Ayurveda is a Traditional System of Medicine (TSM), recognised as such by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It originated in India and is today widely practised in India and Sri Lanka as a government-recognised and statutorily regulated medical system.
It is a comprehensive medical system with classical specialist branches that include internal medicine, ENT, ophthalmology, gynaecology, obstetrics, paediatrics, surgery, psychology and rejuvenation therapy. The term Ayurveda is derived from two Sanskrit words, ayus (meaning life) and vid (meaning knowledge). Ayurveda is thus the 'science of life', and it is as much concerned with preventing ill-health and enhancing quality of life as it is with the actual treatment of disease. Ayurveda recognises the dynamic interplay of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels in every individual. |