“Can I take Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicines together?” This is the frequent question asked by my patients, and the answer is NO. Ayurveda and Allopathy are two entirely different systems of medicines. Ayurveda As an Ayurvedic doctor, my line of treatment mainly includes diagnosing and treating the root cause of health conditions. The treatment involves dietary and lifestyle changes and mild Ayurvedic medicines and Panchakarma detoxification, if necessary. The main intent of my treatment is to correct the digestive fire (Agni) of the patient. This is because according to Ayurveda, an imbalanced Agni is the root cause of all diseases (Rogasarve api mande agnou). When I say Agni or gut health, I am also taking care of your liver health as the organ has a huge role to play in digestion. The liver has two main functions- one is fat metabolism, and the other is detoxification. When you are putting yourself on so many medications, the liver has to try hard to detoxify them while not helping with the core treatment principle. This is why it is essential not to take too many or strong medications when you’re trying to heal from one condition. If you thought all Ayurvedic medicines are good, you’re wrong. Ayurvedic medicines containing heavy metals and strong herbs, like Ashwagandha or Shatavari can only have adverse effects on your health. That is why 80% of my treatment involves food and the rest 20% involves medicines. If at all I have to recommend Ayurvedic medicines to a patient, I usually provide them with the mild ones I and my team make at our unit that contain only locally sourced mild herbs. This can help your system and your own body to heal by itself by giving it the ideal environment for it to perform better. But it will take a few months. Allopathy Allopathy focuses on taking care of the symptoms of a health condition through medication. Hence, the mode of treatment is at a faster pace. But as only the symptoms are suppressed, there is a chance for the health condition to return in the long run. Why you shouldn’t mix Allopathy and Ayurveda There are differences between Ayurveda and Allopathy in terms of how the medications are made, how the therapies are administered, and how the two sciences approach health. Every medical practice, including Allopathy and Ayurveda, has benefits and drawbacks. So, having both Ayurvedic and Allopathic medicines together does not seem ideal. There are many Ayurvedic medications, including tablets of Sudarsana, Anu Thailam, Histantin, and other formulations, that can serve as safe and efficient substitutes for their Allopathic equivalents. Therefore, it is better to focus on one medical system at a time.