• What Is OWN?
    What the preview!
    GO
  • Health News
    Get information you can use in your inbox!
    GO
  • Dr. Oz's New Show
    Where and when to watch Dr. Oz weekdays
    GO
1 of 8

What Is Ayurvedic Medicine?


What Is Ayurvedic Medicine?

Ayurveda, or Ayurvedic medicine, is a traditional system that started in India more than 5,000 years ago. This holistic, or whole body, approach to healing seeks to prevent illness by balancing the mind, body and spirit.

Today, 80 percent of the people in India use Ayurvedic medicine, either exclusively or in combination with Western-style medicine.

In the West, when Ayurvedic therapies are used, they are generally part of complementary and alternative medicine treatments. While these therapies are used by millions, many of these treatments are unproven by science and not prescribed by medical doctors.




As a reminder, always consult your doctor for medical advice and treatment before starting any program.

By Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD.

SOURCES: National Center for Complementary Medicine website: "Ayurvedic Medicine: An Introduction." Lodha R. Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2000; vol 29: pp 37-41. Shankar K. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 2004; vol 15: pp 725-747. CAM at the NIH web site: "A closer look at Ayurvedic." Dev S. Environ Health Perspect, 1999; vol 107: pp 783-9. Mamtani R. Cardiol Rev, 2005; vol 13: pp 155-62. Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia: "Ayurveda," Smith C. Complement Ther Med, June 2007; vol 15: pp 77-83. Oken B.S. Altern Ther Health Med, January-February 2006; vol 12: pp 40-7. Sharma H. J Altern Complement Med, November 2007; vol 13: pp 1011-9. [12] Distinguishing Complementary Medicine From Alternative Medicine Yoon-Hang, K. Arch Intern Med, 2002; vol 162: p 943. WebMD Medical Reference From Healthwise: "Ayurvedic: Topic Overview." Saper R.B. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2004; vol 292: pp 2868-2873