The history of cannabis and Ayurveda can be traced back to the Vedic period. The Atharvaveda, which is one of the four canonical texts of Ayurveda, mentions bhang as a medicinal herb that has both healing and intoxicating properties. The Vedic scriptures also mention that bhang was used as a substitute for soma, which is said to be an elixir of immortality.
The Atharvaveda mentions three varieties of bhang: Madhu (sweet), Ambashtha (strong) and Pushpa (flowering).
Introduction
Cannabis has been used for medical purposes for thousands of years, but the practice was banned in the U.S. in 1937. Now, though, there is renewed interest in cannabis as a treatment for anxiety and other conditions that affect mood and behavior. One type of medicine that has been used successfully with cannabis is Ayurveda.
Ayurveda and cannabis
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Cannabis has been used for medical purposes for the past 5,000 years.
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The Ayurvedic system consists of recommendations for food, herbals, external applications and drug treatments. The system also includes surgery.
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It was first removed from the American Pharmacopeia in 1942.*
Cannabis has been used by for medical purposes for the past 5,000 years.
It's well established that cannabis has been used for medical purposes for the past 5,000 years. In fact, it was first used in ancient China and India before being introduced to the west in the 19th century.
Cannabis was first removed from the American Pharmacopeia in 1942.
The American Pharmacopeia is a compendium of standards for drugs. It was first published in 1820 and has been published by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) since 1852. The USP is currently based in Rockville, Maryland, where it maintains its offices and laboratory facilities.
The Ayurvedic system consists of recommendations for food, herbals, external applications, drug treatments and surgery
The Ayurvedic system consists of recommendations for food, herbals, external applications, drug treatments and surgery. The three doshas are vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (water). They are made up of five elements called pancha mahabhutas: space or ether; air; fire; water; earth.
The doshas govern the body's physiology and psychology as well as its sense organs and functions. Determining which dosha is out of balance helps determine the best treatment for a patient in need. For example, someone with a kapha imbalance may have cold hands and feet because their internal heat has been depleted from overconsumption or a lack of exercise.
The basic Ayurvedic concept is that health is maintained by a balance of three forces or energies, called doshas.
The basic Ayurvedic concept is that health is maintained by a balance of three forces or energies, called doshas. The doshas are vata, pitta and kapha.
Vata governs movement, air and space; it's associated with the nervous system and controls breathing and elimination. Pitta rules digestion and metabolism; it's associated with the liver, gallbladder and small intestine. Kapha is responsible for structure—water plus earth equals clay—and lubrication: the mucus membranes that line your nose and mouth are kapha tissues. Each dosha plays an important role in keeping you healthy: when they're in balance, your body functions efficiently; but when one of them gets out of balance (which happens when you're ill), its function suffers as well.