conceptualising ayurvedic cures to diseases like lumbar spondilitis and sciatica, which never had a solution other than surgery.Hyderabad Times spoke to him.
What is ayurveda? How would you rate it among other medical systems?
Ayurveda means 'knowledge of life' . It took birth in 3000 BC and is a time-tested system of medicine. Unlike other systems, Ayurveda cures not just the symptoms , but the cause of the disease as well. There are no side effects too. It is better than other systems of medicine.
You're among the well-known ayurvedic doctors in the city. Can you tell something about yourself?

I was the first doctor to prove that cervical and lumber spondilitis can be completely cured with ayurvedic therapies, without inviting the risk of surgery. Xrays and MRI scans have proved this. After doing BAMS and PG (Alternative Medicine) from Kerala, and a fellowship in Rural Health Sciences, I started practice 10 years ago. Now I have a clinic in Punjagutta and a hospital in Shamshabad. I treat patients suffering from cervical and lumbar spondilitis, paralysis, sinusitis, sciatica, disc prolapse , rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, digestive disorders etc. I have been conferred the Best Ayurvedic Doctor of AP Award, Indira Gandhi Arc of Excellence (Medicare) Award and Indira Gandhi Excellence International Award.

Some people opine that Ayurvedic medicines have toxins, like metals, which damage internal organs like kidney and liver.
Kerala ayurvedic preparations are 85% herbal, so there's no question of them having toxins. Other methods of preparation use a lot of bhasma and kshara, which have metals, but these too follow Drug Controller of India guidelines . Regularisation and standardisation too is done issuing GMP (good manufacturing practices) license.
Ayurveda is rumoured to cater to only old people. How do you think it will suit the present generation ?
What with today's lifestyle of junk foods, bad roads, computers and odd work shifts, the young generation is getting a lot of diseases which usually come in the old age.
Often Ayurveda is thought of as just something meant for relaxation.
Ayurveda has five concepts of treatment : relaxation, therapy, rejuvenation, beauty and fitness.
What's you success mantra?
I believe that a good doctor should be a good human being first. Success shall follow.

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