Ayurveda (meaning "the science of life") is a holistic healing system that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. It treats mind, body and spirit as one, and strives to balance the essential elements that exist in all of us to attain our natural state of pure health. It does this through a variety of cleansing and rejuvenating treatments and practices that can include diet, exercise, meditation and, therapeutic massages. Yoga is part of the Ayurvedic tradition, too – when you perform some yoga positions, you’re engaging in a physical and spiritual exercise that is rooted in Ayurvedic philosophy.

Ayurveda is a whole system of living. Only when the entire person is considered – not just a specific complaint – one can expect to achieve optimum levels of health and well-being.

Ayurveda teaches people on how to take responsibility for their own health and longevity by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. If there is no balance, there is no health.

But how to achieve that elusive balance?
The first step is through knowledge. A typical Ayurvedic consultation begins by listening to your pulse and assessing your eyes, tongue and nails for evidence of imbalance. Extensive queries about your health and disease history, spiritual practices, temperament, energy level, diet, sleep habits, digestion and metabolism.

This information helps determine your basic constitution; in Ayurvedic terms, it’s comprised of three basic doshas, or energies, which are the same ones that make up the entire universe: earth (called kapha, pronounced "kapa" or "kafa"), fire (pitta) and air (vata).

One or two of the three main energies tend to predominate in each of us, and this determines our predisposition and our strengths and weaknesses. Vatas, for example, are creative and quick to learn, but they’re also prone to anxiety, constipation and stroke. Kaphas are nurturing but must guard against their tendency toward obesity, lethargy and indulgence. Pittas are fiery, with hot tempers but warm hearts.