You may think that things like snake bites, allergies and food poisoning always need good old-fashioned Western medicine, but the complementary wellness practice, Ayurveda, provides a treatment stream considered equivalent to toxicology; Visha Chikitsa. You may also hear it referred to as Aganda Tantra, but, whatever you call it, the branch has a specific treatment and diagnosis for each category of intoxication, be it from plants, insects, birds, reptiles or other animals. Let’s take a look at how Visha Chikitsa can save your wellbeing from toxins.
Snake bites – Ayurveda has detailed descriptions about the most dangerous poisons caused by snakes, the treatments for which can last anywhere from three to 90 days, depending on the Ayurvedic tradition. Practitioners can identify the type of snake just by observing the type of bites and the symptoms you have, but as a snake bite can cause quick death, it needs urgent attention and so you may be better off seeing a doctor if you’re unsure about your Ayurvedic practitioner’s snake bite knowledge. If you know your practitioner is qualified and knowledgeable in this field, he or she will quickly use the Hrudayavarana technique, which protects your heart from the poison and provides ample time to administer medication and treatments.
Skin allergies – In Ayurveda, many skin diseases and allergic conditions are identified as the poison of creatures such as spiders, lizards, rats and cats. The kind of symptoms you have, and the kind of treatment they require, will depend on the specific animal that has caused the skin allergy. Ayurveda recommends antidotes, as well as clearing your body of the poisons using various methods. In this branch of Ayurveda, there is also a focus on natural toxins originating from wild animals, birds, insects, plants herbs, vegetables and minerals, as well as air and water pollution, as these are the basic causes of various dangerous epidemics.
Food poisoning – As well as using various methods to eliminate the food poison from your body, Ayurveda explains how consuming food that have opposite qualities has certain disadvantages to your wellness, and so should never be eaten together. In this tradition, there are also foods you should avoid if you’re on certain medications as, again, the combination could be detrimental to your health.