Introduction to Ayurveda

Western medicine focuses on dividing and conquering, specializing in specific organs or diseases. It separates people from diseases and aims to treat diseases rather than individuals. Research in Western medicine, particularly randomized controlled trials (RCTs), attempts to remove individuality to focus on the purest disease process. Ayurveda, in contrast, emphasizes pattern generation and holistic understanding, viewing disease as inseparable from the individual.

“Western medicine is all about the treatment of disease. It’s not about the treatment of people. And you can even see this reflected in the way that we do research. So the gold standard of research in western medicine is something called the randomized controlled trial."
"Whereas Western medicine is about dividing and conquering. Really, Ayurveda is about the opposite. It’s about pattern generation. And building things up.”

• How might combining Western and Ayurvedic approaches lead to more comprehensive healthcare?
• What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of each medical philosophy?
• How might combining Western and Ayurvedic approaches lead to more comprehensive healthcare?
• What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of each medical philosophy?

Integrative medicine, Holistic health approaches, Limitations of randomized controlled trials, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Ayurveda identifies three main doshas (elemental balances): Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha is associated with specific elements and characteristics, both physical and mental. Everyone has a unique balance of these doshas, determined by genetics (Prakriti) and influenced by diet, environment, and behaviors (Vikriti).

“So everyone has a base level of Dosha called Prakriti, and this is actually genetically determined…. Then the the Ayurvedic physicians then notice that we may have a normal level or a natural level of each of our doshas, but that things like our diet and our environment and certain behaviors that we engage in can actually raise or lower each door shop and this is called our Vikriti, or sort of altered level of Dosha”

“And as they were trying to figure out a language to describe these patterns that they were seeing, they came up with the concept of a dosha. So a dosha is sort of like an elemental balance, and they sort of decided that they were going to organize everything based on three portions.”

• How can understanding one’s dosha composition help in maintaining overall health and well-being?
• In what ways might the concept of doshas be applied to modern personalized medicine?
• How can understanding one’s dosha composition help in maintaining overall health and well-being?
• In what ways might the concept of doshas be applied to modern personalized medicine?

Personalized medicine, Mind-body connection in health, Ayurvedic lifestyle practices, Ayurgenomic research

Vata (wind and ether): Quick-minded, easily distracted, slender body type, fast metabolism. Prone to anxiety and ADHD when stressed.
Pitta (fire and water): Driven, focused, ambitious, medium body type, strong digestion. Prone to irritability and argumentativeness when stressed.
Kapha (earth and water): Stable, resilient, slower metabolism, prone to weight gain. Prone to depression, sadness, guilt, and shame when stressed.

“So Vata is or like the wind and the Vata dosha is actually composed of two elements wind and ether…. So Pittas those two elements are fire and water…. And then the third dosha is Kaphas and Kaphas two elements are earth and water.”

“The Ayurvedic physicians also noticed that when these kinds of minds are under stress, they respond in different ways. So for example, when the vata mind is under stress, it manifests things like anxiety and ADHD.”

• How might recognizing these dosha characteristics in oneself or others improve interpersonal relationships and stress management?
• What strategies can be employed to balance each dosha type for optimal mental and physical health?
• How might recognizing these dosha characteristics in oneself or others improve interpersonal relationships?
• What strategies can be employed to balance each dosha type?

Personality types and health, Ayurvedic diet and nutrition, Stress management techniques based on dosha, Dosha-specific lifestyle recommendations

In Ayurveda, disease is viewed as an imbalance of doshas. Each person’s susceptibility to certain diseases is related to their individual dosha composition. Balancing doshas is key to maintaining health and can lead to improvements in multiple areas simultaneously.

“And so essentially, in the Ayurvedic view, which is about three to 5000 years old disease is fundamentally tied to a person that disease is fundamentally tied to your individual genetic makeup, your individual Doshik makeup, and that the way to to attain health is to try to balance your doshas so that you can kind of get out of those disease ranges and move more towards the middle.”

• How does the Ayurvedic view of disease differ from the Western medical model, and what are the implications for treatment approaches?
• In what ways can the concept of dosha balance be integrated into modern preventive healthcare?

Preventive medicine in Ayurveda, Holistic approaches to chronic diseases, Dosha balancing techniques

Ayurveda is an evidence-based system of medicine used to improve wellness in your life - that is personalized to your physical and cognitive fingerprint. Understanding your ayurvedic temperament can help you attain success by playing to your strengths and balancing your weaknesses. Everyone has different levels of each of the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Disease occurs when any of the doshas become too high (toxicity) or too low (deficiency).