Ayurveda, the age-old Indian science of health, is also known as the mother of all medicine as European, Arabic, and even Chinese medicinal traditions have been significantly influenced by it. The name Ayurveda is derived from the combination of the old Indian Sanskrit words Ayus (life) and Veda (wisdom). The “wisdom of life” is a holistic health system; treating body, mind and soul as a single entity. All treatment is orientated towards the goal of establishing this unity, bringing personal balance and activating the capacity for self-healing.
Ayurveda is not opposed to orthodox medicine, but aims to complement and enrich it. The age-old science of health is today more relevant than ever. Skyrocketing health care costs demand effective preventative action and increasing chronic diseases require gentle and effective therapy. Ayurveda is recording impressive achievements, especially in the treatment of chronic diseases. As patient, you play an active role. During an Ayurveda treatment you will learn how to live healthily and prevent illness in a gentle and natural way.
Doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha
According to Ayurvedic perception the entire universe is composed from the 5 elements: Earth, Water, Air (Ether), Fire and Space. Their interaction shapes nature on a macrocosmic level. Humans, as a microcosm of these interactions, express thre different constitutional types: the three Doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each of us is born with an individual Dosha, but its dominance can change depending upon the age of the person, their circumstances, and the season.
Seen from an ayurvedic perspective, imbalances in the Doshas are sources of illness. These illnesses can be cured if the natural balance of the Doshas is restored. Experienced Ayurvedic doctors can, through traditional methods, such as pulse, iris and tongue diagnoses, precisely diagnose the extent of imbalances in the Doshas and identify the source of illnesses. Your diagnosis then is the basis for your individualized Ayurveda treatment, in which a healthy, balanced diet, yoga, and meditation play an important role.
Nutrition as medicine
“Your nutrition should be your medicine.” This quote, from Hippocrates, originally comes from Ayurvedic texts. It demonstrates the value placed upon a healthy diet in Ayurveda. This is even more important in the western world, where over half of all illnesses are related to nutrition. Ayurvedic doctors always ask about your eating habits and give you important information regarding healthy eating and lifestyle.
At the centre of Ayurvedic nutritional science lies a regular daily rountine of 3 meals, ideally interspersed with 5-hour breaks. This allows the organism to completely metabolize foods. Pathogenic waste (Ama) cannot develop. In each Ayurvedic meal, 6 flavours (Rasas) are represented. A healthy and, above all, delicious food that combines body and soul in the truest sense.

Yoga and Meditation
Ayurveda, Yoga, and medicine are closely related to one another and have their common roots in the ancient Indian Vedic philosophy. Accordingly, all Ayurvedic treatments include exercises that help reconcile body, mind, and soul. For stressed and overloaded westerners, this is often a completely new experience. As one gradually finds inner peace, stress naturally dissolves and physical tension decreases as the body’s self-healing powers are activated.
The Ayurvedic Doctors in Port Salvi are, in most cases, also Ayurveda teachers. They offer daily Yoga hours from Monday to Friday which you, as a guest, can participate in for free. Upon request they also offer training in meditation and special breathing techniques. All this takes places in the sub-tropical gardens overlooking the sea which, with its mild and refreshing climate additionally inspires and invigorates body, mind, and soul.
