Chyawanprash

Ayurveda is the ancient healthcare system of India. It is a Sanskrit word - Ayur means 'life' or 'daily living' and Veda means 'science'. Ayurveda then is the name given to the scientific study of life, based on the eternal principle that everyone should live in a healthy & balanced state.

The central principle of Ayurveda is that each human being has the right to live a healthy & fulfilled life (dharma), however, because of our unique body constitution, genetic inheritance and unhealthy diet & lifestyle choices, we are predisposed to certain diseases and health concerns.

• Looks beyond the symptoms to the cause

• Recognises each individual has a unique constitution or “Body type”

• Acknowledges the human body is a microcosm of the universe

• Recognised diet, lifestyle & environment play a role in disease manifestation

• Places importance on optimum digestive fire being the key to health

• Considers the six tastes as essential for our wellbeing

• Acknowledges balance of Mind, Body & Soul as pathway to total wellness

• Provides an opportunity for individuals to take responsibility for their health

No. While it is true that many Ayurvedic recipes use Indian ingredients, you are not required to only eat Indian food. Ayurveda gives you the understanding of the role digestion and nutrition play in creating a healthy life and how food can be used as a medicine to treat illness. This awareness can be applied to all foods. However, it is true that Ayurveda considers many of the heavily processed foods in our Western diet to be detrimental to our digestion and good health.

No. In fact, there are some Ayurvedic preparations that use animal products to treat specific ailments. However, Ayurveda recognises that meat is very heavy and the stomach struggles to digest it properly. Without the addition of particular kitchen herbs to aid digestion, this undigested food can become toxic, leading to many health problems.

Also, because meat is heavy it is considered Tamasic, the qualities of which can dull the mind, making it sluggish & heavy. Ayurveda believes that a heavy & dull mind is unable to make good choices for us, which again can be the cause of many ailments.

Ayurveda has a simple treatment plan:

• Stop the further accumulation of toxins in the body by improving digestion. Food is then “cooked” properly, preventing the build up of toxins.
• Remove accumulated toxins from the body through herbal preparations and specific Ayurvedic treatments like massage.
• Nourish the depleted tissues through diet, herbal preparations & lifestyle changes.

Ayurveda can treat diseases of all systems of the body. There are special treatment for the diseases of the elderly, women and children. Disorders of the nervous, respiratory, digestive, circulatory and reproductive systems as well as infectious diseases, mental disorders and many more illnesses can be successfully treated with Ayurvedic herbal preparations & procedures.

Many diseases for which modern medicine has no effective cure are successfully treated by Ayurveda. 

Research institutes & Ayurvedic medical colleges in India are engaged in constant research and development which has resulted in bringing to light the efficacy of many age old formulations.

Well-documented studies confirm the breakthroughs in this field, including the successful treatment of diabetes, arthritis & cancer.

• Ayurveda is based on the subjective understanding of the body.

• Ayurveda aims to improve the wellbeing of everybody and does not belong to a particular country or religion.

• Treatment is based on the individual as a whole.

• It is a much more systematic & holistic approach to achieve perfect balance between mind, body & soul.

• Whatever is present in the universe, Ayurveda recognises as also being present in the human body.

• The Universe according to Ayurveda is composed of the five great elements - Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth (Known as Panchmahabhuta).

• These elements are responsible for all the living and nonliving substances in this universe.

• The human body is also composed of the five great elements

• Man is said to be the microcosm of this macrocosm

• These elements are recognised in the form of three Doshas or biological humours - Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

• The three Doshas are the intelligences behind each and every function that occurs in the body:


Air & Ether = Vata


Fire & Water = Pitta


Earth & Water = Kapha

• The Doshas govern the psycho-biological and physio-pathological changes in the body.

• Vata, Pitta and Kapha can be found in every body cell, tissue and organ.

• The level of each Dosha varies from person to person which ultimately determines an individual’s body type (Prakriti).

• It is the most eco-friendly system of medicine as it only uses materials that are natural and compatible to the body.

• Each individual has a unique bodily intelligence that has the power to keep the body in perfect health as long as this intelligence stays in balance.

• Ayurveda gives us a detailed & logical explanation of way the body, mind & soul interact.

Ayurveda has two features that make it a unique science and separate it from other health modalities.

Body Type

Firstly, it is based on the principle that each individual has their own unique body make up known as Constitution or Prakruti, which is determined by the makeup of their parents and becomes apparent at birth.

Once you know your body’s constitution it becomes much easier to for an individual to live a healthy life by following a compatible lifestyle and diet that keeps the body’s constitution in balance. If at any stage an in-balance occurs, it is much easier to structure a specific program to redress the imbalance rather than just treating the symptoms of the illness as they occur.



Body Intelligence

The second feature of this science is that each individual has a unique bodily intelligence. When this intelligence is kept in a balanced state the body has the ability to flush out waste products from cellular metabolism more easily. When the body is unable to regularly flush out these toxins they will start to collect in the tissues leading to more wear and tear on the body, both physically and mentally.

Therefore a balanced body intelligence is necessary for flushing out toxins, keeping the body healthy by maintaining this equilibrium and preventing problems from manifesting. When these imbalances occur, it is important to be able to identify what has influenced this change and to redress these factors through diet, lifestyle and environmental changes. This is the role of the Ayurvedic practitioner