Five thousand years ago, the ancient sages of India developed a medical system known as Ayurveda.  The purpose of this system was to outline how a person could use the laws of nature to resolve disease and illness in their body as well as maintain proper overall health throughout their life. 

            The sages determined that by studying the outer map of the body such as looking at a person’s eyes, checking their tongue, observing their urine, taking their pulse, and learning more about their lifestyle, they could determine not only the nature of their illnesses and bodily complaints, but also what ultimately was causing those imbalances.  Once they were able to make this determination, they would recommend dietary changes, treatments, and natural cures like herbs and other plant life to help resolve the issues.  In the West, Ayurveda is considered an alternative form of medicine much like other systems like naturopathic or homeopathic medicine.  As the oldest active natural system of medicine in the world, however, Ayurveda formed the basis of many of these systems.  For example, much of traditional Chinese medicine is derived from Ayurveda. 

            The fundamental difference between Ayurveda as a medical system and the modern system of medicine we know and use in the West is defined by how practitioners of each system respond to the illness.  Western medicine firstly names and then sets out to treat symptoms such as headaches, indigestion, and more serious diseases like diabetes with drugs and other substances, but Ayurveda aims to determine the root cause of the illness and then shift the body and mind into a more balanced state.  This process not only helps to resolve the illness, but it preserves the body’s ability to maintain itself as a self-healing entity.

            When we choose a lifestyle that falls in line with the Ayurvedic way of living including an Ayurvedic diet, Ayurvedic treatment, and other tools, we have the potential to strengthen our immune system, maintain homeostasis, and significantly reduce the possibilities of any unwanted side effects we might otherwise experience as a result of drugs or other unnatural regimens.