What Is Ayurvedic Treatment?
Unlike conventional Western medicine, Ayurvedic treatment does not treat the symptoms of diseases with mind or body-altering drugs. Instead, Ayurvedic treatment focuses on finding the root cause of the ailment and abolishing it using individualized treatment plans that heal through internal cleansing, proper diet, herbal combinations, exercise and meditation.
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History
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Srila Vyasadeva, a sage living in the Himalayan Mountains 5,000 years ago, wrote down a series of medicinal texts called Ayurveda, or "The Science of Life." These medicinal texts included specific information on such health topics as dieting and nutrition, surgery, herbal drugs, anatomy, pediatrics, and gynecology and were the basis for both traditional Chinese medicine and Tibetan medicine. Ayurvedic treatment methods were suppressed for many years, but are currently experiencing a native and worldwide revival.
Doshas
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Ayurvedic treatment is grounded in the concept that three fundamental energies control a person's outer and inner circumstances. These energies, called doshas, are responsible for every individual's mind and body characteristics. Vata, the first dosha, signifies the wind; Kapha signifies the earth; and Pitta signifies fire.
Vata dosha people tend to be unpredictable and erratic, Kapha dosha people tend to be reliable, and Pitta dosha people tend to be highly assertive and aggressive. Every person has his own dosha proportion that is usually a blend of a primary and secondary dosha, although some people only have one dosha and others have a combination of all three doshas. These dosha classifications are one of the major deciding factors for Ayurvedic treatments. -
Methodology
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Once a person's dosha configuration is determined and an observational analysis of his ill health is noted, an individualized Ayurvedic treatment plan is prescribed. For example, two people may have a similar medical history with similar symptoms. One person may have a dominant Vata dosha, and be prescribed a treatment plan that includes warm milk, unleavened whole wheat bread and cold fruit juices. The other person may have a dominant Kapha dosha, and be advised to stay away from all fruit juices and dairy and begin a complete spicy food regimen. Furthermore, these two people would be advised to take different herbs, do different exercises and perform different meditations.
Potential
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According to AyurvedaHerbs.com, it usually takes one month of an Ayurvedic treatment healing for every year of abuse that the body has gone through. Therefore, it is extremely important to provide a thorough and accurate health history to your Ayurvedic treatment practitioner so that your health problem can be solved from its root source.
Considerations
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According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, many Ayurvedic herbal medications have not been adequately studied and could possibly be toxic. The United States regulates Ayurvedic herbal medications as dietary supplements and states that people who use them should do so under the care of an Ayurvedic doctor rather than treating themselves.
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References
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- Photo Credit wikimediacommons/Hppillai
