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Interested in Becoming an Ayurvedic Specialist? Here's What you Need to Know. |
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June 14, 2005
by Sarah Clark
Education Factor Columnist
According to a nationwide government survey released in May 2004, over 60 percent of American adults aged 18 or over use some form of complementary or alternative medicine. Ayurveda, a holistic health system originating from the Indian subcontinent, is one of many alternative therapies that's gaining ground in health care treatment facilities around the country.
While still far from being part of traditional medicine as practiced in the United States, alternative health care approaches, such as Ayurveda, have become increasingly popular in recent years. High-profile practitioners like New York Times best-selling author Deepak Chopra are responsible in part for the surge in interest in complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM).
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is an ancient medical system that primarily has been practiced in the Indian subcontinent for the past 5,000 years. The National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports on its web site that Ayurveda, "includes diet and herbal remedies and emphasizes the use of body, mind, and spirit in disease prevention and treatment." Ayurveda takes a "holistic" approach to health, looking at how the body and mind affect health.
What to Expect in an Ayurvedic Health Program
To prepare practitioners to provide CAM or holistic therapies, a variety of education institutes have emerged, including some dedicated to the study of Ayurveda. Their requirements and approaches may vary - the field of alternative medicine education does not yet benefit from having an overriding licensing or credential body to established consistent standards.
Coursework in Ayurveda may include instruction in topics such as herbology, astrology, Ayurvedic disease diagnosis, and Ayurvedic philosophy. Students are trained to determine a patient's body type and prescribe a treatment program that involves adjustments to diet as well as the use of herbs, yoga, meditation, and other therapies.
Specialists of Ayurveda may go on to develop their own Ayurvedic or holistic health practice or join a center that offers alternative medicine or holistic therapies to clients. They may also offer classes and workshops to the public on the practice and philosophy of Ayurveda.
About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Virginia.
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