Evolution of Disease in Ayurveda (Follow Ayurveda for a Long and Healthy Life)

Dr. Vasant Balaji
Dr. Vasant Balaji Athavale is the founder of the Paediatrics Department of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Hospital, Sion (Mumbai) which was established in 1959. He was the Head of the Department and Professor in Pediatrics there uninterruptedly for 30 years.

In 1996, he received an international award - 'Best Author of Ayurvedic texts'. In an international symposium on Ayurveda held in 2001, he was conferred 'Jeevan Gourav' (Lifetime achievement) award by the National Education Council. He has also written several texts on 'Parenting'. Since he has good command over the Sanskrut language, he has written extensively and collected invaluable matter on various aspects of Spirituality. He has contributed all his writing to Sanatan's treasure of Holy texts. Even today, he continues to write on subjects related to Spirituality. He is H.H. Dr. Jayant Athavale's (Founder, Sanatan Sanstha) elder brother.

Dr. Kamlesh Vasant
Dr. Kamlesh Vasant Athavale is Dr. Vasant Balaji Athavale's son. He has dedicated his life to the field of Pediatrics and has completed fellowship of the American University on 'Pediatrics' and 'Neonatology'. Presently, he is a 'Director of Neonatology' at Nash Hospital attached to Duke's University, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA.

Evolution of disease deals with 1. Various aetiological factors 2. How the aetiological factors bring about changes in the structural and functional units of the body that is vata, pitta and kapha 3. How these molecular changes bring about structural derangement in various tissues and organs 4. How these structural changes derange the function of organs 5. How the deranged function of one organ leads to derangement of other organs that is complications.

Ayurveda describes in detail the various stages of evolution of disease as 1. Chaya that is accumulation of doshas because of action of aetiological factors, 2. Prakopa that is further increase in in the doshas, 3. Prasara that is dissemination of doshas which correspond to the stage of septicemia, viremia or toxaemia, 4. Sthanasanshraya that is localisation of dosha in a particulartissue or organ, 5. Vyakti that is manifestation of disease because of functional derangement, 6. Bheda that is further differentiation into the sub-type of the disease.

Ayurveda emphasises that the physician should not allow the disease to evolve further by recognizing manifestations of the disease in its incubation period and guiding the patient appropriately. It is surprising that even 5,000 years ago, Ayurvedic physician could visualise the derangement at molecular level as the root cause of the disease. Ayurveda has rightly emphasised on the importance of understanding the Evolution of disease (pathogenesis). Unless the physician gets insight into the Evolution of the diseases, he cannot treat the patient appropriately. A physician who does not bother to go to root cause of the disease suppress the symptoms but is unable to eradicate the disease. This book describes in detail the basic principles of pathogenesis which will help the reader to understand the pathogenesis of any symptom or disease.

One can't but appreciate the wisdom of our ancient physicians, when one realises that our understanding of disease process and its evolution has not altered significantly even today, in spite of all the modern research. I am sure that not only Ayurvedic physicians, but students, teachers and research workers of modern medicine also will be benefited by reading this book