Ayurveda: A Natural Health 101 Article


What It Is

Ayurveda is the traditional medical system of sub-continental India. With an archeological record going back 7000 years and an unbroken written history dating back to around 1500 B.C., Ayurveda is easily the oldest medical system still in existence and is also one of the most comprehensive. Though it's often treated by westerners as nothing more than folk medicine, Ayurveda in India is always practiced alongside technology-based medicine. Unlike other "natural" medicines Ayurveda happily embraces techniques like micro-surgery and CAT scans.

Modern medicine, both mainstream and alternative, owes much to Ayurveda. Ancient practitioners studied medical theories including psychiatry, optometry, general wellness and surgery. Both Chinese acupuncture and Chinese herbology were build on Ayurvedic foundations and Ayurveda offers the largest catalog of herbal therapies ever known.

Perhaps the thing that sets Ayurveda apart from other therapies is its use of body typing. Ayurveda groups people according to how the natural forces, or elements, influence them emotionally, mentally and physically, then assigns nutritional, meditative and herbal therapies according to the dominate "dosha" each person displays.

What It Can Do For You

Today's Ayurveda is strongly influenced by Hindu and Buddhist practices and that can make it difficult for Americans to fully appreciate. But if you have the right motivation and are willing to keep an open mind Ayurveda can be a powerful ally in your search for wellness. Ayurveda teaches that the spiritual and the physical aspects of healing are equally important and that neither takes place without the other. Detoxification is an important part of Ayurveda and practitioners strive to balance the natural forces (or doshas) in the body through nutrition, exercise, meditation and massage. Ayurveda is primarily concerned with longevity and quality of life and puts great emphasis on disease prevention.

Finding a Qualified Practitioner

American Ayurveda is very different from authentic Indian Ayurveda and you may have considerable difficulty finding a qualified practitioner--most American practitioners focus on the herbal side of Ayurveda and virtually ignore the rest. But if you can find a well-trained practitioner (preferable an M.D.) he or she can take the place of your existing family practitioner.

What The Critics Say

Critics of Ayurveda dismiss it as just another folk medicine and point to its emphasis on spirituality as proof that it's outdated and backward.

My Opinion

When I started working on my Ayurveda Certification I was looking for just enough information to confidently answer my clients' questions. Years later, I'm still learning and no longer describe Ayurveda as a "Indian folk medicine".

Lisa Barger is a traditionally trained naturopath specializing in illness prevention counseling. Ms. Barger holds certification in Ayurveda, Iridology, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and American Herbology.


