Archive for August 2017

Treating the body as whole, rather than fixing the parts

According to Ayurveda, health issues develop when one part of the body forgets its role as part of the whole.  When someone goes for an Ayurvedic consultation, the practitioner spends at least an hour with the patient in order to get to know her well. Then a plan is developed that treats the whole person, rather than only the specific problem.  In my own practice I prefer to take about 90 minutes during the first consultation, and then 60 minutes for the follow-ups to really know the client.

In the West, the concept of treating the whole person is becoming more common, and there is a great need for more research into simpler ways of treating disease and problems that doesn’t involve expensive and sometimes radical diagnosis and treatment.  Despite this, it is still true that a diagnosis using Western medicine is, so far, the most accurate in the world, as are the treatment plans often offered. For example, if you have heart disease, knowing exactly what is wrong with the heart can be life saving. Diagnosing an arthritic hip and replacing it can add quality years to one’s life.  As a culture, we would be in trouble without this Western wisdom to diagnose problems with our parts and treat them.  But Western medicine still has work to do regarding treating the whole person, rather than just the parts.

Ayurvedic medicine, on the other hand, offers help in placing our attention not only on the parts that may be causing us problems but also on the role that these parts play in the whole picture.  Sometimes these parts have become isolated from the whole and have lost their ability to function properly.  Healing the cause of the broken parts by addressing the whole is a major strategy used in Ayurveda.  For example, we all know that stress affects our digestive system as well as our mind, our mood, and even our cognitive abilities. These individual parts can perform poorly due to systemic problems of the whole, such as failure to assimilate nutrients, or a failure to properly detoxify and remove of wastes, or by malfunctions in immune system. A dysfunction in any of these three areas can cause innumerable problems, concerns and disease. These are major areas that Ayurveda addresses.

To begin to strengthen your whole body, or to simply learn more about how Ayurveda can help you, I invite you to book a consultation. Another option is to enroll in my course called Ayurveda: From Theory to Daily Practise. 

The counselling I offer examines both your daily diet and lifestyle.  It can be done in the comfort of my home/office or by a Skype call. The approach is holistic and gradual. Depending on your needs, I will recommend a plan that will guide you towards achieving your goals, one step at a time and at your own rhythm.  

The course is for those new to Ayurveda and is designed for everyone.  It presents the history and philosophy as well as the fascinating principles of Ayurveda through the 5 elements, the cycles of life, and the 3 doshas. You will learn how to assess your own birth constitution as well as your imbalances. You will also start to integrate and become balanced by learning the best diet for your constitution. In addition, you will be introduced to other therapies like dinacharya, pranayama, asanas, and meditation, which form part of a daily routine.

Let me be part of the expansion of your life quality through the wisdom and such a holistic medicine.

À votre santé!