In a world inundated with all manners of personal care products it might be hard to distinguish those which are of true value from those which are not. Though difficult, it is generally important that one does this, and especially so in regard to health related products where the cost of using ineffective or even harmful products can be very high. Although there is no easy way to individually determine the value of each of the millions of health products currently in use, the world of health products is roughly divided into two groups, and identifying some distinguishing characteristics between these two can help one start to sift through the otherwise mind boggling multitude of health products available today. The two groups of products are generally natural herbal and Ayurveda products on the one hand and synthetic drugs on the other. Let’s explore a couple of the distinguishing characteristics of these two types of health products.
The different manners of production of Ayurvedic products and synthetic drugs render no small difference between the constituents of their respective products. Whereas synthetic drugs isolate and extract individual chemicals from plants or synthesize their own analogs, Ayurveda products utilize the plant in specific parts or as a whole, and this creates a fundamental difference in the nature of the products. Due to this method of production, synthetic drugs often include one, two, or at most a handful of active ingredients, while Ayurveda products include an often uncounted range of subtly distinct and natural analogs.
Although the simplicity of composition of synthetic drugs may seem to be a safer, more precise, and more effective means of treatment, it ultimately detracts from their effectiveness. In a plant, there are hundreds and thousands of chemicals some bearing only slight variations to one another and which work synergistically with eachother to render their effects more thorough and well rounded. This diversity is appropriate and necessary for the treatment of not only the complexities of a single person’s body, but even more so the diversity of bodies of the human race. The isolation of a single of chemical strips the chemical of its full effects which is found in only its natural synergistic environment and greatly limits its applicability. The use of isolated ingredients is based upon a crude overgeneralization of human and plant physiology. Modern pharmaceutical science is beginning to realize this, and often conjoins several chemicals in the same drug, but even a handful of chemicals pales in comparison to the cornucopia of active agents found in one ayurvedic herb. Furthermore, there is little known about the effects which synthesized chemicals have on the human body, both in the short and long term.
While the novelty and apparent power of synthetic chemicals is attractive, the lack of knowledge the human race has about these drugs can be disconcerting to the attentive mind. Most of the pharmaceutical products which are available for use today are not more than 10-15 years old, and almost none of them more than a century. The chemical synthesis which is done today is a relatively young science which has yet to really show its effects. Although, the manufactures and purveyors of pharmaceutical drugs do research their products, most testing is done on rats and the inescapable demands of the market do not allow them time to truly testthe products. Furthermore, even if the products were thoroughly tested in the short term, the science is just too young to allow for much generational or multi-generational testing. Consequently, those who use such drugs now are inescapably the long term, and occasionally even short term, test subjects.
Conversely, the many of the ayurvedic products which are available today are made using plants which the human race has utilized for thousands of years and according to specific formulations which date back as long. Ayurvedic herbs and treatments have been tried and tested for generations upon generations, and have thoroughly proven both their safety and efficacy. Through this time ayurveda products have been carefully honed to perfection, and with the advent of modern technology and analytical techniques these products have been yet further perfected. There is no need to play the part of the guinnea pig when it comes to ayurvedic medicine.
These are two differences between ayurvedic products and synthetic drugs which arise from the fundamentally different approaches to medical treatment formulation. Though there are many other differences which one can explore, understanding the implications of these two will give one quite a bit to chew on when deciding which route to take regarding treatment. These present important things to consider and questions to ask oneself before using any health product. For example, “What kind of side effects is this product going to have on my body? How do I find out? Does anybody know? Is it worth the risk?” It is important not to be overwhelmed by the multitude of products and information out in the world. Start by making clear and simple distinctions and discover what is right for you. It could have a significant impact on your life.