How do you define Ayurveda ? :
Ayurveda can be defined as a system that uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the body and mind of the individual in a perfect balance with nature. What is the significance of Ayurveda ? : Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term , made up of the words " ayu " and " veda " . " Ayus " means life and " Veda " means knowledge or science. The term " ayurveda" thus means "knowledge of life " or " science of life ." According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka , " ayu " comprises the mind, body , senses and the soul. What is the origin of Ayurveda ? : Widely regarded as the oldest form of health care in the world , Ayurveda is a complex medical system that originated in India thousands of years ago . The fundamentals of Ayurveda can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom. The Rig Veda , which was written over 6,000 years , contains a series of prescriptions that can help humans overcome various ailments. |
What Ayurveda do for you: The purpose of this system is to prevent illness , heal the sick and preserve life. This can be summarized as follows : To protect health and prolong life (" Swasthyas Swasthya rakshanam " ) To eliminate diseases and dysfunctions of the body ( " Aturasya Vikar prashamanamcha " ) What are the basic principles of Ayurveda ? : Ayurveda is based on the premise that the universe consists of five elements: air , fire , water, earth and ether. These elements are represented in humans by three " doshas " , or energies : Vata , Pitta and Kapha . When one of the doshas accumulate in the body beyond the desirable limit, the body loses its balance. Each individual has a distinct balance , and our health and well- being depend on getting a right balance of the three doshas ( " tridoshas " ) . Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help individuals reduce the excess dosha . A healthy person , as defined in Sushrut Samhita , one of the major works on Ayurveda , is " one whose doshas are in balance , appetite is good, all tissues of the body and urges all individuals working properly, and whose mind , body and spirit are cheerful ... " What " Tridosha " or the theory of bio- energy? : |
The three doshas, or bio- energies found in our body are: Vata respect to the elements of air and ether. This energy is generally regarded as the force which directs nerve impulses , circulation , respiration and elimination. Kapha relates to the elements of water and earth. Kapha is responsible for growth and protection. Mucousal the lining of the stomach , and the cerebrospinal fluid that protects the brain and spinal column are examples of kapha . Pitta relates to the elements of fire and water . This dosha governs metabolism, eg , the transformation of food into nutrients . Pitta is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems. What " Panchakarma " or purification therapy ? : If toxins in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known as panchakarma is recommended to purge these unwanted toxins . This fivefold purification therapy is a common form of treatment in ayurveda . These specialized procedures are as follows : Therapeutic vomiting or emesis ( Vaman ) Purgation ( Virechan ) Enema ( Basti ) The elimination of toxins through the nose ( Nasya ) Bleeding or blood detoxification ( Rakta moksha ) |