Ayurveda...

Ayurveda the ancient system of medicine of India was developed with an objective of attaining a long and healthy life and covers physical, mental and to some extent spiritual aspects of well being. It also covers veterinary science. Some believe it to be a minor Veda related to Atharvaveda. It consists of eight main branches: Kaya- Internal Medicine, Shalya- surgery, Shalakya- the branch which uses a pointed instrument or a stick, Bala- paediatrics, Graha or Bhuta – Psychiatry, Visha – Toxicology, Rasayana- Rejuvenation and Vajikarana – Aphrodisiacs.

According to Ayurveda, the physical body, the senses, the mind and the soul together make a body. The fusion of these four things is named as life. The body is composed of derivatives of the five basic elements – earth, water, fire, air and space, in the form of doshas (basic elements), dhatus (tissues) and malas (waste products). The tissues are classified into seven categories: plasma, blood cells, muscular tissue, adipose tissue, bony tissue, bone marrow and the reproductive tissue. The three main waste products are urine, faeces and sweat. Whatever we eat is converted into life giving particles that, in turn, are converted to the three basic elements or doshas known as Kafa, Pitta, Vata. These elements are the basis of a body, may it be a human being or otherwise. The well being of the body depends on the balance of these three.

Any disease can be traced down to the imbalance of Vata, Pitta and Kafa. Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, each person has a particular pattern of energy-an individual combination of physical, mental and emotional characteristics-which comprises their own constitution. This constitution is determined at conception by a number of factors and remains the same throughout one’s life. Thus, diagnosis according to Ayurveda has to be for an individual rather than of a disease. In this way, Ayurveda gives a basis of diagnosis for physical and psychological ailments.

Diagnosis with the help of the pulse is a unique characteristic of Ayurveda, shared only by the Arabs.