What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is the science of life. Ayurveda accepts and asserts that every entity on this earth, living or non-living, is produced by the five elements: fire, water, air, earth, and ether. Ayurveda is the world’s oldest known medical science originating in India over five thousand years ago. The science that is Ayurveda teaches us how to adopt the rhythm of nature in our daily living.
Ayurveda practice is the discovery of the truth, which establishes that body, mind, and consciousness are in constant interaction and connection with all living beings and nature. It teaches us how to maintain a perfect healthy condition and describes the ways and means to prevent various diseases.
The aim of Ayurveda is prolongation of healthy life, prevention of disease, and maintenance of health. A unique feature of Ayurveda is that it takes a holistic approach to healing, while taking into account each individual’s unique constitution and mental characteristics. The Ayurveda approach is not limited to any particular diet, herbal formulation, or treatment. An appropriate health regimen is determined for each individual depending on his or her inherent humoral balance as well as age mental capacity, digestive power, compatibility with food, and elimination habits. Treatment may involve changes in diet, lifestyle, and habits, herbal regimen, internal cleansing, and elimination of accumulated waste.
Which constitution are you?
Vata: The energy of movement
Qualities: dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, mobile, clear, astringent/dry skin, hair, and lips, tendency towards constipation, hoarse voice, light body frame, underweight, light sleeper, cold feet and hands, poor circulation, rough or cracked feet, nails, joint pain or discomfort, craves sweet, sour, and salty tastes, anxiety, fast walking and talking, doing too many things at once, loves to travel but doesn’t stay in one place long, understands concepts right away but forgets them quickly, creative, artistic, mutable.
Pitta: The energy of digestion and metabolism
Qualities: Hot, sharp, light, oily, liquid, spreading, sour, bitter, pungent, red, yellow.
Good digestive fire, sweat and thirst, strong appetite, sensitive teeth, bitter taste in mouth, higher than average body temperature, graying hair early, sharp teeth, distinct eyes, medium body frame, fair, reddish, or shiny skin, soft or oily skin, hair, and feces,. rashes, hives, acne, inflammation, acidic body pH, heartburn, sensitivity to fried foods, yellow in the eyes, anger, irritable, and impatient, over critical of others, good leader, punctual, outspoken, sharp memory and understanding.
Kapha: The Energy of Lubrication and structure
Qualities: Heavy, slow, cold, oily, liquid, hard, smooth, dense, soft, static, cloudy, slimy, sweet, salty, heavy bones and muscles, large body frame, tends towards being overweight, steady thirst and appetite, slow metabolism and digestion, cold clammy skin, chest congestion and cough, desires sweets, oily skin, hair, and feces, mucus, smooth skin, gentle clam nature, soft pleasant look, walks and talks slowly, compassionate, kind, loving, loves to hug, is deeply attached to love and relationships, mind is cloudy and foggy in the morning, sentimental, loves to sleep, slow to comprehend and react.