Ayurveda is acknowledged as the ancient traditional healing system of India,covering all aspects of life style.Literally translated,it means"Science of life"and is one of the oldest systems of medicine practiced throughout the world.Ayurveda is a complete health system for mind,body and spirit.Rather than treating symptoms,it treats the whole person,working holistically to prevent and treat diseases.Ayurveda uses the elements,seasons,planets and bodily humours to discover the areas of potential weakness;it operates on the assumptions of the five elements:earth,air,fire,water and ether.
According to the laws of Ayurveda,these elements are manifested in each individual through doshas,or body types;there are three main types of doshas:Vata,Pitta and Kapha.Maintaining the balance of your dosha is the key to successful Ayurvedic practice.
Ayurvedic medicine is founded on the belief that all diseases stem from the digestive system and are caused either by poor digestion of food,which is the body's major source of nourishment,or by following an improper diet of your dosha(nature).
Dosha means,"that which tends to go out of balance easily".The elements,the seasons,your astrological chart,your genetic inheritance from your parents and environmental factors,all of these contribute to the potential for imbalance within the doshas.
At a time when high technology medicine is pushing back barriers in areas such as gene therapy,laser surgery and high-resolution body scanning,it seems paradoxical that natural medicine is also enjoying a remarkable renaissance.
While traditional folk remedies are the first and often only healthcare option for most of the world's population in developing countries,surveys show that between one third and half of those in affluent Western nations,where science-based medicines are readily available,are willing to use complementary therapies.
As pharmaceutical companies pour money into isolating and synthesizing chemical components found in plants,sales of herbal remedies containing these substances in natural form are among the fastest growing health markets in Europe,North America and Australia.
The popularity of complementary medicine has obliged the medical profession to take non-conventional therapies more seriously,and their use alongside-rather than instead of-mainstream is growing.Many health professionals are willing to subscribe to a"holistic"approach to healthcare that takes in account the individual's physiological condition,psychological,social,environment and even spiritual dimensions that may reveal underlying factors contributing to illness.
The holistic approach of complementary medicine has much to offer.Good nutrition and exercise are undeniably important,but attention is being paid to the inner world of the emotions and spirit,and the way the interaction of these and other elements contribute to the well-being.
Complementary therapies aim to mobilize self-healing process to restore the harmonious working of the physical and biochemical elements of the body,the mind and the emotions.
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