Ayurveda is acknowledged as the
ancient traditional healing system of India, covering all aspects of life style.
Literally translated, it means “Science of life” and is one of the oldest
systems of medicine practiced throughout the world. Ayurveda is a complete
health system for mind, body and spirit. Rather than treating symptoms, it
treats the whole person, working holistically to prevent and treat diseases.
Ayurveda uses the elements, seasons, planets and bodily humours to discover the
areas of potential weakness; it operates on the assumptions of the five
elements: earth, air, fire, water and ether.
According to the laws of Ayurveda, these elements are
manifested in each individual through doshas, or body types; there are three
main types of doshas : Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Maintaining the balance of your
dosha is the key to successful Ayurvedic practice.
Ayurvedic medicine is founded on the belief that all
diseases stem from the digestive system and are caused either by poor digestion
of food, which is the body’s major source of nourishment, or by following an
improper diet of your dosha (nature).
Dosha means, “that which tends to go out of balance
easily”. The elements, the seasons, your astrological chart, your genetic
inheritance from your parents and environmental factors, all of these contribute
to the potential for imbalance within the doshas.
 
At a time when high technology
medicine is pushing back barriers in areas such as gene therapy, laser surgery
and high-resolution body scanning, it seems paradoxical that natural medicine is
also enjoying a remarkable renaissance.While traditional folk remedies are the
first and often only healthcare option for most of the world’s population in
developing countries, surveys show that between one third and half of those in
affluent Western nations, where science-based medicines are readily available,
are willing to use complementary therapies.
As pharmaceutical companies pour money into isolating and
synthesizing chemical components found in plants, sales of herbal remedies
containing these substances in natural form are among the fastest growing health
markets in Europe, North America and Australia.The popularity of complementary
medicine has obliged the medical profession to take non-conventional therapies
more seriously, and their use alongside-rather than instead of-mainstream is
growing. Many health professionals are willing to subscribe to a “holistic”
approach to healthcare that takes in account the individual’s physiological
condition, psychological, social, environment and even spiritual dimensions that
may reveal underlying factors contributing to illness.
The holistic approach of complementary medicine has much
to offer. Good nutrition and exercise are undeniably important, but attention is
being paid to the inner world of the emotions and spirit, and the way the
interaction of these and other elements contribute to the
well-being.Complementary therapies aim to mobilize self-healing process to
restore the harmonious working of the physical and biochemical elements of the
body, the mind and the emotions.
*Source :
Internet Website
Ayurveda - A Complete Science of Life
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Welcome to read about the most ancient and traditional
science on one of the most modern systems, the Internet. How can this ancient
system of health care be relevant to people of today, when technological
advances have radically altered our lifestyles, our environment and our
medicine? The principles of Ayurveda are an invaluable link to understanding, in
detail, naturally healthy living. People everywhere are realizing the importance
and benefits of taking personal responsibility for one's own well being, making
Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today's world. Ayurveda is a
science of life so to know more about it, we must know what is life? Life
according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So it is
clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to body or
physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual,
mental and social health. The words like soul and spirituality might sound
outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in
modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable.
Actually, I don't feel that it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these
things to us. We are always trapped in the attractions of outer material world
to become happy and peaceful.The modern society, education, culture and the
television- everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is
it so that most us are unhappy. There is unrest, anxiety, mental tension,
fighting and terror every where despite best efforts being made to stop them.
This is because some part of our body is not being nourished properly.
Basics of Ayurveda
Q:What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda literally means "science of life and
longevity." and is considered to be the traditional system of medicine of India.
Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a
qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system
of healing the whole person, body and mind. The origin of this system goes back
to a far past, in which philosophy and medicine were not separated. Therefore,
philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.
Q:What is unique about Ayurveda?
There are several aspects to Ayurveda that are
quite unique:
>>Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment
decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in
analysing individual patient constitution and understanding variations in
disease manifestation.
>>The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working
models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for
a whole state of health, again unique to each case.
>>Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each
individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, and even
spiritual practices to restore and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda
sees a strong connection between the mind and the body, a huge amount of
information is available regarding this relationship.
>>This understanding that we are all unique individuals
enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers
explanation as to why one person responds differently than another.
Origin of Ayurveda
Historians have not pin-pointed the exact time
Ayurveda came into being. Most agree that Ayurvedic classical texts were written
in India between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago, though some suggest an even longer
history.
Legend
The origins of this system of course are lost in
time. In legend it is said to have been taught by the creator, Brahma, to the
Prajapati Daksha. (One of the lords of the animals) who taught it in turn to the
divine twins called the Ashwinikumars.
Ashwinikumars are the heavenly healers. They taught Indra,
the chief of the shining ones. The personages mentioned were deities of early
Vedic times. When mankind started suffering from various diseases the wise men
like Bharadvaja learnt from Indra the knowledge of medicine. Gradually the huge
amount of knowledge accumulated was divided systematically into different
branches.
Samprapti, the Disease Process(Pathology)
Under normal conditions, the doshas, dhatus and
malas correspond to certain standards regarding their quantity, quality and
function. However, this situation is not static, and due to several endogenous
and erogenous factors, the doshas may become unbalanced, resulting in disease.
Every disease is related to an imbalance of the doshas. Other coherent factors
can be: the disturbance of the biological factors (agnis), the formation and
accumulation of undigested nutrients (ama), obstruction of the body channels
(shrotorodha), and a disturbed assimilation in the tissues.
Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a
unique makeup of the three doshas (Prakruti) and thereby design treatment
protocols that specifically address a persons health challenges. When any of the
doshas ( Vata, Pitta or Kapha ) become imbalance, Ayurveda will suggest specific
lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing or
increasing the doshas that has become imbalance. If toxins in the body are
abundant, then a cleansing process known as Pancha Karma is recommended to
eliminate these unwanted toxins.
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