AYURVEDA at a Glance...
As known that ayurveda is a upa-veda (a part) of Atharva-veda. Ayurveda is made up of two words viz. Ayu & Veda. It literally means the philosophy of life. Most of the people think that this is a system of medicine but actually ayurveda is the knowledge of well being.
Health in ayurvedic view:
As acharya Sushruta stated-
Samdoshah samaagnishcha samadhatu malakriyah..
prasannaatmendriya manah swasthya ityabheedheeyate.
Means: Equilibrium of Doshas ( three vital forces of the body), equilibrium of Agni (13 types of metabolic factors), equilibrium of Dhatu (7 type of tissues), normal functioning of Mala (excretory or waste materials). And happy state of aatmaa ( soul), manas ( mind) and indriya (sensory organs) is considered total health.
Ayurvedic system of Treatment:
Ayurveda believes in complete removal of disease causing factors not the suppression of symptoms.Further its methods are based on Vikaranutpattikar chikitsa i.e. the methods and medicines used during treatment should not create any Vikar (Side-effects).
In ayurveda treatments are of two types viz. Samshodhana & Samshamana.
Samshodhana means cleansing of the body i.e. Panchakarma.
Samshamana means therapy through the use of medicines.