An insight into Ayurveda
Ayurveda is one of the most renowned traditional systems of medicine and is considered to also be one of the oldest. Dating back to 2nd Century BC, Ayurvedic knowledge originated in India, where it stemmed from ancient Vedic culture that has been shared for thousands of years from accomplished masters to their students.
In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means ‘The Science of Life’ and as often referred to as the ‘Mother of All Healing’.
The basic underpinnings of this ancient system of health care focuses on all aspects of the individual, rather than just an isolated view of disease, and looks to restore inner balance by drawing on an extensive knowledge of nature-based medicine.
Ayurvedic practitioners will assess and address all aspects of an individual’s life, their body mind and spirit. They recognise that we are all unique, with different constitutions and will thus respond differently to various recommendations and treatments.
Whilst also looking to resolve health issues, Ayurveda also places great emphasis on prevention and encourages maintenance of one’s health. By focusing on the balance of thoughts, environments, diet, and lifestyle, as well as utilising herbal medicine.
The three principal Dosha’s – Vata, Pitta & Kapha
Ayurvedic philosophy proposes that the entire cosmos or universe is made up from five basic elements: space, air, water, fire, and earth. In varying combinations and permutations, these elements make up the three basic energies or principals of the human body: vata, pitta and kapha. Each with their own characteristics and can be related the to body’s biological functioning.
Within the physical body, vata is associated with the energy of movement, pitta is the energy of digestion and metabolism, and kapha is the energy the helps form the body’s structure.
Within the Ayurvedic paradigm of assessing health, cause of disease is viewed to be a lack of proper cellular function that stems from an excess or deficiency of vata, pitta or kapha.
All people have the 3 energetic qualities, but one is typically more dominant than the others.
Vata predominant attributes:
A ‘Vata’ type of individual has a quick mind. They tend to be alert, restless and very active. They think, talk, and walk fast. But all this movement can cause them to become easily fatigued. To counterbalance such face-paced motion, a vata person does well with routine, helping to provide them with some grounding and scheduling in adequate time for rest.
Vata people are more susceptible to disorders of the lungs and joints. They may also experience more flatulence, twitches/tics, aching joints and dry hair and skin.
To help balance vata energy it is recommended to include warm, well-cooked foods into the diet. Meals like well-cooked oats or rice that are prepared with plenty of water and butter (or ghee) are well tolerated.
Pitta predominant attributes:
Pitta people contain the qualities of fire; warm bodies, penetrating ideas and sharp intelligence. This however, can quickly lead to agitation, anger and short temperedness when pitta types become out of balance.
Those who are pitta dominant will often experience health concerns that are ‘hot’ or inflammatory such as fevers, skin rashes, ulcerations and inflammation or irritation of the eyes, throat, or gastrointestinal tract.
Pitta types do best on a diet that avoids or limits overly sour, salty, and hot foods. Cooling and sweet foods like salads, raw vegetables and sweet fruits are most beneficial to help balance excessive pitta fire.
Kapha predominant attributes:
Kapha types possess qualities of strength, endurance, and stamina. They tend to have loving, stable, and grounded dispositions. From a physical aspect, kapha types often have a slower metabolism (slower bowel movement etc) and may experience that they gain weight easily.
When it comes to health issues, kapha people are more likely to struggle with flu, sinus and congestion. Headaches, water retention, sluggishness and diabetes may also be problematic.
Despite the kapha tendency to choose sweet, oily, and salty foods, their constitution is best balance by bitter, astringent and pungent foods. It is also recommended that these people should avoid dairy and fried, oily foods. Emphasis should be placed on vegetables, all types.
Green Trading offers a range of only the highest quality Traditional Ayurvedic preparations and supplements, like Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Triphala, Brahmi and more.
We ensure that our products follow Ayurvedic recommendation by being used in their whole, raw form and are free from harmful chemicals and toxins.
These can be found under the ‘Nutritional’s & Supplements’ tab on our website.