What is Ayurveda
Ayurveda is holistic
Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a more than 5,000 year old comprehensive system of medicine based on a holistic approach rooted in Vedic culture. The word ayurveda means knowledge (veda) of life (ayur). This form of health treatment began in ancient India. The english equivalent of "ayurveda" is the "science of life". This in iteslf suggests that ayurveda is a form of science and had been developed and researched systematically. As a result, ayurveda can be an effective way to obtain a good health balance and improve an individual's quality of life.
Ayurveda does not treat the symptoms, but rather aims at addressing the root of imbalance creating the ailment. Ayurveda believes symptoms are manifest from imbalance deeper within the body or mind. Resolve the root cause and symptoms disappear. To accomplish complete health Ayurveda recommends six tools:
- Diet
- Lifestyle
- Herbal remedies
- Panchakarma
- Marma
- Home remedies
Ayurveda recognizes that there are 5 basic elements that comprise everything we know. They are, in order from subtle to gross: space, air, fire, water, and earth. Each one of us is a combination of these 5 elements.
There are 3 general body/mind types. They are Vata (wind), which governs movement, Pitta (bile), which governs transformation, and Kapha (phlegm/mucous), which governs structure. These three attributes are called doshas. Doshas are reportedly formed in the body from food and other physiologic processes, and regulate thousands of separate functions in the mind-body system. Dosha equilibrium (their quantity, quality, and function relative to each other) is thought to be essential for optimal health and prevention of disease. An individual's constitution and personality is determined by a unique combination of these three Doshas. Constitution determines what will cause imbalance and susceptibility to illness.
Every person is born with a unique constitution. In Ayurveda this is your Prakruti. Equilibrium or balance is when each dosha is balanced. Each person is born with certain doshas in excess. Depending on diet, lifestyle, environmental, climatic & other factors, certain doshas increase or decrease. When the doshas are out of balance we lose this equilibrium of mental emotional & physical health. This is Vikruti. Vikruti is your body's current condition. Ayurveda brings these physiological imbalances to a perfectly balanced state of our original constitution. Gradually we see symptoms and diseases getting under control and disappearing.
Traditionally Pancha Karma, a cleansing and rejuvenation program, is very effective in eliminating excesses of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.