Ayurveda - A Complete Science of Lifeby Dr. Shashikant Patwardhan
Ayurvedic Consultant
The principles of Ayurveda are an invaluable link to understanding, in detail, naturally healthy living. People everywhere are realizing the importance and benefits of taking personal responsibility for one's own well being, making Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today's world.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda literally means "science of life and longevity." and is considered to be the traditional system of medicine of India.
Ayurveda is a science in the sense that it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person, body and mind. Historians have not pinpointed the exact time Ayurveda came into being. Most agree that Ayurvedic classical texts were written in India between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago. At this time, philosophy and medicine were not separated. Therefore, philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.
What is unique about Ayurveda?
There are several aspects to Ayurveda that are quite unique:
Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in analyzing individual patient constitution and understanding variations in disease manifestation.
The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for a whole state of health, again unique to each case.
Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, and even spiritual practices to restore and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and the body - a huge amount of information is available regarding this relationship.
This understanding that we are all unique individuals enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers explanation as to why one person responds differently than another.
Physiology of Ayurveda
All matter is thought to he composed of five basic elements (panchamahabhutas) which exhibit the properties of earth (prithvi), water (jala), fire (tejas), wind (vayu) and space (akasha). These elements do not exist in isolated forms, but always in a combination, in which one or more elements dominate. According to Ayurveda, the human body is composed of derivatives of the five basic elements, in the form of three humors (dosha - 3), tissues (dhatus - 7) and waste products (malas - 3).
Disease Process(Pathology) in Ayurveda
Under normal conditions, the doshas, dhatus and malas correspond to certain standards regarding their quantity, quality and function. However, this situation is not static, and due to several endogenous and exogenous factors, the doshas may become unbalanced, resulting in disease. Every disease is related to an imbalance of the doshas. Other coherent factors can be: the disturbance of the biological factors (agnis), the formation and accumulation of undigested nutrients (ama), obstruction of the body channels (shrotorodha), and a disturbed assimilation in the tissues.
Disease Management(Pharmacology and Treatment) in Ayurveda
There are four main classifications of management of disease in Ayurveda: shodan, or cleansing; shaman or palliation; rasayana, or rejuvenation; and satvajaya, or mental hygiene. Ayurveda gives us a model to look at each individual as a unique makeup of the three doshas (Prakruti) and thereby design treatment protocols that specifically address a person's health challenges. When any of the doshas (Vata, Pitta or Kapha) become imbalanced, Ayurveda will suggest specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to assist the individual in reducing or increasing the doshas that has become imbalance.
The drugs used in Ayurveda are made by several processes from vegetable and mineral raw materials. Mostly plant alkaloids are the active ingredients. Obviously barring some chemical changes it is mostly natural deviates.
If toxins in the body are abundant, then a cleansing process known as "Pancha Karma" is recommended to eliminate these unwanted toxins.This "panchkarma" or Five internal cleansing methods,is a most profound therapy in Ayurveda.
Dr. Shashikant Patwardhan has been an Ayurvedic Consultant for the past 25 years in Sangli, Maharashtra in India. He has done his graduate work in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery [B.A.M&S] and earned his post graduate Fellowship of Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicine [F.F.A.M.] from Tilak Ayurvedic College, Pune University in India. He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a comprehensive website on Ayurveda - http://www.ayurveda-foryou.com He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format. His three ebooks are "Ayurvedic Cure of Diabetes," "Home Remedies in Ayurveda" and "Treat Common Diseases with Ayurveda & Yoga". He regularly writes articles on various topics in Ayurveda in Ayurvedic health magazines and alternative medicine sites.