Ayurveda For General Health

Ayurveda is a system of health developed over 5,000 years ago in India. It is the basis of most “new age” and “eastern medicine” systems we hear about today. I know very little about it beyond its existence and I decided that I should learn more!

So you and I will learn more about it together.

Ayurveda focuses on maintaining balance within the body to prevent health problems. It translates to “science of life” or “knowledge of life.”

Our life force manifests in a unique balance of three types or “doshas” that make up our nature (prakriti): kapha, pitta, and vasta. (I have to wonder how this relates to the three guna. I have an old post about gunas, but I’ll update with a more detailed one soon.)

The profound premise and promise of Ayurveda is that through certain practices, not only can we prevent heart disease and make our headaches go away, but we can also better understand ourselves and the world around us, live a long healthy life in balance and harmony, achieve our fullest potential, and express our true inner nature on a daily basis.

–http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/ayv-introduction.htm

Vata is associated with movement, breathing, space, air. In balance it promotes creativity and flexibility, but out of balance it causes fear and anxiety.

Pitta is fire and water and runs the metabolic system.  It governs absorption and nutrition. In balance it promotes understanding and intelligence, but out of balance it causes anger, jealousy, and hatred.

Kapha is the body’s structure and is the glue that holds everything together. In balance it is love and forgiveness. Out of balance it is attachment and greed.

–http://www.ayurveda.com/pdf/intro_ayurveda.pdf

These balances can be encouraged through lifestyle, thought, diet, herbs, etc.

Over the next few weeks we’re going to be learning more about the principles in this system of health!