c






is a holistic healing science which comprises of two words, Ayu and Veda. Ayu means life and
Veda means knowledge or science. So the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda is the science of life.
Ayurveda is a science dealing not only with treatment of some diseases but is a complete way of life.

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian medical science, the origin of which can be traced back to the Vedas,
which are the oldest available classics of the world. Vedas are the ancient books of knowledge, or
science, from India. They contain practical and scientific information on various subjects beneficial to
the humanity like health, philosophy, engineering, astrology etc.

Ayurveda   
  

  
  
 in an approach to health, that has
addressed itself to the fundamental principles of good health and longevity. It has developed a tradition
of medicine and a system of treatment based on the inherent ability of the human body to rejuvenate,
to heal and to restore its natural balance.

Ayurveda is based on a system of  
    which classifies all individual constitutions
of people, diseases, herbs and other non-herbal remedies and therapies according to whether they are
i
(air or nerve oriented),   (water or mucoid type) or 

(fire type) [5] . Herbs that have
pungent, sour and salty flavors stimulate fire; herbs that are astringent (drying) and bitter stimulate
vata-air, or the nerve centered humour; herbs that are sweet, salty and sour stimulate or increase
Kapha-water, or the mucoid humour.

In contrast, herbs that are sweet, sour and salty flavored ameliorate Vata-air, which means that they
have a particular affinity for the nervous system. Herbs that are astringent, sweet and bitter ameliorate
Pitta-fire, meaning that they are soothing and anti-inflammatory. Finally herbs that are pungent, bitter
and astringent ameliorate Kapha-water, which means they tend to increase digestive fire, expel and dry
excessive fluid buildup in the system, including clearing excessive fat from the body, and the
accumulation of cholesterol and other fatty deposits in the veins and arteries of the body.

This Indian system of medicine has laid down principles and methods of treatment for various diseases
including chronic illnesses where there is no definite curative treatment, and symptomatic relief is the
only existing treatment option.
Principles of Ayurveda

Origin of Ayurveda

Ayurveda Doshas

Ayurvedic Treatment

 



Ayurveda is bestowed upon us by our ancestors, who were eminent and wiser and having insight into
our being. Basically Ayurveda is Health promotive - preventive - curative and nutritive - all self
contained.

The two principle objectives of Ayurveda are :

(a.)
 

 



 - To prolong life and promote perfect health ( add years to life
and life to years )

(b.) 




 




 - To completely eradicate the disease and dysfunction of the
body.

Ayurveda takes the individual as whole and seeks to re-establish harmony between all the constituents
in the body. Perfect balance of the tripod - Mind, Body and Spirit means perfect health.

To  

 
, it is necessary to have an idea how the Ayurvedic system views the
body. The basic life force in the body is prana, which is also found in the elements and is similar to the
Chinese notion of chi.

In Ayurveda, there are five basic elements that contain   : earth, water, fire, air, and ether. These
elements interact and are further organized in the human body as three main categories or basic
physiological principles in the body that govern all bodily functions known as the doshas. The three
doshas are
, 

, and
 . Each person has a unique blend of the three doshas, known as the
person͛s 

, which is why Ayurvedic treatment is always individualized. In Ayurveda, disease is
viewed as a state of imbalance in one or more of a person͛s à

, and an Ayurvedic physician strives
to adjust and balance them, using a variety of techniques.

0 



Ayurvedic medicine originated in the early civilizations of India some 3,000-5,000 years ago. It is
mentioned in the Vedas, the ancient religious and philosophical texts that are the oldest surviving
literature in the world, which makes Ayurvedic medicine the oldest surviving healing system. According
to the texts, Ayurveda was conceived by enlightened wise men as a system of living harmoniously and
maintaining the body so that mental and spiritual awareness could be possible. Medical historians
believe that Ayurvedic ideas were transported from ancient India to China and were instrumental in the
development of Chinese medicine.

AYURVEDA is a science based on ancient Indian philosophy. The Vedas encompass the whole knowledge
of the Universe. There are four Vedas, namely, ‰ à ,  à ,   à and 
  à .
Amongst these, the 
  à mainly deals with different facets of health.

The main body of Ayurveda is found in the fourth Veda - the Artharvaveda. Ayurveda is an offspring of
the Atharvaveda and is also considered as the fifth Veda. Ayurveda is recognized as an  or
supplementary Veda in its own right. It contains the description of various diseases and their aetiology,
and recommends the correct diet and behaviour regimen to counter those diseases.

£  has it that ^  , the creator, imparted the knowledge of Ayurveda to   
 


who, in turn, passed it on to the 

  twins who were the physicians to the gods. The


 
then offered this knowledge to Lord Indra. Lord Indra instructed Dhanwantari to spread
this invaluable science of longevity on the earth. Sushruta, a renowned surgeon and student of
Dhanwantari, wrote his famous compendium on surgery - the 

  
. The credit for the
famous treatise on general medicine, the  
  
, goes to Charaka who probably lived
sometime between the second century B.C. and the second century A.D. !
 ! and 

! are the two ancient treatises on which Ayurveda is based.


    provides a link between the living and non-living matters of the universe and
indicates the origin of human and plant life from the five basic elements which are earth, water, fire, air
and ether.





i


The vata dosha is associated with air and ether, and in the body promotes movement and lightness.
Vata people are generally thin and light physically, dry-skinned, and very energetic and mentally
restless. When vata is out of balance, there are often nervous problems, hyperactivity, sleeplessness,
lower back pains, and headaches.




Pitta is associated with fire and water. In the body, it is responsible for metabolism and digestion. Pitta
characteristics are medium-built bodies, fair skin, strong digestion, and good mental concentration. Pitta
imbalances show up as anger and aggression and stress-related conditions like gastritis, ulcers, liver
problems, and hypertension.

x 


The kapha dosha is associated with water and earth. People characterized as kapha are generally large
or heavy with more oily complexions. They tend to be slow, calm, and peaceful. Kapha disorders
manifest emotionally as greed and possessiveness, and physically as obesity, fatigue, bronchitis, and
sinus problems.


 





In Ayurvedic medicine, disease is always seen as an imbalance in the dosha system, so the diagnostic
process strives to determine which doshas are underactive or overactive in a body. Diagnosis is often
taken over a course of days in order for the Ayurvedic physician to most accurately determine what
parts of the body are being affected.

To diagnose problems, Ayurvedic physicians often use long questionnaires and interviews to determine
a person͛s dosha patterns and physical and psychological histories.
Ayurvedic physicians also intricately observe the pulse, tongue, face, lips, eyes, and fingernails for
abnormalities or patterns that they believe can indicate deeper problems in the internal systems. Some
Ayurvedic physicians also use laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis.