Department of AYUSH

AYUSH is a department of Indian Systems of Medicine i.e. Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). It has been set up with a view to provide focused attention to development of Education & Research in Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy systems. The Department continues to lay emphasis on upgradation of AYUSH educational standards, quality control and standardization of drugs, improving the availability of medicinal plant material, research and development and awareness generation about the efficacy of the systems domestically and internationally.
The Indian systems of medicine include all the non-allopathic systems of medicine like:
• Ayurveda: Ayurvedic, a Sanskrit word which means 'the science of life', is one of the oldest recorded healing sciences in the world. Ayurvedic practitioners use diet, herbs, minerals, colour, gems, yoga, and pranayama (scientific breathing) in treating patients; they also consider exercise, life-habits, seasons of the year, and individual temperament. Their purification treatments include therapeutic emesis, purgation, medicated enemas, diaphoresis, and medicated massage. They also classify foods according to temperature, and give hot foods for certain problems and cold foods for others.
• Sidha: Sidha is the most ancient Indian System of medicine practiced in India. The basic principles and doctrines of Sidha system are similar to those of Ayurveda. Both Ayurveda and Sidha are holistic system of medicines dealing with preventive, primitive and curative concepts of health and are holistic systems of medicine covering, body, mind, soul and phenomena of nature. But Sidha is usually practiced in Southern part of India.
• Unani: Unani Medicine is an ancient form of system of medicine first developed and based on the teachings of Hippocrates in 460 BC, who freed medicine from the realm of superstition and magic and gave it the status of science. This system of medicine originated in Greece but was brought to India by Arabs and Persians. It adopts holistic approach i.e. the human body is composed of seven natural and basic components called Umoor-e-Tabaiyah which is mainly responsible to maintain health.   They are Arkan (elements), Mizaj (temperament), Akhlat (humours), Aaza (organs), Arwah (spirit/vital forces), Quwa (faculty/energy), Afal (functions/actions).
• Homeopathy: This system of medicine was discovered by German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. It is a system of medicine that cures natural disease by administering drugs which have been experimentally proved to possess the power of producing similar artificial symptoms on healthy human beings. It has also wide acceptability because of its holistic and intrinsic values, low cost and absence of any side effects of the drug.
• Yoga: Yoga is a way of life propounded by Yajyavalkya and later systematized by Patanjali. The history of yoga is about 2500 years when Patanjali provided it systematic forms which consists of eight components. This yoga helps in improving physical, mental and social-well being and provides relief from stress and strain, increases resistance power of the body, etc.
• Naturopathy: Naturopathy like yoga is a way of life and believes in the practice of applying the simple laws of nature to life. It is commonly known for drugless treatment of disease and an organized way of life is the key to health energy and happiness. It lays special emphasis on eating and living habits, adoption of purification measures, use of hydrotherapy, cold packs, mud packs, massage, etc.
• Sowa-Rigpa: It is commonly known as Amchi system of medicine is one of the oldest, Living and well documented medical tradition of the world. It has been popularly practice in Tibet, Magnolia, Bhutan, some parts of China, Nepal, Himalayan regions of India and few parts of former Soviet Union, etc. It has been recently added to the medical system of India.
There are more than four lakhs registered practitioners under these systems particularly in rural areas. There are many Ayurvedic, Unani and Sidha colleges both in government and non government sectors.