Ayurvedic medicine aims to treat the individual in a very specific manner, writes SYLVIA THOMPSON.
WHAT DISTINGUISHES Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, most from Western medicine is that it doesn't subscribe to the 'one size fits all' model of health.
Instead, Ayurvedic practitioners will seek to understand the personality and lifestyle of the individual before suggesting changes in diet, exercise, rest and prescribing treatments (herbal medicines, massage, etc) or practices (such as yoga or meditation).
Dr Donn Brennan, Ayurvedic practitioner, says that, while each one of us is unique, we do have different characteristics which require different approaches to keep in balance.
"For instance, some people are very physically orientated and need a lot of interests and exercise to be balanced. Otherwise, they will become sluggish and lethargic," he explains. "Then others are more contemplative by nature and benefit more from meditation and being in nature."
Brennan suggests that in illnesses such as depression, a "one size fits all" model is inappropriate. "Ayurvedic medicine would look more closely at the nature of the depression. So, for instance, if the person has an overactive mind, is anxious and prone to insomnia, then he needs heavy nourishing foods, lots of rest, massage and meditation.
"If the person lacks motivation, has no energy for thinking and has difficulty getting out of bed in the morning, then he needs to get up early, take more exercise and have a lighter diet.
"If the person becomes aggressive and obsessive and is likely to use alcohol or other addictive drugs, he needs to chill out, get more recreation, eat lots of summer fruits and salads and draw on the compassionate support of others."
These three different approaches to depression are drawn from the three principles of Ayurveda known as the doshas (see panel). In an Ayurvedic consultation, the practitioner will aim to establish which particular dosha or combination of doshas is dominant in the client.
"The dynamics of an Ayurvedic consultation is to get the person clearly recognising their particular patterns and when you start suggesting what they need to do to help find a better balance, they already know it themselves," explains Brennan.
He says one of the problems in our society is that that sense of awareness of our unique nature and our connections to the different seasons of the year is not nourished.
"This disconnect from nature is part of our reality so we don't realise that allergies like hay fever are linked to the fact that we should have been out in nature from January onwards [to build up our immunity system]," he says."The whole philosophy of Ayurveda is about prevention of illness by maintaining good health.
"The problem with Western medicine is that we don't have a sophisticated, rational system of how people can prevent themselves from getting sick," he says.
According to Brennan, the Ayurvedic system of medicine demands that you take responsibility for your own health rather than going to a doctor for treatment of an illness.
"We ask our clients what they are going to do and what they are going to stop doing. Often by stopping something, they will start doing something beneficial instead. Then, we look at herbal preparations, massage, meditation or yoga as ways to create better health for the individual."
Log on to www.ayurveda.ie for more information about how Ayurvedic medicine treats various conditions. The site also contains a questionnaire that will help people identify whether they tend more towards vata, pitta or kappa in both their approach to life and their physical, mental and spiritual make-up
Dr Donn Brennan will give an introductory talk on Ayurvedic Medicine in the Carmelite Community Centre, Aungier St, Dublin 2 on June 10th at 7.30pm. More details on 01-284 5742
The three principles of Ayurveda
The three fundamental principles of Ayurvedic medicine are vata, pitta and kappa.
• Vata is about movement so vata people are light and lively. They think and learn quickly. They are creative, artistic, with strong intuition but are prone to anxiety. They dislike the cold and missing sleep.
• Pitta is about moderation, so pitta people have moderate build, strength and stamina. They are hot-natured and look warm. They have sharp minds and like to understand and form strong opinions. They are also impatient, competitive and tend to be perfectionists.
• Kappas are kind, stable, compassionate, strong, ponderous and slow. They put on weight easily and find it hard to lose. Although slow to pick up information, they have long memories and good stamina. They are very reliable and a friend for life.
Adapted fromAyurveda - remedies and inspirations for wellbeing by Dr Donn Brennan (Duncan Baird publishers)