What is Ayurvedic Medicine?

Ayurveda ( Ayur = life, Veda= science of knowledge) is a 5000 year old system of natural healing that has its origins in South Asia. It emphasizes establishing balance in the body through proper diet, exercise, and ideal daily and seasonal routines. Ayurveda provides a system of guidelines to remind us that health is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind and spirit.

Ayurveda and You

Ayurveda recognizes human beings as a part of nature and describes three fundamental energies that govern our inner and outer environments. These three forces, which are known in Sanskrit as Vata (Wind / Movement), Pitta (Fire / Transformation) and Kapha (Water / Structure), are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind.

While everyone has all three forces, each individual has a unique proportion of these forces that serve to shape their nature. Generally, one or two elements are more obviously expressed and, for each element, there can be a balanced and imbalanced expression. For example, when Vata (Wind / Movement) is balanced, a person is lively and creative. But when there is too much movement in the system, a person tends to experience anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation and has difficulty completing tasks.

An important goal of Ayurveda is to identify an individual’s ideal state of balance, investigate imbalances, and offer interventions using nutrition, herbs, massage, and meditation to reestablish that balance. To learn more about our virtual global Ayurveda consultations, book a free 15 minute consult to discuss the approach to see if it’s the right fit for your needs.