What is Ayurvedic Medicine?

Ayurveda (a-yur-ve-da), which means “the science of life”, is an ancient philosophy that is based on a 5,000 year-old system of natural healing stemming from the Vedic culture of India. The idea of Ayurveda is achieving ideal health when your mind and body are in harmony with the universe. When this occurs, the body is in balance and able to better heal itself.  Ayurveda addresses the body’s imbalances allowing natural healing of the whole person (mind, body and soul). The more modern form of Ayurveda practiced is called Maharishi Ayurveda, based on the idea that “consciousness” is the basis of health and life. Ayurveda helps to understand one’s self and explain how internal and external factors affect them and create certain ailments.

Ayurveda is a safe and effective way to heal one’s self in a more natural way. There is growing scientific research supporting the effectiveness of ayurvedic treatments. Rather then looking at each body system individually, Ayurveda looks at the body as one whole system and focuses on three basic functions that are essential for life:

1. Movement
2. Transformation
3. Stucture

These basic functions at a cellular and organic level are made up of the five elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth. These five elements are composed into three governing mind-body types called Doshas, which are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

How do the Three Doshas Relate to your Health?

Vata Dosha is the movement in the body and is composed of the elements: SPACE and AIR

When imbalanced, you tend to be considered variable, constantly moving and flowing, causing your appetite to change, making you very hungry one instant then another time with no appetite. This imbalance also affects your emotions as you tend to be more anxious, have insomnia, and be more stressed causing imbalance in your digestion leading to constipation, gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome.

When balanced simply you are more energetic, creative, and inspirational.

Pitta Dosha is the transformations that occur in the body and is composed of the elements: FIRE and WATER

When imbalanced, you tend to be overheated causing increased inflammation leading to heartburn, ulcers, loose stools, making you easily and intensely hungry. This imbalance also affects your emotions by making you angrier and easily irritated.

When balanced simply you are more content, determined, and focused.

Kapha Dosha is the structure that holds things together in the body and is composed of the elements: WATER and EARTH

When imbalanced, you tend to be solid and stable but have a sluggish digestion causing you to feel more tired, dull, and sleepy after meals. It also causes you to gain weight more easily and be prone to allergies. This imbalance also affects your emotions making you more stubborn, resistant to change and at times depressed.

When balanced simply you are more stable, calm, and secure.

While everyone has a mix of all three doshas, one or two are usually more pronounced and dominate.

These three mind-body types (doshas) make up your body constitution, or “Prakriti”.  Prakriti is the idea that a person’s true nature is based on developing a particular dosha and the body’s capability of dealing with disease. These three doshas help to keep your constitution in balance when working together in harmony.

Therefore, if one or more of these doshas are out of balance then symptoms develop and eventually disease if not corrected.

Ayurveda teaches us how to find balance between these doshas through proper diet and lifestyle to prevent imbalance and disease.

How Does Ayurvedic Healing Work?

Through Ayurveda, you will learn about your health and aspects of your diet and lifestyle that maybe contributing to your imbalances and how to correct them so to find better health and allow your body to heal itself. For example, most of us have heard the phrase, “you are what you eat.” Well, there is some merit to that phrase as most ailments stem from “stress” and “digestion.” Our body accumulates toxins/imbalances “Ama” as a result of improper digestion, impurities from the environment, chronic stress and emotional instability. Some of these toxins are water-soluble and we can easily expel them from our body but some are fat soluble and not so easily expelled. So, when these fat-soluble toxins cannot be expelled, they expand our fat cells, accumulating these toxins and making losing weight difficult. By increasing your digestive fire “Agni” through a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes as well as with the assistance of Ayurvedic herbals (based on spices, fruit, plants, seeds), yoga, meditation, and ayurvedic therapeutic treatment, you will be able to process food, emotions, and ailments better. You are then able to create better balance “Ojas,” allowing you to be a healthier self.  With Ayurveda, my goal is to not only treat the disease but also focus on the overall wellness of the body, mind and soul by simply starting with activating your digestive fire “Agni”.

Please make a consultation appointment to learn more about your particular Dosha and learn more about how Ayurveda can make you a more balanced and healthier you.

Ayurvedic Medicine Benefits

Ayurvedic Medicine is useful for treating conditions such as but not limited to:

• Fatigue
• Headache
• Weight management
• Abdominal pain
• Digestive & bowel problems: Irritable bowel, constipation, diarrhea
• Heart burn
• Constipation
• Allergy symptoms
• Joint Pains
• Emotional/mood problems
• Anxiety
• Insomnia/Sleep Difficulties
• Premenstural syndrome
• Menstrual irregularities
• Perimenopausal & Menopausal symptoms

About Us

Meet the Team – Let us introduce you to Dr. Reena Patel and her team! Learn more

Practice Philosophy – Dr. Patel prefers a more holistic and alternative approach to managing patients, caring for the whole person (mind, body and soul) through a fusion of western and eastern (Ayurveda) medicine. Learn more