Tuesday, June 28, 2011

What is Ayurveda?

Also known as: Ayurvedic medicine
Ayurveda is the traditional medicine of the India, whose origin more than 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda focuses on restoring balance in the body through diet, mode of life, exercise and cleansing of the body and on the health of the mind, body and spirit.
In North America, Ayurveda is regarded as a form of alternative medicine. As traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda is a medical system, which means that it is based on the theories of health and disease and methods of prevention and treatment of health conditions.

Over the last decade, Ayurveda is growing in popularity in North America, thanks in part to the work of Deepak Chopra, M.D., a physician that combines Western medicine Ayurveda.

In 2004, the National Center for Health Statistics and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCAAM) published the results of a survey of 31 000 people in the United States. Four - tenths of one percent of respondents had used Ayurveda in the past. One tenth of one percent of respondents had used Ayurveda in the last year.

An initial assessment with an Ayurvedic practitioner may last an hour or more. The practitioner will ask questions on your health, diet and lifestyle. He or she will listen to your pulse. Unlike medicine, pulse 12 different points are assessed in Ayurveda.

The Ayurvedic practitioner also examines the language; his appearance is expected to provide clues on the areas of the body which has more balance. There are also the appearance of the skin, lips, nails and eyes.
After the evaluation, the practitioner will determine unique balance of the individual doshas, or metabolic types. A dosha is usually predominant and can be unbalanced, usually due to poor diet and unhealthy habits.
The practitioner also determines your prakuti, also called your constitution or essential nature. From there, the practitioner may create an individualized, treatment plan which includes often diet, exercise, herbs, yoga, meditation and massage. The treatment plan is usually on the balance between a particular dosha.
According to Ayurveda, everything is made up of five elements: air, water, fire, Earth and space. These elements combine to form the three doshas vata, kapha and pitta types or metabolic. In Ayurveda, doshas explain some of our individual differences.

The vata dosha is a combination of space and air. He is responsible for the body such as respiration, cell division and circulation processes and control movement. Vata body areas are the large intestine, basin, bone, skin, ears and thighs. People with vata as their main dosha would be quick-thinking, thin and fast and are sensitive to anxiety, dry skin and constipation.

The kapha dosha represents the elements of water and Earth. Kapha is supposed to be responsible for the resistance, immunity and growth. Kapha body areas are the chest, lungs and the cerebrospinal fluid. People with kapha as their main dosha appear to be calm, have a solid body frame and are likely to be of diabetes, obesity, sinus congestion and gallbladder problems.

The pitta dosha combines fire and water. It is thought to control hormones and digestive system. Pitta body areas are small intestines, stomach, sweat glands, skin, blood and eyes. People with pitta as their main dosha are viewed as having a fiery, oily skin personality and are vulnerable to heart disease, ulcers of stomach, inflammation, arthritis and stomach heartburn.

Dosha imbalance is intended to interrupt the natural flow of prana, or vital energy. Disturbed energy flow is then thought to impair digestion and allow the build up of wastes from the body, or ama, which compromises more energy and digestion.

Power supply: Recommendations are individualized to the individual dosha and season. Foods can balance or cause imbalance for each dosha. See a list of foods thought to establish a balance between each dosha.
Cleansing and detoxification: this can be done through fasting, enemas, feeding and care of the body.
Phytotherapy: herbal Ayurvedic examples are triphala, ashwaghanda, gotu kola, guggul and boswellia.
Yoga Meditation.

Exercise: Individualized for the constitution of a person
Massage: Medicated herbal oils are often used.In India, there are many undergraduate and graduate colleges for Ayurveda, where training can be up to five years of studies.

Outside of the India, some people who have been trained in another profession of health (e.g. doctor, nurse, doctor of naturopathy) study Ayurveda before or after their training. Other practitioners to attend only Ayurvedic College.

There is currently no national standard for the certification of training or licenses Ayurvedic practitioners to the United States or the Canada.
Due to its growing popularity, Ayurvedic, particularly to the spas and salons, are more performed by persons who have not received formal training in Ayurveda. This is why if you are interested in consultation with Ayurvedic doctor, it is important to seek a qualified of Ayurvedic practitioner and learn more about his training.

According to NCAAM, in 2004, 14 of 70 Ayurvedic medicines tested were found to contain lead, mercury and arsenic to potentially harmful levels. All products have been manufactured in South Asia.
The same year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have received 12 reports of lead poisoning associated with the use of herbal Ayurvedic products.

There is a lack of research on the effectiveness, safety, side effects and possible drug interactions of herbal Ayurvedic products. Although some research have been made, there are generally problems with the design of the studies. In North America, the use of practices traditional Ayurvedic, such as vomiting, enemas and cleaning of blood, is seen as highly controversial and the safety of these practices is unknown.
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