Ayurvedic medicine originated in India two thousand years ago and is an ancient system of medicine that places emphasis on good nutrition, massage, meditation and natural medicines.
Ayurvedic medicine's aim is to maintain or restore the body to health in a completely natural way thus ensuring the stability and vitality of the body and mind.
The word Ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit term: 'knowledge of life'.
Ayurvedic medicine was first made popular in the United States by the Maharishi Mahes Yogi who founded the Transcendental Meditation movement. In the 80's and 90's Deepak Chopra, MD promoted the system through books, tapes and lectures.
Ayurvedic medicine stresses a holistic approach - not just the treatment of the symptoms of a particular illness and it sees any disease process as the result of climatic extremes, bacteria, poor nutrition and stress or emotional imbalance.
Ayurvedic medicine practitioners believe that optimal health can only be attained by the cultivation of proper physical, emotional and mental habits and use practices like Hatha yoga, diet, herbal medicines and a positive approach to life to achieve this harmony.
Some practitioners also promote the cleansing of the body with enemas and laxatives. Good health is viewed as the product of a balanced body-mind system.
