ayurveda
for beginners
ayurveda
for beginners. for those seeking to live a balanced lifestyle.
ayurveda
for beginners - what is ayurveda?
simply
put, it's the eastern indian version of chinese medicine.
it's been around for 5000 years, and is still practiced
today. It's still rather new to us westerners, but it's
catching on quick!
-
ayurveda
is recognized by the world health organization as
the longest continually practiced form of health care.
-
It's
a 5000 year old "science of life".
-
it
encompasses all areas of life and is the art of living
in harmony with nature.
ayurveda
is focused solely on balancing the doshas, named vata,
pitta and kapha (see below), to create health and vitality
through the use of lifestyle changes, dietary changes
and panchakarma (see below). Ayurvedic medicine encompasses
herbs, natural remedies, massage and various forms of
body care aimed at bringing balance to body, mind and
spirit. Ayurveda does not rule out western medicine entirely,
but does focus on natural remedies. Ayurveda believes
that all forms of healing have value.
ayurveda
for beginners - why is this form of healing becoming so
popular?
ayurveda is a holistic form of healing. as modern medicine
continues to fall short in the eyes of many westerners,
holistic forms of healing, including ayurveda, are seeing
a tremendous upsurge in popularity. this means that many
different types of holistic healing are finally surfacing.
ayurveda, is at the top of that list.
ayurveda
for beginners - how does it work?
ayurveda is one of the vedic sciences which finds it's
roots in ancient india. the science that deals with imbalance
in the human body. translated, it means the "science of
life".
ayurveda
believes that the universe is made up of the elements.
earth, air, fire, and water. these elements are not viewed
as the physical elements, but rather metaphors for the
energies which these elements represent.
ayurveda
for beginners- what's a dosha?
these
elements, are then divided into three categories, called
doshas.
The doshas are called kapha, pitta, and vata. It is these
categorical energies that are believed to cause the health
or ailments of the human body. In balance, one experiences
perfect health and vitality. out of balance, the human
being experiences all manors of illnesses and disease.
ayurvedic
practitioners work to restore balance between the doshas
through diet, herbal remedies, lifestyle changes and cleansing
of the body by a method called panchakarma.
for
us westerners, ayurveda may well be one of the most effective
holistic healing modalities since the emergence of Chinese
medicine in america. its methods may seem a bit strange
to the western mind, but the effectiveness of its practices
are undeniable.
ayurveda
for beginners - dietary changes
in ayurveda, all foods have a natural energy which influences
a particular dosha. in order for you to balance your doshas,
you must eat more of some foods, and less of others. a
practitioner can give you a very individual dietary plan.
ayurveda
for beginners - lifestyle changes
reducing stress is a huge facet of ayurveda. yoga, meditation
and many other forms of stress reduction play a vital
roll in the treatment of the body's illnesses.
ayurveda
basics - panchakarma
panchakarma is the term used when referring to the cleansing
of the body. typically, this is done through colonics,
purging, massage, and sweating.
ayurveda
for beginners - how the heck do you pronounce "ayurveda"?
"eye-your-vay-duh"
ayurveda
for beginners - seeing a practitioner
ever
wonder what happens when you go to see an ayurvedic practitioner?
- an
ayurvedic practitioner determines your dosha or "mind/body
type".
- there
are three doshas - vata = air & space, pitta =
fire & water, and kapha = water & earth.
- during
you consultation, the practitioner will take your
pulse to determine your doshic balance.
- they
will consider how you function in digestion, sleep
and creative energy, to determine where you are depleted.
- They
will recommend treatments that include dietary changes,
aromatherapy, sound therapy, color therapy and massage
techniques specific to ayurveda.
- also
used, is shirodhara
which effects the nervous system.
ayurveda
is for anyone searching for balance and health in their
lives. we wish you the best on your ayurvedic journey
to health.
namaste
