What is Ayurvedic Medicine?

Ayurvedic medicine has been practiced in India for more than 5,000 years. All form of medicine have been derived from it, including early Western medicine prior to the 18th century, thus earning it the name “The Mother of All Medicines.”

The name Ayurveda is a combination of two Sanskrit words, Ayus and veda, life and science, so it can be translated as the science of life.

Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to wellness and emphasizes prevention, rather than trying to find cures. It also posits that all illness actually comes from the mind, through our thoughts, which control our deeds, and our overall frame of mind.

The 3 doshas

In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, they recognize 3 different types of energy:

Vata
Pitta
Kapha

All of us possess these energies in varying degrees. Most will usually have a primary, secondary and tertiary dosha. Some will be tri=doshic, that is, with all 3 doshas even. The goal is to keep the doshas in balance through lifestyle choices and diet.

Each dosha represents a certain form of energy:

Vata – movement
Pitta – metabolism
Kapha – bodily structure

In Ayurveda, the body is made up of 5 elements:

Earth
Air
Fire
Water
Space

The doshas are made up of 2 different elements:

Vata – Air, space
Pitta – Fire, water
Kapha – Water, earth

A healthy lifestyle

Your lifestyle choices have a direct impact on your overall health. As with Western medicine, the following bad habits are to be discouraged:

Smoking tobacco
Drinking alcohol
Taking illicit drugs
Not getting enough sleep
Not learning stress management techniques
Eating junk food
Eating a lot of convenience foods
Eating too much sugar
Eating too much salt

Overeating
Being exposed to too many chemicals in your home, work environment, or in the personal care products you use.

A healthy diet
We are what we eat, so it should come as no surprise that we can improve our health through what we eat. In the case of Ayurveda, it offers guidelines on what should be avoided if you wish to maintain overall balance.

The first step is to know your dosha pattern. Take the quiz at: https://store.chopra.com/dosha-quiz

And save your results. Then go to a reliable Ayurvedic site such as: https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/diet/vata-pacifying-diet/
To see what foods you should avoid, and what you should actively consume, in order to stay healthy. This can be described as eating right for your body type.

Many herbs and other treatments can help relieve symptoms as well. Aromatherapy, color and massage would be good examples.

If you’ve been struggling with health issues, Ayurvedic medicine could be just what you need to boost your health.