Ayurvedic Medicine, or Ayurveda for short, is the oldest healthcare system in the world, originating over 5,000 years ago in India. Ayurveda means “knowledge of life” in Sanskrit, with ayu meaning “life” and veda meaning “knowledge”.

Ayu, or life, is the time we have from when we are born until the moment of death. According to the Caraka Samhita, the most classical Ayurvedic text, which dates back at least 3,000 years and is still used in clinical practice in the 21st century, Ayurveda describes the knowledge of the natural harmony of man and his environment and offers a variety of refined therapies based on thousands of years of experience. The Vedic literature is about 3,500 years old, but before that, this knowledge was transmitted orally for centuries.

Ayurveda focuses on disease prevention and longevity, rather than just curing diseases, as in the conventional healthcare system that we know in the modern world.

Ayurveda is an Integrative Medicine, not “Alternative”, meaning we work in partnership with Modern Medicine, enhancing incredible healing and cellular rejuvenation results.

Ayurveda will teach the individual that, through a personalized lifestyle molded to their physical and psychological characteristics, they can not only prevent, alleviate or cure diseases but also get to know themselves and better coexist in the world around them.

Life is nothing more than the combination of four fundamental elements: sharira, physical body; indriya, the senses; sattva, cognitive ability, the mind; and atma, what cannot be seen – that which you are. Atma is you.

Life is your body, your senses, your cognitive ability, and what you are behind these three values. You, from the perspective of Ayurveda, are the consciousness that observes the body, the senses, and your cognitive ability. This combination is life.

According to Vedic philosophy, we are a replica of Nature and have 5 basic elements (Pancha Mahabhutas – Sanskrit name) that represent the energy and matter states of everything that exists in the universe. Each substance is composed of these elements, combined in different proportions and with different functions. They are responsible for the variation, creation, and evolution of human beings and all realms, from the plant and animal to inorganic matter in the mineral realm.

In Ayurveda, they are known as Akasha (ether), Vayu (air), Tejas (fire), Jala (water), and Prithvi (earth). They are linked to the Universe by being formed by the same essence. In different proportions, they influence matter, consequently, a change in one element affects all the others.

Of these 5 elements, 3 types of constitution (Doshas) manifest themselves, namely Vata (air and ether), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (water and earth).

Every human being is born with a certain proportion of the 3 types of constitution, making each human being unique. Sometimes, two elements are dominant in a person, the most dominant is then mentioned first (for example, Vata-Pitta person).

Most people are a mixture, the ideal dosha ratio does not exist: any ratio is good, ‘you are who you are’.

Any individual has a natural propensity for physical and mental imbalance (Vikriti). Due to how we think, live and eat, the proportions of the elements can change throughout life, and imbalances followed by illnesses may arise. Being sick is a very broad concept, it can manifest itself at the physical, emotional, or spiritual level.

The concept of health in Ayurveda is referred to by the term Swastha, which means “being in your true self”. Swa (the true self) is interconnected with the human personality, including Consciousness (Atma), the Physical Body (Shareera), and the human mind (Manas).

“Sama dosha samagnisca sama dhatu mala kriyah
prassanatmendriya manah svastha itya bhidhiyate”.

The above sutra means: “He/she who is in their true self, whose bio forces are in balance, whose metabolism is in balance, whose tissues are healthy, whose waste elimination is good, whose actions are correct, and whose mind, soul, and senses are in a state of contentment, is seen as perfectly healthy”.

“When the Doshas (physiology), Dhatus (anatomy), Agni (digestion and metabolism), and elimination of Malas (excretions) are in their normal function and this is associated with clarity of the senses, mind, and soul”. This means that someone may not have any apparent symptoms of disease, but may also not be healthy because health depends on the integration of body, mind, and spirit.

By eating correctly, practicing Yoga, breathing exercises, taking herbal supplements, and receiving Ayurvedic massages with hot herbal oils, the elements can be rebalanced so that healing can occur, and diseases can be avoided.

The main goal of Ayurvedic Medicine is to learn how to connect with our inner self to learn to listen to our body and the signals it gives us. Ayurveda teaches about your own life, and you learn what the pitfalls of your mind are, the things that can happen along the way that generate suffering, confusion, or that can generate future illnesses.