John Hopkins University

January 17 2001, Swamiji was invited to speak at JHU at their Tropical Medicine conference. During his hour lecture, he covered an introduction to Ayurveda, what makes it unique, case studies, scientific research and ayurvedic herbs for tropical diseases.

His presentation was supported with colorful overhead diagrams and photos.The audience was comprised of students, doctors and nurses, asking many questions throughout the talk and showed great interest in how Ayurveda works and its applications to health issues they are working on.

If these students and medical professionals, open and excited about Ayurveda, are a representation of future medical teachers and students, we can have great hope that Ayurveda will be taught in medical schools by the next decade. Already various teachers are teaching some sort of introduction to Ayurveda in their medical classes.

NCCAM
The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine is a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). An unexpected benefit of lecturing at JHU was that one of the speakers, Linda Engle, was from NCCAM. She clearly outlined the areas that their organization focuses on.

One area is specifically targeted for "Traditional Medicine". Unfortunately at this time she said there is no one picked to head the group and so there is no work or effort to develop research grants specifically for Traditional Medicine, such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicines.

Ms. Engle did stay to listen to Swamiji's lecture and asked some good questions. She also noted that NCCAM was aware of and in favor of the use of whole herbs and aware of the potential dangers of isolated herb ingredient extracts.

US Senators
After the JHU lecture, Swamiji took the Metroliner train down to Washington DC where he met with an aide to Senator Tom Harkin. The Senator is one of only a few who are ardent supporters and fighters for alternative medicine. Because of his efforts, there has been an increase in funding to NCCAM.

During their meeting, Swamiji gave a copy of his Ayurveda Encyclopedia to the Senator's aide and spent some time explaining Ayurveda. A lively and friendly conversation found that both were on the same wavelength on all major alternative medicine issues.

Thereafter, Swamiji left his Encyclopedia with Senators Hatch's and Mikulski's offices as they are also big proponents of alternative medicine.

Swamiji's Talk to WHCCAMP

January 23, 2001Steve Groft, Exec. Director of WHCCAMP invited Swamiji to represent Ayurveda at the New York town hall meeting. There were 140 speakers. Each had 3 minutes to speak then answer questions from the commission members over the next half hour.Steve Groft is a good man, open to speaking and has a sincere interest in having Ayurveda represented.

The good news about the meeting is that the commission is gathering input to develop a comprehensive plan to help alternative medicine in the US.The bad news is that the commission members seemed to be mainly interested in Chinese medicine and MDs who work with Chinese medicine: Ayurveda does not seem to be on their radar screens.

This was particularly evident in that Swamiji was the only speaker on Ayurveda. There were about two dozen Chinese medicine speakers and about fifty medical professionals.There is also one commission member who comes from the Chinese medicine background.Clearly Acupuncture is more in the public awareness than Ayurveda, and there could have been more of an effort on the part of the Ayurvedic community to address the commission.

Yet it seems that for now, Ayurveda will not be seriously considered as anything unique or separate from the other healing systems.This might be amended if ayurvedic practitioners and clients begin to speak and write to the commission about the benefits and unique healing and rejuvenative abilities of Ayurveda.The overall picture is ironic. Ayurveda, being the oldest and most spiritual science ? from which all other systems developed, is the one least considered.

Further, the Asian sciences which are both holistic and spiritual, offering the essence of healing, are presently taking second tier to the still controlling allopathic medical community - albeit with a holistic focus.Even though Ayurveda offers the most hope for healing the 21st century healthcare crisis, Swamiji is suggesting more of an equal position for Ayurveda ? sharing the stage with Chinese, allopathic and other 'new age' holistic health care systems.

Below is the text of Swamiji's talk to the WHCCAMP:Mr. Chairman and commission members, my name is Swami Sada Shiva Tirtha. I am the president of the AHC & School of Ayurveda. I hold a Doctor of Science in Ayurvedic Medicine.

I come today to speak about spirit, not herbs or yoga or drugs. Spirit is the core therapy. Ayurveda unlike any science offers a unique spiritual dimension. Love, care & compassion are the essence of Ayurvedic healing- more than mundane therapies. Healthcare must fit into a spiritual paradigm. We cannot mold traditional medicine into the allopathic system without destroying its spiritual effectiveness. Therefore it is crucial that an Ayurvedic expert be represented on your commission or at the very least on a secondary panel.

If you are to be effective and taken seriously, the commission must include representatives of the original healing sciences or run the risk of overlooking the essence of healthcare. Along with love, care & compassion, Ayurveda contains a complete & profound science. It diagnoses the root cause of illness with unique pulse taking methods and treats in an individualized manner with herbology, nutrition, aromatherapy, yoga, massage, etc. More than 2,000 research studies have proven Ayurveda effective, safe and inexpensive. In my center we have consistent success with OB-GYN: PMS, menopause, bone-loss, cysts & natural hormone balance.

Seniors: age-reversal, memory loss, brittle bone, arthritis Special: Parkinson's, MS, Fybromyalgia Ayurveda is cost-effective:
Medicare & Medicaid patients won't have to choose between paying for food or medicine. My pilot research study on seasonal allergies found a savings of 2 billion dollars for a 6-month allergy season compared to allopathic treatment-costs. Apply this comparison to digestive diseases, & we would save hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

There should be as much press coverage for alternative medicine as there is on allopathic drugs - pass an 'Equal Air Time Bill'. In a time when western medicine has no answers for many diseases, causes deadly side effects and exorbitant pricing, it is a crime that people can't hear about these alternative medicine successes.

Create proactive holistic-health laws. Don't just fight unfair label and freedom of information law attempts. Create bills that punish the truly criminal injustices of current healthcare.

Set up a website database for practitioners to submit their case studies and research findings to inform practitioners & citizens. Use these databases to report to the press. I encourage a national & state "practitioner regulatory committee" based on the Minnesota model. In NY we are not allowed to practice Ayurvedic massage without undergoing a lengthy, costly process to obtain a license in Swedish massage. Yet a licensed masseur can practice Ayurvedic massage with only superficial training.

White House Commission on Complimentary & Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP)National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

Coalition for Natural Health. They are working to prevent naturopathic physicians (NPs) and dietitians from getting legislation written that would prevent anyone to educate or sell anything related to holistic health in the country other than licensed graduates of their schools. Their president, Jeff Goin has met with Swamiji and is quite in favor of Ayurveda.

The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3254

The Honorable Orrin G. Hatch
104 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202/224-5251
202/224-6331 (fax)

The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski
709 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4654

The Honorable Ted M. Kennedy
314 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-4543

Contact your state Senators and Representatives

This article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe. It in no way is intended to substitute for care from duly licensed health professionals.