About Ayuveda

Origins
Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care that not only treats particular diseases but also offers a complete, holistic way of life.

Ayurveda is derived from two words, Ayur, “life” and Veda, “science,” and means ‘the science of life.’ Conservative estimates place the origins of Ayurveda at 5,000 years ago in the Himalayan Mountains. Comprehensive Ayurvedic medical texts estimated to be 3,000 years old include advanced surgical techniques, obstetrics, geriatrics, and the use of herbs. This makes Ayurveda the most enduring healing modality in the world today. 

Use Today
In India, 70% of the formal medicine is still based on Ayurveda and it currently serves over 600 million people. Many of the traditional Ayurvedic uses of herbs have been validated by modern clinical studies conducted around the world.

Doshas
In Ayurveda, there are seven basic body constitutions which result from the predominance of one or more energetic influences, or Doshas. The Doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, influence physical, mental, and spiritual health. Everyone is considered to be a combination of these three body influences.

Ayurceutics offers high quality supplements to help balance the Doshas.  For example, Shatavari is traditionally used as a female tonic and can help control disturbances in Vata and Pitta body constitutions.

The Vata Dosha 
Symbol: Air 
Principle: Movement, transport and kinetic energy in the body-mind. 
Essence: Prana, the Life Force. 
Body Type: Small body frames, average amount of hair which tends to be dry and light brown, dry or rough skin, small eyes. 
Mental Picture: Short-term memory is best, changing moods and thoughts. 
Vata in Balance: Alert and spontaneous. 
Vata out of Balance: Worried, mood swings. 
Key words: Light, cold, dry, fast, quick, changing, movement, restlessness. 

Recommendations

Vata Lifestyle
Routine is essential. Keep warm and calm. Steam baths, humidifiers, and moisture in general are helpful. Vata tends to be increased by frantic travel, especially by plane. Loud noises, stimulation, drugs, sugar, and alcohol all derange Vata, as does exposure to cold and cold foods.

Vata Nutrition
People with excessive Vata respond most rapidly to warm, moist, slightly oily, heavy foods. Avoid raw foods, cold foods. Eat warm foods and spices. They are often attracted to astringent foods like salad and vegetables, but their constitution is balanced by sweet, sour and salty tastes.

Vata Herbs
Ayurceutics Supplement: Triphala, Ashwagandha, Shatavari
       

The Pitta Dosha 
Symbol: Fire 
Principle: Transformation, metabolism, and discrimination in the body-mind. 
Essence: Tejas, inner light and radiance. 
Body Type: Medium-size body frames, average amount of hair that tends to be reddish or gray and thinning, soft, slightly oily skin and medium size eyes. 
Mental Picture: Good memory, sharp intellects, sound sleepers, quick tempers. 
Pitta in Balance: Enterprising and joyous. 
Pitta out of Balance: Angry, impatient and frustrated. 
Key words:  Hot, fiery, perceptive, and intense.

Recommendations

Pitta Lifestyle
Since the attributes of Pitta are oily, hot, light, mobile, and liquid, an excess of any of these qualities aggravates Pitta. Summer is a time of heat, the Pitta season. Sunburn, poison ivy, prickly heat, and short tempers are common. These kinds of Pitta disorders tend to calm down as the weather gets cooler. The diet and lifestyle changes emphasize coolness-cool foods, avoidance of chilies and spices and cool climates. People with excessive Pitta need to exercise at the coolest part of the day. 

Pitta Nutrition
They like plenty of food and liquids. They tend to love hot spices and cold drinks. However, their constitution is balanced by sweet, bitter and astringent tastes. Limit salt intake, eat cooling, not spicy foods

Pitta Herbs
Ayurceutics Supplement: Triphala, Shatavari

The Kapha Dosha 
Symbol: Water. 
Principle: Integration, lubrication, potential energy and stability in the body-mind. 
Essence: Ojas, Primal, Vitality. 
Body Type: Large body frames and thick, dark brown or black hair which tends toward oilyness.  Oily, moist skin and large eyes. 
Mental Picture: Calm, steady and stable, good long-term memory, heavy sleepers, slow to irritate. 
Kapha in Balance: Strong and calm. 
Kapha out of Balance: Dull and lethargic. 
Key words: Slow, steady, solid, heavy, accumulation, and regularity. 

Recommendations

Kapha Lifestyle
Get plenty of exercise. Avoid heavy foods. Keep active and vary your routine.

Kapha Nutrition
Kapha types are attracted to sweet, salty and oily foods, but their constitutions are most balanced by bitter, astringent and pungent tastes. Avoid dairy, cold food, fatty, oily foods. Eat light, dry food.

Kapha Herbs
Ayurceutics Supplement: Triphala