Ayurveda is the world’s oldest wellness system. Directly translated, it means Knowledge of Life in Sanskrit, and its teachings can be traced back over 5,000 years to ancient Vedic texts in India. Today, it remains the prevalent form of medicine there—around 1.1 billion Indians rely on Ayurveda in some form every day. In the West, however, it’s a different story: While gaining popularity rapidly over the last decade, it remains either mysterious or entirely unknown to many here who have yet to discover the depths of its infinite knowledge— which has been honed over time and now comes with the science to prove it.
At the core of Ayurveda lies nature. Its foundational teachings outline that radiant health is within reach for everyone if we live in accordance with the universe, and that all living things—from fish to birds to humans—are deeply connected. This concept is intrinsic to understanding how Ayurveda approaches achieving total well-being: It looks at the entire person, as opposed to a single symptom or “issue.” Using this principle, physical, mental, and spiritual health are always of equal importance.
Ayurveda explains every individual’s genetic makeup according to the elements. We are each—it teaches—comprised from a unique blend of space, air, fire, water, and earth in different proportions. Thus, what is present in the universe is also present in us. Health issues arise, then, when these elemental proportions get out of whack An excess of air, for example, could manifest as dryness, insomnia, anxiety, or even hot flushes.
At its highest level, Ayurveda is used to diagnose and treat life-threatening diseases under intense medical supervision in hospital settings. But, because we are all made from the same elements, its wisdom also teaches many universal solutions that can be applied daily to maintain good health. These range from the practice of self-massage to clinically-proven digestive aids—like the kind we make at Taza.
Although Ayurvedic principles vary significantly from the traditional Western approach to health, the two are not at odds. Rather, they are complementary. Ayurveda is a wonderful tool for proactively maintaining sustained overall well-being and preventing illness via a healthy lifestyle, while Western medicine excels at providing targeted treatment for acute illness. To put it simply: We like to think of Ayurveda as our daily support and Western medicine as our emergency hotline.
The underlying framework for achieving balance via Ayurveda is accessible to everyone. So, if you’re new to its teachings, don’t worry—we’ve got you. Follow along here and on our social channels, as we unpack more of its cores concepts to help you live in harmony with yourself and the natural world around you.
Oh! And if nothing about that appeals to you, that’s fine too. All you need to take away from this is that Taza is Ayurvedic certified, which means that our ingredients are legally required to be clinically studied for safety and efficacy—and then third-party lab tested, too. In short: Science can prove that this stuff works.
