The Ayurda Standard...

Most people in western societies are now familiar with Yoga and many practice it. The sister science to Yoga is Ayurveda and the literal meaning of the word ‘Ayurveda’ is the science of life. Ayurveda is a 5,000 year old science dealing not only with treatment of some diseases but is a complete way of life. Ayurveda draws its concepts and practices from Vedas. It is five thousand years of health and healing wisdom distilled into a system of practice.

Ayurveda is much more than the well-being of the body. Ayurveda defines health as ‘Purity’ of the body, mind and soul. It leads not merely to the well being of the individual; it leads to the well being of the universe. It restores harmony and existence.

This system of science, stress on the health promotion & preventive care in addition to curing them. This tradition of natural healing system has been a part of culture and daily life in India. It is the most natural way to refresh your self, eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body, regain resistance and good health.
A Person is seen in Ayurveda as a unique individual made up of five primary elements.

These elements are ether (space), air, fire, water and earth. Just as in nature, we too have these five elements in us. When any of these elements are imbalance in the environment, they will in turn have an influence on us. The foods we eat and the weather are just two examples of the influence of these elements.

• The elements combine with Ether and Air in dominance to form what is known in Ayurveda as Vata Dosha. Vata governs the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the force, which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration and elimination etc.

• The elements with Fire and Water in dominance combine to form the Pitta Dosha. The Pitta Dosha is responsible for the process of transformation or metabolism. The transformation of foods into nutrients that our bodies can assimilate is an example of a Pitta function.

• It is predominantly the water and earth elements, which combine to form the Kapha Dosha. Kapha is responsible for growth, adding structure unit by unit.

All Five elements, as expressed through Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are essential to life, working together to create health or produce disease. No one dosha can produce or sustain life – all three must work together, each in its own way. These doshas are responsible for the whole physiology of the body. When the three Doshas are well harmonised and function in a balanced manner, it results in good nourishment and well being of the individual. But when there is imbalance or disharmony within or between them, it will result in various kinds of ailments.
The Ayurvedic concept of physical health revolves round these three Doshas and its primary purpose is to help maintain them in a balanced state and thus to prevent disease.

Ageing and Rejuvenation – An Ayurvedic perspective

“‘Oh’ those desirous of a healthy long life! Listen to us explaining the method of rejuvenation treatment which is like another nectar, having incomprehensible miraculous effects, promoting life span, providing health, sustaining youthfulness, relieving sleepiness, drowsiness, exertion, exhaustion, lassitude and debility, restoring equilibrium of the doshas, bringing stability, alleviating laxity of muscles, kindling the internal fire and producing excellent luster, complexion and voice”. (Charaka Samhitha AD. 100)

Since time immemorial there have been oral and written stories of the quest to find the elixir of life, the Fountain of Youth. There are stories of a Golden Age when people lived hundreds of years and those who attained immortality. 
According to ayurveda, one’s mental state is what makes the difference. Learn methods to cultivate a youthful state of mind, regardless of whether the physically rejuvenating methods of ayurveda are employed or not.
In general, ayurveda teaches that if life is lived in accordance with prakruti, or basic body-mind constitution, then a natural youthfulness is maintained throughout life.

There is a sophistication and wisdom in the eastern healing system that sets it apart from any other. These qualities are one of herbal energetics and tastes and rasayanas. Eastern wisdom recognizes that plants have particular characteristics and inherent qualities that have specific actions or affinities with an individuals body and skin type. This knowledge helps to clarify the basic qualities of plants and gives us an intuitive way to understand the way they work internally and externally in the body. It enforces the vital concept that, what is good for one is not necessarily good for another, and we all have qualities that will either have a special affinity for an herb or be in discordance with it.

Plants are living substances. They contain a vital life energy. It is what differentiates living matter from synthetically derived matter. Plants are composed of the same vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, enzymes and hormones that we are. Our body recognizes plants as nutrition. We can safely eat most of them, use them in body care products and diffuse their oils for their therapeutic benefits. By using natural ingredients you will benefit your health. On the contrary, synthetic ingredients are “man made” chemicals devoid of life. The body recognizes that they are different from nature’s plants and one’s own chemistry. The immune system registers this as foreign, possibly toxic matter and may respond with an allergic reaction.

In Ayurveda, herbs are used as whole rather than separating their active constitution which most of the time changes the action of that herb on the cells, tissues thus making them more harmful than beneficial.

A single herb may have multiple properties and one specific property may be present in many herbs. Based on their characters they are classified into three main groups:

• Vaisheik gunas (related to the sensory organ)
• Samanya gunas (general)
• Atma gunas (related to the soul)

Herbs are also categorized according to their physical “tastes” and these qualities impart very specific actions to the skin.

1. Sweet taste promotes the health and growth of skin and hair. It is nourishing, revitalizing and promotes tissue regeneration. These herbs usually contain a lot of mucilaginous qualities making them moisturizing and healing. It is helpful for pitta and vata. Sweet herbs bring anabolic action for skin cells.

2. Sour: carminative, digestive and accumulates secretive impurities (waste material that is secreted) in the tissues to aid elimination. Sour herbs will help in tonicity of the skin tissue.

3. Salty: purifies tissues, digestive, relaxing, separates impurities, accumulates excretions in the system, causes the body to lose stiffness (relaxes it), clears the outlets of the system, produces softness of all the structures of the body

4. Pungent is always warm and induces circulation in the body. Pungent herbs have a “painkilling” action and can alleviate swelling and edema. This pungent quality helps to discharge wastes from the body; therefore, it has a purifying and simulating action. Pungent herbs alleviate kapha dosha. It will break the stagnation thus helping to clear the excess extra cellular flow from skin cell.

5. Bitter herbs heal skin disorders, alleviates itching, inflammation and is drying and detoxifying. Bitter herbs are usually beneficial for pitta (if cool) and kapha (if warm). Bitter herbs can be pungent or astringent at the same time. Bitter herbs are best known to lower the PH level and help to counter the hyper sensitivity of skin when used along with sweet taste.

6. Astringent herbs contain chemical constituents, called tannins, making them drying, contracting, firming and anti-inflammatory. Astringent herbs are pacifying for kapha/pitta.