Ayurveda – India’s Alternative Medicine – Natural Supplements
The ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda, considered to be one of the world’s oldest systems of medicine, has been healing people for centuries with its unique holistic view of the individual. Ayurveda by definition is “the science of life and longevity.”
The term is taken from the Sanskrit words ayus, meaning life or lifespan, and veda, meaning knowledge. It has been practiced in India for at least 5,000 years and has recently become more popular in Western cultures. The basic principle of Ayurveda is to prevent and treat illness by maintaining balance in the body, mind, and consciousness and that a body out of balance signals its needs through symptoms.
In the Ayurvedic perspective, the body doesn’t ever create a symptom without a good reason and every symptom is seen as an attempt by the body to heal itself. Ayurvedic treatments restore balance with therapeutic combinations of diet, exercise, yoga, massage, mediation, breathing, detoxification and healing herbs.
Ayurveda isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. The ancient healing practice classifies individuals according to three life forces, or doshas:
Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire), and Kapha (Earth). As most individuals are a combination of these doshas, ayurvedic treatments work to restore balance to bodies and minds and return individuals to their true constitutions for optimal health, balance, and happiness.
Each dosha corresponds to dozens of characteristics, including physical build, digestion, health strengths and weaknesses, and even personality.
Identifying what dosha—or combination of doshas— allows the ability to tap into a wealth of Ayurvedic knowledge about the body. Vata types, for example, are usually thin, quick-thinking, creative, and may experience cool, dry skin and nervousness. Ayurvedic teaching recommends warm, grounding, heavy foods for vata types, along with calming physical exercise like yoga and Pilates.
As most individuals are a combination of these doshas, ayurvedic treatments work to restore balance to bodies and minds and return individuals to their true constitutions for optimal health, balance, and happiness.
Ayurveda has been a successful form of medicine for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that scientific support for the practice is strong. Recent studies back the effectiveness of several herbal remedies traditionally used as Ayurvedic remedies, including turmeric, which is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant; Boswelliaserrata, which has been shown to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis; Shilajit, which is rich in fulvic and humic acids that produce cell energy; and Terminaliachebula, which has anti-ulcer properties.
At the Healthy Choice Compounding Pharmacy we offer an array of high quality supplements that contain many of the herbs used in Ayurveda. We invite you to stop by or callto speak with our Supplement Manager, on which products can help you support your body’s natural healing ability.