PART III: Why I left a cushy job at one of world’s largest Pharma MNCs to promote NATUROPATHY – Tale of 4 brothers

This is 3rd in the series of 4 articles.

This is perhaps most transforming of the 4 stories. It is also the oldest. More than 3 decades back in late 70’s. A doctor completed his education and returned to his village in Kutch as a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner. Like most Ayurvedic doctors of his times, he started out as a general practitioner. He treated patients from nearby villages using the best knowledge he had. Pain killers, steroids, and other drugs were key tools in his tool box.

Since patients got quick relief and there were no other doctors in the nearby villages, his practice picked up very well. Soon he had good patient flow and was making good money.

One day while he was having lunch, a friend of his jokingly tapped him on his head and he bit his tongue. The cut was deep and severe and it started bleeding profusely. He was taken to a hospital where doctor put stitched on his tongue. Unfortunately the tongue being soft tissue, the stitches didn’t stay. Doctors tried it again with same results. The condition worsened each time and he was given blood transfusion.

As days passed by he became weaker and his condition worsened. Only hope was to meet a bigger doctor in a bigger city, Mumbai. As the family made preparations, he was taken to Bhuj, which had the airport. They got down at another Doctor’s place in Bhuj. This doctor was educated in US and left his flourishing practice there to come back and serve in small town where he felt there was more need for his services. Those were heady days and people were led more by their heart than head. He read a book by Gandhi and that inspired him to come back to his people and serve them. He was equally influenced by Gandhiji’s experiments in Health and medicine. He shunned his western learning and adopted Naturopathy as his key line of treatment.

Many relatives came to meet the patient and some thought it would be their last meeting. The US educated doctor made a suggestion to the patient’s family. Why don’t we try some simple naturopathy treatments before moving the patient to Mumbai. The family agreed and the treatment started. He treated patient by regularly putting drops of cold lemon water on a piece of cotton cloth placed over the cut. The bleeding stopped within a day and the tongue slowly healed. In couple of months, patient was fine and became doctor again. Of course a very different Doctor this time. He chose Naturopathy as his main tool.

He became an intern again under the doctor who healed him. May be at a salary 1/10^th of what he was earning before the incident. He learned at the feet of his guru and went on to become what I call a Rockstar of Naturopathy. He earned fame, ran a very successful practice, went to several countries to help people learn and adopt Naturopathy, went on to set up a beautiful Nature Cure Center and earned what you can call a fan following. People know him as Dr Jay Sanghvi.

About 25 years after the incident, I met him while he was still building his new Nature Cure Center and I was fresh out of IIMA. I was amazed to see how he treated patients for chronic medical conditions using simple Naturopathy treatments. The set up was simple, tools were simple, and environment was very non-clinical. It was a hospital most unlike a hospital. The meeting changed the course of my life. I was fascinated by the idea of setting up several of such hospitals, making it accessible to common people, spreading the beauty of simplicity.

Few years later, I quit my reasonably comfortable job at GSK and set out to make this dream a reality. It gave birth to what is today called Swas Healthcare. I was extremely lucky to have my inspiration as my co-founder. I only wish I could partner more of such doctors who have the understanding, conviction, and most importantly the humility to accept that it is not the doctor but the nature that heals. Be the guide, be the lamp.

To know if we can help you in your medical condition, you can call us on +91-2837-286812 / 286882 or write to us at info@swashealthcare.com

PART II: Why I left a cushy job at one of world’s largest Pharma MNCs to promote NATUROPATHY – Tale of 4 brothers

This is second in the series of 4 articles.

RAVINDRABHAI SANGHVI, the youngest of the 4 brothers had moved to Mumbai few years back and was trying to settle down in this new city. It was year 1993. There was lot of work to be done and perhaps health took a back seat. He had abdominal pain which got missed out amidst work. In 2-3 days time it had become very severe.

He finally went to consult a Doctor, who diagnosed it as severe perforation of appendix. Perhaps appendix had ruptured. Doctor suggested immediate appendectomy though it was risky. He feared that if not operated it could lead to peritonitis which could be fatal. He was using best of the knowledge, which he had acquired during his education as a doctor, to save his patient.  Surgery had to be done in next one hour.

Though Ravindrabhai, who had learnt and practiced Naturopathy was no ordinary patient. The family consulted the elder brother and renowned Naturopath, Dr Jay. He advised to avoid the surgery and wait for him to reach Mumbai. Ravindrabhai thanked the doctor for diagnosis and went back home, climbing four flights of stairs to reach his apartment. In few hours Dr jay was there next to his brother.

Treatment started. Pain was so severe that anything that touched the abdomen aggravated the pain. First 5 days it was just rest, water fasting, and warm pack on abdomen. In 5 days swelling decreased and abdominal cold pack was started. He was fed on lemon water and diluted juices. In another 10 days semi-solid and liquid diet was started.

