Ayurveda, the Ancient Medicine of India

Ayurveda, which in Sanskrit translates as the "science of life," is the ancient Indian system of medicine dating back more than 5,000 years. Unparalleled by anything we know in the West, this comprehensive healing system integrates various therapies such as diet, Yoga, and herbal medicine to restore harmony and balance within the human body. It is used daily by millions of people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and other countries. Ayurveda also had a major influence on Chinese and Tibetan medicine, and it continues today to be a great source of knowledge and wisdom for those living in the modern era.

The original Ayurvedic texts (such as the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita) date from 1000 BC and even farther back. Some of these texts are today available in English and other Western languages.

Hindu legend holds that Lord Brahma, the god of creation, upon recognizing the intense suffering of human civilization, taught various spiritual leaders how to ease this suffering by handing down the principles of Ayurveda. For thousands of years, these teachings were transmitted orally, but eventually they were recorded as Sanskrit poetry during India’s ancient Vedic period and were compiled into the classic books known as the Four Vedas.

One of these texts, the Rik Veda, contains verses on the nature of health and disease and discusses the concept of the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Another text, named the Atharva Veda, lists the eight divisions of Ayurveda: Internal Medicine, Surgery of the Head and Neck, Ophthalmology and Otorhinolaryngology, Surgery, Toxicology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Gerontology or the Science of Rejuvenation, and the Science of Fertility.

Bhairava’s founder and head teacher Moses, when he was teaching Yoga in Rishikesh, India (see Trika Yoga School), met an amazing Ayurvedic doctor personally who showed him, among many secrets, an ancient original Ayurvedic text written on palm leaves. Even more amazing was that this doctor had found the text when he stumbled upon a cave by chance in South India. He felt an inner urge to go inside and, while exploring a hidden area of that cave, found one of the most secret texts of Ayurvedic healing, which he still uses today to produce combinations of plants that procure amazing healing results.

The central concept of Ayurvedic medicine is a theory based on the system of the tridosha, or the three doshas, which dictates that health, exists when there is a balance between three fundamental bodily “humors” – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas.

• Vata: Represents the air element and is considered to be the impulse principle necessary to mobilize the function of the nervous system.
• Pitta: Corresponds with the fire element and is considered to be the energy principle using bile to direct digestion – and hence metabolism – into the whole system.
• Kapha: Relates to the earth and water elements and is considered to be the bodily fluid principle associated with mucous, lubrication, and the carrier of nutrients into the arterial blood system.

All Ayurvedic physicians believe that these ancient ideas, based in the knowledge discovered by the Rishis and Munis, exist in harmony with physical reality. As with all naturopathic healing, these Ayurvedic concepts allow physicians to examine and heal the whole human system, not mere symptoms. Each person most often has a predominant dosha or constitution and a secondary dosha.

As a natural and preventative approach, Ayurveda advises regulating the diet according to tridosha theory. The doshas also encompass various food items, which bring the energy of a specific dosha into the body. Thus by following a correct Ayurvedic diet relative to your dosha, you can actually control your health.

In order to heal using Ayurvedic diet, a person should first have his or her dosha diagnosed by an Ayurvedic practitioner, and then eat accordingly. The Ayurvedic diet recommends foods for each dosha based on the taste and quality of food:

Vata taste preferences - sweet, sour and salty. Ayurveda recommends avoiding anything pungent. It has a drying effect on the Vata predominant system. Ideally, in summer, Vata Dosha person should prefer sour and salty tastes and should consume salty and pungent foods in winter. Use sweet taste as a supplement during both seasons. Additionally it is suggested to eat plenty of foods that are heavy, oily, and hot in quality. Those with Vata predominant can handle lots of dairy products in the diet but should eat only well cooked foods and consume warm beverages instead of cold beverages.

Pitta taste preferences - sweet, bitter and astringent.  Pungent foods should be limited to the bare minimum. Ayurveda suggests the intake of bitter and astringent foods during both summer and winter to promote Vata in summer and Kapha in winter. Pitta can enjoy sweets all year round. Those with pitta predominant are encouraged to avoid foods that are heavy and should also avoid excessively oily food or fried foods as well as caffeine, alcohol, red meat, hot spices, or salt, choosing instead to eat fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Kapha taste preferences - pungent, bitter, and astringent. Ayurveda suggests the use of sweet, sour, and salty tastes; never the less sweets still should be avoided generally. Also it is recommended to restrict the consumption of excessive pungent foods in summer, instead prefer foods with a sour taste. Those with Kapha predominant need lots of foods that are light, dry, and warm in quality. In particular, all vegetables are suitable for Kapha types, and because they tend to have slow digestion, ginger should be eaten every day for its ability to stimulate digestion.

Moses is a great fan of Ayurvedic knowledge and health; He has studied some of its teachings, and plans to learn much more in the future about this vast and beautiful healing system. He will add more articles on Ayurveda in the future.