विचार-विमर्श — page 168

I am a Senior Ayurveda Physician with more than 28 years in this field — and trust me, it still surprises me how much there is to learn every single day. Over these years, I’ve had the chance to treat over 1 lakh patients (probably more by now honestly), both through in-person consults and online. Some come in with a mild cough, others with conditions no one’s been able to figure out for years. Each case brings its own rhythm, and that’s where real Ayurveda begins. I still rely deeply on classical tools — *Nadi Pariksha*, *Roga-Rogi Pariksha*, proper *prakriti-vikriti* mapping — not just ticking symptoms into a list. I don’t believe in ready-made cures or generic charts. Diagnosis needs attention. I look at how the disease behaves *inside* that specific person, which doshas are triggering what, and where the imbalance actually started (hint: it’s usually not where the pain is). Over the years I’ve worked with pretty much all age groups and all kinds of health challenges — from digestive upsets & fevers to chronic, autoimmune, hormonal, metabolic and degenerative disorders. Arthritis, diabetes, PCOD, asthma, thyroid... but also things like unexplained fatigue or joint swelling that comes and goes randomly. Many of my patients had already “tried everything else” before they walked into Ayurveda, and watching their systems respond slowly—but surely—is something I don’t take lightly. My line of treatment usually combines herbal formulations (classical ones, not trendy ones), Panchakarma detox when needed, and realistic dietary and lifestyle corrections. Long-term healing needs long-term clarity — not just short bursts of symptom relief. And honestly, I tell patients that too. I also believe patient education isn’t optional. I explain things. Why we’re doing virechana, why the oil changed mid-protocol, why we pause or shift the meds after a few weeks. I want people to feel involved, not confused. Ayurveda works best when the patient is part of the process, not just receiving instructions. Even now I keep learning — through texts, talks, patient follow-ups, sometimes even mistakes that taught me what not to do. And I’m still committed, still fully into it. Because for me, this isn’t just a job. It’s a lifelong responsibility — to restore balance, protect *ojas*, and help each person live in tune with themselves. That’s the real goal.

I am Dr. Maitri, currently in my 2nd year of MD in Dravyaguna, and yeah, I run my own Ayurvedic clinic in Ranoli where I’ve been seeing patients for 2 years now. Honestly, what pulled me into this path deeper is how powerful herbs really are—when used right. Not just randomly mixing churnas but actually understanding their rasa, virya, vipaka etc. That’s kinda my zone, where textbook knowledge meets day-to-day case handling. My practice revolves around helping people with PCOD, acne, dandruff, back pain, stiffness in knees or joints that never seem to go away. And I don’t jump to giving a long list of medicines straight away—first I spend time figuring out their prakriti, their habits, food cycle, what triggers what… basically all the small stuff that gets missed. Then comes the plan—herbs (single or compound), some diet reshuffling, and always some lifestyle nudges. Sometimes they’re tiny, like sleep timing. Sometimes big like proper seasonal detox. Being into Dravyaguna helps me get into the depth of herbs more confidently. I don’t just look at the symptom—I think okay what guna will counter this? Should the drug be snigdha, ushna, tikta? Is there a reverse vipaka that’ll hurt the agni? I ask these questions before writing any combo. That’s made a huge diff in outcomes. Like I had this case of chronic urticaria that would flare up every week, and just tweaking the herbs based on sheetala vs ushna nature... helped calm the system in 3 weeks flat. Not magic, just logic. I also work with women who are struggling with hormonal swings, mood, delayed periods or even unexplained breakouts. When hormones go haywire, the skin shows, digestion slows, and mind gets foggy too. I keep my approach full-circle—cleansing, balancing, rejuvenating. No quick fixes, I tell them early on. What I’m hoping to do more of now is make Ayurveda feel practical. Not overwhelming. Just simple tools—ahara, vihara, aushadha—used consistently, with some trust in the body’s own healing. I’m still learning, still refining, but honestly, seeing people feel in control of their health again—that’s what keeps me rooted to this.