| |
|
Ayurvedic Medicine
In recent years, Ayurvedic Medicine, or simply,
Ayurveda,
has attracted a great deal of attention among people committed to a
holistic approach to health. However, Ayurveda is not new. It is a system of medicine
that originated in India several thousand years ago. Its name is
derived from two words found in Sanskrit --ayur, or life, and veda,
or science. Thus, Ayurveda may be translated as "the science of life."
Ayurveda is a complex medical system that incorporates a number of
different therapies. Many of the therapies used in
Ayurveda are used on their own as part of an individualized, holistic
approach to health. For example, the use of
herbs,
massage, and
yoga
may be part of the larger system of Ayurveda medicine, but are all popular
therapies, or modalities, on their on own.
Consistent with a holistic approach, Ayurveda
attempts to integrate and balance body, mind, and
spirit. A balanced integration of body, mind, and spirit is essential to
prevent illness and promote wellness. Herbs, massage, various metals,
along with a variety of healing techniques may be used in order to cleanse the
body of substances that can create disharmony and allow disease to develop.
Major Beliefs
of Ayurveda
Interconnectedness
Ideas about the relationships among people, their health, and the
universe form the basis for how Ayurvedic practitioners think about
problems that affect health. Ayurveda holds that:
-
All things in the universe (both living and nonliving) are joined
together.
-
Every human being contains elements that can be found in the
universe.
-
All people are born in a state of balance within themselves and in
relation to the universe.
-
This state of balance is disrupted by the processes of life.
Disruptions can be physical, emotional, spiritual, or a combination.
Imbalances weaken the body and make the person susceptible to disease.
-
Health will be good if one's interaction with the immediate
environment is effective and wholesome.
Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with the universe.
Constitution and Health
Ayurveda also has some basic beliefs about the body's constitution.
"Constitution" refers to a person's general health, how likely he is to
become out of balance, and his ability to resist and recover from disease
or other health problems. An overview of these beliefs follows.
-
The constitution is called the prakriti. The prakriti
is thought to be a unique combination of physical and psychological
characteristics and the way the body functions. It is influenced by such
factors as digestion and how the body deals with waste products. The
prakriti is believed to be unchanged over a person's lifetime.
Three qualities called doshas form important characteristics
of the constitution, and control the activities of the body.
Practitioners of Ayurveda call the doshas by their original
Sanskrit names: vata, pitta, and kapha. It is also
believed that:
-
Each dosha is made up of one or two of the five basic
elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth.
-
Each dosha has a particular relationship to body functions
and can be upset for different reasons.
-
A person has her own balance of the three doshas, although
one dosha usually is prominent. Doshas are constantly
being formed and reformed by food, activity, and bodily processes.
-
Each dosha is associated with a certain body type, a
certain personality type, and a greater chance of certain types of
health problems.
-
An imbalance in a dosha will produce symptoms that are
related to that dosha and are different from symptoms of an
imbalance in another dosha. Imbalances may be caused by an
unhealthy lifestyle or diet; too much or too little mental and
physical exertion; or not being properly protected from the weather,
chemicals, or germs.
Top
Click here to read an
overview of the three doshas
|
|
|
