Ayurveda, a Sanskrit word meaning “the science of life”, is India’s 5,000 year old medical system. It is often referred to as Yoga’s “sister science” as both are rooted in the Vedas, the spiritual doctrines of ancient India. Traditionally, Yoga teaches us how to balance our psychological body and our mind. Ayurveda, with its focus on diet, lifestyle, and herbal medicine, teaches us how to balance our physical body.

The overarching goal of Ayurveda is to maintain health in a healthy person and restore health in an unhealthy person, and emphasis is always on prevention.

The scope of Ayurveda is vast and encompasses diet and nutrition, the use of medicinal herbs, lifestyle and daily routine, physical activity, meditation, rest and relaxation, detoxification and rejuvenation therapies.

At Turiya Holistic Health, we work with clients to implement diet and lifestyle changes, herbal medicine, Yoga therapy, aromatherapy, and detoxification when necessary.

Ayurveda is commonly used in cases of digestive disorder, anxiety, depression, weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and women’s health issues.

What differentiates Ayurveda from other schools of medicine is the concept of the “tri-dosha”. As with other ancient healing systems, Ayurveda is based on element theory and the belief that we are a reflection of nature. Therefore, the five elements that predominate in nature – Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space – also predominate in us. When these elements take on a human form, they form what is called a dosha, or a metabolic force. The doshas govern all physiological and psychological processes in a living being.

There are three doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – which are known as the “tri-dosha”. All three doshas are present, to a varying degree, in every human being. The predominance of one (or more) of the doshas determines an individual’s unique metabolic type, known in Ayurveda as prakruti. Prakruti is determined at the time of conception and is considered one’s state of perfect balance. However, the doshas are in a constant state of flux being influenced by factors such as our diet, lifestyle, mental attitude, genetics, environment, season, and even time of day. Care must be taken to keep the doshas in balance and as close to prakruti as possible. If this does not happen, the doshas become out of balance and if not tended to, lead to disease.

Want to learn more about your metabolic type? Click here to determine your prakruti – quiz provided by Banyan Botanicals.