What Is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is a complete healing system that is focused on giving you tools and practices to create health on a daily basis by using your innate healing ability. In doing so, it allows you to thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Ayurveda originates from ancient Eastern philosophies that describe the nature of reality, the 'laws' of the natural world (of which we are part of) and how we can use the principles of nature for healing. Although some religions are based on these same philosophies, Ayurveda is not based on any religion, and people of all religions (or no religion) can benefit from an Ayurvedic lifestyle to achieve optimal health.
Ayurveda is rooted in several foundational principles that explain its effectiveness, principles that are increasingly being validated by modern science. First, it is a holistic mind-body-spirit approach to health and well-being, so it gives you tools for thriving in all aspects of your life—physical, emotional, and spiritual. Research is confirming that when you address all these aspects of your life, you maximize your well-being. Secondly, it is whole-systems medicine, as it addresses the entire system and not just one part of the whole. While you are healing one part of the system, you are also doing things that keep the rest of the body and mind healthy. In addition, it looks for the root cause of disease and teaches you how to reverse the disease process by dealing with the factors that created the disease in the first place rather than just put a Band-Aid on the problem. Ayurveda is a complete healing system that is focused on giving you tools and practices to create health on a daily basis by using your innate healing ability.
Specific examples include:
Practices that improve digestion such as tongue scraping, drinking warm water, spices to aid in digestion, intermittent fasting, walking after meals, and eating seasonally
Practices that nourish the tissues and skin such as oil pulling, self-massage with oil, and ingestion of healthy oils in amounts appropriate for each mind-body type
Aligning with your daily rhythms by waking and sleeping with your circadian rhythms, eating the largest meal at lunch, and reducing activity in the evening to prepare for sleep
Practices that calm the mind such as meditation, restorative yoga, and deep breathing.
Periodic detox at season change and times of stress to clear the system of accumulated toxins and rebalance the digestion
Using healthy herbs and spices to activate your own digestive enzymes and digestive processes
Modern medicine and science are poised to begin integrating Ayurvedic principles and practices into healthcare, now having the scientific validation for many of the practices as well as a modern language that describes these principles. In addition, Ayurveda doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It simply involves small shifts in daily behaviors and uses the kitchen as your pharmacy. I have been integrating Ayurveda into my practice for many years and have found satisfaction in having more tools and practices to help people achieve their health goals, using both modern medicine as well as the time-tested teachings of Ayurveda.
I look forward to sharing the wisdom of Ayurveda with you and empowering you with self-care and healing practices that teach you to heal yourself.