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Ayurveda
Treatment Overview
Ayurveda, or Ayurvedic medicine, is a healthy-lifestyle system that people in India have used for more than 5,000 years. Ayurveda emphasizes good health and prevention and treatment of illness through lifestyle practices (such as massage, meditation, yoga, and dietary changes) and the use of herbal remedies.
Ayurvedic medicine is holistic, which means viewing the body and mind as a whole. Ayurveda treats more than a person's physical concerns. It also looks at lifestyle and health behaviors, diet, digestion, stress, and environmental factors.
According to Ayurveda, the five elements of nature (space, air, fire, water, earth) combine in the body as three components (doshas) known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These doshas relate closely to the basic elements of nature and to specific functions of the body. A balance of these doshas is thought to be required for optimal health.
In Ayurvedic medicine, it is thought that if an imbalance occurs in any of the three doshas, illness results. Ayurvedic medicine treats illness in many ways, including dietary changes, herbal remedies, and exercise.
In India, Ayurveda is currently used with conventional medicine as a form of primary healthcare.
Current as of: May 13, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
