The term Ayurveda is a combination of the Sanskrit terms “ayus”, meaning
life and “veda”, meaning science or knowledge. It is a 5,000 year-old
ancient Indian healthcare method that is still practiced today. More
than 80 percent of the population in India uses Ayurveda, either alone
or in tandem with traditional medicine.
Ayurvedic medicine
looks to treat the cause of disease, not just to treat symptoms. Taking
responsibility for one’s own health is a key component, which includes a
personal focus on diet, exercise, spiritual well-being and being in
tune with your body.
The foundation of Ayurveda is based
on the connection between mind, body and spirit; the whole person. The
belief is that individuals are born with predetermined psychological and
physical traits. Treatments are based on those parameters, which remain
unchanged throughout a person’s life. This is called a person’s
“prakriti”. There are two types of prakriti, physical (sareerika) and
mental (mansika).
According to Ayurvedic medicine, three
life forces, or doshas, govern the physical (sareerika prakriti) side of
an individual; Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas. Everyone has each of
these doshas, but one is often more pronounced. Each dosha has its own
characteristics, is made up of two of the five elements (space, air,
water, earth, fire) and controls a specific body function. A balance
among these three life forces is essential for proper health. Any
imbalance in them causes a state of unhealthiness or disease....<<<Read More>>>...