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Ayurvedic Medicine
Learning about the ancient wellness system of Ayurveda is a little like studying the universe: vast, beautiful, complicated—yet once understood, completely sensical. Stick with it and Ayurveda (pronounced eye-yur-vay-dah) might just reveal knowledge about yourself that could surprise, enlighten, and help prevent future health problems. In fact, Ayurveda—developed over 3,000 years ago in India—means “knowledge of life” in Sanskrit.
The goal of Ayurveda is to get to know who you are and recognize when you’re in an imbalanced state “so you can function in your limitless potential,” says Dr. Amrit Devgun, naturopathic doctor and applied Ayurvedic practitioner at Northwestern Health Sciences University.
Whether you’ve heard of it or not, curiosity about Ayurveda is growing, as evidenced by CNN’s “Chasing Life” episode about Ayurveda with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Devgun, too, has noticed a marked rise in Ayurvedic interest since she first began her naturopathic medical practice years ago.
“Ayurveda is a whole-body system,” says Devgun. “It treats all three parts of the trinity: the mind, body, and soul. They each stand within one another’s support. If we have cohesion between the mind, body, and soul, everything that rests on top of that is in a place of cohesion and balance.”
What does that mean exactly? It means that creating and maintaining balance requires harmonizing a person’s five senses with the five elements of nature (space, water, air, fire, earth) — a critical component of Ayurvedic practice. Ayurveda focuses on correcting imbalances and preventing illness by unifying the microcosm of a person as it reflects the macrocosm of the universe, Devgun explains.
For example, space is represented in the colon—because it’s a hollow tube—and also in the mind. “The mind can hold 100 billion, endless thoughts. There’s no limit to it. That’s a manifestation of space,” Devgun says. Our digestive systems represent fire, while our blood and lymph tissues represent water, she explains.
"Ayurveda is a whole-body system that treats all three parts of the trinity: the mind, body, and soul. They each stand within one another’s support." - Dr. Amrit Devgun
Every person contains all five universal elements in different proportions. The elements found most prominently in a person determines their “constitutional dosha.” Your dosha reflects the characteristics that influence your physical, mental, and spiritual health when you’re in a balanced or imbalanced state. The three doshas are:
Vata — Responsible for motion, such as breath, circulation, heartbeat
Pitta — Responsible for transformation, such as turning food into energy
Kapha — Responsible for formation and growth, such as the formation of muscle or hair.
An Ayurvedic practitioner, like Devgun at NWHSU’s Bloomington clinic, can help you discover the dosha you were born with. Next, your practitioner recommends food and lifestyle routines — such as the best time of day to wake up or eat—specific to your needs in order to bring you back into balance.
No one plan is right for everyone, and “there’s no one dosha that’s better than the other,” Devgun says. “You respect your uniqueness. You work with who you are with utmost reverence for this beautiful and most perfect being.”
The Minnesota Institute of Ayurveda provides the only Ayurvedic practitioner training in the state. Devgun also teaches public Ayurvedic workshops at the NWHSU clinic on topics such as seasonal eating and food ethics. Check the website of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) to find a NAMA-certified practitioner near you.
“It’s the art of living, that’s truly what it is,” Devgun says. “Ayurveda is something our society needs a lot right now. It’s the perfect time for Ayurveda.”
Located in Bloomington, Northwestern Health Sciences University is a pioneer in integrative natural health care education, offering degree programs in chiropractic, acupuncture, Chinese medicine—including a new Doctor of Chinese Medicine—massage therapy, nutrition, post-bac, pre-health/pre-med, and B.S. completion. Its clinic is open to the public, and provides chiropractic treatment, massage therapy, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, naturopathic medicine, cupping, and physical therapy.
See more content from Northwestern Health Sciences University.
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