Ayurveda, oldest known medical science in the world

Ayurveda is the oldest known medical science in the world. Unlike other forms, Ayurveda concentrates on attaining a perfect harmony between mind, body and soul. While being completely natural, Ayurveda is all about achieving the right balance between kapha, pitta and vata – the humors of the body.

Kerala in Southern India is the land where Ayurveda has been preserved and practiced for thousands of years defying time and invasions from home and abroad. Ayurveda in Kerala is not an alternative, but a mainstream medical science.

Ayurvedic medicines work well when the air and the skin have a lot of moisture. The geographic location of Kerala blesses the place with enormous amounts of moisture in air.

Apart from that, the state is the home to numerous medicinal plants, most of which are not found in other places in India. The potency levels of these medicinal herbs are also maintained year after year, because the soil is rich in alkaloid content.

Vagbhata, one of the classical writers of Ayurveda gave a user friendly and practical interpretation of Ayurveda called, Ashtangahridayam. Kerala is the only place in the world where this form of Ayurveda is used intensively.

Kerala Vaidyas (practitioners of Ayurveda) use contemporary treatise in Ayurveda that are advancements over ancient Sushruta and Charaka (Ayurveda pioneers) samhitas (knowledge).

Kerala is the hub for Ayurveda colleges and treatment centers where both ancient and contemporary forms of the medical science are researched, practiced and used. Ayurveda can treat illnesses, which are not possible through other forms of medicine.

In recent times Kerala has become very popular in the "Medical Tourism" circuit.

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, San Jose India Travel Examiner

Madhu Nair is the cofounder of 10yearitch.com, an online portal focussed on India Travel. His articles and pictures have been featured in various travel related magazines and journals including National Geographic and Sanctuary Asia. His travel blog has been listed in the top 100 Travel blogs by...

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