Ayurveda, an ancient medical system from the Vedic civilization of India, uses the inherent principles of nature, to give you the means of attaining and maintaining your own optimal health and wellbeing. The aim of this system is to prevent illness, eliminate diseases and prolong life.

According to Ayurveda, human beings are composed of  five basic elements, called the Panchabhutas like the air, water, fire, earth, and space. All these elements integrate together to cause Doshas (energy types) within the living being. Three Doshas are mainly responsible for the proper functioning of the human organism.

The Principles of Ayurveda

The principles of Ayurveda revolve around these three Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha, attempting to keep a balance among them. The imbalance within Doshas cause various kinds of diseases and hamper quality of life. It controls psychological, biological, and the physiological aspects of the mind and the body

Vata – It is believed to be a combination of air and space. The quality of Vata is dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile and clear. This energy directs nerve impulses, chewing, swallowing, thinking, circulation, respiration, bowel movements  and elimination process like urination. When Vata is imbalanced, all these actions are affected.

Kapha – It pertains to water and earth elements. The quality of Kapha is heavy, cold, dull, oily, smooth, dense, soft, static, liquid, cloudy, and hard. As Kapha governs stability and structure, growth and protection  and forms the substance or lubrication of the human body like cerebral-spinal fluid that protects the brain and spinal column.

Pitta  – It is the combination of fire and water elements. The quality of Pitta is sharp, penetrating, hot, light, liquid, mobile, and oily. It controls digestion, metabolism, temperature maintenance, sensory perception, and comprehension. Imbalanced pitta can lead to sharpness and inflammation.

In general only one or two out of the three Doshas are dominant in an individual. That’s why, Ayurveda Practitioner scrutinize the body of the patient, and prescribe medicines keeping in mind the constitution of Doshas. Proper diet and proper life style help in maintaining the balance of doshas.

Other important basic principles of Ayurveda

Dhatus – Dhatus are basically the body tissues and it performs functions under the influence of the Doshas. There are Seven types of Dhatus in the body namely – rasa (chyle), raktha ( blood ), mamsa ( muscles), meda( fatty tissue), asthi ( bone ), majja (marrow ) and sukla (reprodutive tissue)

Mala – These are waste products formed during the digestion process eliminated as sweat, hair, nail, urine, faeces and discharge from eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Accumulation of malas causes many diseases in the body

Srotas – These are channels which transport nutrients food, water etc in the body. When there is excess, deficiency, or blockage in these channels is the beginning of diseases

Agni – Agni means ‘fire’ which converts food we eat into a suitable form so as to help the body to absorb it.

The roots of Ayurveda, one of the oldest medicinal system in the world can be traced back to 5000 years from today. This natural system of medicine is a way of life, a philosophy and a science of healing and health care. The word ‘Ayurveda’ is derived from two Sanskrit words, “ayus, the life” and “veda, the knowledge”.

Originated in India, later it spread to other Asian nations such as Tibet, China by the Buddhist monks. Tibetan medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Greek medicine have their roots in Ayurveda.

Mythology has it that Brahma, the creator, imparted the knowledge of Ayurveda to Prajapati Daksha, then passed to the Ashwinikumaras and finally Dhanvantari received this knowledge. Dhanvantari spreaded this invaluable science of longevity on the earth and also was deified as the god of this medicine.

Ayurveda traces its origins to the Vedas, which are the ancient Indian testimonials give references into illness, cures and other health-related issues. Before the advent of writing, the ancient wisdom of this healing system was a part vedic religion. The Vedic Brahmanas spreaded the knowledge orally, who were not only priests performing religious rites and ceremonies, they were expert Vaidyas also ( Physicians )

In the post -Vedic period, all these valuable ancient principles got organized and presented in the three authentic Samhitas that we have today are Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridayaam. Charaka’s work Charaka Samhita covers illness and their cures with a stress on preventive care whereas Susrutha’s Susrutha Samhita is mainly a textbook on surgical practices. Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridayam, is also considered as a well known text on this medicinal system

The main reference of Ayurveda is found in the fourth Veda – the Artharvaveda. Ayurveda is considered as the fifth Veda and an offspring of the Atharvaveda.

