By Richmond Natural Medicine

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February 25, 2020

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Many patients are curious about the similarities and differences between an ayurvedic medicine approach and a naturopathic medicine approach when working with their alternative medicine providers. The ayurvedic and naturopathic systems of medicine share some similar foundational principles and both offer an individualized approach to acute conditions, preventative care, and any other wellness concern that may arise.

The Principles of Ayurveda

For thousands of years, the system of ayurvedic medicine has upheld its core principle to treat each individual by focusing on unique constitutions, or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha embodies specific elements of physical and emotional presentations. For example:

• Vata: thin, airy, flighty, thin or dry skin, angular features, creative, intuitive, anxiety.
• Pitta: athletic build, warm or hot to touch, sweat easily, focused, high achieving.
• Kapha: broad shoulders/hips, clammy skin, grounded, thick hair, calm, slow-moving.

Read More: The Principles of Ayurveda and Individual Doshas

In an Ayurvedic approach, healing does not come from simply taking an herbal protocol and waiting for results. Ayurveda requires that patients get to know themselves – their dosha – in relation to their presence in the world. By understanding our dosha, we can begin to understand how and why our symptoms are presenting and how to realign our way of life to support whole-body wellness. The patient must be an active participant in the understanding of their own health so their ayurvedic practitioner can help guide them in making necessary changes to support their overall health, acutely and preventatively.

“Ayurveda is a way of life, where your awareness of your own health and alignment is essential.”

Read More: 5 Ways to Introduce Ayurveda into your Health

The Naturopathic Approach

Similar to Ayurvedic medicine, the Naturopathic approach focuses on the whole individual – not just the parameters of the disease. Here at Richmond Natural Medicine, we look beyond the imbalances or disease a person might have and assess what kind of health factors that person holds, allowing us to tailor each Care Plan to fit the unique needs of the patient.

Naturopathic doctors utilize western herbs (different from ayurvedic herbs), among many other modalities, and take into account the energetics of those herbs, just as an ayurvedic practitioner would. For example, ginger is a hot and pungent herb. Giving ginger to a patient who runs cold can help to balance their internal systems. Naturopathic doctors also expect their patients to take an active role in their own healing, which includes implementing exercise, daily stress management techniques, lifestyle adjustments to support sleep and circadian rhythm balance, and dietary changes. These new habits are also likely to be recommended by some ayurvedic practitioners.

Individualized Holistic Care

It is clear today that individualized health care is essential for longevity and in discovering the core of imbalances or dis-ease. Indeed, a disease state can be identified by a number of symptoms and approached through multiple methods. However, much of today’s health care removes the individual from the disease and neglects the crucial pieces that make that person unique, both in their individuality and in disease presentation. These essential observations, including family history, constitution, dietary regimen, lifestyle, stress, sleep, exercise, and digestive pattern are core individual presentations that are unique to each person, and how they may or may not respond to certain protocols.

There is no one “right” approach to healing. Multiple approaches can be successful, and both naturopathic doctors and ayurvedic practitioners will help their patients get to the root of their imbalance by educating them about how their body is working, responding, and changing. In fact, it is common in both ayurvedic medicine and naturopathic medicine for health recommendations, herbal protocols, or lifestyle recommendations to be adjusted with every visit according to each change in health.

Interested in how Naturopathic doctors integrate Ayurvedic principles in their patient care approach? Request an appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors today, or call our office to learn more: (804) 977-2634.