Ayurveda is sometimes called the mother of medicine - as one of the oldest healing systems, in 1979 it was officially recognized by the World He alth Organization as one of the concepts of he alth and therapy. Ayurveda is an old Indian art of healing, but most of all it is an art of maintaining the original balance of the organism - that is he alth. There, medicine meets psychology and philosophy. Together, they are meant to serve a long, good life.

Ayurvedamore than 5,000 were born years ago in the Kerala area on the southeast coast of the Indian peninsula. To this day, it is widely practiced in India and Sri Lanka. Ayurvedic methods can be successfully used in the treatment of any disease: both mental and physical. It brings excellent results especially where the causes of ailments are digestive and metabolic disorders. Although he has been teaching at Indian universities for a hundred years, a future doctor draws a large part of his knowledge from the lips of his master practitioner, whom he will not meet at the university.

Ayurveda - get to know your energy type

When a person comes into the world, his energy is in perfect, primal balance. But as time passes, we destroy it ruthlessly: by eating badly, stressing, striving for what is bad or even impossible for us.

The classic book of Ayurvedic medicine, "Charaka samhita", written over 2,000 years before the microscope was invented, he reports that the body is made of cells and lists 20 types of microorganisms that cause disease.

By trying to imitate others, we lose our own happiness. We live in opposition to ourselves, often defying our own nature. We become weaker and less resistant, and as a result we get sick. Because disease is just an imbalance.

The entire universe, including man, is energy - this is the basic premise of Ayurvedic art. We are made of energy particles, actually a mixture of its three basic types: pitha, vatha and kapha. He alth is nothing more than our proper, unique balance of these three types.

Everyone has their own individual energy model. Ayurvedic practitioners call it a constitution - the stronger and more stable it is, the more resistant we are to disease. Our temperament and needs also depend on it,abilities, physical and mental strength, and susceptibility to certain illnesses.

No two energy systems are alike, just as no two people are alike. One can only speak of certain types. Depending on which type of energy is predominant, it will be vatha, pitha or kapha.

energy type

Vatha

Pitha

Kapha

nature of energy

principle of motion, kinetic energy: rules the nervous system, heartbeat, blood flow, stimulates the brain and nerves

fire rule: is responsible for metabolism and digestion

water principle, potential energy: responsible for physical strength and tissue hydration and all body fluids

human features

speaks quickly, is energetic, remembers quickly and forgets quickly; he is unsure of himself at times; is slim, has dry, dark skin, narrow lips, dark eyes

speaks quickly and clearly, is intelligent, sometimes angry; medium height, proportionate build, fair skin, hair and eyes, smooth skin

speaks slowly, has a good memory, but learns slowly, is rational, caring; has a strong posture, pale skin, big lips, full lips, beautiful big eyes

appetite

eats little, likes sweet, sour and s alty foods

digests well, eats a lot, likes sweet, bitter and spicy dishes

eats slowly, likes bitter, spicy and tart dishes

common ailments

often suffers from constipation and insomnia, is sensitive to pain

is overweight, hyperacid, skin and mucous membranes diseases

it is very difficult for him to lose weight

recommended diet

a lot of protein, sweet, s alty and sour food

vegetarian, sweet, s alty and sour food

a lot of easily digestible dishes, little fried, sweet, sour and s alty
Important

Talk to your body every day

Balance in Ayurveda applies to all aspects of life: body, spirit, mind. For true he alth of the body is impossible if the mind is sick. Likewise, peace of mind is not possible when the body is ailing. Modern Western medicine is only now discovering how much of an impact on he althand people's lives have their mental state, attitude to the environment, and even thoughts. Ayurvedic sages knew this thousands of years ago. They argued that the condition of the mind and the condition of the body were closely related. On the one hand, the mind is responsible for the disturbances of the natural balance and it is thanks to it, its aspirations that we endow ourselves with diseases (e.g. by living in opposition to ourselves and to nature). But on the other hand, it is the mind and consciousness that determine the success of healing, i.e. restoring the balance of the body.

Diagnosis in Ayurveda

Ayurvedic therapy does not offer one recipe for everyone. Treatment is always individual. It begins with an extremely in-depth examination, during which the doctor must get to know his patient well.

There is no one infallible recipe for he alth, just as no two people are alike. What is good for one person does not have to serve someone else, and may even be harmful.

Conducts a detailed interview: asks not only about ailments, but also about lifestyle, profession, habits and hobbies. He needs to know what the sick person is eating and what bothers him. In this way, he discovers the causes of internal imbalances, which is what really led to the disease. He also tries to get to know the patient's attitude towards his own body and… the world. He observes his behavior and manner very closely. The questions also concern the childhood of the patient and his family - this helps to precisely define the state of the primary energetic balance and the cause of its disturbance. During the interview, the doctor also examines the color of the patient's skin and tongue, his eyes, lips and nails. According to Ayurveda, many specific external signs testify to the internal condition of our body. The information can be read primarily from the pulse (practitioners can distinguish over 20 different types of it), skin and eyes. The fingers of the hand also tell about the condition of individual organs: e.g. the thumb shows the condition of the brain, the index finger - the he alth of the lungs, the middle - of the intestines, the ring - of the kidneys, and the little finger - about the condition of the heart.

The doctor is not a healer, but a guide on the way to he alth. It helps the patient understand himself, his body: the psyche and body - as Westerners would say, the energy constitution - in Ayurvedic language. On the other hand, the toil of treatment must be undertaken by each of us.

Ayurveda: cleansing

The first and fundamental stage of proper treatment is the removal of all toxins from the body that accumulate not only as a result of poor nutrition, but also because we cannot cope with our emotions. For example, the inability to express feelings, suppressing them favorsa taste for food. Poisons are always deposited when we lose our energetic balance. If we don't get rid of the toxins first, no treatment will be effective.

The skin massage with carefully selected herbal oils helps to remove toxins. This mixture, "by the way", also heals specific diseases, such as insomnia, arthritis, circulatory problems.

Oils are the basis of cleansing because they are perfectly absorbed by the body's cells. Steam baths are also used, during which the body sweats a lot and thus gets rid of poisons. Sometimes you need more serious detox treatments, such as oil or herbal enemas, inhalations, or the use of laxatives.

Ayurveda - recovery

One Ayurvedic treatment involves inserting a tampon with plant extracts into both nasal passages. Their vapors enter the nasal and frontal sinuses, which stimulates the work of the brain and sensory organs: sight, hearing and smell. In this way, headaches, problems with concentration and memory are treated.

Only after cleansing the body, the specialist prescribes herbal or mineral preparations to help restore the natural balance of the body and mind. The composition of each therapeutic mixture is selected individually. In addition to composing the medicine, the doctor provides the patient with detailed advice on lifestyle, recommended diet and physical activity. It shows him the path to regain his lost balance. Because without it, recovery is impossible.

Important

Ayurveda pays great attention to what we eat. It treats food as one of the main means of preventing disease. It is used to maintain a good psychophysical condition, but also heals various ailments. Uddalaka Aruni, the ancient sage, said: The food we eat is divided into three parts. The mediocrity becomes feces. The middle part becomes the body. The subtle part becomes the mind. (Chandogya Upanishad, VI, 4.1).

Ayurveda distinguishes flavors differently than we do:

  • sweet - it's sugar, milk, butter, rice, bread and flour products
  • bitter - green vegetables
  • s alty - s alt and dishes that contain it
  • sour - yoghurt, cheese, fruit
  • tart - spices
  • dry - legumes

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