Ayurveda

HealthHerbsAndNutrition.com > Information > Ayurveda

India is the birthplace of Ayurveda, the oldest medical system known to man. It is still very much in use today and is actually getting stronger by the day. Ayurveda takes a holistic approach in which health is seen in terms of the whole being. This holistic approach to health is designed to help people live long, healthy, and well-balanced lives.

The term Ayurveda is taken from the Sanskrit words ayus, meaning life or lifespan, and veda, meaning knowledge. Born on the banks of the river Indus, Ayurveda has been practiced in India for over 5,000 years and has only recently became popular in Western cultures. It was greatly influenced by the Hindu philosophy and the "contemporary" form of Ayurvedic medicine is mostly derived from several sacred Indian texts which were written in Sanskrit between 1500 BC and 400 AD. At first, the knowledge was passed on orally by the spiritual teachers, but from around the 8th century, it was gradually set out in a number of medical treatises. It spread throughout Asia during the 1st and 2nd century AD and also influenced other medical traditions, particularly those in Tibet and China.

The basic principle of Ayurveda is to prevent illness by maintaining balance in the body, mind, and consciousness through proper drinking, diet, and lifestyle, as well as herbal remedies.

From a Western medical perspective, there are two main types of Ayurveda: traditional and Maharishi, latter being a version of traditional Ayurveda based on translations from the classical texts by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. However, both types of Ayurvedic practitioners prescribe herbs and believe that disease results from an imbalance in the doshas (as described below), and generally use the same remedies for treating illness. Maharishi Ayurveda, however, stresses more on the role of supreme consciousness in maintaining good health, and promotes Transcendental Meditation (TM) as a method for experiencing the pure consciousness of the universe. Maharishi Ayurveda also highlights the need to express positive emotions and to attune your life to the natural rhythms of the body.

Concept of Ayurveda

According to Ayurveda, each person has a distinct pattern of energy - a specific combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. It is also believed that there are three basic energy types called doshas, present in every person and good health depends on a harmonious relationship between these three fundamental forces of energy:

»

Vata : The principle of air and movement. Energy that regulates bodily functions associated with motion including blood circulation, breathing, blinking, and the beating of the heart. Balance in vata energy results in creativity and vitality. Otherwise, it produces fear and anxiety.

»

Pitta : The principle of fire and transformation. Energy that governs the body's metabolic systems including digestion, absorption, nutrition, and body temperature. Balance of pitta promotes contentment and intelligence. Out of balance pitta can cause ulcers and also arouse anger.

»

Kapha : The principle of water, which ensures cohesion and support. Energy that controls growth in the body. It supplies water to all body parts, moisturizes the skin, and maintains the immune system. In balance, kapha is expressed as love and forgiveness. Out of balance, kapha leads to insecurity and envy, excess weight and lethargy.

At birth all people receive a personal combination of doshas, which determines their basic physical constitution and susceptibility to illness. Ayurveda takes into account the temperament conferred by the doshas as well as an individual’s current emotional state and way of life.

Although, people have all the three doshas, vata, pitta, and kapha, but usually one or two are dominant in a given individual. A lot of factors can disturb this dosha balance such as stress, an unhealthy diet, the weather, and strained family relationships. Such disturbance is then manifested in the body as disease. Ayurveda then prescribes treatments designed to bring the doshas back into balance.

Ayurvedic medicines are basically based on plants. There are more than 1,250 plants that are used in Ayurveda. Patients are given their own personal herb mixture which is to be used in the form of poultices, infusions, pills or lotions. For example, someone with a kapha temperament will be treated with capsicum and ginger. Someone with pitta temperament will be treated with chirreta or dandelion root which will never be given to those of vata type. Similarly, rosemary will be prescribed to those of vata type but never to the pitta type, for whom rosemary will be considered as very hot a herb.

From a Western medical perspective, relief of stress appears to be one of the ways that Ayurveda works to help fight illness. For example, studies have found that Transcendental Meditation, a component of Maharishi Ayurveda, reduces anxiety. Other studies have found that Ayurveda lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, slows the aging process, and speeds recovery from illness. The herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine often have antioxidant effects, which means that they may help protect against the damage from free radicals (by-products of normal metabolism in the body) like long term illnesses such as heart disease and arthritis. Many Ayurvedic practitioners also recommend a vegetarian diet, which is believed to be better for your heart than diets containing red meat.

