Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Natural is the new mantra

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Not long ago when a person had a health issue, he/she would consult a doctor and pop in the pills prescribed by him. A lot has changed since. Now, people don’t depend only on allopathy. They don’t mind trying alternative methods of cure, which have been found to be quite effective with no known side effects.


The traditional ways of healing, including ayurveda, homoeopathy and Oman’s herbal medicine, have found many takers, especially among women and children.


In the last one year, three ayurvedic clinics have been opened in and around capital Muscat, the proof of an upsurge in their popularity.


A lady ayurveda doctor, who runs two clinics, one in Ruwi and another in Maabela, said when their first ayurvedic clinic was opened in Ruwi, “we found it extremely difficult to get patients as there were many hospitals in the area”.


“We had to go out and convince the people of the benefits of ayurveda. Today we are thankful that there is an awakening.”


Also thanks to the constant efforts of the government, NGOs and both private and public entities, people are willing to try natural and naturopathy treatments without any apprehensions.


“An increase in the number of people going out of Oman for natural cures, awareness through the media and health consciousness have helped homoeopathy and ayurveda win the confidence of Omani people,” says the ayurvedic doctor.


What makes alternative medicine different is, it is based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between mind, body and spirit.


According to Yousuf Sulaiman al Amri, Acting Chairman of Coimbatore Aryavaidyashaala, which opened its third clinic in the highly-populated Athaiba, “people using allopathy, which offered quick relief from pain and other ailments, have been switching to the traditional ways of healing in the past few decades”.


“There has been a rise in the number of people opting for ayurveda, a traditional Indian medication that seeks to treat diseases with naturally grown herbs, plants, flowers and leaves,” he said.


Not having side effects is a big factor going in its favour. “Ayurveda has no side effects because it does not use any artificial substances,” A R Ramasubrahmania Raja, CAS Ayurvedic Clinic, says.


Another alternative medicine, Hijama, said to be over 1,400 years old, too is gaining popularity in the recent years. A total of 25 Hijama centres are offering their services today.


Realising the need for alternative medicine, colleges and universities have begun to include homoeopathy, ayurveda and hijama as part of their academic curriculum — a sure sign that these forms of treatment have a bright future in the years to come.


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