More Resources

Air Fresheners, Or Are They?
For years I've prided myself on believing that I take a very natural approach to the wellness of me and my family. However, I recently ventured into the aromatherapy market and found out, much to my dismay, that I was wrong.
Are Herbal Remedies The Answer?
It seems that almost every day we come across a story in a newspaper or magazine which raises concerns about the use, misuse, or overuse of a particular pharmaceutical remedy in the treatment of minor ailments, or serious medical conditions. Often these stories are quickly discredited as being ill-informed or based on insufficient evidence, perhaps medical opinion is divided, or particular experts in the field prefer to wait for an extended period of time, maybe years, in order to ascertain the safety, or otherwise of these commonly used remedies.
Are You Suffering From Chronic Constipation?
Embarrassing as it may be, we have all suffered from constipation at one time in our life or another. According to the National Health Interview Survey as many as 3 million Americans suffer from frequent if not chronic constipation.
Health Benefits of Green Tea
For over 3000 years, the Chinese have been using green tea to treat all sorts of ailments, such as headaches and gastronomic problems. With a growing number of scientific data, there is no doubt that green tea is as essential for maintaining good health.
Allergy Control: Reducing Airborne Allergens in Your Home
Those who are plagued by allergies are always struggling to diminish those irritants that cause watery eyes, runny noses and rashes that sometimes translate into full-blown hives. These and other symptoms can be brought about by a number of contaminants that infiltrate the very air that people breathe within their own homes.
Using Hypnotherapy to Beat IBS
Hypnotherapy is one of the best known and most widely used treatments for IBS, and can offer sufferers a drug-free solution to their symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain and bloating.There are now many hundreds of hypnotherapists who offer what is called "gut-directed hypnotherapy" for IBS, which takes the general techniques of hypnotherapy and applies them directly to the abdominal pain and digestive symptoms which IBS sufferers struggle with.
How to Treat Your Liver Right
The liver has many functions, but the one I will concentrate on is its ability to neutralize toxins we eat. The liver is responsible for making sure that nutrients reach your cells and blood is free of toxins and pathogens.
3 Quick Herbal Remedies
In recent years the issue of Alternative Healing has skyrocketed to the forefront of the medical field. A 2004 government survey concluded that more than one third of adults use alternative medicine and healing.
Storing, Handling And Using Essential Oils
Pure Essential Oils are a natural product and contain no preservatives or additives. A few of them can also be quite dangerous if not handled correctly.
The 5 Hidden Dangers In Toothpaste
A Must Read if You Have Children!Would you allow your family to brush their teeth with engine degreaser or rat poison? The fact is, they probably are and you don't even know it.Dental hygiene products that you and your children use every day may contain toxins that have been linked to cancer, blindness, and even death.
Hypnosis
HYPNOSIS is a state of induced but conscious sleep through the process of suggestion. Hypnosis must be readily accepted by the subject in order for the hypnosis to be achieved.
Some Tips on Stopping Smoking
Are you looking for tips on stopping smoking? And would you like to know what are some ways to help quit? Now let me remind you that when we come to the actual quitting process, that it is not going to be easy. Please do not consider yourself to be superhuman so be ready to get external help if you need it.
Feeling Helpless in the Face of Pain?
Here Are 4 Ways That Visualization May Be Able to Ease You Back into ControlUsing visualizations to reduce pain may be unlike anything else you've tried. It not only gives you the chance to feel better, but does so in a way that may be able to relieve your sense of helplessness.
10 Simple Ways to Naturally Increase Your Energy
1. Eat protein at every meal: One of the most important ways to keep your blood sugar balanced and energy levels high is to include protein at every meal, breakfast and snacks included.
Healing Through Stories
Stories are powerful. How many times have you heard a childbeg, *Tell me a story.
Essential Oils Blends and Uses
Better Living With Essential OilsPractical formulas you can use in Personal Care and Your EnvironmentPersonal Care - What Essential Oils can do for Your Skin:l Penetrate lower skin layers to work on moisturizing and healing.l Stimulate and regenerate skin cells, to heal skin damaged by sun, burns, wrinkles, or injury.
Acid Reflux and Heartburn Natural Remedies Part II
If you have acid reflux or heartburn, using natural remedies to rebalance your stomach is what nature intended. Listed are four natural remedies that you can use to rebalance the acid in your stomachCinnamonCinnamon has many medicinal uses aside from being great for various pastries.
Ayurveda - Principles & Practice
Ayurveda which has been evolved around 600 BC, apart from treating ailments concentrated more in its prevention. This was followed by the Aryans & Dravidians who were inhabiting India and has been practiced ever since.
Norepinephrine - A Factor in Fibromyalgia Pain That Your Subconscious May Be Able to Curb
Normally an inhibitor of pain, norepinephrine can produce pain as well--especially in the case of fibromyalgia. Your subconscious may be able to help counteract the effects of this pain-related brain chemical.
Dopamine Relieves Pain - Try Encouraging Your Subconscious To Supply It
Dopamine has long been known to be linked to positive experiences such as eating and sex. But it's now known to be released when you're in pain, so you may want to try increasing your supply of it--naturally.

