What Is Ayurveda? Benefits, and Principles Explained

The Bioregulatory Medicine Institute
Sep 15
5 min read

Updated: Sep 16

Ayurveda, often called the "mother of all healing," is considered the oldest continually practiced medical system in the world, dating back over 5,000 years. The term comes from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (knowledge), meaning the “science of life.” Unlike modern medicine, which often focuses on symptom management, Ayurveda takes a whole-person approach—addressing body, mind, and spirit—to prevent disease and promote long-term vitality.

What Is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a comprehensive natural health system that sees the human body as a microcosm of the universe. The same five elements—ether (space), air, fire, water, and earth—that make up the cosmos also make up us. The balance of these elements governs everything from digestion and sleep to mood and energy. According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine wellness center, Ayurveda aims to restore balance, allowing the body’s innate healing intelligence to function optimally.

The Three Doshas: Your Unique Mind-Body Blueprint

Ayurveda categorizes individuals into three main constitutions, called doshas. These doshas are the biological forces that regulate every physiological and psychological process in the body.

Vata: The Principle of Movement

Elements: Air + Space
Primary Role: Governs all motion—breathing, circulation, blinking, muscle contractions, elimination, and even thoughts.
Typical Traits: People with a Vata-dominant constitution are often slim, quick-moving, talkative, and creative. They tend to have dry skin, cold hands and feet, and variable digestion.
Strengths: Fast learners, enthusiastic, highly imaginative, adaptable, innovative.
Imbalances: Anxiety, fear, constipation, joint pain, insomnia, and difficulty focusing.
Balancing Vata: Warm, moist, grounding foods, regular routines, calming yoga (like restorative poses), oil massages (abhyanga), and early bedtimes help soothe Vata.

Pitta: The Principle of Transformation

Elements: Fire + Water
Primary Role: Governs digestion, metabolism, hormonal balance, and cognitive processing.
Typical Traits: Pitta-dominant people often have a medium build, warm body temperature, sharp intellect, and a driven, competitive personality. Their skin may be prone to acne or redness.
Strengths: Strong digestion, natural leadership, focused, decisive, excellent memory.
Imbalances: Heartburn, ulcers, skin rashes, irritability, anger, and overheating.
Balancing Pitta: Cooling foods (cucumbers, leafy greens), meditation, swimming, moonlit walks, and avoiding excess heat or overwork help keep Pitta’s fire in check. See more on Pitta balancing strategies.

Kapha: The Principle of Stability

Elements: Earth + Water
Primary Role: Governs growth, structure, immunity, and lubrication of joints and tissues.
Typical Traits: Kapha-dominant people have strong builds, smooth oily skin, thick hair, and calm, grounded personalities.
Strengths: Loyal, compassionate, forgiving, emotionally steady, physically strong, with excellent stamina.
Imbalances: Weight gain, congestion, sluggish digestion, depression, water retention.
Balancing Kapha: Light, spicy foods, vigorous exercise, dry brushing, early rising, and stimulating activities keep Kapha balanced. Read more in Yoga Journal’s introduction to Ayurveda.

Why Ayurveda Is Still Relevant

A Pioneer in Circadian Medicine: Ayurveda’s daily routine recommendations (dinacharya) are in line with modern chronobiology research, which shows that aligning eating and sleeping patterns with natural light cycles improves metabolism and hormone regulation (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2021).
Holistic Mental Health: Ayurveda addresses mental health through diet, lifestyle, meditation, and breathwork—centuries before modern psychiatry recognized the gut-brain connection.
Focus on Prevention: Ayurveda places strong emphasis on keeping disease from arising rather than just treating symptoms, making it a model of preventive healthcare.

Key Ayurvedic Practices

Herbal Medicine: Well-studied herbs include Ashwagandha (reduces stress and improves sleep), Triphala (supports digestion), and Turmeric (anti-inflammatory and antioxidant).
Diet as Medicine: Ayurveda prescribes six tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, astringent—in proper balance for each dosha.
Detoxification (Panchakarma): A structured series of therapies to remove toxins and reset digestion. Clinical research shows panchakarma programs can lower cholesterol and reduce inflammatory biomarkers (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2016).
Daily Rituals: Tongue scraping, oil pulling, self-massage, and meditation help maintain daily balance.

Modern Research on Ayurveda

Growing evidence supports Ayurvedic interventions:

A meta-analysis in Complementary Therapies in Medicine (2021) found that Ayurvedic approaches significantly reduced anxiety and stress scores.
Studies on Ayurvedic herbal formulations show potential in managing type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and metabolic syndrome.
Neuroscientific studies suggest that Ayurvedic meditation and yoga can increase grey matter density and improve neuroplasticity.

Ayurveda and Bioregulatory Medicine: A Shared Philosophy of Balance

Both Ayurveda and bioregulatory medicine share a common vision: health is not merely the absence of disease but the optimal functioning of the body’s self-regulating systems.

Ayurveda focuses on balancing the doshas, while bioregulatory medicine works to restore the body’s natural autoregulation through gentle, non-toxic therapies. Both emphasize detoxification, lifestyle alignment, and prevention over symptomatic treatment.

They also both take a whole-person approach—addressing body, mind, and spirit.

Furthermore, they recognize that the body has an inherent intelligence that can heal itself when properly supported—whether through nutrition, plant medicines, rhythmic living, or mind-body practices. Together, these approaches form a bridge between ancient wisdom and modern integrative health.

Common Questions About Ayurveda

Is Ayurveda evidence-based? Yes—while more research is needed, numerous peer-reviewed studies confirm benefits of Ayurvedic herbs, detox therapies, and lifestyle practices.

Is it safe? Yes—when guided by a qualified practitioner. However, always ensure herbal supplements are third-party tested for purity, as some imported products have been found to contain heavy metals (NIH NCCIH).

Can Ayurveda be combined with conventional medicine? Absolutely. Many integrative health clinics worldwide use Ayurveda alongside modern medicine for chronic disease management.

How can I find my dosha? Online quizzes are a good starting point, but the most accurate method is a consultation with an Ayurvedic practitioner who will assess your pulse, tongue, and health history.

Take the First Step Toward Balance

Your Ayurvedic journey doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with one small change: eat your largest meal at midday, try a 5-minute breathing exercise, or add a warming herbal tea to your routine. To go deeper, consider a professional Ayurvedic assessment and personalized plan.

References

Bioregulatory medicine is a total body (and mind) approach to health and healing that aims to help facilitate and restore natural human biological processes. It is a proven, safe, gentle, highly effective, drugless, and side-effect-free medical model designed to naturally support the body to regulate, adapt, regenerate, and self-heal. BRMI is a non-commercial 501(c)(3) foundation and will expand and flourish with your support. Our goal is to make bioregulatory medicine a household term.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for the direct care of a qualified health practitioner who oversees and provides unique and individualized care. The information provided here is to broaden our different perspectives and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.