Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine on earth, with its legends saying that its principles were being passed down to humans from Gods. It is generally accepted to be the forerunner of the greatest healing systems of the world.
In Ayurvedic pratice, everything in life is composed of a combination of the five basic elements; fire, earth, water, air and ether. If you can achieve a balance of these elements, you can achieve both physical and mental wellbeing, but if you have an excess of one or more elements, this can be the cause of imbalance and illness.
Basically, in ayurveda, each person is characterised as one of 3 “dosha’s”, or bioenergies, which are various combinations of the five elements.
Vata
Is a combination of ether and air. Usually thin, agile, quick-thinking and restless, Vata’s require routine and stability to balance their elements. They should aim to participate in calming, low impact exercise, like yoga and walking, and should avoid loud music, flashing lights and video games. Vata’s should never eat dry food, frozen foods or leftovers, should eat at regular times and their diet should be warm and nourishing with plenty of salty, sour and sweet tastes. Vata’s need warmth in all senses, need to avoid late nights and losing sleep and should learn to express their feelings to reduce the risk of aggravating their dosha.
Pitta
Is a combination of fire with water. Usually of medium build, competitive and display good leadership, Pitta’s should aim to introduce a little spontaneity into their lives. Pitta’s need to keep cool, especially when outside, and get out in the fresh air as much as possible. Be wary of being too goal-oriented or too focused on an objective, as Pitta’s thrive on a challenge, hate being bored and love competition. Pitta’s should watch their diet with great care and avoid oily and greasy foods, caffeine, salt, red meat, alcohol and highly spiced foods. Pitta is hot and Pitta people need to cool themselves down, so anything that may cause them to be hot – such as chilli spices, oils, salts etc – should be avoided.
Kapha
Is a combination of water and earth. Kapha’s are larger framed, more placid in nature and have great reserves of strength and endurance; but are also great hoarders of many aspects, including weight, people and emotions. They need to allow change, unpredictability and excitement into their life and let go of routine- change the furniture around, vary the route to work, try a new sport – to shake up their dosha and give a good energy boost. Kapha’s need to avoid iced food and drinks, cut right down on sweet things and don’t eat too much bread. Mucus is usually a problem for Kapha’s, so dairy should be avoided, and most are gluten and wheat intolerant. Kapha’s need to aim for a hot, light, dry diet.
Take this Dosha Quiz to see which Dosha you are!
The aim of an ayurvedic practioner is to balance all the elements into perfect balance so perfect health can follow, using a combination of lifestyle advice, diet, exercise, massage and herbal medicines. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing are highly recommended.
AYURVEDIC philosophy is incredibly intricate and takes years of study to begin to comprehend, but ayurvedic medicine can achieve wonderful results in the hands of an experienced practitioner. Ayurveda aims to help:
Digestive problems – including ulcers, gastritis, indigestion, heartburn, constipation and flatulence
Gynaecological problems – such as menstrual and menopausal symptoms
Weight loss , gain and maintenance
Skin complaints – such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and acne
Allergic conditions – such as asthma, hayfever and sinus problems
Joint pain – including chronic pain, muscle tension, sciatica, arthritis and osteoporosis
Psychosomatic illness – such as sleep disturbances, migraine, tension headaches, depression and anxiety
Heart and blood circulation problems
Addictions – alcohol, smoking and drugs.
The range of ayurvedic treatments is vast and include body treatment and lifestyle changes. It can be a tough therapy to take because, to achieve the best results, one must be totally dedicated to following the guidance of your practitioner.
Interested in learning more about a career in Natural Therapies? Visit the AIAS website to find out more about their courses in Natural Therapy!
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