Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Medicine 🌸 What it means and treats, principles, fundamentals, and specifics

Ayurveda (or Ashtanga Veda, Upaveda – the auxiliary Veda), one of the oldest Eastern sciences on Earth, remains popular to this day. With people's craving for Eastern esoteric practices, interest in it is constantly growing, especially among adherents of folk medicine, a healthy lifestyle, and naturopaths. As a form of alternative medicine and a method of prevention, Ayurveda is recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which, while acknowledging its effectiveness, simultaneously notes the insufficiency of scientific research and clinical trials of this methodology.

What is Ayurveda

аюрведическая медицина

Ayurveda is part of a larger Vedic teaching about the universe, giving people an understanding of the fundamental principles and laws of the surrounding cosmos. Literally translated from Sanskrit as «the science of life».

Science, Ayurveda, emerged in India around 5,000 years ago, as evidenced by the oldest Vedic manuscripts found. While if we focus on legends, it is believed that this branch of science appeared simultaneously with the creation of the world, the creator of which (and Ayurveda too) is the deity Brahma. There is also another theory that Ayurveda is part of the surviving knowledge of a lost civilization that had a higher level of development than the modern world.

Ayurveda is a branch of one of the 4 types of Vedic treatises on Indian philosophy – the Atharvaveda and is based on the following main directions:

The Samkhya philosophy, which explains the structure of the universe;
on Jyotisha Shastra – biokosmo-rhythmology with astrology, which traces the connection between man and the Universe;
Vedic naturopathy (natural ways of preventing and treating diseases).

What is Ayurveda in medicine

The most popular and in-demand today is the Ayurvedic concept of human health, the fundamental principle of which is considered to be the balance of a person's inner world (microcosm) and their harmony with the Universe (macrocosm). This approach has many supporters who are attracted to its holistic approach to treating the human body on 3 levels:

physical body (through the senses);
emotional (state of mind);
mental (of the mind).

основы аюрведы For Ayurveda, any illness is a signal of an imbalance of various energies within the human body. Therefore, it focuses not on treating the illness itself, but on identifying its causes, eliminating them, and restoring balance in the specific individual according to strictly personalised prescriptions. General standards and clinical treatment guidelines accepted in conventional medicine are not applicable here. The aim of Ayurvedic healing is to foster a positive outlook towards the world, to determine one's place within it, and through this, to achieve continuous happiness, natural beauty, and active longevity. These goals and objectives fundamentally distinguish Ayurvedic medicine from classical medicine.

The Fundamentals of Ayurveda

Ayurvedic doctors believe that health is given to a person to fulfil their purpose in life through meaningful awareness and acceptance of their spiritual nature and the knowledge of the meaning of life. These are mutually dependent concepts: health is necessary for life realisation, and for health, one needs to achieve their realisation.

There are 4 main aims of Ayurveda through which a person must progress in a specific order:

Dharma

Dharma is a person's duties to society. They are divided into:

the highest spiritual purpose is to serve all living beings of creation;
individual material purpose – the manifestation of personal talent and abilities.

A person fulfilling their dharma directly impacts their health. Dissatisfaction with life or work leads to cardiovascular diseases.

Artha

In Ayurveda, Artha is the acquisition of material reward for the fulfilment of dharma (finances, social status, honour, recognition, fame).

It is necessary for providing for one's family and for one's health. However, greed, avarice, and a passion for accumulation will inevitably lead to serious illnesses.

Cama

Kama is the fulfillment of desires and requirements through artha, primarily the needs of the physical body through the satisfaction of the senses: eyes, ears, tongue, nose, and skin. Desires should be lawful in nature, positive, and without negative consequences. Desires aimed at causing harm destroy not only health but also the mind.

Moksha

In Ayurveda, Moksha is liberation from ignorance and the achievement of spiritual development; its realisation requires the fulfilment of the three preceding goals.

Negative stereotypes of behaviour, arising from ignorance, from laziness of mind and spirit, lead to illness. Moksha is the highest level of human development, upon reaching which the first three goals recede into the background.

A good number of people expend their energy on achieving only the second and third goals: material possessions and pleasure. Only a small fraction try to realise the first and fourth, although these are precisely the most important for a person. Only through them can one become involved in the universal exchange of energy and matter. By becoming part of such an exchange, a person gains rights to their rightful material possessions and sensual pleasures, including the health of their physical body.

Features of Ayurveda

In contrast to classical modern medicine, whose efforts are primarily aimed at curing existing illnesses, Ayurveda's goal is considered to be the maintenance of health and the prevention of diseases. This goal has shaped the unique features of the ancient medical system.

Holism or integrity

In Ayurveda, there is no narrow medical specialisation; here, the entire human organism is treated as a single, holistic system, rather than a specific illness or organ. Healing occurs in accordance with the laws of the universe, of which humanity is a part, for example, natural biorhythms. The functioning of the hormonal system and the activity of organs at different times depend on these rhythms.

