Ayurvedic Medicine: India's Science of Life

Ayurveda is India's traditional system of medicine that has been practiced for more than 5,000 years and takes an integrated approach toward treating and preventing illness. Ayurveda calls upon a variety of natural therapies and lifestyle changes to restore imbalance or stress in the body and spirit believed to cause illness.

Brief History of Ayurveda
Ayurveda has roots in ancient Hinduism where these medical practices were passed down orally from generation to generation until finally being documented in two Sanskrit texts called the Caraka Samhita and Susruta Samhita, generally regarded as the first writings on Ayurveda.

Although Ayurveda is an ancient form of holistic medicine, it remains the main medical system in India, despite the growing popularity of Western medicine throughout the country. Most major Indian cities are host to both ayurvedic colleges and hospitals. Ayurvedic medicine is also practiced regularly in Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Ayurveda Health Principles
At its essence, ayurveda is based on the theory that everything in the universe is interconnected. Human beings are connected with one another as well as their physical environment, thus the balance within each person and their relationship to their environment as a whole must be carefully maintained-imbalance, whether it's physical, emotional, mental or spiritual causes unhealthy reactions by the body. Illness then, is the result of not being harmony with the universe.

Ayurveda believes that each person's general health, often referred to as their constitution or prakriti, is unique. Your constitution depends on a combination of factors that take into account your whole being-body, mind and spirit-with emphasis on your digestion, commonly called agni, and your body's ability to detoxify itself.

Ayurveda detox is a key principle in ayurvedic medicine-detoxification is critical to maintaining balance in the body and with the universe. It's quite common for ayurvedic doctors to prescribe an ayurvedic detox or cleanse to help the body eliminate any toxins or other substances, like yeast, believed to weaken your constitution or cause illness.

The Doshas
Avyurveda uses three general categories, called doshas, to evaluate each person's constitution. Each dosha aligns with the qualities of, not the literal five basic elements that govern the universe: earth, fire, air, water and ether. Each dosha also relates to specific bodily functions and reacts differently to different foods and how they're digested and the change in seasons.

Most people have a dominant dosha type and it's not uncommon common to have strong elements of the other doshas present in your constitution as well. Your dominant dosha provides clues as to which health conditions, disorders or illnesses you may be prone to at a given time. Your basic state of health is determined by the balance or imbalance of the doshas. The three doshas are:

• Vata is believed to be the most important of the doshas, vata rules bodily elimination, metabolism, physical and mental activity, heart rate, breathing and communicates sensory input to the brain.
• Pitta is the dosha associated with heat and fire and contributes to metabolism, body temperature, vision, appetite, reasoning and judgment and the skin's complexion.
• Kapha works to counterbalance vata's movements and pitta's processing or metabolizing and governs physical strength, joint lubrication, physical balance and stability, fullness and fertility. It is believed that people with large skeletal frames, bigger body masses and great strength are kaphas.

Restoring balance to your doshas is an ongoing process. Imbalance isn't absolute and the state of your doshas changes as your body ages and changes, when you alter your diet, and when one season turns to the next. Understanding your dosha and how it responds to change and stimuli can help you recognize imbalances sooner so you can take preventative action.

What to Expect from an Ayurvedic Practitioner
Your first visit to an ayurvedic practitioner will involve answering a series of questions pertaining to nearly every aspect of your life. These answers, along with a physical examination help determine your dominant dosha and point the way to your specific imbalance.

An ayurvedic practitioner will examine your skin, hair, teeth, eyes and tongue, and take your pulse (it's believed that each dosha produces a certain pulse rhythm). You may also be asked to provide urine and stool sample in order to determine how effective your body is at elimination.

Once your practitioner has determined your dominant dosha and how it relates to the imbalances you're experiencing, he or she may prescribe a variety natural therapies to bring your back into harmony with the universe (and your body).

Common Ayurvedic Treatments
Ayurveda draws upon many natural therapies to treat patients, but some common healing practices include:

• Detoxification. Cleansing techniques such as enemas, fasting, therapeutic vomiting, special diets, and medicated oils used in nasal sprays all work to cleanse the digestive and respiratory systems.
• Dietary changes. Complete diet changes are sometimes recommended to aid digestion and promote well-being, sometimes temporary but often intended for long term. The use of specific foods, like lentils, may be prescribed.
• Herbal remedies Food is medicine in Ayurveda. Herbal remedies are often used and presented in honey.
• Physical Activity. You may be instructed to perform specific forms of physical activity like yoga, stretching and even spending time in the sun.
• Meditation. It's not uncommon for your practitioner to recommend meditation, with or without direction to meditate on something specific and integral to your healing process.
• Pranayama (cross link) or breathing exercises. Calming and invigorating breathing exercises may be prescribed to quiet the mind and calm the nervous system.
• Massage. Massage, especially using detoxifying and healing oils like sesame oil, are often use to boost circulation, encourage toxin and other waste elimination, reduce anxiety and increase energy levels.