ABSTRACT
Ayurveda as a Complementary Medicine System ............................................................... 15
Cosmic Principles of Ayurveda: Ayurveda as a Reflection of Mother Nature ................... 16
Determining Biological Nature ........................................................................................... 17
Digestion: The Cornerstone to Health ................................................................................ 17
Ayurveda Eating Guidelines for the Promotion of Healthy Digestion and Elimination .... 19
Ayurveda Lifestyle Guidelines Tailored to Each Dosha ..................................................... 21
Kapha Lifestyle........................................................................................................... 26
Pitta Lifestyle.............................................................................................................. 26
Vata Lifestyle.............................................................................................................. 26
Ayurveda Case Studies ........................................................................................................ 26
Kapha Case Study ...................................................................................................... 26
Pitta Case Study ......................................................................................................... 27
Vata Case Study ......................................................................................................... 27
References ........................................................................................................................... 27
Useful Resources ................................................................................................................. 27
Ayurveda has been referred to as the mother of all traditional medicines because it has a
documented history dating back 5000 years. Ayurveda, the ‘‘science or knowledge of life,’’ is a
comprehensive medical system that evolved within the Vedic, or spiritual, philosophy of
India. Ayurveda encompasses internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, rejuvenation, and psych-
ology as well as other specialized branches of medicine. A separate but integral branch of
Ayurveda is the science of yoga, which is also incorporated within Ayurveda as a whole.