Psychosomatic approach

лечение любых заболеваний The psychosomatic approach treats any illness by taking into account the emotional state of the person, which also influences the development of diseases. The theory that all illnesses stem from nerves, i.e., from a person's mental changes, has its roots precisely in Ayurveda. By changing one's behaviour, thinking, and consciousness, and by eliminating bad habits and negative desires, one can completely eliminate illness.

Many diseases arise from various psychological manifestations: worry, constant anxiety, uncontrollable aggression or malice, feelings of envy, greed or avarice, lust, resentment, and others. For example, liver diseases are often provoked by a state of anger, and kidney diseases by constant fear and anxiety.

A person with bad inclinations or vices cannot be healthy. Spiritual practices and religious rituals exist to rid oneself of internal enemies.

Individual (personal) approach

An individual (personal) approach is a fundamental characteristic. Ayurvedic medicine considers patients as specific individuals based on knowledge of the psychophysiological structure and constitution types of the body – tridosha. Each dosha (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) is a combination of 20 qualities, some of which are dominant. This ultimately defines a person's personality, and their healing is carried out taking into account their dosha.

Healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle – consists of three pillars:

Ahara – nutrition, this is what we obtain from external sources. Ayurvedic medicine details the dietary regimen of a patient according to special algorithms, tailored to the patient's dosha. Many people believe they listen to their bodies, to what it likes and dislikes. However, in a diseased body, all signals are mistaken. Therefore, the sensations and desires of a sick patient are an unacceptable criterion. Only the body of a perfectly healthy person is capable of indicating what to do, what to eat, and how to behave. Ayurvedic diets are prescribed for each stage of illness, for rehabilitation, restoration of the body, and the elimination of residual toxins.
Regimen or routine – controlling the time of food intake, sleep, work, and rest. Disruption of biological rhythms threatens to unbalance the body. Food consumed at an untoward hour leads to the formation of ama – toxins. For example, the main meal should be taken at noon local time, and the intervals between meals should be at least 3 hours.
In Ayurveda, 'aushadha' can encompass therapy or medicines, essentially anything that surrounds a person. The best forms of therapy are considered to be aromatherapy, massage, cleansing techniques (enemas, colonic cleansing, therapeutic vomiting), yoga, music, and meditation. Treatment is carried out using various products: vegetable oils, the famous ghee – clarified butter – and honey.

Naturopathy

Naturopathy – for healing, Ayurvedic practitioners use natural remedies of natural origin: oils, herbs, water, mineral substances, animal products, sun, air, etc. Natural products are homologously similar in their biological properties to human tissues. They are easily absorbed by the body and cause no harm, either in short-term or long-term use.

Versatility

Universality – the practice of Ayurveda has no restrictions: religious, national, geographical, or ethnic. It is universal and can be used irrespective of diet, climatic conditions, folk traditions, and culture.

The principles of Ayurveda

According to ancient medicine, human health consists of the balance of the following components:

arogya (or arogya) – the first level of health, when a person does not experience physical suffering;
sukham – social health, meaning a person is fully satisfied with their personal life, family, work, relationships with others, and society – this is worldly happiness;
swastha – indicate self-sufficiency and personal independence, when a person cares more about the soul, which is eternal, rather than the body, which is perishable;
Ananda – defines the degree of spiritual happiness when a person believes in higher ideals and is happy to be with God.

From Ayurvedic advice, eight main principles can be derived that everyone should follow daily, and this can fundamentally change one's life:

In Ayurveda, waking up early is considered important for health. Sleeping for longer than 8 hours is seen as a symptom of illness, and it is recommended to wake up before sunrise, ideally at 5:30 AM.
Reducing or completely eliminating meat from the diet – vegetarianism is considered the healthiest way of eating for humans, and it purifies karma. Giving up meat should be gradual: first one day a week, then two meat-free days, and so on until a complete transition to vegetarianism.
Physical exercises are excluded only for those engaged in heavy physical labour. For others, Ayurveda has developed regular asanas. This helps to get rid of laziness and illnesses.
Good behaviour, right up to exaggerated politeness with everyone. To be smiling, friendly, and good-natured towards people is hard work.
Gratitude – learning to be thankful for everything fate sends us, accepting misfortunes as life lessons, learning from our mistakes. Lost money? Thank you, Lord, for taking it in money!
Adhering to a daily routine teaches self-organisation and discipline, balances energy flows, and brings happiness.
Healthy sleep – going to bed no later than 11:30 PM. Before falling asleep, do a brief personal review of the good deeds performed during the day.
To wish for a better life is not just for oneself, but for everyone. Wish everyone goodness and happiness, even enemies. With material well-being comes the opportunity to do more good. Aggression and evil are the absence of love in a person; one needs to give them what they lack.