In ancient times, Students from Rome, Greece, Persia and China came to India to learn this vedic knowledge from two schools – Atreya- the school of physicians, and Dhanvantari – the school of surgeons.

On your visit, doctor will review your medical history and ask you many important questions about your body’s functioning, lifestyle and mental and emotional state. He examines disease based on the doshas dominant in your body or the imbalance among them. Your tongue, skin and eyes will be inspected, alongside a very close observation to determine your energy type or Dosha.

Once the disease is identified, herbal remedies, diet modification, massage, and meditation are used for treatment of various diseases.

The Ayurvedic treatment helps to detoxify and cleanse the body, eliminate the disease with its root causes, boost the effectiveness of your immune system, keep you in good health and improve overall well being. It cures chronic and stubborn diseases by its deep-rooted treatment procedures and drugs.

Ayurveda treatments and medicines are non toxic. The medicines taken from herbs are prepared in traditional way. It helps to prepare the body to prevent against the diseases as well as maintain in its own capacity

Pranayama — Pranayama Yoga is the art of breathing control. Proper breathing is to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control Prana or the vital life energy

Abhyanga — Gentle but firm whole body herbal oil massage from head to toe using warm medicated oils

Rasayana — Rhythmic massages that relax and tones up skin. It improves your vitality, enhance immunity and increase longevity.

Yoga — It originated in India and helps to attain state of perfect spiritual tranquility through a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline. Yoga practice improve circulation and digestion, and to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels, anxiety, and chronic pain.

Pancha Karma — Pancha Karma or detoxification therapy cleanse stored toxins in the body and restores the body’s balance.

Ayurveda, an ancient Indian holistic healing system that keeps the body, mind and spirit balanced to promote good health. It diagnoses and treats causes of ailments based on the whole being.

How does Ayurveda work ? According to Ayurveda, doshas or energy types constitute an individual’s physical and mental nature. Any imbalance in dosha may lead to ailment. Prior to starting the treatment, the Ayurvedic practitioner assess the patient on his health and lifestyle.

Vata – It consists of space and air, and controls nerve impulses, muscle and joint movement, breathing and heartbeat. It also governs the emotions of anxiety, fear and pain.

Pitta – Pitta represents fire and water and is associated with metabolism, digestion, intelligence and skin color. Emotions controlled by the pitta include anger, hate and jealousy.

Kapha – Kapha is the combination of earth and water. It controls The body’s physical structure and the immune system. This dosha is responsible for the emotions of calmness, forgiveness, love and greed.

The tongue, skin, lips, fingernails and eyes are also closely examined to know the imbalance. Once the root causes of an illness are identified, the doctor prescribes treatment to restore balance, to remove toxicity, enhance resistance and ultimately promote health

Cleansing

Panchakarma, or purification, consists of five basic cleansing methods.

Vamana is therapy for Kapha which clears lung and respiratory congestion, Virachan clears excess Pitta, Basti is enema therapy for Vata, Nasya clears the pathways to the brain and Rakta Moksha purifies blood.

Massages, Yoga and meditation are also practiced by the patient. Doctor advise dietary recommendations and herbal medicines which are based on your dosha type.

Considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science, Ayurveda is a holistic approach to health that is designed to help people live long, healthy, and well-balanced lives. The term Ayurveda is taken from the Sanskrit words ayus, meaning life or lifespan, and veda, meaning knowledge. It has been practiced in India for at least 5,000 years and has recently become popular in Western cultures. The basic principle of Ayurveda is to prevent and treat illness by maintaining balance in the body, mind, and consciousness through proper drinking, diet, and lifestyle, as well as herbal remedies.

There are two main types of Ayurveda: traditional and Maharishi. Maharishi is a version of traditional Ayurveda based on translations from the classical texts by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Both types of Ayurvedic practitioners prescribe herbs, believe that disease results from an imbalance in the doshas (see below), and use many of the same remedies for treating illness. Maharishi Ayurveda, however, emphasizes the role of supreme consciousness in maintaining good health, and promotes transcendental meditation (TM) as a way to experience the pure consciousness of the universe. It also highlights the expression of positive emotions and the need to attune your life to the natural rhythms of the body.