|
Knee-jerk reactions of Western
governments in offering doles in times of crises to poor countries
often seem like ways to appease their own conscience.
Meanwhile, modern life all over the world has taken its own toll on
man. Environmental degradation has assumed alarming
proportions. One has heard repeated warnings of global warming
and depletion of the ozone layer in recent times. The WHO has
pinpointed rapid rise in pollution levels the world over as being
the single largest cause of cardiovascular disease, much more
than smoking. Moreover, adulterated food and use of highly
toxic pesticides that destroy the nutritive value of food grains and
vegetables have taken a toll too.
Moreover, modern man leads a much more sedentary lifestyle than his
ancestors did. He has reached the "remote control"
stage of technological progress. It is not surprising at all
that he should find it imperative to regulate his diet and work out
at the gym. Add to that the stresses and strains of the modern
consumerist world, and man is not exactly happier than what he used
to be.
Medical science itself seems to have reached a plateau now, and has
got bogged down by the ethical implications of anything between
donating sperm to cloning human beings. Besides, despite all
the advancement, age-old maladies such as diabetes and asthma are
far from curable. They are at best controllable. Most
antibiotics seem inadequate in tackling viral infections.
Bacteria that cause other diseases have developed resistance to
certain types of antibiotics. Besides, the common man himself
has become somewhat wary of allopathic medicines and has begun to
turn to alternative, traditional forms of medicine.
This has in recent times brought about a welcome change in attitudes
that were hitherto prevalent in the medical world. Much
prejudice against alternative systems of medicine seems to have been
shed and a 'holistic' system of medicine or healing has become the
buzzword in recent times. Thus, Naturopathy, Homeopathy,
Magneto therapy, Acupressure, Acupuncture, Ayurveda, the Unani
system of medicine etc. have been gaining in popularity.
They are no more the fanciful fad of the famous or the poor
substitute of the underprivileged. They are now being
increasingly acknowledged as viable, alternative systems of healing
the sick.
The whole approach of these systems of medicine differs from
Allopathy inasmuch as that the ingredients of remedies are not
chemicals, artificially produced in laboratories. They are
natural substances like extracts from plants, animals or minerals.
They have no side effects, are gentle on the human system and aim at
reviving the organism into expelling toxins and getting rid of
diseases by rejuvenating the body's own defense mechanism.
Even systems like Acupressure and Acupuncture focus on the 'Vita
Flex' points on the palms and feet. By applying selective
pressure or puncturing nodal prints with extremely thin needles the
body's own defense mechanism is activated into fighting disease and
organs associated with the corresponding points are strengthened.
Even Aromatherapy has been gaining in popularity in recent times.
It is the system in which the aroma of herbs and flowers is inhaled
for curative purposes. The oil obtained from flowers is even
massaged on the Vita Flex points on the feet and other strategic
locations of the body.
Other than the regular homeopaths, naturopaths and ayurveds, there
are health shops now, that stock an exclusive range of health foods,
like the one at Koregaon Park in Pune aptly titled, ' Natures
Bounty', for instance. The shop sells health foods, organic
cereals, low fat anytime snacks, natural vitamins and
supplements, herbal cosmetics etc. Shops like that have on
offer herbal dietary supplements to meet all kinds of health
challenges, such as failing memory, a weak heart, obesity,
water retention, weak liver, low energy, weak digestion,
cardiovascular challenges, respiratory disorders, diabetes,
low immunity, hormone balance, enlarged prostate etc.
That is not all, there are on offer these days, preparations for
weight gain and loss and detoxifying agents to flush out all body
toxins. They sell herbal 'antibiotics' as well as
aphrodisiacs. Beauty products for skin and hair care and
increasing the size of breasts are also on offer. Moreover,
mood creators - oils for concentration, increase of libido etc.
are also available. Lastly, products that are natural
pesticides have gained in popularity in homes with kids.
Someone had once remarked that there would come a time when there is
likely to be a reverse migration to the countryside. Perhaps
mindsets are beginning to change already and 'return to nature' is
the mantra of the new millennium. Indeed, it is in nature that
mankind is likely to find solutions to its myriad problems,
health-related or otherwise.
|
