What is Ayurveda?

A lot of the treatments I offer are Ayurvedic (EY-R-VEY-DICK) based. For those of you to whom this is a new concept, please find below some further information on Ayurveda

Ayurveda is a complete system of health for body, mind and spirit which has been practiced in India for over 3,000 years

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word derived from two roots;'Ayur' (life) and 'Veda' (science). These two words when taken together mean 'The Science of Life'

Ayurveda treats the patient and NOT the illness. It aims to prevent disease and promote health. The treatment is tailored towards the individual and in Ayurvedic medicine, every person must be treated individually

According to Ayurvedic philosophy we are all composed of various combinations of five elements:

* Space (akasha)
* Air (vayu)
* Fire (tejas/agni)
* Water (jala)
* Earth (prithvi)

and there are three forces called Vata, Pitta and Kapha through which all these elements are manifested. In order to stay healthy, we must maintain the natural balance of all these elements

Ayurveda aims to prevent the development of disease by working with the constitution of the individual. Our constitutions are determined by the three forces (Kapha, Pitta, Kapha) and before any treatment, a practitioner will assess your constitution

Once the practitioner understands your constitution, this will guide them in terms of recommended treatments

Treatments consists of the use of herbal remedies, special Ayurvedic massage therapies, dietary, lifestyle advice and other aspects of treatment, tailor made for that individual

Information on the forces

Kapha: Lubrication/Protection

Kapha has the elements of water and earth.

Kapha is all about lubrication and protection.

There is no pus formation without kapha being present

Pitta: Transformation

Pitta is associated with the elements of fire and water.

Pitta controls transformation and the balance of motion and potential energies

If there is inflammation, pitta must be present

Vata: Movement

Vata is comprised of the elements of air and space.

Vata is the body's principle of energy and controls the motion in body and body.

There is no pain without vata being present

Ayurvedic Body Analysis: 30 mins @ £15

One of the features of Ayurveda is that it can be translated into simple, valuable practices that enable one to manage health and change poor living patterns. We learn from Ayurveda how to understand the individual constitution and the current condition. This helps in gaining an understanding of appropriate diets and lifestyles and which herbs/remedies may help gain or maintain optimum health in the body and mind.

As mentioned earlier, there are three main constitutional types (doshas): Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The word dosha means 'fault'. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are positive forces in the body but they can also be seen as faults due to their changeability. They can increase or, less often, decrease beyond what is appropriate the constitution. A 'faulty' dosha causes an imbalance in the body or mind, creating an environment for disease to flourish. The way to bring a dosha back into balance is through diet, lifestyle and herbal supplements.

As an example, if there is too much Pitta (fire) in the body, this may manifest as a hot, red, burning rash. A combination of herbs that are cooling would be chosen to reduce or pacify Pitta.

We offer Ayurvedic Analysis which includes:

* Identification of your dosha
* Signs/symptoms of your dosha being in balance vs. out of balance
* How to balance your dosha
* Lifestyle advice
* Dietary advice (foods to eat and avoid)