I am a huge fan of Ayurveda. Yes, it sounds a lot like the band Nirvana, but they aren't exactly related. Ayurveda is the traditional medicinal system of India, and it has now extended to many other parts of the world. Ayurveda developed in India's Vedic age over 5,000 years ago, and is closely connected to Hinduism. What is truly fascinating is that scholars have speculated that Ayurvedic practices were influential in the creation of Qi, Chinese traditional medicine. Today, many developed countries have begun to realize that Western medicine is not the sole answer for health and longevity, and people are slowly turning to traditional medicine.

After taking my first yoga class last year, I was quickly absorbed into traditional Indian practices. I became curious about yoga's origins, and I soon found myself studying Ayurveda. The Sanskrit word "Ayurveda" translates to "The Science of Life." And that is exactly what Ayurveda is. I find it amusing to hear Westerners describe Ayurveda as "alternative medicine," when in actuality Ayurveda is the basic foundation of a healthy life. As Ayurvedic practitioners explain, surgery is the last resort concerning any health problem. The mind, body, and spirit must be balanced holistically and operating optimally in order for a person to be happy and healthy. A surgery may ostensibly heal a wound, but if the entire being of a person is disconnected or beyond repair, in the long term surgery will not solve the issue.

When I first began rummaging through public libraries for books about Ayurveda, my first find was a wonderful little book that contained self-probing quizzes according to Ayurvedic values. There are three different doshas or ruling energies of the body: vata, pitta, and kapha. Vata represents space and air; pitta represents fire; and kapha represents earth and water. Every person contains a specific and unique balance of each dosha. For instance, I am vata-pitta with a dash of kapha. Through the aforementioned quizzes I discovered my prakruthi, or balance of the doshas. (Ideally, I would have loved to visit an Ayurvedic practitioner, but obviously that wasn't going to happen.)

Depending on your prakruthi, and which doshas are most strongly represented, certain lifestyle habits and routines should be followed. To use myself as an example again, I am mostly vata and pitta. Vata people are supposed to eat cooked foods, exercise lightly, and prevent an imbalance of pitta and kapha. I should adhere to these guidelines because they match my personality and physical characteristics. It is therefore very important to understand that each dosha has its own attributes. Vata people tend to be thin, very active (oftentimes overactive), and talkative. Pitta people are usually intelligent, irritable, organized, and of a medium size. Kapha is exhibited through the loving, relaxed, and stable persons of larger builds. Now, of course there are some contradictions. Because I am vata and pitta, I am supposed to eat cooked foods (vata), but also raw foods (pitta). The great thing about Ayurveda is that although it does get very technical, you can choose to follow it as much or as little as you want.

It is amazing to witness people all over the globe turn to Ayurveda and other traditional medicines for help when Western medicine fails to solve problems. Ayurveda is especially prominent in Europe, and there is a growing movement in the United States. The Ayurvedic Institute in Santa Fe, NM is a school and health spa funded by the non-profit corporation (under the same name) The Ayurvedic Institute. More and more people are venturing to The Ayurvedic Institute and other Ayurvedic institutions scattered around the United States seeking treatment and health evaluations.

There is so much to explore, and especially as college students in the U.S., the possibilities are endless. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that yoga and Ayurveda have had profound impacts on my life, and I can't imagine my life today without everything they have taught me. If you are inspired to probe, in Catonsville there is a great little yoga studio run by UMBC's very own "yoga professor" Sanda Nicht. Visit www.ashtangayogamaryland.com for a schedule of her classes. If you are interested in Ayurveda, feel free to contact me with any questions.