The Ayurveda Experience
Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine, originated in India about 5,000 years ago. Read more about Ayurveda, its origins, beliefs, practices and modern-day applicability here.
Ayurveda, the ancient ‘Science of Life’, derives its name from 2 Sanskrit words: Ayur meaning ‘Life’ and Veda meaning ‘Science’.
Originated over 5000 years ago in the subcontinent of India, Ayurveda – a Holistic Science of Health and Wellness, combines ancient knowledge of all matters that encompass life to determine lifestyle modifications and attend to indispositions as effectively as was done before!
Ayurveda Origins
Ayurveda is the system of medicine that evolved in India and has survived as a distinct entity from remote antiquity to the present day.
The origin of Ayurveda is attributed to Atharva Veda where mention is made of several diseases with their treatments.
Later, from the 6th Century BC to 7th Century AD there was systematic development of the science
and it is called Samhita period, when a number of classical works were produced by several authors and during this period there is evidence of organized medical care.
The Atharva Veda is considered to have originated later than the Rig Veda, and contains a description of diseases and their cure. As an example, we might cite the ancient view of the disease consumption. It was characterized as a disease of not one organ but of several organs, heart, lungs, spleen, intestines, rectum, even of the bones and marrow. This surprisingly modern view appears in the form of a prayer – the form in which medical instruction appear in Vedic literature. An even greater degree of anatomical and other knowledge is displayed in certain Upanishads – particularly in the Yogapanishads, which of course belong to a later period than the Vedas
The Atharva Veda is considered to have originated later than the Rig Veda, and contains a description of diseases and their cure. As an example, we might cite the ancient view of the disease consumption. It was characterized as a disease of not one organ but of several organs, heart, lungs, spleen, intestines, rectum, even of the bones and marrow. This surprisingly modern view appears in the form of a prayer – the form in which medical instruction appear in Vedic literature. An even greater degree of anatomical and other knowledge is displayed in certain Upanishads – particularly in the Yogapanishads, which of course belong to a later period than the Vedas
Ayurveda and Tridoshas
The fundamentals on which the Ayurvedic system of medicine is based are essentially true for all times and do not change from age to age.
Ayurvedic medicine is based on the idea that the world is made up of five elements — Aakash (space), Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Teja (fire), and Vayu (air). A combination of each element results in three humors, or doshas, known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These three doshas are believed to be responsible for a person’s physiological, mental, and emotional health.
Energy is required to create movement so that fluids and nutrients get to the cells, enabling the body to function. Vata is the energy of this movement.
Energy required to metabolize the nutrients in the cells is called Pitta.
Energy required to lubricate and maintain the structure of the cell is called Kapha.
Ayurvedic medicine is based on the idea that the world is made up of five elements — Aakash (space), Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Teja (fire), and Vayu (air). A combination of each element results in three humors, or doshas, known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These three doshas are believed to be responsible for a person’s physiological, mental, and emotional health.
Energy is required to create movement so that fluids and nutrients get to the cells, enabling the body to function. Vata is the energy of this movement.
Energy required to metabolize the nutrients in the cells is called Pitta.
Energy required to lubricate and maintain the structure of the cell is called Kapha.
Ayurveda Diet as per Doshas
The Ayurvedic diet is a type of eating plan that sets guidelines for when, how, and what you should eat based on your dosha, or body type.
Dosha - Vata (वात)
| Food Group | Foods to be favoured | Foods to be avoided |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals | jai (oats), shali and shastika rice, godhuma (wheat), mung in less quantity (green gram), urad (black gram) | Yava (barley), china (Indian millet), corn, rest all other legumes |
| Fruits | All sweet fruits, urumana (apricots), kadli (bananas), narikela (coconut), phalgu (figs), draksha (grapefruit), jambir (lemons), amra, (mango), kalinda and kharbuja (melons), narang (oranges), dadima (pomegranate), ripen lakocha (monkey jack) | Vatad (almonds), akshota (walnut), sinchitika (apples), amritphala (pear), shringataka (water chestnut) |
| Vegatables | shatavari (asparagus), garjanaka (carrots), trapusa (ripen cucumber), rasona (garlic), palandu (onion), moolaka (radish), kushmandi (pumpkin), ajmoda (celery), vrantaka (eggplant), patola (pointed gourd), nenua (sponge gourd), changeri (Indian sorrel) | Tinda (Citrullus vulgaris), aluka (yam), manakanda (Alocasia indica), chatraka (mushrooms), torai (Luffa acutangula), onions, satina (peas), palakya (spinach), chaulai, (amaranthus), karela (bitter gourd) |
| Spices | Jeeraka (cumin), ardraka (ginger), sharshapa (mustard seeds), ajwain (Tachyspermum ammi), methika (fenugreek), dhanyaka (coriander), bay leaves, tulsi (basil), keshara (saffron), hingu (asafoetida), ela (cardamom), lavanga (cloves), saunf (fennel) , krishna maricha (black pepper) | |
| Dairy Products | Cow or goat milk, butter, ghee, cream, cheese cream | |
| Others | Ikshu (sugarcane), meat of anupa, jalaja, prasaha, vileshaya and jalachara animals (mainly aquatic animals) | Madhu (honey) |
Dosha - Pitta (पित्त)
