Ayurveda covers all aspects of life — the body, mind and spirit. It recognizes that each of us is unique, each responds differently to the many aspects of life, each possesses different strengths and weaknesses. Through insight, understanding and experience Ayurveda presents a vast wealth of information on the relationships between causes and their effects for each unique individual.

It emphasises on prevention and maintenance of health by achieving a balance in one’s life. Knowledge of this ancient practice enables one to understand how to create this balance in the body, mind and consciousness according to one’s constitution. Moreover, it can help us know what sustainable changes need to be made in our present lifestyles to bring about and maintain a healthy constitution.

Ayurveda also considers that our balance is dependent upon factors like emotions, diet choices, the seasons and weather, physical trauma, work and family relationships and more. Once these factors are understood, one can take appropriate actions to minimize their effects or eliminate the causes of imbalance, and re-establish one’s original constitution. Health is order while disease is disorder.

Western allopathic medicine tends to focus on symptomatology and disease, primarily using drugs and surgery to rid the body of pathogens or diseased tissue. There is no doubt that many lives have been saved by this approach. However, Ayurveda places a greater emphasis on attaining harmony between the body, mind and consciousness. So even though Ayurvedic medicine focuses on disease, it uses a holistic approach to enhance the body’s natural defence systems to protect itself.