What should I expect from an Ayurvedic treatment ?

Ayurvedic treatment focuses on rebalancing the doshas. On your first visit, the practitioner will take a detailed medical history, check your pulse, palpate your abdomen, examine your tongue, eyes, nails, and skin, and listen to the tone of your voice. He or she will also ask you questions about your general state of health with special focus on your lifestyle, diet, habits, and environmental surroundings. Based on this assessment, he or she will then make recommendations on how to restore your natural dosha balance, which almost always includes changes in lifestyle, particularly diet. Practitioners draw from more than 20 types of treatment, but the most commonly prescribed include:

»

Pranayama : Breathing exercises. Practicing pranayama generates feelings of calmness.

»

Abhyanga : Rubbing the skin with herbalized oil (usually sesame oil is the base) to increase blood circulation and draw toxins out of the body through the skin.

»

Yoga : Combining pranayama, movement, and meditation has been shown to improve circulation and digestion, and to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels, anxiety, and chronic pain.

»

Pancha Karma : Cleansing the body of toxins to purify the body and reduce cholesterol. Practitioners use methods to induce sweat, bowel movements, and even vomit in an effort to cleanse the body of toxins.

»

Herbal Medicines : Prescribing herbs to restore dosha balance.

Most effective uses of Ayurveda

Ayurvedic medicines are considered excellent in preventing diseases before they occur. Some of the most famous and widespread uses of Ayurveda are in:

»

Atherosclerosis : Atherosclerosis is a slow, complex disease in which fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This build-up, also known as plaque, can lead to heart attack and stroke. Studies suggest that Ayurveda is particularly effective at reducing the risk of heart disease. This is achieves by reducing plaque and reversing the thickening of artery walls known as atherosclerosis in both healthy adults as well as adults at high risk for heart disease.

»

Atherosclerosis : Atherosclerosis is a slow, complex disease in which fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This build-up, also known as plaque, can lead to heart attack and stroke. Studies suggest that Ayurveda is particularly effective at reducing the risk of heart disease. This it achieves by reducing plaque and reversing the thickening of artery walls known as atherosclerosis in both healthy adults as well as adults at high risk for heart disease.

»

»

High cholesterol and triglycerides levels - Guggulipid (Commiphora mukul), a traditional Ayurvedic medication is used to treat high cholesterol in India. It effectively lowers the cholesterol by blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver. Similarly, fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) seeds can decrease LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase HDL cholesterol levels. These effects seem to be due to reduced intestinal absorption of cholesterol, and may be related to the high fiber content of the seed.

Arthritis : Combining yoga with an Ayurvedic herbal remedy containing Winter cherry (Withania somnifera), Boswellia (Boswellia serrata), and Turmeric (Curcuma longa) can reduce pain and disability if you have arthritis.

»

Diabetes : Fenugreek seeds may also help control your blood sugars if you have diabetes, again because of the high fiber content.

Other diseases with effective Ayurvedic treatments available are : Alzheimer's disease, anxiety, asthma, dementia, dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation), herpes, high blood pressure, Parkinson's disease, perimenopausal problems, and premenstrual syndrome, amongst many other conditions. Ayurvedic herbs combined with conventional medications may also be helpful for acne, chronic constipation, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, and uterine fibroids.

Common Ayurvedic herbs and their uses

Some of the most widely used (including in the western world) Ayurvedic herbs and their respective medicinal uses (diseases) are:

»

Ashwagandha (Withania somniferum) – Immune function, Osteoarthritis, Stress

»

Chiretta or Andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) - Common cold, Immune function, Infection, Dysentery, HIV infection, Indigestion, Viral hepatitis

»

Bacopa or Brahmi Nir (Jal Brahmi) or water hyssop (Bacopa monniera) - Alzheimer's disease, Anxiety, ARCD, Epilepsy

»

Boswellia or Salai guggal (Boswellia serrata) - Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative, colitis, Bursitis

»

Coleus or Makandi (Coleus forskohlii) - Asthma (forskolin), Glaucoma (forskolin), Cardiomyopathy (forskolin), Congestive heart failure, Hypertension (forskolin), Obesity, Psoriasis

»

Fenugreek or Danamethi (Trigonella foenum-graecum) - High cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, Atherosclerosis, High triglycerides, Constipation, Type 1 diabetes

»

