Kerala, India

Known as the land of Ayurveda it is also known for it's exotic Ayurvedic tradition. Massages are one of the most popular Ayurveda techniques Kerala boasts of for long. Here massaging is used as a therapy to invoke ultimate rejuvenation as well as means to cure aches, develop immunity and cleanse impurities from blood circulation.

Ayurveda

Ayurvedic medicine ("Ayurveda" for short) is one of the world's oldest holistic ("whole-body") healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India.

It's based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit. Its main goal is to promote good health, not fight disease. But treatments may be geared toward specific health problems.

In the United States, it's considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Those who practice Ayurveda believe every person is made of five basic elements found in the universe: space, air, fire, water, and earth. These combine in the human body to form three life forces or energies, called Doshas. They control how your body works.

Ayurvedic Treatment

An Ayurvedic practitioner will create a treatment plan specifically designed for you. He'll take into account your unique physical and emotional makeup, your primary life force, and the balance between all three of these elements.

The goal of treatment is to cleanse your body of undigested food, which can stay in your body and lead to illness. The cleansing process—called "Panchakarma"— is designed to reduce your symptoms and restore harmony and balance.

To achieve this, an Ayurvedic practitioner might rely on blood purification, massage, medical oils, herbs, and enemas or laxatives.

Your Unique Constitution

The key to Ayurvedic wellness and healing is the knowledge that health is not a "one size fits all" proposition. One must understand the unique nature of each person and situation, taking into account the individual, the season, the geography, and so on.

Each person has an Ayurvedic constitution that is specific to him or her, and movement away from that constitution creates health imbalances; if such imbalances are not addressed, Ayurveda says that illness may develop. So, the early signs of imbalance serve as a wake up call to make gentle and natural shifts in behavior to return to balance—such as adjusting diet, modifying daily activities and taking herbal remedies for a time.

Determining your prakriti—your fundamental balanced constitution—requires an assessment of your most natural state. Consider your physical structure as well as mental and emotional tendencies. Remember to think of what is most natural to you, rather than what you're like when you are stressed or ill. Ayurveda says you can understand your basic nature and tendencies by understanding your balanced state.

Ayurveda and Remedies

Ayurveda offers a number of ways to balance doshas and find your well-being. The key is to find balance with a holistic approach—addressing mind, body, and spirit. Ayurveda remedies draw on a number of modalities: