Ayurveda For a Healthy, Stress-Free Life

Ayurveda is a form of medicine that takes our whole being into consideration. Western approaches to medicine do not take into account our differing mental attitudes, spiritual energy and lifestyles. We are all unique and Ayurveda treats each person as an individual.

What is Ayurveda?

The word "Ayurveda" literally means knowledge of life. Ayurveda is a complete system of health care that addresses every aspect of an individual and incorporates elements such as medicine, science, spirituality, science, philosophy, astronomy and astrology.

Ayurveda is traditionally practiced in India and Sri Lanka and has been used for thousands of years. It is becoming increasingly more popular in the Western world because of its ability to treat diseases and disorders that unconventional medicine has been unable to cure. Examples of these are eczema, arthritis, asthma and ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).

The remedies used address imbalances in the body and include detoxification, exercise, meditation, spiritual guidance, diet and techniques to improve both mental and emotional health.

Ayurveda is based on the belief that everything in the universe is composed of energy, or "prana". Our own energy changes according to what is happening in our lives and how well we treat our bodies. Energy controls all of the functions within out bodies and everything that we do affects that energy. We therefore need to ensure that our energy is balanced in order to function effectively, physically, mentally and emotionally.

How Does Ayurveda Work?

Bio Energies - The Three Doshas (Tri-doshas)

One of the causes of illness is due to an imbalance of bio energies known as "tri-doshas" (vátha, pitta and kapha), in addition to mental imbalance. Ayurveda works by balancing the tri-doshas to prevent disease, slow down or reverse the disease process and attain physical, mental and spiritual health. If, for example, you have an excess of Pitta (which relates to fire or heat), you may suffer from problems such as fevers, heartburn, anger, jealousy or other emotional disturbances. One remedy would be to reduce the amount of Pitta foods in the diet such as beef, garlic and onions and introduce cooling foods such as cheese, lentils and eggs.

Vátha: Vátha is the driving force behind the three doshas and relates primarily to the body's energy and nervous system. It is a combination of the elements air and ether. If Vátha becomes imbalanced for too long it can cause one of the other two doshas to become imbalanced. It can even cause both Pitta and Kapha to become imbalanced. Vátha is responsible for the following functions:

• Elimination of waste products and bodily fluids
  
• Assisting with metabolism
  
• Physical and mental movement, such as respiration, muscle movement and heart beat
  
• Relaying all sensory information to the brain

Pitta: Pitta relates to digestion, metabolism, enzymes, acid and bile. It is primarily fire with a little water. Pitta is responsible for the following functions:

Kapha: Kapha is related to water and provides the body with the lubrication that it needs, affecting the mucous membranes, moisture, fat, phlegm and the lymphatic system. Kapha is responsible for the following functions:

What Type Are You?

It is believed that most of us are made up of a combination of two or all three types of dosha, although we will predominantly display the characteristics of one type as follows:

Vátha People: Physically, Vátha people are generally thin with dry, rough or dark skin. They may have large, protruding or crooked teeth, dull dark eyes and a small, thin-lipped mouth. Their physical symptoms include constipation, minimal perspiration and frequency of urination. Mental and emotional symptoms include creativity, poor long-term memory, dislike of cold weather, a predisposition to anxiety and depression, a love of travel, rapid speech and either a high sex drive or no sex drive at all.

Pitta People: Physically, Pitta people are of medium height and build with fair, freckled, soft or bright skin and soft, fair, red or light brown hair, small yellowish teeth and a medium-sized mouth. Their physical symptoms include a tendency towards diarrhea, frequent thirst and a good appetite. Mental and emotional symptoms include clear but sharp speech, light uninterrupted sleep, jealousy, sexual passion, a dislike of heat, a love of luxury, ambition, intelligence and an interest in politics.

Kapha People: Physically, Kapha people are large-framed, often overweight, with pale, oily skin and scalp, thick wavy hair, which is either very light or very dark, strong white teeth and a large, full-lipped mouth. Physical symptoms include sluggish appetite, heavy sweating, large soft stools and lethargy. Mental and emotional symptoms include good business sense, good memory, passiveness, a dislike of cold and damp, slow and monotonous speech, a like of good food and familiar places.

Ayurvedic Treatment

It is important to detoxify the body before embarking on an Ayurvedic treatment program. A practitioner will use therapies to encourage elimination of toxins from the body, following which herbal or mineral remedies may be prescribed to correct imbalances in the doshas.

Ayurvedic therapies include:

Conclusion

All Ayurvedic remedies are non-toxic and free of side effects. Anyone can benefit from Ayurveda and it is not necessary to believe in its principles in order for it to work. All that is required is a desire to be healed.

Professional practitioners believe that Ayurveda is the world's most powerful means to purify the body and relax the mind, instilling a sense of inner peace and leading a healthy, stress-free life.

 

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