Ayurveda is widely practiced in daily use by millions of people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and is becoming increasingly known outside Asia. The theory that informs ayurveda is wide-ranging, involving philosophy and spirituality, as well as science and medicine.

The word 'Ayurveda' derived from the word 'ayur' meaning 'life' and the word 'veda' meaning 'to know'. Thus "Ayurveda" roughly translates as the "knowledge of life"and it deals with each and every aspect of our life. According to the ancient physician - sage Charaka, life is a unified state of body, the cognitive organs, the mind and soul.

This system of medicine practiced in India and was stressed on the prevention of disease, maintenance of health, in addition to treating an ailment and still it followed closely across the entire country and worldwide.

Ancient Vedic texts indicate the system is the oldest being practiced prior to 5000 B.C. and some believe it is even 8000 years old. Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are very similar being based on universal natural bi-polar concepts that matter and energy are one. Ayurveda largely encompasses spiritual philosophies and is a practice of mind, body and spirit. It is about being in-tune with your body and living naturally in natural.

“*….Ayurveda teaches that humans and our environment are made up of five elements referred to as air, fire, water, earth, and ether (or space). Each of these corresponds to one of our five senses. They combine to give rise to three main physiological tendencies, or doshas, known as kapha, pitta, and vata. These relate to the levels of energy (prana) affecting the body. Each dosha is most evident in specific organs of the body: kapha, for example, predominates in the lungs and chest.

The detection of imbalances in our doshas is one of ayurvedic medicine’s main ways of diagnosing ill health. It is claimed that, while all three doshas are found in everyone, their relative proportions vary from person to person. The doshas influence a person’s emotional and physical characteristics, as well as their lifestyle and habits. Under the ayurvedic system, the predominance of vata dosha makes a person slender, intuitive, energetic, and prone to mood disorders and constipation. Pitta dosha promotes a medium build, reddish hair and ruddy skin, and proneness to anger, acne, heartburn, and ulcers. Those predominant in kapha dosha are more pale and relaxed, and prone to obesity and allergies. For each type of dosha, there are recommended diets, which can be general, such as eating hot foods in the cold season, or very specific; herbal medicines; cleansing treatments; exercises; and lifestyle choices…..”

* Quotation from Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.