Ayurveda - Integrative Health Care INTEGRATIVE HEALTH CARE Maximize your DNA function for optimal Health, Quality of Life and Longevity
Ayurveda or Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent. It is presently in daily use by millions of people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and indirectly through it being the major influence on Unani, Chinese and Tibetan Medicine. The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of the word āyus meaning "life" or "life principle", and the word veda, which refers to a system of "knowledge". Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life".
According to Charaka Samhita, "life" itself is defined as the "combination of the body, sense organs, mind and soul, the factor responsible for preventing decay and death, which sustains the body over time, and guides the processes of rebirth". According to this perspective, Ayurveda is concerned with measures to protect "ayus", which includes healthy living along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine to contain a sophisticated system of surgery (which is referred to as "salya-chikitsa").
Ayurvedic treatments are primarily dietary and herbal. Patients are classified by body types, or prakriti, which are determined by proportions of the three doshas which are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The doshas regulate mind-body harmony. Illness and disease are considered to be a matter of imbalance in the doshas. Treatment is aimed at restoring harmony or balance to the mind-body system.
Vata, composed of air and space, allegedly governs all movement in the mind and body and must be kept in good balance. Too much vata leads to "worries, insomnia, cramps and constipation....Vata controls blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts across the mind." Vata also controls the other two principles, Pitta and Kapha.
Pitta is said to be composed of fire and water; it allegedly governs "all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls how we digest food, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we discriminate between right and wrong." Pitta must be kept in balance, too. "Too much Pitta can lead to anger, criticism, ulcers, rashes and thinning hair."
Kapha consists of earth and water. "Kapha cements the elements in the body, providing the material for physical structure. This dosha maintains body resistance. Kapha lubricates the joints; provides moisture to the skin; helps to heal wounds; fills the spaces in the body; gives biological strength, vigor and stability; supports memory retention; gives energy to the heart and lungs and maintains immunity. Kapha is responsible for emotions of attachment, greed and long-standing envy; it is also expressed in tendencies toward calmness, forgiveness and love." Too much Kapha leads to lethargy and weight gain, as well as congestion and allergies.
Here is a summary of major beliefs in Ayurveda that pertain to health and disease.
Ideas about the relationships among people, their health, and the universe form the basis for how Ayurvedic practitioners think about problems that affect health. Ayurveda 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.
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.
Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with the universe.
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. An overview of these beliefs follows.
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. It is also believed that:
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.
In summary, it is believed that a person's chances of developing certain types of diseases are related to the way doshas are balanced, the state of the physical body, and mental or lifestyle factors.
Here are some important beliefs about the three doshas:
The vata dosha is thought to be a combination of the elements space and air. It is considered the most powerful dosha because it controls very basic body processes such as cell division, the heart, breathing, and the mind. Vata can be thrown out of balance by, for example, staying up late at night, eating dry fruit, or eating before the previous meal is digested. People with vata as their main dosha are thought to be especially susceptible to skin, neurological, and mental diseases.
The pittadosha represents the elements fire and water. Pitta is said to control hormones and the digestive system. When pitta is out of balance, a person may experience negative emotions (such as hostility and jealousy) and have physical symptoms (such as heartburn within 2 or 3 hours of eating). Pitta is upset by, for example, eating spicy or sour food; being angry, tired, or fearful; or spending too much time in the sun. People with a predominantly pitta constitution are thought to be susceptible to heart disease and arthritis.
The kapha dosha combines the elements water and earth. Kapha is thought to help keep up strength and immunity and to control growth. An imbalance in the kapha dosha may cause nausea immediately after eating. Kapha is aggravated by, for example, sleeping during the daytime, eating too many sweet foods, eating after one is full, and eating and drinking foods and beverages with too much salt and water (especially in the springtime). Those with a predominant kapha dosha are thought to be vulnerable to diabetes, gallbladder problems, stomach ulcers, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
Practitioners seek to determine the primary dosha and the balance of doshas through questions that allow them to become very familiar with the patient. Not all questions have to do with particular symptoms. The practitioner will:
Ask about diet, behavior, lifestyle practices, and the reasons for the most recent illness and symptoms the patient had
Carefully observe such physical characteristics as teeth, skin, eyes, and weight
Take a person's pulse, because each dosha is thought to make a particular kind of pulse
In addition to questioning, 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.
The practitioner will develop a treatment plan and may work with people who know the patient well and can help. This helps the patient feel emotionally supported and comforted, which is considered important.
Practitioners expect patients to be active participants in their treatment, because many Ayurvedic treatments require changes in diet, lifestyle, and habits. In general, treatments use several approaches, often more than one at a time. The goals of treatment are to:
Eliminate impurities. A process called panchakarma (Click this link to read An Introduction to Panachakarma by Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc.) 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. This part of treatment is believed to eliminate worms or other agents thought to cause disease.
Reduce symptoms. The practitioner may suggest various options, including yoga exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, meditation. A conscious mental process using certain techniques―such as focusing attention or maintaining a specific posture―to suspend the stream of thoughts and relax the body and mind., 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. Careful control of these materials is intended to protect the patient from harm.
Reduce worry and increase harmony in the patient's life. The patient may be advised to seek nurturing and peacefulness through yoga, meditation, exercise, or other techniques.
Help eliminate both physical and psychological problems. Vital points therapy and/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. Other types of Ayurvedic massage use medicinal oils.
Ayurveda
Panchakarma Panchakarma is derived from two words, "pancha" and "karma". The former means five, and the latter means action. So Panchakarma basically means wholesome treatment through 5 actions. Panchakarma is a five-fold therapy and skillfully combines the natural healing purposes of the five elements of nature - Earth (Prithvi), Air (Vayu), Water (Jal), Sky (Akash) and Fire (Agni). Our body is made up of these elements. These are the elements that make up the entire universe. Thus, healing a part of universe through nature is what Panchakarma is all about. It is like tuning up your car. Any imbalance will be taken care of and made sure that the body and mind are thoroughly cleansed, which in turn cleanses the soul automatically.
Panchakarma quickly removes the very root of the disease, the ama or toxins that are the basic cause of ill health. It also strengthens the entire system (digestion, immunity, vitality) and prevents future diseases from taking root. Finally for those dedicated to spiritual life it clarifies the physiology allowing more vitality and energy for devoting one's life to the Divine.
Even if there is no major disease Panchakarma purifies the organs of digestion, elimination, skin, the functioning of the senses, the mental function an one experiences a beautiful lighness and clarity in all aspects are a correctly performed Panchakarma treatment.
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"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. An overview of these beliefs follows.
