What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is the traditional health system of India. The word joins two Sanskrit terms, ayus (life) and veda (knowledge), so it is usually translated as “the knowledge of life”. Its classical texts, the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, were written down roughly two thousand years ago, and in India it is still practised alongside modern medicine, with its own colleges, hospitals and licensed doctors.

If you have bought a jar of chyawanprash, a tin of tooth powder or a bottle of hair oil from an Indian maker, you have already met Ayurveda. This guide explains the basic ideas behind it and how the products fit in.

The core idea: balance

Ayurveda looks at health as a balance between body, mind and daily habits. Instead of treating one part of the body on its own, a practitioner asks how you eat, sleep, digest and live, and looks for what has drifted out of balance.

That balance is described through three doshas. They are not organs or substances you can test for. Think of them as a way of grouping qualities that every person has in different amounts.

• Vata (air and space): movement, dryness, lightness. Linked with the nervous system, circulation and creativity.
• Pitta (fire and water): heat, sharpness, intensity. Linked with digestion, metabolism and focus.
• Kapha (earth and water): stability, softness, heaviness. Linked with structure, strength and calm.

Everyone has all three. Your natural mix is called your prakriti. Ayurvedic advice is personal for this reason: a cooling oil that suits a pitta-heavy person may not suit someone who already runs cold and dry.

How Ayurveda is practised day to day

Much of Ayurveda is about routine rather than remedies. The daily routine, dinacharya, includes habits many people now know from wellness magazines:

• scraping the tongue on waking, often with a copper tongue cleaner
• oil pulling or brushing with herbal tooth powders
• a few drops of oil in each nostril, known as nasya, traditionally with Anu Taila
• self-massage with warm oil (abhyanga) before bathing
• regular meal times, with the largest meal at midday when digestion is said to be strongest

Seasonal routines (ritucharya) adjust food and habits through the year, and herbal preparations are used to support the body alongside them.

What Ayurvedic products are

Most Ayurvedic products fall into a few traditional forms:

• Churnas: fine powders of one herb or a blend, such as triphala or ashwagandha, usually taken with warm water, milk or honey.
• Vati and gutika: tablets made from herbs and extracts, often more convenient than powders.
• Tailas: medicated oils for the skin, scalp, nose or ears, made by slowly cooking herbs into an oil base.
• Ghritas: herbs cooked into ghee, such as Shatdhauta Ghrita, ghee washed many times for use on the skin.
• Rasayanas: tonics such as chyawanprash, a jam-like blend built around amla.

Many of the companies making these have long histories. Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala in Kerala, for example, has made classical formulas since 1902. You can browse our herbal supplements, skin care and hair care to see the range.

What the research says, honestly

Some Ayurvedic herbs have been studied quite a lot. Ashwagandha, turmeric and triphala all have published clinical trials, though many are small and short. Other formulas have little modern research behind them and rest on centuries of traditional use. Both things can be true at once: a long tradition is worth respecting, and it is not the same as proof.

For that reason we describe how products are traditionally used, and we do not claim they treat or cure any condition.

Using Ayurvedic products safely

• Talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, take regular medication, or have a long-term health condition. Herbs can interact with medicines.
• Start with one product at a time, at the dose on the pack, so you can tell how it suits you.
• Buy from established makers. Some traditional formulas contain processed minerals (bhasma). Reputable companies test for heavy metals; unknown ones may not.
• Check your country’s import rules. Some products sold freely in India are classed as medicines elsewhere. Our Shipping & Customs page explains what to look out for.
• For anything beyond everyday wellness, see a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner, who will look at you as a whole person.

Where to start

If you are new to Ayurveda, start with the daily routine rather than a cupboard of supplements. A tongue cleaner, a herbal tooth powder and a good massage oil cost little and give you a feel for the approach. If you want to try an herb, triphala and ashwagandha are the two most people begin with, and we have written guides to both.

Questions about a product? Email support@ayurkai.com and we will help where we can.

This article is for general information. It is not medical advice.