| Ayurveda is the name of a natural medical treatment | | | | depending on the constitution of the Doshas. |
| program, which originated in India more than 5000 | | | | Therefore, two people with the same illness might be |
| years ago. Ayurveda is the science of a long, healthy | | | | treated in very different ways depending on the |
| and happy life. The word itself is derived from Sanskrit | | | | Doshas. |
| and literally means knowledge of life. Inherent in the | | | | Ayurveda is also based on the principles of the five |
| Ayurvedic system is that an individual is capable of | | | | elements; water, earth, fire, ether and air. Just as in |
| taking responsibility of its own life, thus taking charge of | | | | nature, we all have these elements in us, and we will |
| health and healing. | | | | react when they are present around us. These |
| Ayurveda is based on herbal therapy and dietary | | | | elements are also represented by the three Doshas; |
| therapy, and is a philosophy designed to strengthen | | | | Pitta is fire and water, Vata is ether and air, Kapha is |
| awareness of the soul, which can be done through | | | | earth and water. |
| meditation and yoga. Therefore, the treatment of a | | | | Central in the Ayurvedic philosophy is that each |
| disorder is more than only physical and medical | | | | individual is unique and therefore must be treated |
| treatment; it is also the awareness of the personality | | | | individually. When the Doshas are in imbalance, |
| and the self-destructive thoughts and patterns that | | | | Ayurveda will suggest a therapy that seeks to |
| have led to the creation of a disorder in the physical | | | | harmonize the energies by reducing the Dosha that |
| body. Ayurveda works by balancing the energies in | | | | has become excessive. This will be done by lifestyle |
| the body, thoughts and feelings, in order to prevent | | | | guidelines and nutritional change, and perhaps also |
| imbalances that are destroying the body. Ayurveda | | | | treatment with herbal therapies. Therefore, Ayurveda |
| teaches how to modify ones lifestyle in order to keep | | | | provides a good explanation of why different people |
| healthy and in balance. | | | | react differently in so many ways. By maintaining a |
| A central element in the Ayurvedic principles are the | | | | balance in the energies, one can prevent diseases and |
| energies, also called Doshas. Every human consists of | | | | disorders. Ayurveda provides guidelines for a healthy |
| a combination of three Doshas, but as every human is | | | | lifestyle that will keep balance and harmony in the |
| different it varies how the energies are present in the | | | | energies, which can be done through diet, exercise, |
| body and how people experience them. The Doshas | | | | meditation, massage and herbal therapies, just to |
| are divided into three groups; Vata, Pitta and Kappha. | | | | mention a few. However, Ayurveda is a philosophy |
| Every human contains all three of them, but | | | | that should be studied in-depth, and it is also advisable |
| configurations are unique from person to person. The | | | | to contact an expert to receive the proper guidance |
| treatment of a specific illness will therefore vary | | | | before beginning an Ayurvedic lifestyle. |