Ayurvedic Medicine

What is Ayurvedic medicine?

Ayurvedic medicine is not just a form of massage therapy, but it is also important form of medicine to understand because many forms of bodywork and massage therapy are based on the same principles as Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic Medicine has been practiced for over 2500 years (the word Ayurveda technically means “knowledge of longevity”) and the purpose is to restore and maintain the three main doshas in the body to achieve health, wellness and longevity of life. Ayurvedic medicine achieves this through diet, exercise, and more.

What are doshas?

In order for you to understand how Ayurvedic medicine works, you must first understand the basis of its principles. Doshas, as mentioned above, are comprised of one or more of the five elements of nature. These five elements, as mentioned in other forms of medicine and therapy, are earth, fire, water, air, and ether (space). These are the elements that make up doshas, and there are three doshas in the body. The three doshas, including their name, the elements they consist of, and what effects they have on the body are listed below:

• Vata is one of the three main doshas in Ayurvedic medicine, and it is “wind”.
  Vata is a combination of the two elements ether and air. It is associated with lightness and flowing movement (just as space and air are), which means that vata encompasses movement throughout the body, including circulation of blood and other fluids, as well as the way that thoughts move throughout the brain. People who are mostly influenced by vata are said to be restless, active and very creative.
• Pitta is another of the three main doshas in Ayurvedic medicine and it is “bile”.
  Some descriptions say that pitta is made up of just fire, while others say it is made up of water as well as fire. Pitta is the one of the doshas that is related to transformation within the body (think food digestion and other metabolic activities). People whose main influence in their body is pitta are usually very adaptable, competitive and aggressive when necessary.
• Kapha is the last of the three doshas in Ayurvedic medicine, and it is “phlegm”.
  Kapha is made up of earth and water combined and it is what supplies strength, stability and healing within the body. People who are mainly kapha are usually very muscular and their personalities are often very tranquil and stable.

Together, the three doshas are termed TRIDOSHA - The natural constitution of a person’s doshas in their body is known as their prakriti. Everyone is born with a unique prakriti, and each person has one dosha that is more prevalent than the other two. When this natural prakriti is disturbed—which can happen through pollutants such as the wrong diet, sleep habits, lifestyle, etc.—illness is able to develop. The goal of Ayurvedic medicine is to restore a person’s natural prakriti to be able to achieve health and wellness, as well as to heal from illnesses.

What does Ayurvedic treatment consist of?

When you first visit an Ayurvedic doctor, known as a vaidya, they will try to assess what your tridosha is (the balance of all your doshas together), as well as what your prakriti is (the balance of doshas that is natural for your body that you were born with). The vaidya will use a variety of methods to determine these two things, including discussing every detail with you about your health, your daily habits, your spirituality, and more. The Ayurvedic doctor will also study your body for signs of your tridosha and prakriti, including such things as taking your pulse, studying your tongue, nails, and more. In some cases, the vaidya will also rely on lab work (such as blood or urine testing) to help in determining this.

Once the vaidya has determined what your doshic balance is and what it should be, there are two main forms of treatment that are used in Ayurvedic medicine: constitutional and therapeutic.

• Constitutional treatment of Ayurveda—known as panchakarma, constitutional treatment of Ayurvedic medicine has the goal of purifying the body and the mind so that the body’s natural energy flows properly (known in Ayurveda as prana). The other main goal is to harmonize the prakriti so that the body is better able to attain and maintain good health. In order to achieve this, panchakarma may last anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks and is a five-step intense process. It will include a variety of methods, including massages, herbal treatments, adjustment of diet and sleep habits, and breathing techniques.
• Therapeutic treatment of Ayurveda—according to Ayurvedic medicine, all illness begins in the gastrointestinal tract, so the therapeutic part of Ayurvedic medicine focuses on proper digestion and dietary changes. The belief is that certain foods can either enhance or weaken the doshas, so part of therapeutic treatment may also include ridding the body of toxins brought to it by certain foods, including such methods as induced therapeutic vomiting, herbal enemas and bloodletting. These are all intended to cleanse the body. Then dietary changes are made and Ayurvedic medicines may be taken.

Once treatment with Ayurvedic medicine has been successful, it is important that the patient continue to stay in close contact with the doctor so that the patient’s doshic balance can be monitored continuously and any changes in regimens or therapies can be made when necessary.

What are the benefits of Ayurvedic medicine?

The main focus of Ayurvedic medicine is for wellness and longevity, but it is also said to have other benefits:

• Pain relief—there are many forms of pain that Ayurvedic medicine can help relieve, including acute or chronic pain, as well as pain from chronic illnesses, such as arthritis.
• Healing—by eliminating the body of its outside toxins, Ayurvedic medicine is said to help the body heal itself of many illnesses. It also allows the body to heal because of the way that it helps restore proper energy flow within the body. Many of the illnesses that Ayurvedic medicine is said to help with is any form of stress-related illnesses. Perhaps this is because of the many breathing techniques and massage that are performed. This allows for more relaxation within the body, which leads to less stress, therefore fewer stress-related illnesses (such as heart conditions).
• Addiction relief—one of the many benefits Ayurvedic medicine has been noted for is its assistance in recovering from heroin addiction. This is possibly achieved because of the way that the body is cleansed so intensely and quickly. Since the body rids itself faster of the toxin (the heroin), the withdrawals do not last as long, making it easier for the patient to stick to recovery.

What are some of the risks associated with Ayurvedic medicine?

The most important thing for anyone considering Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment option to know is that there is no set regulation on Ayurvedic medicine. Because until recently it was not a popular or well-known form of treatment in the Western world, there has not been a regular monitored form of certification for Ayurvedic medicine. It is steadily increasing in popularity, and this may change soon, but currently there is no licensing method and no set requirements for a person to be able to call themselves an Ayurvedic doctor. This makes it very hard to know what a person’s credentials are or if they have really had any training whatsoever.

Another thing that patients need to be aware of is that, while the treatments used in Ayurvedic medicine are all natural, some are harmful. Many of the preparations that are used to make up some Ayurvedic medicines are composed of such substances as lead, arsenic and mercury. These substances are termed inactive, but the harm of these products on the body has not been tested.

Also, it is always best to see a traditional medicinal doctor before receiving any form of Ayurvedic treatment. Some conditions within the body may not react well to induced cleansing (such as bloodletting or forced vomiting), and it is important that your doctor be aware of what you are considering. If you are taking any medication, and your Ayurvedic doctor feels that you should not be taking that medication (to cleanse your body of outside influences that may interfere with your doshic balance), do not stop taking medication without the approval from your medical doctor. It is very important when receiving Ayurvedic treatments to remember that there was no schooling required for this doctor to be practicing, and the medical doctor is regulated and monitored not only in training but in every step he takes later as well.

Once you have considered all of the above risks of Ayurvedic medicine and all the benefits that Ayurvedic medicine has to offer, you can start enjoying a healthier lifestyle today by scheduling your first Ayurvedic treatment.