What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda means, “The Science of Life” in Sanskrit. Ayurveda roots back more than 5,000 years ago from India. Some say it is the “Mother of all healing” and is one of the oldest practicing healing modalities still alive today. Similar to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda uses the Five Element Theory but in a slightly different way. Ayurveda uses three energy types, or “doshas”, within the five elements to create balance.
The three energy types are called Vata, Pitta, Kapha. These are Sanskrit words that can be hard to remember so I use an animal symbol for each dosha: the Hummingbird, the Tiger, and the Elephant. To simplify, Hummingbird is the energy associated with movement. Tiger is the energy associated with metabolism and transformation. Elephant is the energy associated with structure and form.
The doshas are a tool to identify which aspect of us is out of balance. While most of us have one or two doshas that are predominant, we all have all three doshas. For example, if you didn’t have any Hummingbird energy, then your heart wouldn’t beat. If you didn’t have any Tiger in you, then you wouldn’t be able to digest food. And without any Elephant energy, you wouldn’t be able to sleep. The key is to get them in the right place and the right balance in whatever ratio is right for you. This is your magic recipe and as unique as your fingerprint.
At the heart of Ayurveda is prevention. There are 6 stages to disease according to Ayurveda: accumulation, aggravation, spreading, localization, manifestation, and chronic. The ideal Ayurveda intervention would intercept disease at stage one or two, before issues spread and localize into tissues. These early stages are generally referred to as your “current imbalance” and can be as subtle as feeling “off” or not quite yourself.
What to expect
An Ayurveda consultation starts with an assessment of your pulse, your tongue, your digestion, your sleep quality and your current imbalance (why you came in). From there, we will discuss what remedies would best suit your lifestyle. I use essential oils, recipes with food and spices, lifestyle suggestions, yoga/exercise, hydration, emotional support and seasonal diet tips for your dosha. You will leave with a plan and a custom made essential oil blend made specifically for you.
Benefits of Ayurveda
- Shifts understanding of specific food groups and your individual experience with them
- Aids digestion
- Aids detoxification
- Reduces symptoms of acute or chronic disease
- Reduces symptoms of emotional disharmony
- Disease prevention and imbalance
- Weight loss/gain
- Support skin improvement
- Assists self-acceptance
- Overall support of health and wellness
Ayurveda is considered a complimentary, preventative medicine to your primary care provider. Ayurveda counsel is not considered a replacement to your primary health care provider. If you have a health condition, talk with your primary health care provider before using Ayurvedic products.