Introduction to Ayurveda: The Science of Life

Presented by The Stanford Health Library and The Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education

Ayurveda is the traditional medical practice of India and one of the world's oldest continuously practiced healing traditions. In this talk, Neeta Gautam, MD, a Family Physician and Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor, will introduce you to the history, background, and fundamentals of Ayurveda and how these ancient practices can be applied in today's world. Dr. Gautam will guide you through fifteen questions to discover your constitution type or dosha. She describes the causes and characteristics of imbalance, how to balance each dosha, general recommendations for all doshas, and how each dosha also applies to the time of the day, seasons, and stages of life.

Speaker:
Neeta Gautum, MD, received her medical degree from the Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center, in College Station, Texas. She completed her residency in family medicine at the Scott and White Hospital and Clinic in Temple Texas, and also trained as an Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor at the Kerala Ayurveda Academy, USA. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Primary, Preventive, and Community Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of Integrative Medicine at the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education (CARE).

[woodstockxx]

The time of day thing is absolutely bang on, in my experience. I scored all 2’s, except for a single 1 & single 3 meaning I’m predominantly Pitta. I feel tired at 8-9pm but always stay awake to educate myself a bit. Then 10pm arrives & I’m wide awake until 1:30-2am but manage to fall asleep around 2:30am .. the knowledge & wisdom of our ancients, never fails to amaze me

[veronicaolivares]

On Personality sometimes I am the 3 of them, and sometimes I am 3 better do not worry and be happy, that is the reason why we are here to be happy :)

[taradrolma]

I had CFS, IBS, POTS, GERD. Was bed ridden and housebound 7years and used a wheelchair.
After starting Ayurveda 2years ago I have recovered. I am deconditioned so it is still slow going walking and I do tire easily but I don’t consider myself ill anymore. I am now in recovery. Finding a doctor in India made all the difference for me.

[V-tn]

Oh, the time stamps are in the description! Thank you! Excellent video!

42:15 dosha water requirements & ccf tea for digestion
43:55 dosha times of day

[happyhealthyhadlee]

Thank you so much for bringing in Ayurveda and sharing this with the world through Stanford! The integration of modern scientific research and ancient wisdom makes me so happy and hopeful for the future 💙

[spigney]

I would have guessed childhood would be vata and old age kapha. Its fascinating that it's the other way around

[preparingtexas]

I have been struggling with my health, trying to find balance in my daily lifestyle, and this morning I woke up with a word I thought I’d never heard before stuck somewhere in my subconscious….Ayurveda. Thank you for the introduction into it.

[veronicaolivares]

I will watch again and again until I learn by heart :), regards from Peru :)

[veronicaolivares]

I love that phrase please help us to learn how to eat properly :) in order to avoid illnesses, I hate taking medicines, I just like the Ginkgo Biloba, melatonine, music, exercise and some natural pills that a friend of mine is giving me.

[eunicema]

Dr Neeta, Your are excellent. This is very useful lecture. I love to have pdf version of this if I can have it. Thank you.

[veronicaolivares]

Health problems: sometimes anxiety and depression, but I am working on that it is hard for me to fall sleep

[vishalchaudhary-nfgr]

Planet Ayurveda's Ayurvedic medicines have been a game-changer for my health. Thank you for creating products that truly make a difference!

[veronicaolivares]

In order to help the Vata's there is a nice book from Dr. Cal Newport called enfócate very nice :), I have to apply in my life too; not only read.

[veronicaolivares]

In regards to tobacco and alcohol with Pitta I have watched a very nice documental at DW that talks about music replacing drugs like those :)

[veronicaolivares]

What about people that use Litium for bipolar disorder? And become very thristy...

[mjayanthi]

Excellent presentation
Very informative
Thank you so much

[veronicaolivares]

I have to watch and watch until I learn by heart :)

[veronicaolivares]

comino, cilantro and hinojo tea for digest

[woodstockxx]

Awesome video this..very informative 😁👍.. question 15 was a nightmare by the way 😂😂 .. & I do not agree that we require 3 meals per day..ideally one very nutritious meal with nutrient dense snacks to obtain anything that wasn’t present in the main meal or two meals at most, within a 4-6 hour window if possible & always at lest 4 hours before going to sleep at night..many health benefits are experienced as a result of intermittent fasting

[triarii]

What is the basis for such a belief system? For example, in chemistry, through knowledge of physics, crystalline structure formation, electromagnetics, and etc, we can explain why water turns to ice.

In biology, we can explain the mechanisms that allow antibiotics to work.

What are the basis for assuming that there are elements, doshas, and their respective impact on humans?

42:15 for example. How did you get those numbers? Did you take thousands of people, measure how much water they drank, their health, etc etc?

There's so much "if X then Y" in this but it's hard to tell if that's just arbitrarily made up or there's data backing it without in depth understanding (which is fine too) or if it was a conclusion made due to a deep understanding of the fundamentals (which would be ideal)

Everything is being taught "as a matter of fact" yet there is zero supporting evidence OR deeper understanding of the fundaments.

If you have one OR the other, then it may indicate some level of insight. Otherwise, you're just throwing darts at a wall and 1 out of 10 times, something's going to stick.