20 organizations of ayurveda from across the US joined hands to hold the event to increase awareness about the traditional Indian system of medicine.
A mega-conference in Orlando, FL late last month advocated that ayurveda is not only preventive, but is also a holistic medicine system.
The US-based National Consortium of Ayurveda Medicine (NCAM) welcomed over 300 people interested in offering authentic ayurveda to the world at the conference titled ‘Ayurveda Beyond Wellness’.
Twenty organizations of ayurveda from across the country came together to organize the event with the common goal of increasing awareness about the traditional Indian system of medicine. Those attending included ayurvedic physicians and experts, officials from the Government of India, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), government officials, academics, biomedical scientists, chefs, as well as professionals in diverse fields now keen to learn ayurveda came from 10 countries.
The opening address was given virtually by spiritual leader Sadhguru. The chief guests were Dr. Danny Gaekwad and Senator Dennis Baxley of Florida. The featured speakers were Dr. P. Nambi Namboodiri, Vaidya Partap Chauhan, David Frawley, Vaidya Nitin Kochar, Dr. John Douillard, and chef Divya Alter.
An array of over 80 physicians, scientists, and experts spoke about the healing proof of ayurveda to an eager audience.
The conference was hosted by the Ayurveda Association of Florida and its president, Dr. Aparna Bapat, served as chair.
The main program featured 10 interactive discussions called Sambhasha on topics such as law and policy on ayurveda, what scientific evidence is, the historical science of Vijayaa as one of the 5 sacred plants of ayurvedic medicine, incurable diseases and ayurveda, ayurveda and cancer, women’s health issues, cultivation and import of Ayurvedic herbs, mainstreaming ayurvedic education, and entrepreneurial mastery for ayurveda.
Also featured were TED-style talks on topics exploring the depths of ayurvedic medicine beyond wellness, including how to ayurvedize your food choices, practical panchakarma, the relationship between healthy soil and healthy humans, evidence-based cardiac health, bhasmas for cancer, pain control and treatment of Crohn’s Disease, how to use bhasma and oils to heal knee osteoarthritis, proper tools for understanding menstruation, the healthy mind and strategies for mental health, the science of ayurvedic anesthesia and pain control, whole health approaches for veterans, clinical trials of ayurveda with cancer patients, the new AI – Ayurveda Intelligence, and the physiologic importance of purging regularly for restoring wellness.
A White Paper Report was released on the Status of Ayurveda in the United States by Dr. Abhimanyu Kumar, ayurvedic pediatrician and former Director General of the CCRAS (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH, India.). The ‘Survey of U.S. Ayurvedic Medicine Professionals Regarding Helping People with Cancer’ was launched live by Dr. Jeffrey White of the NIH/NCI. Lifetime awards were presented to Dr. Gopal Bashisht, Dr. Pratima Raichur, and Dr. Abhay Kumar Pati.
The pre-conference roundtable was packed with discussions about controversial topics such as the realities of importing herbs from cultivation to harvesting through authentication and storage and customs and packing to import into the USA safely; the role of evident observable things in our world being included in “scientific evidence”, and the need for including ayurveda, yoga and personal mind development in mainstream universities in the USA.
The exhibition space at the conference saw 35 sponsors and vendors displaying ayurvedic products and services. The title sponsor was Sachin Nayyar of LybL.
For almost 25 years, the Ayurveda community in the US has been trying to organize practitioners toward the professional practice of a medicinal system that addresses body, mind, spirit, and senses.
NCAM is a group of ayurveda organizations collaborating on events, sharing resources, and helping each other in their joint mission of expanding access to ayurveda in the United States.
For further information, contact Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya, Chair, NCAM Program Committee, at
bhaswatimd@gmail.com, or ncam.usa2023@gmail.com