More Alternative Information:

Related Articles

Constipation: the Fast, Easy Answer to Something No One Talks About
Everyone jokes about constipation, but it's no joke if you're the one suffering from it. And "suffering" is the right word for it! It's a miserable feeling.
Quick Tip for Runners Who Have Knee Pain
Running with knees that hurt and are not getting better trough time is no fun, and being addicted to running doesn't help either.Fortunately, pain isn't always a definite sign of tissue damage; instead it can be protective pain that is coming from entities called myofascial trigger points.
Crystal Healing - Do Crystal and Gemstone Healing Therapies Really Work?
Crystals and gemstones have been valued for centuries for their beauty and also for their healing powers. It is believed that the ancient Egyptians were advanced crystal healers.
Why Are Organic Bedding and Organic Cotton Products More Expensive?
At first glance it may seem strange that natural and organic bedding products, without industrial chemicals, toxins and pesticides, should cost more than conventional bedding.Remember that industrialization over the past century was developed to produce products as cheaply as possible, and as quickly as possible, for maximum profit.
Relaxation
We talk a lot about stress in our society, but very little about relaxation. Odd, isn't it? The ability to relax is, in my view, undervalued.
The Truth About Smokers Pleasure Paradox
Smokers love excuses. Nothing makes them happier than, 'I can't quit because?'.
Arthritis and Aromatherapy
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints and is characterized by pain, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of movement and at a more serious stage deformity.Aromatherapy is a holistic approach to health and wellness by means of aromatic, plant derived scents.
Chelation and Clathration
Chelating is the process of removing toxic materials, metals and minerals from the body by use of certain chelating agents. These are substances that bond with the toxic materials resulting in capsulation of those toxic materials within the chelating agent that then flashes away through the natural excretory process of cleaning the body waste.
Spring Cleaning with Nontoxic Cleaners
Spring cleaning goes beyond normal everyday cleaning. It's a major project of home revitalization: to make everything new by removing dust and dirt, to make sure everything is in good repair, and to put things in order, so that you will have everything in your household in working condition for the coming year.
Ganoderma the Miracle Herb - Can It Help You?
Let us see if Ganoderma which has been discribed as the "miracle herb" can help you with your health regime.Ganoderma is a type of mushroom that has been know to the far east for thousands of years for its meraculous medicinal properties.
The Macrobiotic Approach To Health And Wellness
It may be an ordinary dance studio during the week, but on Sunday mornings this little room in Toronto's west end is transformed by the smells of steamed vegetables, seaweed and miso into Anna Rosenberg's Macro Mornings cooking class. Here Rosenberg provides her students with a basic introduction to macrobiotic cooking.
Wild Medicine and Tansy Cakes
It started with the Tansy cakes. I had to ask myself 'Why would anyone eat anything so utterly disgusting in taste'? Chrysanthemum Vulgare is a common perennial in the British Isles and the name Tansy is said to be derived from the Greek 'athansia', meaning 'immortal'.
What are Some Benefits For Quitting Smoking?
There are immediate benefits for quitting smoking. Within eight hours after you quit, the level of dangerous carbon monoxide gas in the blood returns to normal.
Mental Anchors
Have you ever noticed when you remember something pleasant in your past, that your current mood changes to a happy mood? Or when you remember a troubling thought, you become more agitated and your mood becomes full of negative thoughts?When you are in a highly emotional state of mental thoughts and feelings, your mind creates "links" or "anchors" to things that you may see, hear, feel, touch or any other sense you can imagine. If, for instance, you are in a loving, caring mood, feeling loved, feeling great and you hear a song a few times, your mind links or anchors that song to those feelings.
Stuttering Child
Children can develop a stutter at an early age and for the parents it can be a very worrying time.It is difficult to know what to do.
Your Home is a Toxic Waste Dump!
Did you know that the household and beauty products that you purchase at your local store are unhealthy for your family? You probably don't know this because the chemical and manufacturing industries don't have to provide us with this information. Of course, many of these chemicals were originally intended to enhance our lifestyles.
A Better Hope for Alcohol & Drug Problems
People with alcohol and drug problems have been done a disservice by being labeled "diseased." Although that viewpoint has helped caregivers become more compassionate, it has also given many people the mistaken belief that they cannot be helped.
Does A Compulsive Gambler Really Want To Stop Gambling?
This question most gamblers ask themselves when they begin to realize gambling has affected their lives.Most gamblers intent is not to lose all their money, but rather to win big and buy all those materialist items they have always dreamed of.
Why Most People Dont Really Want to Heal (Part 2)
The story so far..
Diet Food Stinks!
One big thing that can keep you from eating healthy is the idea of the food. People often think it sucks and doesn't taste good.