Ginger or Adrak (Zingiber officinale) - Morning sickness, Motion sickness, Osteoarthritis, Epilepsy (in combination with bupleurum, peony root, pinellia root, cassia bark, jujube fruit, Asian ginseng root, Asian scullcap root, and licorice root), Indigestion, Irritable bowel syndrome (Chinese herbal combination formula containing wormwood, ginger, bupleurum, schisandra, dan shen, and other extracts), Nausea and vomiting following surgery, Nausea following chemotherapy, Pre- and post-surgery health, Vertigo, Atherosclerosis, Hay fever (Sho-seiryu-to: contains licorice, cassia bark, schisandra, ma huang [ephedra], ginger, peony root, pinellia, and asiasarum root), HIV support (in combination with bupleurum, peony root, pinellia root, cassia bark, ginger root, jujube fruit, Asian ginseng root, Asian scullcap root, and licorice root), Low back pain, Migraine headaches, Rheumatoid arthritis

»

Gotu Kola or Brahmi mandukparni (Centella asiatica) - Chronic venous insufficiency, Skin ulcers (topical and by intramuscular injection), Wound healing, Burns (minor), Scars, Scleroderma, Varicose veins

»

Guggul or Gugulipid or Gum guggulu (Commiphora mukul) - High triglycerides, Acne vulgaris, Atherosclerosis, High cholesterol, Osteoarthritis, Obesity

»

Gymnema or Gurmarbooti or Gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre) - Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes

»

Licorice or Mulethi (Glycyrrhiza glabra, Glycyrrhiza uralensis) - Infection, Peptic ulcer (chewable DGL), Canker sores (DGL), Colic (in combination with vervain, fennel and lemon balm), Epilepsy (in combination with bupleurum, peony root, pinellia root, cassia bark, ginger root, jujube fruit, Asian ginseng root, and Asian scullcap root), Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (DGL), Hepatitis (intravenous glycyrrhizin), HIV support, Infections (viral), Asthma, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Cold sores (topical), Cough, Crohn’s disease, Eczema, Gastritis, Genital herpes (topical), Hay fever (Sho-seiryu-to: contains licorice, cassia bark, schisandra, ma huang [ephedra], ginger, peony root, pinellia, and asiasarum root), Hepatitis (oral glycyrrhizin), Indigestion and heartburn (DGL), Melasma (topical liquirtin), Menopause, Shingles (herpes zoster)/postherpetic neuralgia (topical gel), Ulcerative colitis

»

Myrrh (Commiphora molmol) - Gingivitis (periodontal disease) (as mouthwash, in combination with sage, peppermint oil, menthol, chamomile tincture, expressed juice from echinacea, clove oil, and caraway oil), Parasites (schistosomiasis), Canker sores, Cold sores, Common cold/sore throat, Halitosis (rinse), Infection, Pap smear (abnormal), Ulcerative colitis

»

Neem or Nim, nimmi, vepa, tamarkha, kohomba, margosa tree, Indian lilac (Azadirachta indica, Melia azadirachta) - Gingivitis (periodontal disease), Peptic ulcer, Tooth decay, Vaginitis

»

Phyllanthus or Bahupatra or Bhuiamla (Phyllanthus niruri) - Hepatitis, pain

»

Picrorhiza or Kutki or Katuka (Picrorhiza kurroa) - Asthma, Vitiligo, Hepatitis (acute viral), Indigestion, Infection, Rheumatoid arthritis

»

Psyllium or Flea seed or Ispaghula or Spogel (Plantago ovata, Plantago ispaghula) - Constipation, Diverticular disease, High cholesterol, Irritable bowel syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, Atherosclerosis, Diarrhea, Hemorrhoids, High triglycerides, Ulcerative colitis (to maintain remission), Parkinson’s disease (for constipation), Weight loss and obesity

»

Turmeric or Haldi or Curcumin (Curcuma longa) - Indigestion, Rheumatoid arthritis, Anterior uveitis (chronic), Atherosclerosis, Bursitis, Crohn's disease, Genital herpes (topical), HIV support, Inflammation, Low back pain, Osteoarthritis (in combination with boswellia, ashwagandha, and zinc), Pre- and post-surgery health, Ulcerative colitis

»

Tylophora or Indian ipecac (Tylophora indica, Tylophora asthmatica) - Asthma, Diarrhea, Hay fever