हिंदी ब्लॉग 
Please tell us about your professional journey briefly.
I have completed my B.Sc. from Bareilly College, Rohilkhand University, and B.A.M.S. from S.R.M. State Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital, Bareilly. I have been practicing Ayurveda for 21 years now. I am currently designated as medical officer-in-charge at Rajkiya Ayurvedic Hospital, Tanakpur, Champawat, Uttarakhand. I am also the director of Ayuwelness Ayurvedic home which is based out of Tanakpur. I have a specialization in pain management, ortho-neurological diseases (sandhivata, vatavyadhi), marma therapy, and panchakarma, besides being a general Ayurveda physician.
I have also done my fellowship as a master trainer of the marma science and therapy department of Ayush, Uttarakhand Government. I am a life member of napar (National Academy of Panchakarma & Research), Vishwa Ayurveda Parishad, a national integrated medical association.
I also served as former general secretary of the Ayush medical association, Uttarakhand. I am concurrently the president of the Association of Ayurvedic medical officers, Champagarh district, Uttarakhand. In the past, I have organized many workshops on marma science and therapy and treated many patients successfully. it has been a long journey in Ayurveda.
Why did you opt for Ayurveda studies?
I chose Ayurveda not only because it eradicates the disease from the root, but also because it's the science of life that remarkably tells us how to live a healthy, long life. Besides, it is the most ancient, vast, deep, authentic, and proven medical system of treatment and therapy. Overall these thousands of years, there hasn’t been any change in the basic concepts of Ayurveda or in the line of treatment to date, hence it's the Siddha system of medicine we must be proud of.
Now that the world’s attention has turned toward it on a large scale, Ayurveda today is unfolding the mysteries that modern medicine has failed to grasp and providing effective treatment against so many seemingly incurable diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. It is a miraculous medical science if you try to understand its concepts and principles about health.
What is your general experience in day-to-day practice? Do the patients have faith in Ayurveda treatment?
As I said, the times are fast-changing and the awareness about pure Ayurveda and its effectiveness is reaching beyond all borders. Nowadays many patients come especially for Ayurvedic treatment after various allopathy treatment in vain and they have shown their faith in the Ayurvedic system and its therapies. Word of mouth is spreading too because Ayurveda works well against all diseases.
What challenges do you face as an Ayurveda practitioner?
The most common challenge with a percentage of my patients is to eradicate the disease completely and convince them to develop faith in Ayurveda. Patients come to me after getting tired of having taken several treatments at other parties. Sometimes, due to the erratic allopathic treatment, the diseases get just worse than they originally were. So it takes time in some cases to first alleviate the severity of the illness before curing it all the time.
Any exceptional/consistent bottleneck that you have faced while treating a patient?
Ayurvedic practitioners face the lack of quality control, price control, generalized availability of Ayurvedic medicines, emergency control, and surgery infrastructure and advancement as compared to allopathy. This is one hiccup that should be resolved through some concrete strategies and planning. recent developments and initiatives taken by the government and the Ayush ministry are a good sign in this direction.
How effective is traditional medicine as a cure? What makes Ayurveda an important healthcare system?
Ayurveda is in all manners far better than modern medicine if we treat patients as per the classical Ayurveda principles. The postulations and insights, the medicinal science, diagnosis methodology, etc. All are perfect in their conception in the Ayurveda texts. You don’t have to evolve those anyhow.
While treating the patient as a practitioner, you have to keep in mind these body constitutions, agni, bal, kosht, desh, kal, dosh, dooshy, sorotas, shodhan, shaman, aushadhi, pathya, apathya, ahar, vihar, etc. The fundamentals are so precisely laid down in the original texts that it nails the problem very accurately and provides the confidence to eliminate the illness completely.
What do you think of Ayurveda's future?
Speedy awareness of Ayurveda is the proof in itself and as far as my opinion is concerned about Ayurveda's future, I am very much sure that the people around the world will accept and choose Ayurveda as the best and the first treatment choice soon enough and readily opt for its surgical and emergency procedures. The global societies are beginning to know the real and pure Ayurveda and it is just a matter of time before they accept its efficacy and natural healing approach.
Do you think Nirogstreet is making a difference by striving to connect the mainstream society exclusively to Ayurveda practitioners through its dedicated technology platforms?
Definitely. Nirogstreet is on the right path. Its endeavors and vision are unparalleled so far in this industry and it has arrived well in time to mend the awareness and reach the gap between the practitioners and the people. It has a technological edge too. Besides the initiatives taken so far by NirogStreet, we have to also look forward to training young Ayurvedic practitioners in the basic concepts of Ayurveda till the line of treatment.
It is the need of the hour to prepare the practitioners for specialized medical fields, such as cardiology, nephrology, cancer, gastrology, neurology, etc. An effort should also be made toward providing them with the appropriate advice and training diplomas, certificates in various courses, etc. In specialized fields like marma science and therapy, Agni karma, panchakarma, jalauka, raktamokshan, bhaishajya, etc.
What are your hobbies or activities outside of your professional life?
I am totally dedicated to Ayurveda and workshops and educational sessions occupy a lot of time on my schedules, besides the time I dedicate myself to practicing. But yes, every once in a while I give myself some personal time which I tend to spend visiting amazing and historical places around the world. it rejuvenates me thoroughly.
What message would you like to convey to people on staying healthy?
I would urge the people who are keen on their wellbeing to achieve "positive health" and to "preserve health" by simply following Ayurveda and Ayurvedic lifestyle, a healthy daily routine, good practices like ritucharya as described in Ayurveda. the wellness and happiness of society will be our ultimate reward. For consultation click on this link► Dr. Mohammad Shahid
