Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient system of natural medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. The word “Ayurveda” comes from Sanskrit:

• “Ayur” means life

• “Veda” means knowledge or science
  Together, it translates to “the science of life.”

Core Principles of Ayurveda

Ayurveda sees health as a balance between the body, mind, spirit, and environment. Rather than just treating symptoms, it aims to treat the root cause and maintain harmony within the body.

1. The Three Doshas (Constitution Types)

According to Ayurveda, each person is made up of a unique combination of three biological energies or doshas:

• Vata (air + space): movement, creativity, communication

• Pitta (fire + water): digestion, metabolism, transformation

• Kapha (earth + water): structure, stability, nourishment

Your dominant dosha (or mix) determines your body type, personality, and health tendencies. Imbalance among doshas is believed to lead to disease.

2. Five Elements

Ayurveda is based on the belief that everything in nature, including us, is composed of five elements:

• Earth

• Water

• Fire

• Air

• Ether (space)

These elements combine to form the doshas and influence physical and mental characteristics.