Commentary
Revisiting the tridosha paradigm of Ayurveda
The tridosha paradigm is foundational to Ayurveda. Ayurveda uses it to explain life processes, classify illness states, and facilitate therapeutic choices. The paradigm has an aspect that is heuristic and practical; it has another aspect that is purely speculative and conjectural. The paper sheds light on the distinctness of these two aspects by tracing the plausible steps in the conceptual evolution of the tridosha scheme. It also proposes a reimagining of the paradigm by jettisoning the conjectures and retaining the heuristics. Sans this reimagining, the paradigm would be pseudoscientific and its use in medical decision making, unsafe and unethical.
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This is an interesting read.
The inclusion of Traditional Medicine Module 2 in WHO’s ICD-11 and the indexing of disease terminologies related to Ayurveda and other traditional medicines can form a link between traditional and modern medicine.
It may require some unlearning and relearning for those of us who practice modern medicine.
An understanding of disease classifications, diagnostic approaches, and potential intersections with evidence-based medicine may be required in a more inclusive and holistic healthcare system. This is particularly important in regions such as India and China where traditional medicine plays a significant role.
I am waiting to watch how AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) can be effectively communicated to healthcare professionals and patients of modern medical practice.