Ayurveda (pronounced: ah your vayda) is an Indian Sanskrit word meaning: the "Science of  Life". It is a healthcare system indigenous to both the India - Pakistan region and to the Himalayan Tibetan and Nepal regions and has been practiced for over 3 millennia. It has three traditional forms: Ayurveda (since 1000 B.C.), Siddha System, and Tibetan Medicine (since 600 A.D.).

Ayurveda is based in a similar principle -- opposites cure -- and can employ symptomatic treatment but there are many important differences: Ayurveda is a holistic paradigm: its definition of life includes mind, body, and spirit. Ayurveda analyzes the anatomy and physiology, (also the emotions, and mind) of the person as the interplay of three governing principles -- vata, pitta, and kapha. Imbalance and disease are characterized as being caused or governed by one or more of these entities called doshas. They regulate the bio-chemistry of the body. In light of our dictum: one sign or symptom many causes -- each person is evaluated for the causative factor -- vata, pitta, or kapha, as internal factors, and for external causes; such as, infection, dust, lightening, mental distress, spirit possession, toxicity, and sub-par nutrition. The whole person is evaluated and then given treatment. Treatment can be general or specific, preventive, palliative, or curative, nutritive, or cleansing and will always attempt to remove or avoid the cause. Ayurveda uses both the energetic and chemical/physical properties of substance. The most important causative factors in health and disease are one's diet and lifestyle and emotions. Food is your medicine or your poison.