Ayurvedic medicine practice has been used for thousands of years in India, however over the recent years it has reached the Western countries. And even though the most commonly practiced Ayurvedic treatments in the West are different types of massages and dietary and herbal advice, there is much more to Ayurveda then it meets the eye.
The mere meaning Ayurveda would be translated loosely to mean “The Science of long life†and it is a combination of healthy living and treatments that bring the harmony between mental, physical, social and spiritual aspects of an individual. Ayurveda is also one of the rare traditional systems of medicine that has developed surgical treatments for patients.
There are 8 branches of Ayurveda that include surgery, internal medicine, spiritual healing, health and longevity, toxicology, ear/throat/nose, pediatrics and purification of genetic organs.
The central point of Ayurveda medicine practice is the Tridosha system. The doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are 3 fundamental bodily substances that when in harmony creates a balance within the body.
Kapha is the water principle and it relates to muscous, the carrier of nutrients into the arterial system.
Pitta is the fire principle and it uses bile to direct digestion and metabolism into the venous system, while Vata is the air principle that is necessary to mobilize the nervous system. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that every humans has one dosha which is predominant in the body, however all the doshas have some basic elements.
Medication and treatments that Ayurvedic practitioners use in their daily practice operate on the premise that various materials of animal, mineral and vegetable origin have medical and therapeutic value. Ayurvedic treatments also use different mixtures of herbs, which are either used alone or in combination with different minerals, metals or ingredients of animal origin. The properties of these herbs and different combinations of mixtures have been documented over the years and all the metals, minerals and ingredients of animal origin are purified before used as treatments.
Ayurvedic treatments and practice has never disappeared from the Indian subcontinent and the natives have always considered it as the science of life. However the ayurvedic practice was on the decline for number of years due to Western style hospitals that were being built in the area. In the 1970s the situation changed when Ayurveda gain in popularity and was embraced in the West as a type of alternative treatment.
By combining the 3 basic principles with in the 8 branches of Ayurveda, the emphasis is on the holistic approach to medicine, the combination of body, mind and spirit. To prevent different types of conditions Ayurveda advocates exercise, yoga, hygiene and herbal remedies, while in treatment of the accent is on diet, physiotherapy and different types of herbs mixtures.