What is the Philosophy of Ayurvedic Medicine? | Taking Charge of Yo...

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In Ayurveda, perfect health is defined as "a balance between body,

mind, spirit, and social wellbeing." In fact, the twin concepts of
balance and connectedness echo throughout Ayurvedic texts,
thought, and practice.
Like all holistic health systems, Ayurveda emphasizes the
unshakable connections between the body, mind, and spirit.
However, Ayurveda's connectedness extends far beyond the
individual, reaching into the universal.

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Health?
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Be Good to Yourself
Nurture Your Relationships

All things in the universe, both living and nonliving, are joined
together. In fact, everything in the universe is actually made of the same five gross natural
elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth.
There is a deep connection between the self and the
environment.
We are all initially connected within ourselves, to people
surrounding us, to our immediate environment, and to the
universe. This balanced connectivity ensures good health.
We remain healthy if we retain balance, interacting with our
environment in an effective and wholesome way.
However, our initial balance is often disrupted by our lifestyles.
Choices about diet, exercise, profession, and relationships all
have the potential to create physical, emotional, or spiritual
imbalances.
This imbalance causes a lack of harmony, and makes us more
susceptible to disease.
Human beings are responsible for their choices and actions. We can attain and maintain good
health if we make balanced choices that promote connectivity and harmony.

Ayurvedic philosophy maintains that people are born with a specific constitution, which is called the
prakruti. The prakruti, established at conception, is viewed as a unique combination of physical and
psychological characteristics that affect the way each person functions.
Throughout life, an individual's underlying prakruti remains the same. However, one's prakruti is
constantly influenced by various internal, external and environmental factors like day and night,
seasonal changes, diet, lifestyle choices, and more. Ayurveda places great emphasis on prevention
of illness, and recommends maintaining health through following daily and seasonal regimens which
create balance.
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Ayurveda teaches that three qualities, called doshas, form

important characteristics of the prakruti, or constitution. These
doshas are called vata, pitta, and kapha, and they all have a
specific impact on bodily functions.
Adherents of Ayurvedic medicine believe that each person has an
individual, "tailored" balance of the three doshas. Individual doshas
are constantly "in flux," and are influenced by eating, exercising,
and relating to others.
Ayurvedic adherents believe that dosha imbalance produces
symptoms that are related to that dosha and are different from
symptoms of another dosha imbalance. (For example, if the
aggressive and "hot" pitta-prominent person aggravates pitta,
he/she may develop prickly rash or an acidic stomach.) Many factors can cause imbalance, including
a poor diet, too much or too little physical or mental exertion, chemicals, or germs.
Each dosha is comprised of two of the five basic elements, which each have specific qualities. These
elements are:
Space (associated with expansiveness)
Air (associated with gaseousness, mobility, and lack of form)
Fire (associated with transformation, heat, and fire)
Water (associated with liquidity and instability)
Earth (associated with solidity and stability)
Furthermore, each dosha is associated with a specific bodily "build" or shape, and is linked to certain
personality traits. Ayurveda also links each dosha with particular types of health problems.
It is important to note that only a trained Ayurvedic practitioner can accurately determine a
person's prakruti and dosha. This classification is based on a thorough examination, which
includes observing one's facial features, body build, way of walking, speech patterns, pulse, and
much more. For more information, see What Happens In a Visit to an Ayurvedic Practitioner.
Some characteristics of each dosha include:
Pitta is a term originating from the Sanskrit word pinj, meaning "to shine." This dosha, which is
comprised of the fire element, rules digestive, chemical, and metabolic function, and is associated
with heat and oiliness. Its main seat is the small intestine, and it is the dosha believed to add luster to
the eyes, hair, and skin. In a more figurative sense, pitta also governs our ability to "digest" not only
the food stuff but also the concepts and information, which we then use to perceive our world.
Pitta-dominant people enjoy an efficient metabolism and hearty appetite. They are considered
intelligent, aggressive achievers. Pitta people must be on guard against bleeding disorders,
inflammations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and anger. To achieve Pitta dosha balance,
Ayurveda advises avoiding extreme heat and eating less spicy food.
Vata is a term stemming from the Sanskrit word vayuu, meaning "that which
moves." It is comprised of the space and air elements, and is sometimes
considered the most influential dosha because it is the moving force behind
both pitta and kapha. From its main seat in the colon, vata is believed to
promote a healthy balance between thought and emotion, and fuel creativity,
activity, and clear comprehension.
A vata-dominant person is quick, alert, and restless. She/he may walk, talk,
and think quickly. However, vatas tend toward nervousness, fear, and
anxiety, and are more susceptible to diseases like arthritis, insomnia,
flatulence, constipation, and nerve disorders. To balance vata, it is important
to maintain calm and routine, avoid extreme temperatures, and get adequate
rest. Vata in the body increases with age.

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Kapha is a term that derives from the Sanskrit word "shlish," meaning "that which holds things
together." From its main seat in the stomach, this dosha relates to mucous, lubrication, and carrying
nutrients into the arterial system. Kapha also governs immunity; Ayurveda teaches that its energy
promotes the ongoing processes of self-repair and healing. Comprised of the water and earth
elements, kapha is also thought to offer endurance and physical and psychological strength and
stability, while also promoting human emotions, like love, compassion, empathy, understanding,
forgiveness, loyalty, and patience.
Kapha-dominant people are considered strong but loving, tenacious but calm, and are blessed with
wise tolerance. Kapha people are believed to be susceptible to weight gain, lethargy, excessive
sleep, goiter, pulmonary congestion, allergies and asthma. To maintain balance, Kapha people are
advised to frequently exercise, eat light meals, and avoid napping.

Whether you go to an Ayurvedic internal medicine specialist or an obstetrician, or other specialist,

they will take both a preventive and curative approach.
Preventive Medicine: This approach seeks to create and maintain
health and longevity within the individual. It emphasizes defining
each person's prakturi (or constitution) and creating daily and
periodic regimens to support that prakturi and keep it in balance.
These health routines focus on everything from diet and exercise to
herbal therapies, massage, meditation, and social behavior and
positive relationships.
Curative Medicine: These treatments seek to heal an illness,
which may be achieved by one or more of the following
approaches:
Internal measures, including shodhana (detoxification) and shamana (methods used to improve
quality of life via palliative care).
External measures, including snehana (oil treatments), svedana (steam therapy using herbal
steam), and use of herbal pastes.
Surgical methods, including removal of tissues, organs, and harmful growths
Mental and spiritual therapies, called daivya chikitsa
Herbal measures, including rasa shashtra (the use of various herbal and trace metal
formulations)

Ayurvedic medicine features the following eight specialty branches:

Internal Medicine (Kaya-Chikitsa), which focuses on doshic balance and imbalance, metabolic
function, and digestion
Surgery (Shalya Chikitsa)
Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (Salakya Chikitsa)
Obstetrics/gynecology (Prasuti and Stri-Rog)
Pediatrics (Bala Chikitsa/ Kaumarbhritya)
Psychology and Psychiatry (Bhuta-vidya or Graha-Chikitsa), which includes spirituality
Toxicology (Agadha-tantra), which focuses on poisons ranging from insect bites to heavy metals
and plants, and includes a medical jurisprudence role in which practitioners address cause of
injury, death, and other medical ethics
Rejuvenation/Geriatrics (Rasayana) and Virilification/Sexology (Vajikaran)

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http://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/ayurv...

Expert Contributor: Amala Guha, PhD, MPH, MA

Reviewed by: Miriam Cameron, PhD, MS, MA, RN

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