Wellbeing Is Not A Situation, But a conscious choice: Dr. Rupali Panse

Dr. Rupali Panse is a reputed Ayurveda practitioner from Pune. In this age of Ayurveda, her contribution toward the Wellbeing of the society is significant in many ways. She not just practises, but teaches, writes, researches, and works for the empowerment of women and children prolifically. She has a great aptitude for the cause of health and wellness. Her expertise on lifestyle Diseases, Diet, Nutrition, Psychology, and Panchakarma are just a few of the many accolades to her name. dr. rupali panse is also an author, blogger, artiste, and a mother of two (12-year-old daughter & 10-year-old son). Nirogstreet talked to Dr. Panse about her Ayurveda journey, experiences, challenges, and views. Read her interview below.

Dr. Panse, please tell us about your educational background.

I have done my B.A.M.S. from the renowned Tilak Ayurveda Vidyalaya in Pune. I also have a certificate course in child psychology and counselling from Baya Karve Women’s Study Centre, Pune. I have 15 years of experience as the director and chief consultant of aadyam ayurveda panchkarma clinic. My areas of interest are Lifestyle Disorders, Ayurvedic Diet, Nutrition, and Psychology. Out of these works, I got a chance to design a certificate course on integrative dietetics for graduates and postgraduates in Nutritional Science for the Savitribai Phule University of Pune. I am also one of the teaching faculties here.

Besides in my professional capacity, I also practise Ayurveda Dietetics in my personal life. I regularly write blogs (drrupalipanse.wordpress.com), article for newspapers, and conduct talks and workshops on Wellness, Health, Ayurveda, and Ayurvedic Nutrition. Recently, my first book on Ayurvedic Dietetics, ’udarsth: naivaidya to cheers’, was published and selected for the prestigious Granth Puraskar 2017 given by the renowned Vaidya Khadiwale Research Institute, Pune.

So how did your Ayurveda journey unfold? Did you develop an immediate interest as the studies began?

When I joined B.A.M.S., a path of vast potential and many opportunities opened before me. I succinctly remember, as a student i was always amazed to learn the unique theories and principles in Ayurveda and various Granthas. My faith in Ayurveda grew just more when I got to see how the many complicated cases and diseases were being managed and treated successfully in our Institute Hospital, ‘Tarachand Hospital, Pune’. The clinical batches made me more confident about Ayurveda. With the rise of NCDS (Non-Communicable Diseases) and the limitations in modern medicine, I could see the hope and solutions in Ayurveda and chose to practise Ayurveda medicine dedicatedly.

What is your experience with the Ayurveda? Do the patients trust the treatment?

Although more people are choosing Ayurveda as their first choice lately, usually many patients come to us with huge medical files and almost everything tried out without any success. Giving reassurance and asking the patients to keep faith throughout the treatment is important. I understand my need to be empathetic toward my patients, considering their already invested time, money, and efforts in various treatments. When I explain the way Ayurveda will work and guide them on their diet and lifestyle changes, of course, they do follow them with immense trust.

Any challenge that you face as a practitioner?

Yes, like any other profession, we do have to face many challenges too. Fake practitioners, quacks, and over-the-counter sell of the Ayurvedic drugs make the situation worse for Genuine Ayurveda Doctors. Drug abuse and the complications due to it affect the image of Ayurvedic Doctors in general. I have tackled the issue of availability and supply of standard herbal preparations somehow as I always choose from a reliable group of Vaidyas who run their own small and large-scale manufacturing units.

Any exceptional situation that you faced while treating a patient?

Every patient in themselves is a new school for every doctor. All the practitioners will agree with me on this. To tell, however, about a stand-out situation, I remember a case where the patient did not follow the Pathyas (Do’s and Don’ts) strictly during Panchakarma and what I got to see was the exact list of Vyapadas(Complications) mentioned in the Charaka Samhita in that patient. Managing those was a real job where Charaka again came to rescue me with the detailed descriptions of how to treat these complications. Believe me, that incident magnified my immense trust in Ayurveda, in fact, not only mine but the patient’s too.

Dr. Panse, from your 15 years of experience, how effective you think traditional medicine is as a cure?

Like any other medicine stream, Ayurveda is also a medicinal science and it has its own pros and cons. The traditional medicine can be effectively used for not only the cure but also the prevention and wellness. Given the current scene in the modern medicine with the limitations, major adverse effects, and a large group of resistant strains of microorganisms to conventional drug molecules, traditional medicines do have a significant role in the Chikitsa or Cure.

How significant is the concept of integrated medicine in your opinion?

Integration is a very tricky word and one should use this concept very carefully. According to me, the sole purpose should be the best of the best treatment with minimal adverse effects to make your patient free from the disease and restore their health with the ideal medicine. Every medicinal science has its own advantages and limitations though. Identifying them and referring to or taking help of the suitable alternative medicine is the need of the time. But again, the treatment should be done by the expert in that particular field.

What do you think of the future of Ayurveda?

Why future, Ayurveda in the present time is playing a fantastic role in managing various diseases with or without the integration with modern medicine. Almost all NCDS do need alternative medicines. Many research institutes have already invested money and brains in the same. The unique everlasting theories, principles, and medicines are the strong positive sides of Ayurveda science, which is definitely going to change the face of medicine world very soon.

Do you think Nirogstreet is making a difference by striving to connect practitioners and make Ayurveda mainstream?

Absolutely! technology has a huge role to connect, update, communicate and propagate the services as well as stream of knowledge. The single common ideal platform to brainstorm is the need to bring Ayurveda as the preferential health science in mainstream medical practice. I thank as well as wish the best to Ram N Kumar and the entire Nirogstreet team for providing an ideal platform for global Ayurveda practitioners.

Any hobbies or activities you engage in, outside your professional life?

Oh! too many! I love everything related to music. I am a trained Kathak dancer and although I do not perform now, but it is always close to my heart. I have also done an acting course in a very well-known acting Institute in Pune. Reading and writing make me feel alive. I love to travel and click photographs. I am also associated with an NGO working for the empowerment of children and women through applications of science in day to day life.

What would be your message people on Wellbeing?

Wellbeing is not a situation; it is a choice, a conscious choice. The concept of wellness should be introduced right from the childhood and in the schools too. Today, everything is possible with the help of technology, but wellness has stayed far away from its ambit of priorities. The right choice in food, lifestyle, exercise, and keeping the mental health sound are the steps toward wellness and health. The inner choice and efforts to give something good back to the society and the people around you is also a form of wellness. It reflects the state of your psychological Wellbeing. The physical and mental wellbeing can be achieved by conscious efforts. Happiness comes along for sure.

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