When most people ask me about Ayurveda [eye-U-vay-da]the first thing they stumble upon is how to pronouce it! When people have got their head around the pronounciation they are then puzzled by the simplicity of it's application - no, you don't have to live on Indian food or totally change the way you are living and join an ashram! Ayurveda works with you holistically to attain a better understanding of you and your health by gettting to the root of your health problem not just symptomatic treatment.

Ayurveda is all encompassing, at the centre of it's teachings is that everything that you do should be easy to digest - not just physically but also mentally. Although you may not be able to pronounce some of the sanskrit terms you can be assured that your Ayurvedic Practitioner will give you a better understanding of your condition in lay terms. If an action that you take or are advised to take does not align with what you believe then this will cause disease (dis-ease).   As holistic health practitioner's it is our job to ensure that our client's needs are totally understood to avoid this mis-alignment.

So what is Ayurveda? Ayurveda the 'Science of Life' was set out in the Vedas (the ancient texts of Hinduism) more than 5000 years ago and is still relevant today. In fact some of it's surgical and diagnostic techniques can be found in western medicine today e.g. kidney operations, haemorrhoid removal and even rhinoplasty (the good old nose job!)

Main Principles of Ayurveda The principle of Ayurveda is that good health can be attained by a correct balance of different energies and harmony with the outside world. By looking at the world (and ourselves) in relation to five elements we ca balance these elements to achieve health and wellbeing. The five elements are ether, air, fire, water  and earth. These elements are further characterised into three forces called doshas - vata (ether, air); pitta (fire, water);kapha (water, earth).

In Ayurveda health can be explained as balanced when the elements are as they were when we were born (our prakrti) and our current state of health is how the elements are in us at this current point in time (our vikrti).

How can this help you? An Ayurvedic Practitioner can ascertain both your prakrti and vikrti by the pulse, the tongue, observation and questioning. Once this has been ascertained then a treatment plan is decided whereby diet, lifestyle is addressed and therapies or herbs maybe given. For fun try out the simple quetionnaire at the bottom of this posting to see which body type you are (Prakrti).

Principle of similar increases similar One of the basic principles of Ayurveda is that 'similar increases similar'. A simple example being eating an ice cream on a hot summer day makes there body cooler (therefore cold increases cold). If we take this principle further and look at a simple disorder such as gas and bloating (featuring the elements of air and ether) if we are eating foods high in these elements such as dry, light foods this will increase our symptom (therefore air increases air). In this case eating foods opposite to the disorder, therefore foods that are moist, warm and oily will decrease the gas and bloating. Just take a look at your health at the moment through the elements and see if this simple principle can be applied to you. By looking at our prakrti and vikrti we can use this simple principle throughout our lives to achieve optimum health. See below for some more hints and tips...

Determine your prakrti (ideal state of health) For each catergory below answer how you have been since a child to determine your ideal health (prakrti), at the end total your letters and this is then your main dosha.

Frame Thin (v) Moderate (p) Thick (k) Body weight Low (v) Moderate (p) Overweight (k) Skin Dry, rough, cool (v), Soft oily, warm, fair (p) Thick, oily, cool, pale (k) Hair dry, kinky (v) soft, oily, early greying (p), thick, oily, wavy (k) Teeth protruding, big, crooked, receding gums (v), moderate, soft gums, yellowish (p), strong, white (k) Eyes small, dull, dry, brown (v) sharp penetrating, green-grey (p) big, attractive, blue, thick eyelashes (k) Appetite variable, scanty (v) good excessive (p) slow but steady (k) Elimination dry, hard, constipated (v) soft, oily, loose (p), thick, oily, heavy, slow (k) Mind restless, active (v) aggressive, intelligent (p) calm, slow (k) Temperament fearful, insecure, unpredictable (v) aggressive, irritable, jealous (p) calm, greedy, attached (k) Faith changable (v) fanatic (p) steady (k) Sleep Scanty, interrupted (v) little but sound (p) heavy, prolonged (k)

Now you have worked out your current health (prakrti) look at your current state of health (vikrti) and relate this to the elements and take the following steps to turn back to health...

Vata (ether and air) tends to be dry, light, mobile and cold. To balance vata bring in regularity, warmth and nourishment. Eat wholesome, nourishing, warm moist foods and avoid bitter, fermented, stale and raw foods.

Pitta (fire and water) tends to be sharp, oily, hot, liquid, light and mobile. To balance pitta bring in cooling, calming and moderation. Eat cool, heavy, dry foods, sweet, bitter, astringent tastes and avoid warm, oily, light foods and reduce pungent, sour, salty tastes.

Kapha (water and earth) tends to be heavy, dense, stable, oily and moist. To balance kapha bring in stimulation and warmth. Eat light, dry, warm foods and favour pungent, bitter and astringent tastes. Reduce heavy, oily, cold foods and sweet, sour and salty tastes.   

If you would like further information about Ayurveda or to book a consultation or body therapy please email me. In the next few weeks I will post more information about the therapies offered and simple seasonal recipes for you to enjoy.

I hope that this posting has given you a greater understanding of Ayurveda, if not at least you will now know how to pronounce it!

Lorraine Ferrier, Ayurvedic Practitioner www.ayusoma.co.nz   

Ayusoma - empowering you to balance your mind, body and spirit through Ayurveda