Articles on Ayurveda - Ayurvedic Medicine - Dr. Erika Helene, Bad Neuenahr, Germany

Articles on Ayurvedic Medicine


1. Bridging the Gap between Modern And Alternative Medicine

By Dr. Erika HELENE

Sometimes we are lost in medical jargon, sampling a potpourri of modalities, running from one medical examination to the next without obtaining satisfactory understanding or results for our health issues. And even Modern Medicine tends to dissect the body into its component parts without looking at the whole person. Very important and influential aspects of the disease process are lost in this kind of piecemeal approach. The ancient healing system of Ayurvedic medicine diagnoses the whole person which is essential for a complete healing process.

Ayurvedic medicine is recognized and sponsored by the World Health Organization as a complete system of prevention oriented natural medicine. It provides the knowledge and methods to maintain or re-establish health by addressing all aspects of life: environmental, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Ayurveda is the oldest natural scientific system of medicine in the world with a written component that is thousands of years old and an oral tradition that antedates that. The primary focus of this time tested system is the promotion of the body’s own self-repair mechanismsby addressing the root cause. It uses simple modalities, such as individualized dietary and herbal recommendations, proper daily routines and different purification programs to re-enliven the body’s innate healing abilities. Modern medicine’s primary focus is on the cure of disease. Ayurveda states that prevention is also treatment, in other words,‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’.

2. Good Digestion is the Basis for Good Health

By Dr. Erika HELENE

According to the principles of Ayurvedic Medicine - an age-old, completely natural, holistic and prevention oriented health care system - good digestion is of utmost importance to health. Everybody has a constitutionally different digestive strength and a need to eat accordingly. How do I know? The main way, is to see how you FEEL after a meal. A feeling of dullness, heaviness, fatigue, bloating, or pressure in the abdomen is usually a sign of overeating, which in turn leads to indigestion and the productions of toxins.

Many chronic diseases start on the physical level with indigestion. When the digestion is functioning poorly or we eat the wrong food or maybe at the wrong time, then toxic waste material, “Ama”, is produced in the GI tract. From there, these toxins begin circulating only to localize in a target tissue resulting in disease, (e.g. liver, kidney or heart disease, etc.). On the other hand, if we eat the proper quantity and quality, for our digestive strength, “Ojas” is created. Ojas is the finest end-product of excellent digestion - it’s the material that keeps the body’s inner intelligence lively and functioning efficiently. The more ojas we produce, the greater will be our health, immunity and happiness.

Tips to improve the potency of your digestion: 1. Avoid overeating; 2. Avoid ice cold drinks with your meals; 3. Don’t eat before the previous meal is digested; 4. Have your main meal around noon; 5. If your digestion is weak, eat less raw and cold foods, and those, only around noon.

One of the best ways to improve our health, no matter what disease we are suffering from, is through adoption of the right diet for our digestive strength.

3. DINACHARYA/Daily Routine

Utilizing the Cycles and Rhythms of Nature to Improve Your Health

By Dr. Erika HELENE

Our physiology and the environment have many natural cycles and rhythms. A routine in accord with nature enlists the support of nature, helps to synchronize a person’s biological clock, prevents premature aging, aids digestion, absorption and assimilation, and generates self-esteem, peace, happiness and longevity. Disregarding the natural cycles increases the wear and tear on the human mind/body system.

Ayurvedic daily routine is based on three fundamental principles found in nature called VATA, PITTA and KAPHA. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are subtle but powerful fields that are fundamental in creating the structure and function of the human body. Vata governs bodily functions concerned with movement and communication. Pitta governs bodily functions concerned with heat, metabolism and energy production. Kapha governs bodily functions concerned with lubrication, physical structure and fluid balance. Imbalance of those principles is an imbalance in the expression of the body’s inner intelligence responsible for proper functioning of all the grosser, more material aspects of the physiology.



Vata, Pitta and Kapha and their corresponding physiological functions are more active in nature at very specific times. During those times they support their corresponding bodily functions, e.g. getting up in the morning before 6 am (Vata time) will support elimination, while getting up from 6 to 10am (Kapha time) will rather inhibit elimination. It is important to know what ideal behavior in accord with natural cycles is and to have a clear vision of the goal even if we are not able to achieve it perfectly right away. As our understanding of daily routine grows over time people find that it becomes easier and easier to move in the direction of an ideal daily routine. (For more information on daily routine see the menu heading Health Tips ).