AYURVEDA may be 5000 years old, but it is proving to be as relevant for health today as it was all those millennia ago. The Indian holistic healing system has been described as “one of the world’s most ancient and venerated healing and lifestyle modalities”.

Its popularity is growing in SA, in the wake of the launch of the SanAquam Urban Sanctuary day spa in Durban North last year headed by an orthodox-trained medical doctor, Dr Rajen Cooppan, who is also a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine.

The aim was to combine traditional healing wisdom with the best of modern, western medical science.

Cooppan has since returned to his general practice emphasising Ayurvedic herbal medicine, and continuing to draw on his background in orthodox medicine.

And while Ayurveda involves feel-good massage treatments and therapies, it is about much more than pampering sessions you may expect to receive at a spa.

To get the most out of Ayurveda, the experts say you need to integrate it into your daily life, in and out of the office.

There are many books on the subject that can show you how to do just that. The latest is The Ayur Veda Handbook by Lisa Fromsdorf with Marie Opperman (Oshun Books).

The book is aimed at South African readers and sets out the principles of Ayurveda simply and clearly. It dispels some of the myths (Ayurveda is not a religion and you don’t have to meditate, chant mantras or be a vegetarian to benefit from it), as well as apparent inconsistencies.

For example, Ayurveda suggests that you drink warm, clarified butter (known as ghee in Indian cooking) first thing in the morning to detox your body, says Fromsdorf.

The very thought of that can be enough to make you feel ill, never mind actually having to drink it.

Taken out of context, it can seem like a counter-productive thing to do — drinking an oily, fatty substance to rid your body of all the impurities you may have accumulated from all the oily, fatty foods you often eat.

But there is method in the apparent ancient madness.

Fromsdorf will tell you that many people in the east and the west have been able to cleanse their bodies effectively, by doing that, and have gone on to enjoy improved health and vitality.

But just what is Ayurveda? It is made up of two Sanskrit words, Ayur, meaning life or lifespan, and Veda, knowledge or science. It can be used as one word or two, and it stands for the science of life.

It is aptly named, writes Fromsdorf, as it covers the full range of life from paediatrics, to geriatrics, from pathology to herbology, surgery, pharmacology, psychology and physiology.

At its heart, Ayurveda is about getting the body back into balance naturally and safely, without having to resort to invasive surgery or pharmaceutical medications that carry serious side effects, Fromsdorf says.

It is also about never having to go on another punishing eating regimen to improve your health and lose weight. Ayurveda lays significant stress on optimum eating for health and longevity.

Before you can eat properly, though, you need to know your “dosha”. It’s an important part of Ayurveda, an intricate mind/ body concept that involves aspects of your physical and mental make up, Fromsdorf says.

Working out your dosha is not as difficult as it may sound at first.

The book contains a detailed questionnaire to help you determine your dosha. Thereafter, you will be in a better position to plan not just your meals, but your whole lifestyle, according to your type, for improved health in body and mind.

Ayurveda aims to help you get back on a healthy and balanced track.

In effect, it can offer you a “practical, detailed operating manual on how to achieve a balanced life”, writes Fromsdorf. It is only when you are balanced in body and mind that you can achieve your true potential, she says.

This is especially true of the times we live in, which ancient Indian wisdom refers to as the age of “Kali yuga”.

Kali yuga is the shortest, most difficult part of the human lifespan, so the ancient theory goes. It is a particularly turbulent time both in politics and nature, says Fromsdorf.

“In this yuga, mankind abuses the earth, and … people behave erratically and are not aware of the consequences of their actions.”

Ayurveda teaches a way for people to live according to the laws and rhythms of nature, and their natural body type, not according to manmade laws and unnatural customs, she says.

It particularly involves detoxifying the body effectively and safely, through “pancha karma”, an in-depth method done once or twice a year, and eating foods that keep the doshas in balance.

Fromsdorf quotes from ancient Ayurvedic proverbs:

“When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”

“What you eat becomes your mind; as is the food, so is your mind.”

Although food is an important part of the book, Fromsdorf makes it clear that the principles of Ayurveda are about much more than what you put into your mouth at each mealtime.

The book covers the power of correct breathing, effective stress and time management, and exercise regimens. These are based on your body type and aim to boost rather than drain your body of energy and vitality.

Healthy eating

Tips for healthy eating from The Ayur Veda Handbook by Lisa Fromsdorf with Marie Opperman

Eat freshly cooked food and don’t use a microwave for cooking.

Only eat when you are hungry. If your digestive fire is too weak, irregular or too strong, food won’t digest and toxins will form.

If you have to eat when you are not hungry, take a slice of raw ginger, put some salt on it, eat it and drink water . It can help your digestion by acting like a fire lighter on a fire.

Eat in a calm environment, with no TV, newspapers or music in the background.

Don’t eat or prepare food when you are emotionally upset.