All this helped body flush out the perforated appendix, and heal the inflammation. Since no food was given, body could concentrate on repairs. In about 6 weeks he was back to work.

Most of the time we underestimate the healing capacity of body and power of rest.  We also overestimate the need to eat even when unwell. If given a chance and appropriate environment, body can heal itself even from very severe conditions.

To know if we can help you in your medical condition, you can call us on +91-2837-286812 / 286882 or write to us at info@swashealthcare.com

Integrating Naturopathy with Vipassana

Just providing link to the paper by Dr. Jay Sanghvi in which he shares experiences at the Nature Cure Centre, of integrating Vipassana meditation with naturopathy.

http://www.vridhamma.org/Vipassana-with-Naturopathy-94

KUTCH: India’s Naturopathy Hub

Who could believe that a desert like area would ever become a hub of naturopathy centres. People normally relate nature to greenery and think that for building a Naturopathy centre, a high rainfall area with lot of natural flora would be ideal. This notion is misplaced as Nature comprises of 5 elements water, soil, fire, air, space and greenery is just one of the topographical presentations of nature.

Kutch has emerged as the hub of Naturopathy in India. Dry climate of the area lends itself well to faster healing and a conducive environment propagates Naturopathy.
It has the highest concentration of naturopathy centres in the country, 5 prominent ones at last count.

Credit for this should go to two dedicated doctors who gave up their lucrative practices to establish and promote naturopathy in Kutch. Dr Savla (now involved full time with Vipassana center at Bada, Kutch) was the first qualified paediatrician of Kutch. He practiced in Bhuj and charged handsome fee for his very effective but simple treatments. Legend has it that more than 3 decades back, he charged someone Rs 100 for curing their son by simply feeding water. To avoid any misinterpretation, I must say, even then it was less than the money spent by the couple for taxi to Bhuj and back. He believed in Nature’s power and its simplicity.

Soon he started a Nature cure centre in Bhuj, with an aim to apply his rigorous medical training and understanding of Nature’s means to treat people using simple Natural therapies. He would treat people for all kind of diseases and disorders using mud, water, fire (heat), air, and space. He also used yoga, massage and some elements of Ayurveda.

Then one day, he had an unusual patient, a doctor. The doctor was a qualified Ayurveda physician and going with the trend, used to practice allopathic medicine in a remote village of kutch. Due to lack of medical infrastructure in the area, he had a roaring practice. Unfortunately he cut his tongue and no treatment would work. Someone suggested Dr Savla’s clinic and he was cured mainly using ice and water.

The doctor became a convert, closed down his practice and joined Dr Savla as his assistant. His name is Dr Jay Sanghvi, one of the most prominent and renowned Naturopaths in the country. Their Nature Cure Centre in Jubilee colony, Bhuj attracted poor and rich alike. They always found ways and means to treat people with chronic diseases, many a times called irreversible conditions in modern medicine. Kidney disorders, heart problems, arthritis, fibromyalgia, ulcerative colitis and several other medical conditions were treated in this centre using Natural remedies and warmth of the doctors. Though the centre no longer runs in its previous form, people treated fondly remember the time spent there. Isn’t it unusual for a hospital!

Soon the place became hub of activity for all naturopathy related activities in the area. As they say, ‘log judte gaye aur karva banta gaya’, (people kept coming together and caravan was formed).

They along with Late Sri Sugnaram ‘Dada’ Ladkani started ‘All India Natural Life Association’ to spread the goodness of Naturopathy beyond Kutch and Gujarat. They started ‘Tulsi School of Naturopathy’ to train youth in skills of treatment through Naturopathy. They collaborated with Dr Nipun Buch to incorporate more elements of Ayurveda in their suites of treatment.

More importantly they motivated huge number of people to adopt Natural remedies and lifestyle through camps in several cities as well as in foreign countries, radio talks, talks and lectures to youngsters in colleges, rotary club members, Mahila Mandals etc. They motivated several philanthropists to set up Nature Cure Centres and guided them through their immense knowledge and experience. They really used 360° communication to propagate Naturopathy in Kutch and beyond.

Today there are 5 prominent Nature Cure Centres in Kutch. Navjivan near Mandvi, one each in Bidada and Mundra, Sarvamangal in Bhuj and youngest among them, Ananddham in Kharoi near Bhachau.

Ananddham is yet another unique experiment of Dr Sanghvi. He collaborated with Sanjay Singh, an IIM Ahmedabad graduate to float Swas Healthcare, which runs this centre to serve poor as well as financially well to do on a commercially sustainable basis. The logic, commercial viability is important to expand quickly and take its benefits to large number of people. Recently Swas has opened a City Clinic in Rajkot to improve accessibility of its services. Jury is still out on whether Naturopathy would remain a philanthropic activity or society would be willing to pay directly for its benefits, but if this model succeeds, Kutch would be remembered as its birth place.