If your social media feeds recently have been all about health and wellness, with the word “Ayurveda” popping up more often than not, you are not alone. People across the globe, including celebrities and fitness gurus, have been sharing their experiences with rediscovering health and wellness through the benefit of this ancient wisdom, which developed in the Indian subcontinent over five-thousand years ago. As a holistic system of healing that focuses on promoting overall health and well-being, its principles have trickled down to all aspects of life – through food, beauty, health, hygiene and all kinds of self-care.
For anyone wondering, but is too nervous to ask (because who these days doesn’t “know”, right?)- what exactly is Ayurveda?
Well, let’s start with something simple: have you ever drank warm water with lemon and honey in the mornings? Or brewed some ginger-infused tea for indigestion? Camomile tea for better sleep? Used coconut oil for a hair massage? Clove oil for a toothache? If you’ve ever done any of these things or more, you have been following Ayurvedic methods and advice from centuries past.
Derived from herbs and natural remedies to treat imbalances and promote health, Ayurveda offers customized solutions for problems based on each person’s constitution. The key thing to know about this ancient science is that it emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance in the body, mind and your vital ‘life energy’ (your prana or qi). In order to assess this balance, Ayurveda categorizes people into three primary constitutional types, or Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These Doshas represent different combinations of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), which are believed to influence your physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. For you to be healthy, all your Doshas need to be in balance.
An ancient science that is timeless
How is it possible for a centuries-old science like Ayurveda to still be relevant today? This is because the core essence of this great system is as simple as it is profound: That being healthy on the inside makes one healthy on the outside. Long-term well-being that results in improved skin, hair and overall health is the goal – not just a quick fixes for weight-loss or beauty. By finding solutions for the symptoms of a problem, Ayurveda tackles the issue at the root. To give you the best options for self-care, it takes several factors into consideration: your environment, your nutrition, sleep patterns, oxidative stress and mental well-being, among others. So regardless of gender, race, age or lifestyle, it offers a holistic perspective on how to feel and look great.
Its naturally-derived and potent formulations contain revelations for health and beauty that modern science is only now beginning to discover. So these principles and applications are not just timeless – but hold the key to wellness in our fast-changing world.
Ayurveda for a post-pandemic world
The challenges of the pandemic forced the entire world to slow down and reassess priorities, putting health first. The digital connectivity that resulted in us working from our homes meant that we all had more time: for health, for fitness – and for ourselves.
The uncertainties of the pandemic sent us looking for positive ways to cope with the anxieties of living in such a world. Social media exploded with people sharing experiences of cooking, ideas for immunity boosting concoctions, yoga and fitness routines, self-grooming and general self-care. Like the people of old, we suddenly had time to soak in herbal baths to beat a cold, go for a jog, align our bodies to the natural circadian sleep rhythms and eat homecooked food.
All of which is prescribed in Ayurveda.
However, now, as the world is readjusts to a new post-pandemic order, we find once again, that we no longer have time for long self-care rituals. With everyone going back to their workplaces, the daily stresses like traffic, pollution and UV radiation – especially on our hair and skin – only keep growing.
Still, we are not the world we once were. Our awareness of the importance of health and wellness has given us new perspectives. Now there is a different challenge: how can we incorporate the principles and essential goodness of ancient practices like Ayurveda into our busy lives?
Enter technology and scientific innovation. From more efficient herb processing techniques that preserve the purity and potency of ayurvedic formulations, to data analytics that provide insights into the best treatment options, incorporating technological innovation into Ayurveda can help bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern wellness practices, making it more accessible and effective for a wider range of people the world over.
With myriad secrets still left to uncover, Ayurveda combined with innovation could provide us the solutions to health and wellness in modern living.