Ayurveda is described as The World’s Oldest and Most Complete Medical system, originating in India over 5,000 years ago, at which time it took it’s current form.
Ayurveda means "the science (veda) of life (Ayur)", in the ancient Sanskrit language of India – and that’s exactly what it is – being a complete system of medicine addressing dietary, herbal and lifestyle concerns of the individual not a generic system applied to one and all.
Each case and person in Ayurveda is different and thus assessed and treated differently, which is why Ayurveda has no side-effects, unlike other systems of Medicine (especially Western medicine).
Ayurveda was founded by Sri Dhanvantari, an ancient Hindu Seer of Kashi (modern Benares / Varansi) in it's modern form, as per Indian tradition, although it has it's roots in the most ancient Indian text, the Rig Veda long before him, back to around 10,000 years ago or more.
However, other lineages of Ayurveda date back to Vedic Rishis or Seers such as Atreya, Bharadwaja and others, as per the tradition of Charaka Rishi, much earlier.
Ayurvedic Dentistry alone goes back at least 9000+ years in India, by archaeological evidence and use of bow drills for teeth.
The two famous Indian doctors, Sushruta (c.1500BCE) Dhanvantari's student and another Seer named Charaka of the Agnivesh - Atreya linage of Ayurveda wrote the famous Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita, which dealt with healing methods, such as surgery and branches of Ayurveda, which were included in the Ashtanga Ayurveda (Eight Limbs or divisions of Ayurveda):
Kaya Chikitsa (Body and Medicines)
Bhutavidya (Psychology)
Kaumara Bhritya (Paediatrics)
Shalya Tantra (Surgery)
Shalakya Tantra (Science of Ears, Nose and Throat or ENT)
Agad Tantra (Science of Toxins)
Rasayana (Science of rejuvenation methods and formulas)
Vajikarana (Science of Aphrodisiacs)
Ayurveda has contributed much to modern medicine also, such as:
-Being the first system to correctly identify Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
-Originating the system of Rhinoplasty (Plastic surgery) reconstructing ears and noses some 3,000 years ago. The first Western Physician to practise the art was Joseph Constantine Carpue, who learnt the technique from Indian Ayurvedic Doctors
-Charaka (c.1500bce) is described as the first physician who presented the concepts of Metabolism, Digestion and Immunity and spoke much on Embryology, Genetics, and Physiology
-Sushruta (c.1000bce) described300 surgical procedures and the use of 120 surgical instruments as well as over 1100 illnesses and their treatment
-Cataract Surgery and use of Artificial Limbs was first performed by Sushruta (c.1000bce), but date back earlier
-Sushruta (c.1000bce) describes the properties of 700 Medical plants, 64 Mineral and 57Animal preparations
-Sushruta (c.1000bce) is also considered the pioneer of Anaesthesia
-Ayurvedic texts were transmitted into Arabia and via the Arabs into Rome, where they became the basis of much of Western medicine and Surgery as early as the 7th Century AD, as well as spreading to China and south-east Asia, forming the basis of their medical systems and heavily influencing them also.
Unlike modern Western (allopathic) medicine, Ayurveda treats the mind (manas), body (sharira) etc. through herbal remedies, practices such as Yoga and Exercise, as well as other methods, such as astrology and dietary therapy.
Ayurveda recognises three humors, which constitute diagnosis in Ayurveda.
These are called the Tridoshas or "Three Humors".
These are:
Vata - Wind or Gas
Pitta - Fire or Bile
Kapha - Water or Phlegm
There are five sub-humors of each, which relate of various parts of the body.
Disease (Roga) called Vikriti and one's own Nature (Prakriti) are instrumental in this process, as diseases are caused by imbalances of these humors, which Ayurveda seeks to restore balance to in the body. One's imbalance is called "Vikriti" or an imbalance of one's normal state or nature, called Prakriti (lit. "nature").
Contrary to what many people think, Prakriti (One’s Bodily Constitution) is just ONE part of a proper Ayurvedic Consultation.
The Vikriti (Disease / Imbalance of the body) is not always the same as one's Constitution (Prakriti).
In addition, a Manas Prakriti (Mental Constitution) examines your Mental State of Mind as per the Three Gunas (Modes of Nature: Sattvas (Purity and Clarity), Rajas (Agitation and Passion) and Tamas (Darkness, Ignorance) and their varying levels of the individual also, assessing what foods, lifestyles and regimes are best to restore it back to health or sattvas – clarity.
Ayurveda thus provides a full and thorough examination and consideration of you personally, and the individual issues that you have, and thus all treatment is specific to you.
Ayurveda seeks to restore the balance through Yoga techniques as Pranayama (breathing exercises), Asanas (Yoga postures), use of Herbs and Herbal Formulas / Medicines aiming at restore depleted humors and restoring balance to the body, as well as other measures such as dietary therapy for increasing or reducing the above doshas or humors.
These methods are completely natural and organic, as well as harmless natural therapies.
The key to health in Ayurveda is Ojas or Vitality.
Low Ojas or Vitality is hence a low immune system, by which we become susceptible to diseases. Keeping our Agni or Fire awakened also helps, as Agni is the heat in the body and also the bile or digestive fire (Jatharagni) that burns up undigested food masses and helps eliminate it.
Ancient Ayurvedic Diagnosis includes many various methods for checking imbalances of one's Doshas or humors in the body, such as:
Nadi-Pariksha - Pulse Diagnosis
Jihva-Pariksha - Tongue Diagnosis
Akriti Pariksha - Facial Diagnosis
Mutra Pariksha and Purisha Pariksha - Urine and Stool Diagnosis
Chakshus Pariksha - Eye Diagnosis
Tvak Pariksha - Skin Diagnosis
Vak Pariksha - Voice diagnosis
Such reveal both the characteristics of one’s own Biological makeup, as well as heal issues o concerns they have specifically.
These form three groups of Diagnostic methods the Practitioner uses:
Prashna - Asking questions related to the body
Sparsha - Touching the patient
Darshana - Looking at the patient with regards to the conditions of the humors of Dosha predominant
Manas-Prakriti or Mental Nature is also a part of this diagnostic process, to see one's own personal mental nature, with regards to the three gunas or natures in Ayurveda, which form aspects of natures inherit in creation itself.
These are:
Sattva-guna – The Quality of truth, purity and clarity
Rajo-guna – The Quality of passion, agitation and action
Tamo-guna – The Quality of darkness, dullness and inertia
The main cause of disease in Ayurveda is accumulation of Ama or toxins at various sites or locations in the body, starting with the Digestive system.
Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselling is the first step to your health, and we can provide you this counselling, with regards to Exercises, Diet, recommended Herbal and other therapies for living a healthy Ayurvedic Lifestyle, after a proper full Examination of the Body-type, Disease-type and Psychological-type.
In addition, Ayurveda takes into consideration your Age, Sex and Climate in which you live, as also the effects (psychological and biological) of the Seasons and how they affect you personally also – as also how diseases can be actually caused by such factors, as excesses, as also in Lifestyle and Diet.
We also provide authentic Keraliya Ayurvedic Medicines and Treatments for various problems.
Please contact Durgadas (Rodney) Lingham,
Veda Kovid
Email: idl@snap.net.nz for more information.
NOTE:Before conducting Ayurvedic consultations, pleasedownload, sign and print the waiver agreement (click here)and bring it with you
Sri Dhanvantari, 
