1,000BC
Ayurveda
Originating in India, Ayurveda has grown to be one of the most renowned traditional systems of medicine around the globe. Derived from the Sanskrit words ‘Ayur’ (life) and ‘Veda’ (knowledge), Ayurveda is more than the absence of illness as it also encompasses a holistic approach to wellbeing, relying on natural methods for full body-mind-soul health.
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Core principles of Ayurveda relate to seeking the root of disease or illness, and eliminating it through diet or lifestyle changes before prescribing natural medicine if required.
‘Doshas’ are a key element in Ayurveda, suggesting that every person is predominantly one of three typologies made up of the combined elements fire, water, earth, ether, and air. These represent different qualities and characteristics of an individual, from one’s physical features to their habits.
Still an integral health and healing system in the Indian subcontinent thousands of years after its establishment, Ayurveda’s popularity has also grown widespread across the globe.