Ayurveda treats a wide range of conditions.

Official medicine deals directly with the illness or the affected organ, relieving the patient of pain and suppressing symptoms – that which lies on the surface. Ayurveda does not treat the illness itself, but tries to find the root causes of the disease, achieve the elimination of imbalance in the body, normalise its functions and maintain healthy tone for a long time.

According to the Ayurvedic medical concept, illness is a disturbance of balance:

3 energies (doshas): Vata (air, ether), Pitta (fire), Kapha (phlegm, water);
7 types of tissues (dhatus): reproductive, plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, nerve;
3 types of waste products from the body (small): urine, sweat, faeces.

Bioenergy is disrupted by an unhealthy lifestyle, emotional disharmony, and negative thoughts. An imbalance is created when one of the doshas begins to dominate. For example, an imbalance of pitta energy will cause digestive tract disturbances. As a result, undigested and unabsorbed food leads to intoxication and the development of diseases such as gastritis, constipation, ulcers, diarrhoea, and pancreatitis.

The blockage of air energy will affect the joints, provoking arthritis and joint diseases. Disruption of the flow of water and earth (mucous) bio-energies is the cause of constant chronic rhinitis (rhinitis, sinusitis, maxillary sinusitis), various forms of bronchitis, which will eventually lead to bronchial asthma.

There are quite a few combinations of such bioenergetic balance, and only Ayurvedic practitioners can identify them and eliminate the causes.

Ayurvedic treatments

Ayurvedic treatments are aimed not at eliminating pain symptoms, but primarily at restoring the body's functions and the balance of all energies. There are various therapeutic methods for reducing or increasing energy:

Diet taking into account internal constitution, biorhythms.;
detoxification procedures;
bloodletting;
the use of medicinal herbs, mineral substances;
aromatherapy;
The use of natural oils: taken internally, rubbed in, oil enemas (vasthi) – for expelling toxins;
various types of wellness massage;
Herbal and oil steam baths;
Yoga exercises;
music therapy;
Meditative practices for emotional balancing.

This is far from a complete list of procedures, which also includes many others: asanas, colour therapy, the use of minerals and even precious stones, and special spices. The Ayurvedic programme is individual for each person. The patient may be prescribed a complex of procedures for deep cleansing of the body, called Panchakarma, or only cleansing at the initial stage. It all depends on the constitution, lifestyle, and existing illnesses.

The basic procedures in Ayurveda for balancing the 3 doshas are as follows:

To reduce Vata - nourishing, warming, moisturizing, grounding, calming techniques are beneficial;
To reduce Pitta – cooling, calming, nourishing, and moderately cleansing procedures are necessary;
For the suppression of Kapha, pacifying, stimulating, cleansing and drying procedures are used.

Contraindications for Ayurveda

There are virtually no restrictions on the application of Ayurvedic practices and medicinal therapy. However, this ancient medical science is still capable of causing harm.

Аюрведа противопоказания

This happens when people try to practise Ayurveda themselves without sufficient knowledge or experience, after reading a few books or information online. Instead of a positive outcome, many experience a negative effect from self-treatment, after which they subject Ayurveda to the harshest criticism, claiming it doesn't help and is pseudoscience.

Ayurveda is not just a healing tool; above all, it is a way of life that must be followed strictly and daily. Incorrectly following the recommendations of Ayurvedic practitioners can also harm one's health. This is most often observed during cleansing procedures or breathing practices, for which doctors ask to adhere to a diet and give up bad habits: smoking, alcohol, etc. The danger lies in the fact that when removing old toxins, the body will not be able to cope with the regular intake of new poisons.

Ayurvedic healing should not be used to replace acute illnesses that require emergency surgery. Ayurvedic procedures should be used cautiously and only under the guidance of experienced specialists for pregnant and breastfeeding women. It is also important to consider that some medicinal preparations may contain substances harmful to the body and heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, and arsenic.

Types of human body constitution

According to Ayurveda, a person is born with a unique, inherent combination of the 5 basic macroelements of the Universe: fire, earth, ether, air, and water, which are united into 3 main energies (tridosha): Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Their unique combination (Prakriti) further determines a person's life, health, strengths, and weaknesses.

For diagnosis and treatment selection, there are 3 pure and 7 mixed types of constitution.

Clean types

Cotton wool

Vata-type (wind, ether)

slender build – fine bones, most often long legs, a short torso. Brittle nails, dry skin. Dark, wavy or curly hair, uneven teeth;
Health - physically active, but tires quickly. Lack of trace elements. Uses stimulants to regain strength: coffee, sugar. Prone to insomnia.;
Mind – active, creative, experiences anxiety and insecurity under stress. Easily changes decisions. Speech is impulsive, does not finish sentences, often interrupts others. Is influenced by other people.