| Food Group | Foods to be favoured | Foods to be avoided |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals | Yava (barley), jai (Oats), shali and shastika (rice), godhuma (wheat), all legumes | Corn, china (Indian millet), masha (black gram), kulattha (horse gram) |
| Fruits | All madhur (sweet) fruits, sinchitika (apples), narikela (coconut), phalgu (figs), draksha (grapes), ripen amra (mango), naranga (ripen oranges), amritphala (pears),sauvira (sweet plums), amalki (embelica) | All amla (sour fruits) jambiri (lemons), tada (palm) unripen karmarda (Carissa carandas) |
| Vegatables | Madhur (sweet) & tikta (bitter) vegetables, shatavari (asparagus), trapusa (cucumber), ajmoda (celery),leafy greens, chatraka (mushrooms), okra, kalaya (peas), patola (pointed gourd), makoya (solamun nigrum), kakdi (snake cucumber), karela (bitter gourd) | Katu (pungent) Vegetables mooli (carrots), vartaka (eggplant),rasona (garlic), palandu (onions), garjanaka (radish), palakaya (spinach) |
| Spices | dhanyaka (coriander), haridra (turmeric), keshar (saffron), saunf (fennel), ela (cardamom) | sharshapa (mustard seeds), celery seeds, fenugreek, hingu (asafetida), jeeraka (cumin), ardraka (ginger), krishna maricha (black pepper), lanka (chili), shatpushpa (dill) |
| Dairy Products | dugdha (milk) , ghrita(clarified butter), navneeta (butter), takra (buttermilk) | Dadhi (yogurt) |
| Others | Ikshu (raw sugar cane) date sugar, gur (jaggery), meat of jangala (arid land animals), vishikir and pratuda animals | Nadeya matsya (fresh water fishes), meat of anupa, jalaja (aquatic animals), prasaha, vileshaya and jalachara animals (mainly aquatic animals) |
Dosha - Kapha (कफ)
| Food Group | Foods to be favoured | Foods to be avoided |
|---|---|---|
| Cereals | Yava (barley), corn, china (Indian millet), shali and shastika rice , All legumes especially mung, lentils & beans. | Godhuma (wheat), masha (black gram) |
| Fruits | Urumana (apricots), amra (mango), aruka (peaches), dadima (pomegranate), vatad (almonds), akshota (walnut), sinchitika (apples) amritphala (pear), shringataka (water chestnut), kalinda (water melon) | Madhur (sweet) and amla (sour) fruits kadli (bananas), narikela (coconut), grapefruit, lemons, naranga (orange), erandkarkati (papaya), ambada (Indian hog plum), lakocha (monkey jack), panas (jack fruit) |
| Vegatables | All katu (pungent) & tikta (bitter) vegetables, shatavari (asparagus), ajmoda (celery), vartaka (eggplant), rasona (garlic), chaulai (amaranthus), changeri (Indian sorrel), shalmali flowers (Salmalia malabarica) palandu (onions), kushmandi (pumpkin), alabu (white gourd), karela (bitter gourd), patola (pointed gourd) | All sweet and juicy vegetables. torai (Luffa acutangula), aluka (yam), poi (Indian spinach) |
| Spices | ardraka (ginger), krishana maricha
(black pepper), jeeraka (cumin), sarshapa (mustard seeds), ajwain (Tachyspermum ammi), keshara (saffron), hingu (asafoetida), dalchini (cinnamon), ela
(cardamom), lavanga (cloves), saunf (fennel), coriander, shatpushpa (dill), mint, jatiphala (nutmeg),tamarind |
|
| Dairy Products | Small amount of milk and ghee (clarified butter) | sour cream and dadhi (yoghurt) |
| Others | madhu (honey) and gur (jaggery), sea salt, lemon juice | meat of anupa (the flesh or meat of animals frequenting watery or marshy places), jalaja, prasaha (beasts or birds of prey), vileshaya (animals living in burrows e.g. toad, Iguana, snake, porcupine, rats) and jalachara animals (mainly aquatic animals) |
Note: The correct prakriti assessment of a person should be done by the physician and the food items should be prescribed accordingly.
Ayurvedic Massage
The Ayurvedic practice of abhyanga, or oil massage, has physical benefits like released muscle tension, lymphatic drainage, and more nourished skin from head to toe. Ayurveda focuses on maintaining health through natural practices like massage and what you eat.
Abhyanga is a massage that's done with warm oil. The oil is applied on the entire body, from the scalp to the soles of your feet. It's the most popular massage in Ayurveda The heavy use of essential oils and focus on specific energy points in the body makes an Ayurvedic massage different from other type of massages.
According to Ayurveda, combinations of the elements (air, space, fire, water, and earth) or doshas occur naturally within all of us. The elements should be in a perfect ratio, but in most people, they’re a little off: you might have too much Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water), or Kapha (water and earth). Ayurveda attempts to even them out.
Therapists may observe dosha characteristics through observation. For example, Vata dosha types usually have dry skin, while Kaphas are oilier. Pitta, an enigmatic combination of fire and water, is typically visible as combo skin. All of that is used to figure out your best massage protocol.
Abhyanga is a massage that's done with warm oil. The oil is applied on the entire body, from the scalp to the soles of your feet. It's the most popular massage in Ayurveda The heavy use of essential oils and focus on specific energy points in the body makes an Ayurvedic massage different from other type of massages.
According to Ayurveda, combinations of the elements (air, space, fire, water, and earth) or doshas occur naturally within all of us. The elements should be in a perfect ratio, but in most people, they’re a little off: you might have too much Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water), or Kapha (water and earth). Ayurveda attempts to even them out.
Therapists may observe dosha characteristics through observation. For example, Vata dosha types usually have dry skin, while Kaphas are oilier. Pitta, an enigmatic combination of fire and water, is typically visible as combo skin. All of that is used to figure out your best massage protocol.
Benefits of Ayurvedic Massage
There are many benefits to Abhyanga.
- Improves skin health
- Reduces muscle stiffness
- Promotes lymphatic drainage
- Calms nerves and promotes deeper and better sleep
- Detoxifies the body
- Lowers blood pressure