Ayurveda

American Heritage Dictionary:

A·yur·ve·da

(ī'yər-vā'də, -vē'-) pronunciation

n.
The ancient Hindu science of health and medicine.

[Sanskrit āyurvedaḥ : āyuḥ, life, health + vedaḥ, knowledge, lore.]

Ayurvedic A'yur·ve'dic adj.

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Ayurveda

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Traditional system of Indian medicine. It is attributed to Dhanvantari, the physician to the gods in Hindu mythology, who received it from Brahma. Its earliest concepts were set out in the portion of the Vedas known as the Atharvaveda (c. 2nd millennium BC). The most important Ayurvedic texts are the Caraka samhita and Susruta samhita (1st – 4th century AD). These texts analyze the human body in terms of earth, water, fire, air, and ether as well as the three bodily humours (wind, bile, and phlegm). To prevent illness, Ayurvedic medicine emphasizes hygiene, exercise, herbal preparations, and yoga. To cure ailments, it relies on herbal medicines, physiotherapy, and diet. Ayurvedic medicine is still a popular form of health care in India, where it is taught in roughly 100 colleges, and it has gained currency in the West as a form of alternative medicine.

For more information on Ayurveda, visit Britannica.com.

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For a list of words related to Ayurveda, see:

Activities and Treatments - Ayurveda: ancient Indian medical system of classifying and treating somatic types for optimal health and functioning
Disciplines and Specialties - Ayurveda: ancient Hindu medicine that uses herbs, purgatives, and rubbing oils

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		American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
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