When the vata is balanced, people are friendly, happy and creative. If it is unbalanced, they are nervous, hyperactive and suffer from constant fatigue.

Pitta type

Pitta type (fire, water):

Build – slender, proportional, with an easy tendency to gain and lose weight. Delicate skin with freckles. Fair hair with early greying.;
Health - energetic, strong pulse, sweats easily. Loose stools up to 3 times a day.;
Intelligence – drive, aspiration for leadership, good memory, vivid speech.

Balanced Pitta-types are usually joyful, brave, and caring. When their energy is imbalanced, they become despotic, overly demanding, and quick to anger.

Kapha type

Kapha type (earth, water):

Build – strong, large frame, thick skin. Thick hair, good teeth.;
healthy and strong, excellent appetite, bowel movement once a day. Can gain excess weight.;
The mind is one that's slow to harness but quick to ride. Increased sensitivity. People with good financial means.

With a balanced Kapha, they are open, friendly, self-assured people with a sense of self-worth. In contrast, the unbalanced Kapha type is envious, greedy, and unreliable.

Mixed types

Mixed constitution types: Vata-Pitta, Vata-Kapha, Pitta-Vata, Pitta-Kapha, Kapha-Vata, Kapha-Pitta, Vata-Pitta-Kapha. These are the most common types of doshas in the world, especially in Europe and other countries where, unlike in India, marriages are not arranged within the same caste. Most often, one dosha dominates in this type of constitution, and treatment is based on its predominance. Rarely, however, a constitution is encountered in which all doshas are evenly distributed – this is a balanced Tridosha.

Dietary features

Аюрведа питание Ayurvedic texts place great emphasis on nutrition – when, what, and how much to eat to maintain good health. The postulate «we are what we eat» is fully justified here. Food, when properly and fully assimilated, will only bring benefit if the correct approach to its quality, quantity, and composition is observed, taking into account the time of consumption and the psycho-emotional state of the body.

The dietary rules that underpin Ayurvedic healing:

Mealtime

It is recommended to eat not by the clock, but only when you feel hungry, which will arise at a specific time if you stick to a schedule. If the time comes but you are not hungry, you should skip the meal. You should not eat heartily, above your usual portion, or to stock up on the principle of «who knows when we'll eat again». The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before sleep, as the digestive tract stops working at night. Food is not fully digested, turning into toxins and mucus.

Drink when thirsty

Drink water (tea, coffee, juices and other liquids) not on the recommendation of 1.5 to 2 litres per day, but according to thirst. Its excess causes imbalance of Pitta and Kapha. Excessive drinking also weakens the digestive process. Drink water 48 minutes after meals, not immediately. Drinking before meals is necessary to reduce weight, during meals – weight will not change (but drinking is not recommended), after meals – weight is gained.

Washing hands before a meal

You should approach the act of eating with reverence. Before eating, wash your hands, as well as your face and feet to remove negative energy. Clean your teeth and tongue to remove bacteria, prevent them from entering food, and enhance your taste receptors.

Good mood and gratitude

One should not sit down to eat when upset. You should only eat when you have calmed down, in good spirits and with gratitude to God. Food eaten on the run, in depression, or in anger can harm the body.

There is clean live food

Food should not only be prepared with positive thoughts, in a clean place, but also from clean, live products. According to Ayurveda, one should eat foods that give health and good energy: grains (wheat, rice, barley), legumes, dairy products, ghee, honey, fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those that grow above ground.

Unclean products are considered to be:

containing grass, hair, bacteria, sand, dust;
Oppressive to the body and mind (eggs, fish, meat);
stale, old food, prepared more than 2 hours ago;
Spoiled: fermented, dried out, mouldy, gone sour;
Non-living food: fermented, preserved, containing flavour enhancers.

The right combination

When foodstuffs are mixed together, they acquire new properties. The consumption of incompatible substances, the combination of beneficial and harmful elements, become the cause of energy imbalance, pathologies of the digestive tract and elsewhere.

Undesirable Combinations (Viruddha)

by qualities (taste, energy, gunas – nature, tastes after digestion), for example, milk with cold energy and salt with hot energy;
by effect – for example, when one (beetroot) has a laxative effect, and the other (rice) has a constipating effect;
By cooking method (dried vegetables with frozen, raw + boiled water);
by the opposite of combinations (milk + greens, melon + any other food);
in equal proportions (clarified butter + honey in equal volume);
time-incompatible (sesame seeds – after sunset, fermented milk drinks – at night);
incompatible with the individual body build.

Кроме вышеперечисленных, есть и другие рекомендации: насыщать тело всеми 6 вкусами (кислый, сладкий, соленый, острый, горький, вяжущий), делать пищевые паузы, медленно пережевывать – меньше съешь. Одним из важных пунктов в питании по аюрведе является отказ от мяса и переход на вегетарианство.