Ayurvedic Medicine

What is Ayurvedic Medicine?

The word ayurveda literally means the knowledge or science (veda) of life (ayu). Maharishi Ahur-Veda (MAV) is a systematically developed, carefully researched medical system that is based on the ancient Indian medical system known as Ayurveda. The concern with population health remains central in MAV as well as the value of refining one’s consciousness through meditation.

Ayurvedic medicine is not a treatment, rather an entire medical system whose goal is the prevention of disease through the proper balance of three “irreducible principles” at work in the body. It emphasizes avoidance of stress and a moderate balanced lifestyle. It encompasses a wide range of treatments and lifestyle measures, including dietary recommendations, massage, medicinal herbs, and the meditation and breathing techniques of yoga.

MAV’s model begins with a detailed concept of what normal health is. It is then the task of the practitioner to see how far even a relatively healthy patient has fallen away from that ideal and then doing what is necessary to get him or her back to that ideal normal state. It is by doing this that disease is prevented. In other words, MAV focuses on the root cause of the disease rather than just the symptoms. It reduces dependence on drug therapies and the danger of side-effects. It focuses on making the body’s defenses as strong as possible through promoting an inner balance. If balance is maintained, immune strength is maximized.
The Foundations of Ayurvedic Medicine

The ayurvedic model views physiology and anatomy in terms of doshas, which refer to three categories into which all functions fit: motion, energy production, and structure. Vata is the dosha that is expressed in all motion; Pitta is expressed in metabolism, heat production, digestion, and energy production; and Kapha gives solidity and structure and balances the fluids.

When the doshas function normally, they produce the symptoms of good health. Since they involve both the mind and the body, their effects are both mental and physical. Each dosha has specific qualities. For instance, Vata is associated with cold, dryness, speed, and lightness; Pitta is associated with heat, sharpness, and acidity; and Kapha is associated with cold, heaviness, oiliness, and slowness. Each individual has unique expressions of doshas; treatment is focused on increasing a dosha that might be lacking in one area and decreasing one that is excessive in another area – all with the goal of brining the body into balance.

What is an Ayurvedic Treatment Like?

Every treatment is judged in terms of its effect on the entire mind/body system. Practitioners generally begin by taking comprehensive personal and medical history to determine your physical and spiritual “type” and then prescribe and treat accordingly. Expect detailed questions about your emotional temperament, skin type, food preferences, and other quirks. The practitioner is also likely to examine your tongue, and spend a significant amount of time taking your pulse. Specific dietary and exercise recommendations will be given based on your doshas that integrate the body and mind; specific meditation techniques are also part of this practice. The Ayurvedic practitioner’s job is to identify the individual’s “tridosha” a unique combination of the three dosha’s and prescribe dietary patterns, exercises, lifestyle changes, and therapies designed to bring the tridosha into balance.

The frequency and duration of Ayurvedic treatments vary widely. Many aspects of Ayurvedic practice, such as dietary choices and yoga, can be self-administered on a regular basis. Typical measures may include massage with warm sesame oil; avoidance of certain types of foods, emphasis on breathing exercises, or saunas or enemas to “detoxify” the body. An overall “purification” and rejuvenation may be offered at some Ayurvedic clinics, center, or spas

Source: Sharma, H. and Clark, C. (1998). Contemporary Ahurveda – Medicine and Research in Maharishi Ayur-Veda, Churchill Livingstone