 Ayurvedic Medicine There
are several aspects to Ayurveda that are
quite unique:
-
Its recommendations will often be different for
each person regarding which foods and which lifestyle they should
follow in order to be completely healthy. This is due to it's use of a
constitutional model.
-
Everything in Ayurveda is validated by observation,
inquiry, direct examination and knowledge derived from the ancient
texts.
-
It understands that there are energetic forces that
influence nature and human beings. These forces are called the Tridoshas.
-
Because Ayurveda sees a strong connection between
the mind and the body, a huge amount of information is available
regarding this relationship.
Origin of Ayurveda
Ayurveda
is an intricate system of healing that originated in India thousands of
years ago. We can find historical evidence of Ayurveda in the ancient
books of wisdom known as the Vedas. In the Rig Veda, over 60
preparation were mentioned that could be used to assist an individual
in overcoming various ailments. The Rig Veda was written over 6,000
years ago, but really Ayurveda has been around even longer than that.
What we see is that A yurveda is more than just a medical system. It is
a Science of Life. We are all part and parcel of nature. Just as the
animals and plants live in harmony with nature and utilize the Laws of
Nature to create health and balance within their beings, we, too,
adhere to these very same principles. Therefore, it is fair to say that
Ayurveda is a system that helps maintain health in a person by using
the inherent principles of nature to bring the individual back i nto
equilibrium with their true self. In essence Ayurveda has been in
existence since the beginning of time because we have always been
governed by nature's laws.
Meaning
of Ayurveda
Ayurveda
is made up of two Sanskrit words: Ayu which means
life and Veda which means the knowledge of. To know
about life is Ayurveda. However, to fully comprehend the vast s cope of
Ayurveda let us first define "Ayu" or life. According to the ancient
Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" is comprised of four essential parts.
The combination of mind, body, senses and the soul.
Mind, Body, and Senses
We
tend to identify most with our physical bodies; yet, in actuality,
there is more to us then what meets the eye. We can see that underlying
our physical structure is the mind, which not only controls our thought
processes but helps assist us in carrying out day-to-day activities
such as respiration, circulation, digestion and elimination. The mind
and the body work in conjunction with one another to regulate our
physiology. In order for the mind to act appropriately to assist the
physical body, we must use our senses as information gatherers. We can
think of the mind as a computer and the senses as the data which gets
entered into the computer. Smell and taste are two important senses th
at aid in the digestive process. When the mind registers that a
particular food is entering the gastrointestinal tract, it directs the
body to act accordingly by releasing various digestive enzymes.
However, if we overindulge the taste buds with too much of a certain
taste, such as sweet, we may find that the ability of the mind to
perceive the sweet taste is impaired; and thereby the body becomes
challenged in its ability to process sweet foods. Maintaining the
clarity of our senses is an essential part in allowing the mind and
body to integrate their functions and help in keeping us healthy and
happy individuals.
Soul
Ayurveda
also sees that before we exist in physical form with the help of the
mind and senses that we exist in a more subtle form known as the soul.
The ancient seers of India believed that we were comprised of a
certain energetic essence that precluded the inhabitance of our
physical entity. In fact, they hypothesized that we may indeed occupy
many physical bodies throughout the course of time but that our
underlying self or soul remains unchanged. What we see to help
illustrate this concept is what transpires at the time of death. When
the individual nears the time to leave the physical body, many of
his/her desires will cease to be present. As the soul no longer
identifies with the bod y, the desire to eat food or indulge in a
particular activity that used to be a great source of satisfaction for
that person drops by the wayside. In fact, many individuals have been
documented to experience the sensation of being "out of their bodies."
These
are just a few examples of how we are made up
of these four components that we call life.
Principles of Ayurveda
Now
that we have a better understanding of what
comprises life, let's look at some of the principles of Ayurveda and
how they might affect us.
In Ayurveda
we view a person as
a unique individual made up of five primary elements. The elements are
ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth. Just as in nature, we too
have these five elements in us. When any of these elements are present
in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. The
foods we eat and the weather are just two examples of the presence of
these elements. While we are a composite of these five primar y
elements, certain elements are seen to have an ability to combine to
create various physiological functions. Ether and air combine to form
what is known in Ayurveda as the Vata dosha.
Vata governs the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the
force which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and
elimination. Fire and water are the elements that combine to form the Pitta dosha.
The Pitta dosha is the process of transf ormation or metabolism. The
transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate
is an example of a pitta function. Pitta is also responsible for
metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular
metabolism. Finally, it is pr edominantly the water and earth elements
which combine to form the Kapha dosha.
Kapha is what is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit.
Another function of the Kapha dosha is to offer protection. Cerebral-sp
inal fluid protects the brain and spinal column and is a type of Kapha
found in the body. Also, the mucousal lining of the stomach is another
example of the Kapha dosha protecting the tissues. We are all made up
of unique proportions of Vata, Pitta and Ka pha. These ratios of the
doshas vary in each individual; and because of this, Ayurveda sees each
person as a special mixture that accounts for our diversity.
Ayurveda
gives us a model to
look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas and to
thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a persons
health challenges. When any of the doshas ( Vata, Pitta or Kapha )
become accumulated, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and
nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing the dosha
that has become excessive. We may also suggest certain herbal supplemen
ts to hasten the healing process. If toxins in the body are abundant,
then a cleansing process known as Pancha
Karma is recommended to eliminate these unwanted toxins.
Conclusion
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 th an another. We hope that
you will continue to explore Ayurveda to enhance your health and to
gain further insights into this miracle we call life.
Source: Medi-Serve
India - for Indian
Health Tourism, India Health and Medical Travel Packages, India Medical
Packages Tours, Medical Tour Packages, Medical Packages India, Medical
Tourism Package, Medical Travel Guide, Health Care Packages, Medical
Health Packages. |
