Have you heard about Ayurveda? A lot of people consider that it's just an excellent spa treatment. This article will explain how much more is hidden in ancient Ayurveda studies, what Ayurvedic nutrition is about, and how it can help your body.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a thousand years old health science originating from India. The translation of the term from Sanskrit means the "science of life." In India and Nepal, Ayurveda is a science in medicine in its own right, and 80% of the population report using it nowadays.
The central idea of the Ayurvedic teaching is to maintain people's general health and heal existing diseases. At the same time, Ayurveda also promotes mental well-being: our body, mind, and soul play together at the center of this worldview.
Ayurvedic Basic Elements and Doshas
Ether (space), fire, air, earth, and water form the five essential elements of this worldview. Ayurvedic teaching uses these elements to describe the concept of the doshas.
Doshas are the Ayurvedic life energies that strive for a balanced interaction of the mental and physical units:
- Vata = air and ether (space)
- Pitta = fire and water
- Kapha = earth and water
By examining your tongue and pulse, professionals can tell which dosha type you are.
How is Ayurveda Performed?
How can the essential Ayurvedic elements and doshas be transferred to the treatment? First, you should note that Ayurvedic health science has a holistic approach.
Every person is born with a dosha constellation in the cradle. It regulates our and every single body individually. Complaints can occur when one's dosha constellation gets out of balance, and different factors can cause this:
- nutrition;
- climate;
- seasons;
- traumatic experiences;
- places;
- age.
Ayurvedic treatments aim to balance the natural and innate types and thus restore health. The methods can be very individual and do not follow any standardized procedure. However, application in the treatment finds the following elements:
- Ayurvedic Medicines.
- Taking herbal supplements (e.g., Ashwagandha).
- Ayurvedic spices.
- Individual nutrition plans.
- Steam baths and oil showers.
- Breathing exercises.
- Physical exercises (e.g., yoga).
- Shaping the environment with specific colors, smells, and sounds.
What are the Areas of Application?
Contrary to Western medicine, Ayurvedic medicine is preventative. It involves less response to acute concerns, such as in emergency medicine.
Ayurveda is more about acting instead of reacting. It is about prevention and early care in case of discomfort and initial complaints. These complaints or illnesses are always to be understood as a system that has gone out of balance. The dosha constellation is not in harmony.
In other words, these disorders arise when one lives against or disregards one's energy principles. A permanent overload of the body, the psyche, or the senses can lead to an imbalance.
In western medicine, burnout could be treated hereafter as the development of persistent symptoms.
Ayurvedic Nutrition
Spices and herbal supplements have already been mentioned as part of Ayurveda. However, Ayurvedic health science also includes its diet.
You can imagine this as a separate system that primarily focuses on specific combinations of foods and their compatibility. Fresh food and fun with creative preparation are essential here. The Ayurvedic diet also considers factors such as:
- individual constellation of humans (Doshas);
- everyday life, lifestyle, and the possibility of preparing meals;
- time of year and the time of day;
- age;
- individual tastes and preferences;
- cultural circle;
- any existing complaints;
- general physical and mental condition;
- use of fresh herbs and spices.
Ayurvedic nutrition positively affects the body, stomach, and mind through well-considered combinations. Food is selected, for example, according to the time of day, season, and prevailing temperatures.
Food then has specific mental, physical and emotional effects. This way, dishes can increase well-being or be prepared to heal particular body parts.
Typical and practical elements of the Ayurvedic diet are:
- Eat mindfully and slowly, never under time pressure.
- Mainly warm dishes in the morning.
- Light meal in the evening, main meal at lunchtime.
- Warm water in the morning, possibly with fresh lemon.
- Drinking spiced teas, such as turmeric or fennel seeds.
- Cooking with fresh and seasonal fruit and vegetables.
Ayurvedic Vision
The Ayurvedic art of healing wants to cleanse the body with all methods. Whether through baths, oil showers, yoga, or a healthy, fresh, and Ayurvedic diet. The overarching goal of these treatments is to strengthen and activate the self-healing powers of the person and body.
The holistic approach and the simultaneous attention to body, mind, and soul make Ayurvedic health teaching unique.
When we developed our recipes and products at CLAV, we focused very much on the holistic aspect of Ayurveda. We rely on well-thought-out combinations of herbal preparations, considering the well-being of body and mind in equal measure.
Sources:
- https://www.ayurveda.com/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide/
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments
- https://www.yogiapproved.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ayurveda/
- https://www.practo.com/healthfeed/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ayurveda-39303/post
Disclaimer: This article is a collaborative effort of the CLAV editorial team, created on the current literature base. All our publications are supplemented with passion and expertise for naturopathy and a healthy lifestyle. Our medical experts approve all texts before publication. Please Note: Dietary supplements are no substitute for a balanced, healthy diet or medical advice.