Ayurveda is the understanding of health as a result of coordinated functioning of soul, mind and body in intimate relationship with everything else in cosmos- material and nonmaterial. It believes that the constituent factors of human body and cosmos are same.
In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “The Science of Life.” Ayurvedic knowledge originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is often called the “Mother of All Healing.” It stems from the ancient Vedic culture and was taught for many thousands of years in an oral tradition from accomplished masters to their disciples.Ayurveda believes five basic elements Pancamahabhutas (space, air, fire, water and earth) manifest in the human body as three basic humours known astridosas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha). These three govern creation, maintenance and destruction of bodily tissues as well as the assimilation and elimination.
The first and foremost aim of Ayurveda is “Swasthasya Swasthya rakshnam” i.e. propagation of health. For the purpose, Ayurveda offers a unique concept of Prakriti. The knowledge of one's prakriti enables him to design individualistic lifestyle that will prevent origin of diseases in the body.