Ayurveda - the most ancient, esteemed, and celebrated medicine system in India, has its roots in the sacred texts of Veda. The term Ayurveda originated from two Sanskrit words, Ayur meaning life while Veda translates into knowledge. The indigenous medicine system is a 'Science of Life' that focuses on maintaining a harmonious balance among mind, body, and soul.
According to Ayurveda, the entire universe is composed of five elements- Vayu (Air), Jala (Water), Aakash (Space), Prithvi (Earth), and Teja (Fire). These five elements (referred to as
Pancha Mahabhoota in Ayurveda) are believed to form the three basic humors of the human body in varying combinations.
The permutation and combination of these elements are believed to form three different doshas (Tridoshas), Pitta, Vata, and Kapha, which are described as types of energy that circulate within a human body. Each dosha is responsible for a specific physiological function. Vata conducts the subtle energy of movement, Pitta determines the metabolism and body temperature, while Kapha is the energy responsible for the bodily structure.
Every individual have these doshas in their system, but one of them is relatively more prominent than the other two. As per Ayurveda, the body acquires any disease either due to deficiency or abundance in these doshas. So, it is vital to maintain an equivalent balance among tri doshas through the correct lifestyle and diet.
The principal objectives of Ayurveda include maintenance and promotion of health, prevention of disease, and cure of sickness.
The main principle of Ayurveda says that the mind and body are interconnected and that the mind has the power to heal and transform a person’s whole being. Ayurveda recognizes even minor distress in the mind to be profoundly influential, with the potential to jeopardize the quality of one's life and induce many diseases - physical and otherwise.
for example- if an individual experiences a stressful lifestyle due to their job or any other reason, the pitta energy grows in abundance, which leads to more heat build-up in the body. Generally, pitta-dominant body types tend to have a high basal metabolic rate and energy consumption, which results in tissue loss and premature aging.
Ayurveda represents a healing approach by revealing the deeper causes of one’s health conditions. Ayurvedic practices try to discover the primary cause of the disease, which originates from the diet, psychological condition, heredity, or lifestyle. A human being is an indivisible and interconnected complex of mind, energy, and soul, according to Ayurveda. Thus, the traditional ayurvedic system aims to restore the natural state of harmony through a deeper level of correction. Successful ayurvedic practices enhance a healthy lifestyle and prevention of health problems in the early stages. Ayurveda also offers a deep insight into the context of the condition that influences our mental and physical state.
The natural and holistic system of medicine is not restricted to human health as it also includes the health and well-being of other living organisms such as plants and animals.
Although Ayurveda has existed among us for centuries, people have started to realize its true potential in the past few years more than ever. Despite a great deal of advancement in the field of modern medicine, many people still rely on age-old ayurvedic remedies to improve their quality of life.
There has been a gradual shift in people's sentiments toward adopting natural medicine and healthcare practices. For many health-conscious populations, natural has become the new mantra for a healthy lifestyle, and they are ready to embrace anything natural over synthetic and artificial. Every day more and more people are inclined towards herbal remedies and are gaining confidence with their results.
As per Ayurveda experts, the traditional medicine system offers crucial insights into the understanding and management of diseases in the contemporary world. While modern science mostly treats external factors responsible for any disease, Ayurveda focuses on analyzing the person apart from the disease by classifying people into different constitutions and types of treatment they require. Moreover, Ayurveda puts a great emphasis on the psychological state in the prevention and management of diseases.
However, Ayurveda has not yet gained the recognition it deserves due to a lack of evidence-based studies on ayurveda. But, it would not be a surprise if Ayurveda achieves a global forefront in the upcoming years as people would become more aware of its potential.
Ayurveda has been proving its worth forever, and its positive results have been attracting a lot number of audiences to adopt the same in their life. The ancient concept of Ayurveda holds its relevance to date and will continue to do so in the coming future. Increasing awareness about the efficacy of natural and traditional medicines, a surge in research and developmental activities, and less dependency on modern science, the emergence of self-learned customers, and prevalence of chronic ailments could help in expanding the scope of Ayurveda across the world.
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