Ayurveda is a system of medicine that originated in India several thousand years ago. The term Ayurveda combines two Sanskrit words—ayur, which means life, and veda, which means science or knowledge. Ayurveda means "the science of life." In the United States, Ayurveda is considered a type of complementary and alternative medicine and a whole medical system. As with other such systems, it is based on theories of health and illness and on ways to prevent, manage, or treat health problems. Ayurveda aims to integrate and balance the body, mind, and spirit. This balance is believed to lead to contentment and health, and to help prevent illness. However, Ayurveda also proposes treatments for specific health problems, whether they are physical or mental. A chief aim of Ayurvedic practices is to cleanse the body of substances that can cause disease; this is believed to help reestablish harmony and balance.
Ideas about the relationships among people, their health, and the universe form the basis for how Ayurvedic practitioners think about problems that affect health. This medical system 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, and 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.
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. 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.
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.
Ayurvedic practitioners use observation, touch, therapies, and advising. During an examination, the practitioner checks the patient’s urine, stool, tongue, bodily sounds, eyes, skin, and overall appearance. He will also consider the person's digestion, diet, personal habits, and resilience (ability to recover quickly from illness or setbacks). As part of the effort to find out what is wrong, the practitioner may prescribe some type of treatment. The treatment is generally intended to restore the balance of one particular dosha. If the patient seems to improve as a result, the practitioner will provide additional treatments intended to help balance that dosha.
One goal of Ayurvedic medicine is to eliminate impurities. A process called panchakarma is intended to be cleansing; it focuses on the digestive tract and the respiratory system. For the digestive tract, cleansing may be done through enemas, fasting, or special diets. Some patients receive medicated oils through a nasal spray or inhaler. To reduce symptoms, a practitioner may suggest various options, including yoga exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, meditation, and lying in the sun. The patient may take herbs (usually several), often with honey, with the intent to improve digestion, reduce fever, and treat diarrhea. Sometimes foods such as lentil beans or special diets are also prescribed. Very small amounts of metal and mineral preparations also may be given, such as gold or iron. To reduce worry and increase harmony in the patient’s life, he or she may be advised to seek nurturing and peacefulness through yoga, meditation, exercise, or other techniques. Vital points therapy or massage may be used to reduce pain, lessen fatigue, or improve circulation. Ayurveda proposes that there are 107 “vital points” in the body where life energy is stored, and that these points may be massaged to improve health.
Source: National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Find a Practitioner
To find an Ayurvedic practitioner in your area, please click here.
Find a School
To find an institute in your area that offers classes or programs in Ayurvedic Medicine, please click here.