Ayurveda in the West.

Currently in the West, there is no unification and standardization of Ayurvedic medicine, and there is only a small number of traditionally trained Ayurvedic physicians. Although Ayurveda as a medical system is uniquely applicable in almost all medical conditions, the lack of access to fully trained practitioners limits its use for primary care.

The laws regulating the practice of medicine of course prevent any Ayurvedic physician, no matter how qualified, from practicing medicine in the United States without an acceptable license. In addition, the practice of Ayurveda in the United States is limited even for licensed practitioners because of restrictions placed on many of its therapies, such as bloodletting and compounds containing specially prepared metals considered toxic in the West (e.g., arsenic or mercury). For this reason, many problems are not treated with Ayurvedic medicine in the United States as they are in India.
Major Indications

CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Allopathic medicine uses powerful medications and has the technology to deal with acute emergencies. However, in chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, stroke paralysis, or multiple sclerosis, allopathic medicine has less success. Ayurveda believes it can effectively treat these conditions with diet and lifestyle recommendations, cleansing programs, Ayurvedic massage, and rejuvenation. Ayurvedic treatment for any condition requires a commitment from the patient, and the patient needs to be questioned about his or her willingness to follow through with diet and lifestyle changes. A significant component of the treatment process is the patient's personal responsibility as well as a genuine desire on the part of the patient to heal.
There has been no study that we know of using the Western clinical trial method on Ayurveda as an entire system of medicine. There are a number of studies on specific treatments and considerable literature on the pharmacological action of Ayurvedic herbs and their active ingredients. An example is guggulipid, a traditional Ayurvedic herb demonstrated to lower serum cholesterol in clinical studies.

By consulting with experienced Ayurvedic practitioners, conventional researchers in India have discovered a number of useful herbs and have done so more rapidly and economically than those that have been discovered using the usual drug-screening and development strategies. Laboratory and human experimental studies have indicated benefits of Ayurvedic products in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. These studies have also helped to identify potentially toxic substances and drug–herb interactions (8), requiring knowledge and careful use of Ayurvedic products.

Transcendental meditation (TM) is a specialized meditation technique adapted from Ayurvedic traditions and is widely taught in Western countries. It has been shown to produce beneficial effects on a number of conditions, including reduction of blood pressure; posttraumatic stress syndrome; anxiety; alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse; and for general improvement in psychological health. Physiological effects of TM were reported three decades ago, and long-term practice may include electroencephalogram changes that persist during sleep. Meditation techniques derived from Ayurveda, with their emphasis on changing consciousness, may produce greater health benefits than those that simply teach relaxation. For example, a carefully controlled trial of TM demonstrated reductions in blood pressure in hypertensive, elderly African Americans who practiced the technique.

Recently, data collected on the costs and health outcomes of individuals who regularly engage in the lifestyle and preventive practices of Ayurveda have shown considerably cost reductions because of less use of conventional health care services (18). When people take responsibility for their health and consciously engage in health-promoting behaviors, chronic disease is often mitigated or eased.