Ayur means life and veda means science, thus Ayurveda is “Science of life”. Ayurveda theory evolved from a deep understanding of creation. The great seers of ancient India came to understand creation through deep meditation and other spiritual practices. They observed the fundamentals of life, organized them into an elaborate system, and compiled India's philosophical and spiritual knowledge.

The Ayurvedic teachings were customarily passed on orally from teacher to student for over 1000 years. The wisdom of Ayurveda is recorded in Sanskrit, the ancient language of India that reflects the philosophy behind Ayurveda and the depth within it.

Ayurvedic theory believes that health results from harmony within one's self. To be healthy, harmony must exist between your purpose for being, your thoughts, your feelings, and your physical actions. Your purpose is peaceful, yet if your thoughts are fearful and your emotions negative, your physical body will manifest some dis-ease as a "wake-up call" to change. In Ayurveda, the manifestation of disease is actually considered to be a good sign, because it reveals a previously hidden aspect of oneself  that need to be healed. Health is harmony within all aspects of self. This inner harmony also becomes manifest as harmony with family, friends, co-workers, society and nature.

Ayurvedic philosophy believes that only a person with a strong immune system can be healthy. The practitioners identify the immune system as a fragment of nature. This creates us, sustains us, nourishes us, and protects us from outside invasion. As long as our immune system is strong, we suffer no disease. Disease, therefore, is a message about a need for change. Healing comes from seeing adversity as a challenge, by taking back negative thoughts about people and events. Spiritual health, then, is a dynamic balance between a strongly integrated individual personality and nature.

According to the Five Element Theory, the human being is a small model of the universe. Ayurveda believes that everything is made up of five elements, or building blocks: earth, water, fire, air and ether. Their properties are important in understanding balances and imbalances in the human body. Earth is representative of the solid state of matter manifested in the body by bones, cells and tissue. Water characterizes change. Our blood, lymph, and other fluids represents water element in the body which move between our cells and through our vessels, bringing energy, carrying away wastes, regulating temperature, bringing disease fighters, and carrying hormonal information from one area to another. Fire is the power to transform solids to liquids, to gas, and back again. Within our bodies it is fire energy that binds the atoms of our molecules together; that converts food to fat /stored energy and muscle; that turns food into energy; that creates the impulses of nervous reactions, our feelings, and even our thought processes. Air is the gaseous form of matter which is mobile and dynamic. Within the body, air/oxygen is the basis for all energy transfer reactions or oxidation. Ether is the space in which everything happens like outer space with millions of miles between celestial bodies. Ether is only the distances which separate matter. Man is the epitome of the universe. Within man, there is as much diversity as in the world outside. Similarly, the outside world is as diverse as human beings themselves." In other words, all human beings are a living microcosm of the universe and the universe is a living macrocosm of the human beings.

In Ayurvedic philosophy, the five elements combine in pairs to form three dynamic forces called doshas. Doshas are primary life forces or biological humors. They are only found in living organisms and their dynamism is what makes life happen.

Vata is a force conceptually made up of the elements ether and air. The proportions of ether and air determine how active Vata is. The amount of ether affects the ability of air to gain momentum, as expressed in Vata. In the body, Vata is movement and manifests itself in living things as the movement of nerve impulses, air, blood, food, waste and thoughts.

Pitta is a force conceptually created by the dynamic interplay of water and fire. In our bodies Pitta is manifested by the quality of transformation. Pitta is the enzymes which digest our food and the hormones which regulate our metabolism. In our mind, the Pitta force is the transformation of chemical/electrical impulses into understood thoughts. Too much Pitta can cause ulcers, hormonal imbalance, irritated skin, and emotions like anger. Too little Pitta and we have indigestion, inability to understand, and sluggish metabolism.

Kapha is the conceptual equilibrium of water and earth. Too much Kapha force causes mucous buildup in the sinus and nasal passages, the lungs and colon. In the mind it creates rigidity, a fixation of thought, inflexibility. Not enough Kapha force causes the body to experience a dry respiratory tract, burning stomach and inability to concentrate.

There are 7 constitutional doshas depending on the above said doshas and each individual fall into any one of these categories. They are:

• Vata
• Pitta
• Kapha
• Vata-Pitta
• Pitta-Kapha
• Kapha-Vata
• Vata-Pitta-Kapha

Vata is predominant in Old age, Pitta in the Middle age and Kapha in Childhood. According to the season, Kapha is predominant early morning, Pitta in the afternoon and Vata late at night. For good health, each person has to maintain the balance of their doshas and not aggravate it and an imbalance in them is the cause of illness. It is thus essential to identify one's body type and follow dietary regimes according to the seasonal regimes to maintain optimum health. Ayurvedic treatment helps to restore this imbalance without any side effects. This helps in several conditions including liver disorders, strokes, mental and muscular dystrophy, rheumatic and chronic conditions.