| Ayurveda I. What is Ayurveda? Ayurveda is a complete system of health for the body, mind, and spirit which has been practiced in India and Sri Lanka for over 3,000 years. there are 8 branches of ayurvedic medicine which are practically integrated on every level. They include: Surgery,medicine,gynecology,pediatric,toxicology,otorhinlaryngology,rejuvination,virilification therapy. Ayruveda has turned into a thrviving science with more the 500 new hospitals and companies set up in India in the last 10 years alone. Orthodox physicians now work hand in hand with Ayruvedic ones. The basic Ayurvedic belief is that everything within the universe, including ourselves, is composed of various combinations of the five elements and that there are three forces ( called Tridoshas) through which these elements are manifested. In order to stay healthy, we must maintain the natural balance of all these elements. treatment for the ailing is aimed at restoring the disturbed mechanism. II. Diagnosing the problem. Examination of the patient may involve the ten-fold examination and/or the eightfold examination. These help to evaluate the strength of the disease. The ten-fold examination involves 1) body constitution 2) Pathological site 3) Tissue vitality 4) Physical Build 5) Body measurement 6) Adaptability 7) Psychic constitution 8) Digestive capacity 9) Capacity for exercise 10) Age The eight-fold examination involves 1)examination of the pulse 2)examination of the tounge 3)examination of the skin 4)examination of the eye 5) examination of general apearance 6) examination of urine 7)examination of the stool 8) examination of the blood. Major differences between the two examinations are basically this: in the ten-fold you are measuring things you cant see visably , in the eight-fold you are examining things you can see. III. Treatment Ayurveda treatment consists of prevention treatment,internal cures,external cures,surgery,and psycotherapy prescribed jointly or seperately depending upon the disease, its prognosis and the state of the patient. Prevention Treatment includes personal hygiene rejuvination,virilification(aphrodisiacs) Yoga. Internal cures include purification(enema,blood letting) External cures include massage,application of pastes and powders,various gargles and physilotherapy. Surgery rarely preformed today but records reveal wide sucessful uses in the past. Psycotherapy is the spiritual aspect. It is also based on restraining the mind frome desires for unwholesome objects and the cultivation of concentration, courage and memory. IV. Causes of Disease In Ayurvedic medicine an imbalance of the doshas that govern and indeed makeup our physical and mental health is responsible for disease. Imbalance has three causes 1) The abnormal of unhealthy contact of sense organs. Rightful perception is the result of coordinating your sensory apparatus with your mind and soul. As long as external stimuli are within normal limits, and the response of your body is also within physiological limits, it is suitable for your body and wholesome contact. Only when the stimuli exceeds the normal range do they become stressful and the body responds abnormally. 2) Errors in Judgement This category includes all misconducts following from misconceptions of the intellect. Overuse,disuse and misuse when it comes to ones body,mind and speech lead to stress on the body and mind, ultimately causing inbalance of the doshas and development of diseases. Misuse of the body includes supression of natural urges,indulgences in rash acts, overindulgences in sex acts, moving in improper places and at improper times and abusing the body. Misuse of speech includes indulgence in language that is untrue, unpleasant, incoherent, harsh and quarrelsome. Misuse of your mind includes giving way to fear,grief,envy and disrespect. 3) Influence of Time and Season Season and other time factors relate to the process intimately. The year is classified into three periods: winter,summer,and rain. When a seasons characteristics are exaggerated this is season excess. When its characteristics are less than normal, this is deficiency. When a season has features that are contradictory to its nature it is said to be an abnormality. So if a situation occured where all these erros of season were present, it would result in an imbalance of doshas and ultimately a manifestation of disease. How to put it all together now! You have come across a few familiar words in the previous sections. Now it is my turn to make this all english for you and have it make sense. Stay with me the painful part is over i swear. Panchamahabutas ( or bhutas) In Ayurveda , the five elements collectively are called Panchamahabhutas. All matter in the universe is made up of the 5 in various proportions. The 5 elements are Water, Air, Space, Earth and Fire. They combine with the soul under the forces of the Tridoshas to create a living being. each bhuta has specific qualities and inherent qualities. Water is in plasma, saliva, digestivejices, the mucus membranes and cytoplasm( or cell water) Earth manifests in the solid structures such as the bones,nails,teeth,muscles,cartilage,tendons and hair. Space corresponds to the spaces in the body, the mouth,nose,thorax,abdomen,and respiratory tract. Air is the element of movement so it represent muscular movement,pulsation,expansion and contracting of lungs,intestines, and cellular movement. Fire controls enzyme functioning,shows itself as intellegence,fuels the body, and regulates metabolism( burn that fat off! lol) Now with that in yer head ( and you got all that right? ) you can see how it all ties into the tridoshas. Tridoshas The tridoshas or three doshas are the most basic factors that make up the human body and govern function and structure. when we are healthy our doshas are in balance, meaning that they are where they should be in relation to one another, not that they are equal. Vata People who have a dominant vata dosha are referred to as vata people. First site: they are very light and fine boned and may be irregular in proportions Hand Shake: hands are cool, dry, and boney. Shake is gentle, airy and quick Hug: Bodies feel unstable,bony Hair: dry,wild,wiry Movement: float or fly around like a butterfly or a bee Skin: dry, especially lips , fingertips ,elbows and feet Speech: Light,fast, proficient,very chatty Mood: varies quickly. naturally creative and enthusiastic Spending habits: they believe money is for spending and do so Lifestyle: spontanious , love to travel Sensitivities: Pain,noise,cold Kapha First site: classic earth mothers and godfathers. solid and square built Hand shake: hands are cool,moist and fleshy. Shake carries caring and reassurance Hug: Warm earthy feel...naturally giving and suportive Hair: thick heavy and warm Skin: rich cool and velvety Speech: round rich tones..deliberate Mood: steady stable reliable Spending habits: prefer to save but will splurge on luxuries Lifestyle; routine lovers,loyal customers Sensitivities: aromas and minor discomforts Pitta First site: atheletic,well balance formes Handshake: hadn is warm firm and delibrate in grip Hug: given out of mutual admiration and respect can seem strong( bear huggers) Hair: fine,prematurely grey of thinning Movement: confident,deliberate,powerful Skin: sensitive to sun,easily freckle,have an oily t-zone Speech: sharp and direct Mood: intelectual type,punctual and professional Spending habits: interested in top of the line quality is important. Lifestyle: intense about everything, self-disciplined had workers Sensitivites: light heat humidity So here how the do it ( BIG BIG SECRET) Find your ruling tridosha or personality type. ( each one has its specific inherited traits for disease such as high blood pressure ,obesity,etc.) Go through one of the examinations to figure out what is it that is out of balance. Figure out which element that is associated with the dis-ease. ( for example if you have a kidney infection it would be Air for movement) Find the element which cancels out the element that is in overuse ( For the kidneys it would be earth because Solids fill air) Then find the imbalance that caused it ( Error in judgement,abnormal contact of sense organs,influence of time and season) and dont repeat it :0 I know this is a lot of information to absorb but if you have any questions you may always contact me . Lady Sewy | 
