Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine native to India that was established over 5,000 years ago and is still used today in all parts of the world. In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda is comprised of āyus, meaning ‘life’ and veda, meaning ‘science.’
As the name suggests, Ayurveda is the science of life, encompassing all aspects of our being to address underlying disease to help relieve symptoms, prevent or eradicate disease and achieve optimal health in our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual planes.
In Ayurveda, food is medicine and can impact your overall health. The whole food and not just its constituents are considered as having beneficial or harmful effects. Good digestion is a key aspect in Ayurvedic thinking When food is poorly digested there will be an accumulation of toxins in the body that will make it less efficient.
Practitioners of Ayurveda refer to a life force “Prana” that runs through everything and is manifested in many different forms. Additionally, Ayurveda states that there are 5 primary elements of which all things are made: Water, Air, Earth, Fire, and Ether. Ayurvedic medicine also observes that there are three basic constitutions that are combinations of these 5 basic elements. Most people fit into one of these constitutional categories or are a combination of one or more of these basic constitutional types. They are:
Vata, which is made up of Air and Ether
Pitta, which is made up of Fire and Water
Kapha, which is made up of Earth and Water
By their balance or imbalance they determine the life processes of growth or decay. When a person’s constitution is out of balance, they may be prone to disease processes characteristic of that constitutional type. The goal of Ayurveda is to provide people with an understanding of their individual nature. With this awareness, people can make lifestyle choices that maintain balance within their constitution and improve their overall health.
Upon request, Dr. Lindsay Jones-Born is able to provide a comprehensive treatment plan based on your dosha.