Ayurveda teaches that there are five great elements - ether, air, fire, water, and earth - which underlie all living systems and are constantly changing and interacting. They can be simplified into three doshas, or vital energies, existing in ever ­changing proportions throughout nature.

 

In the human body, the levels of the doshas are believed to rise and fall daily, affected by factors such as different foods, time of day, season, levels of stress, and repressed emotions. Imbalances in the doshas are thought to disrupt the flow of prana, the "life energy" that enters the body through food and breath, and to impede agni, the body's "digestive fire," which processes food and experiences. If agni is low, toxic substances called amna, said to be a major source of illness, are produced. Ayurveda therefore places great importance on diet and detoxification techniques designed to purge ama by means of sweat, urine, and feces - known as the three malas. Herbal remedies, yoga, massage, and meditation are also believed to balance the doshas and increase prana, and are all practiced as part of Ayurveda.

EVIDENCE & RESEARCH

Much research into Ayurvedic medicine has been carried out in India. In clinical trials at the Government Medical College, Jammu, in the 1980s, 122 out of 175 rheumatoid arthritis patients improved after treatment with Boswellia serrata, an herb commonly used in Ayurveda. In a 1990 study at Ohio State University, a Maharishi Ayur-Ved herbal remedy that appeared to contain antioxidants was shown to reduce tumors in rats. A study by the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology indicated in 1993 that panchakarma reduced cholesterol and anxiety levels in patients with heart disease. In the US, the National Institutes of Health has funded some research on Ayurveda and its compatibility with other therapies.

Many Western doctors accept that they cannot discount the medical systems of other cultures. Ayurvedic herbal remedies have been tried and tested by centuries of use, but their quality and efficacy cannot be guaranteed, since very few scientific tests have been carried out. Doctors find Ayurveda's emphasis on health promotion, and its belief that illness is caused by factors such as diet and lifestyle, easier to accept than some of its treatments. Most would consider that anyone with a critical illness is better off with conventional medicine.

 

At the first consultation the practitioner identifies your doshic constitution (tridosha) and any imbalances in it. He asks detailed questions about your personal and family history and about your lifestyle, from eating and bowel habits to relationships at work. As in Traditional Chinese Medicine, taking the pulse is an important part of diagnosis. The practitioner checks the pulse at three points on both wrists, each thought to correspond to one of the doshas and to reflect the condition of specific internal organs. You may also be asked for a sample of urine, taken in midstream early in the morning; its color and odor will be noted.

 

Your practitioner will recommend dietary changes to rebalance your doshas. He will advise you to eat at certain times of day, depending on your age and condition, your doshic type, and the season of the year.  If your practitioner is qualified to prescribe medicinal remedies, he will also treat you with herbs or minerals according to your constitution and particular doshic imbalance. This is part of a program known as shaman, which aims to pacify and calm the doshas.

 

If the practitioner considers you strong enough, he may begin treatment with a cleansing and detoxifying regime called shodan, which takes the form of enemas, laxatives, therapeutic vomiting, and washing out the nasal passages, collectively known as panchakarma. Saunas may also be used in preparation for detoxification. Some practitioners offer Ayurvedic massage with oils. This lasts about an hour and is carried out by two masseurs, who work together on either side of you, stimulating your body's marma points (similar to acupoints) to encourage the flow of prana. Or you may receive chavutti thirumal, a massage given with the feet.

 

Finally, the practitioner may suggest rasayana, a rejuvenating regime that may include herbal remedies, yoga, chanting, meditation (satvajaya), and sunbathing.