The Sanskrit word “ayurveda” means the science or knowledge of life. The roots of Ayurvedic medicine, one of the oldest forms known to mankind, are in India and it’s estimated to be between 5,000 and 15,000 years old.
In its simplest form, Ayurveda sees each individual as a unique expression of life. Therefore, each person must be treated differently. First you must identify your body type: vata (ether and air), pitta (fire and water), kapha (water and earth) or a blend of these types. Our body types determine how our senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, and sound) respond to stimuli. We must be aware of those differences to maintain balance in our body.
For example, a vata individual who has a predominance of ether and air in their constitution needs to bring more warmth and grounding into their life so as not to become too “spacey.” Eating warm, moist, heavy foods, having oil massages daily, spending time in meditation and doing yoga poses in a slow meditative manner will help to balance the vata nature.
In contrast, a pitta person has a lot of fire and warmth in their nature. When out of balance, they’re prone to anger and diseases of the blood and circulatory system. They need to avoid hot, spicy foods and highly competitive work or sports. A kapha person needs to move, since their primary elements are water and earth.
Ayurveda focuses on diet and lifestyle practices to maintain harmony and health. A lifetime of disrupting our true nature causes most disease. By paying attention to who we are and incorporating a daily routine of correct diet, exercise, spiritual practices and routines to soothe our senses, we can live a fully healthy life. ©
This article appears in Apr 3-9, 2002.