1. Holistic framework of Ayurveda and its clinical advantage Prof. G G Gangadharan PhD I-AIM Healthcare Centre, Bangalore

2. What's Ayurveda? Ayurveda is a knowledge system that measures life in terms of What's wholesome What's happiness And opposites thereof Hitaahitam sukham dukham ayustasya hitahitam… Charaka Samhita

3. What's the essence of Holism? The human body is combination of constituents (dhatus) derived from the five elements (bhutas) which constitute the physical universe All the substances in the physical universe (within and outside the human body are composed of five bhutas

4. What's health in Ayurveda? Health is a state of dynamic equilibrium of the fundamental constituents of body (molecule to cell to organ to system) That is constantly interacting with the external environment which is also in a state of healthy flux Coupled with tranquil mind, senses and spirit

5. Clinical advantage of holism A functional framework that can accommodate any medical condition one may encounter A practical taxonomy of physical universe and its effect on the living system Which, when understood makes everything around us a potential medicine Vikaro nama akushalo na jihriyat kadancha…

6. Clinical advantage of holism Science is understood in traditional thinking at three levels Tatvam (Philosophy) Shastram (Theory) Vyavahara (Application) What we are currently learning and practicing is only at the level of vyavaharam Tatvam, Shastram, Vyavaharam…

7. Achievements of Biomedicine Fair understanding of the molecular basis of health and disease (Genetics, metabolomics) Management of communicable diseases Trauma and emergency care Advancements in Surgery

8. Promises of current research Gene, Proteo, Metabolo-omics Stem cell therapy Epigenetics Personalized medicine Eugenics and designer progeny

9. Reductionism vs. holism This is arguably the pinnacle of reductionism Result of centuries of liberally funded research by the crème of scientific minds But, When we juxtapose this with the fundamental principles of Ayurveda, one can find the emergence of a meeting point between these two knowledge systems

10. Health challenges today Chronic diseases Cancer Heart Disease Diabetes Drug-resistance

11. Can Ayurveda come in? Detox (Panchakarma) Diet and Lifestyle (Pathya) Positive health (Rasayana)

12. Rasayana Whether rasayana has the capacity to influence the stem cells to become pluripotent?

13. Diet and lifestyle Diet in Ayurveda does not confirm to the one size fits all norm, It is not determined only the disease but equally determined by the constitution of the individual, space and time one is placed in

14. Panchakarma A systematic mechanism to eliminate multitude of toxins from body without causing harm to the healthy tissues

15. The need for integration… New science can be made only if we go to the level of shastra and tatva This is the realm of Indian medical knowledge that is yet to be explored

16. To conclude… India is uniquely positioned to give to the world a model of healthcare that judiciously combines a 5000 yrs old living health tradition with cutting edge science It will bring not only academic accomplishments but also economic progress It has the potential to change the way the world perceives us

17. Thank you… Prof. G G Gangadharan PhD