Arvind asked: i need to do a short research paper on ayurveda medicines and my lecturer wants it to be argumentative. Do you have any suggestions that might work out with the lecturer? Another thing is that i cannot compare it with other types of medicines.
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August 20th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
So, they won’t let you get off easy with “why Ayurveda is better (or has less side effects) than drugs”, huh? Hmm…
How about “Why are people so negative towards Ayurvedic medicines?” and discuss some of the negative ideas people have about Ayurveda and shoot them down with facts. You could cover how long they’ve been safely used, point out the millions that use them with great benefits, and reference any of the many studies about the safety and effectiveness of the herbs. Although personally, I’d avoid the ones that were done by pharmaceutical companies or similar organizations because those tend to be faulty, set up for a negative result, or focus on what will make the herb look bad than unbiased truth… I’ve seen a few studies that were sponsored by a subsidiary of a drug company, so you may have to look closer behind the research if you do that. Good luck on the research paper!
August 24th, 2009 at 2:13 am
This is a tough assignment. My guess is that the lecturer is looking for concrete, scientific facts on the efficacy of ayurveda versus conventional allopathic medicine. Conclusive proof on the benefits of ayurveda is hard to find.
It sounds like the lecturer wants to avoid cliches like—It’s been around for thousands of years, there are fewer side effects, it is natural so it is safe, etc. These cliches will not pass muster in the light of scientific research. The best proof of therapeutic validity is the double blind placebo controlled study in which neither the practitioner nor the patient know who gets the real remedy and who get a placebo. These kinds of studies are seldom produced in ayurveda.
Some places to look for scientific studies of ayurveda and alternative therapy in general are in the sources. Good luck with your paper!