Ayurveda, Tradition, and the Quest for Balance in Hungary

This book explored the evolving practices and narratives of Ayurveda in Hungary, tracing its development since the fall of the previous regime. Prior to 1990, biomedicine dominated healthcare, limiting Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), including Ayurveda. It highlighted challenges in integrating Ayurveda within legal and scientific frameworks valuing its holistic strengths but nothing limits in meeting biomedical research standards. The 1997 decree recognized Ayurveda as part of naturopathy, requiring practitioners to hold a medical degree, creating dilemmas for traditional healers. This professionalization, based on formal credentials, mirrors global CAM trends. From practitioners' views, legal constraints hinder their ability to share traditional knowledge freely and many of them felt undervalued despite years of experience. Patients, on the other hand, seek Ayurveda for natural, preventive care and emotional well-being, often expressing distrust toward over-medicalized treatments. While Ayurveda has gained legitimacy, it remains marginalized under biomedical dominance, with partial clinical integration but no national healthcare inclusion.