Ayurveda encourages us to live in harmony with our true natures. Agnieszka Rostkowska speaks with Ayurvedic physician Dilbag Jindal about how to find the path that is right for you and how to achieve a balance.
Ayurveda is one of the few ancient medical systems that is still successfully used today. It treats each patient individually, recognizing that what serves one may harm another. It works holistically, with a belief that body, mind, and the emotions are one, and that health is much more than the absence of disease.
Agnieszka Rostkowska: Is it true that the origins of Ayurveda can be traced back to an ancient time when India was facing an epidemic of a previously unknown deadly disease?
Dr. Dilbag Jindal: According to ancient Sanskrit writings, more than four thousand years ago, the Indian subcontinent faced an epidemic that threatened all of society. At that time, the greatest thinkers gathered and traveled to the Himalayas to collectively deliberate on the causes and solutions to the problem. They drew on both the scientific knowledge of the time and the power of spiritual practices, intuition, and meditation. They held fierce disputes and arguments, with three masters—Vagbhata, Charaka, and Sushruta—leading the way.
Vagbhata and Charaka emphasized the importance of daily habits and the healing power of herbs. Sushruta advocated more far-reaching interventions, which would be the equivalent of surgery today. They came to a common conclusion: there’s a need for natural medicine that would crack down the symptoms as well as the causes of disease. Each of them wrote a book about it. This is how the three classic works—The Charaka Samhita, The Sushruta Samhita, and The Ashtanga Hridayam Samhita—called the Brhat Trayi, or Great Triad, came about. Each one includes guidance on all areas of life, from dietary recommendations to advice on marriage. This knowledge was used by the people of India for centuries to come, both in times of peace and war—historical sources have been preserved with descriptions of herbal ointments that were used to treat soldiers’ wounds overnight, supposedly so effective that they would reenter battle in the morning. Thus, Ayurveda was born, one of the world’s oldest medical systems.
But it seems to be much more than medicine. Ayus in Sanskrit means “life,” veda means “knowledge.” Thus, Ayurveda can be literally translated as “knowledge of life.”
Ayurveda is a system designed to ensure health, understood not only as the absence of disease but as general well-being, harmony, and happiness—in all aspects of life. It is characterized by an extremely individualized approach to each patient, and is based on two questions: Do you know who you are? And: Are you living in harmony with yourself?
I guess that you’re talking about the famous Ayurvedic Doshas. Could you explain what they are?
Doshas are life energies—they shape characteristics and are responsible for the way our body functions. The theory of the doshas is combined with the theory of the five elements, of which the whole world is composed. There are three main doshas: Vata is the combination of the elements of air and space; Pitta, fire and water; and Kapha, earth and water. Central to the dosha theory is the concept of Prakriti—a person’s unique nature with which he or she is born, otherwise known as the “constitution of a human being,” usually recognizable by a person’s appearance and behavior.
People with the Vata nature are slender, and all their actions are characterized by speed—they move energetically, immediately make new friends, and come up with great ideas, but they also frequently change their minds, have difficulty focusing on one thing, and easily give in to fears and anxieties. They dislike the cold, often complaining of their hands and feet being too cold. They are dreamers, travelers, and artists. People of the Pitta type are usually characterized by a strong body, good metabolism, and remarkable beauty. They are highly emotional, enthusiastic, ambitious, and have a lively, analytical mind. They are perfectionists; goal-oriented leaders. Carrying so much “fire,” they can easily get angry. They mostly avoid hot climates and warm foods. Meanwhile, the Kapha constitution is generally associated with a robust physique and even being overweight, and in the emotional layer with calmness, patience, forbearance, and love. People belonging to this group are always diligent workers, but can sometimes be slow.
This is of course an oversimplification, as most people have double doshas, such as vata-pitta or pitta-kapha types, and sometimes there are even triple doshas. Nowadays, there are many tests available online to determine one’s constitution—from weight, height, and aspect of hair and eyes to quality of sleep and personality traits. Answering them provides results on what kind of dosha we are. Ayurveda has different recommendations for each dosha.
Are the results of such online tests trustworthy?
Many people wonder about that, especially when the result of the test they took online is completely different from the one I present to them during an individual consultation. The thing is, that in addition to Prakriti—our true nature, a state of equilibrium—there is also Vikriti—the present state, which is often out of balance. Prakriti is fixed, but everything around us changes, from the seasons to an atmosphere at the workplace to which we respond differently, such as being overly emotional, and thus causing stress and even shifts in our bodies. For example, checking off “significant weight gain” in the physicality section on an online test may give us a Kapha score. However, this will not be our Prakriti balance, but our Vikriti imbalance. I often tell patients, “Just because you currently look or act like Kapha doesn’t mean that you are one.” Let’s look deeper—being overweight might be a side effect of taking medication, or it might have to do with the emotional load one is carrying in their heart.
Then how do we properly determine our true nature?
The most effective way is Nadi Pariksha, diagnosis from the pulse, which is supported by Darshan Pariksha (observation of the patient’s appearance and behavior) and Prashna Pariksha (a doctor’s examination of the patient and their family history).
While the latter elements are aligned with Western medicine, diagnosis from the pulse may be hard to understand. After all, the Ayurvedic approach doesn’t study the number of heartbeats per minute. What does it consist of?
The doctor asks the patient to close their eyes and breathe calmly and places three fingers on their wrist near the radial artery, then higher up at the elbow, where the ulnar artery runs. This way, they can measure the blood pressure; examine the condition of individual organs as well as entire systems—nervous, digestive, respiratory, and so on. However, this method allows for a much more in-depth diagnosis. We could compare it to observing a river—based on its depth, current, and water quality, a specialist is able to know where it sprang from, where its course was swift, and where it encountered obstacles and how it was affected by them. The same is true of the pulse. The doctor senses the dynamics of each dosha and, according to some, touches one’s emotions, and sometimes even the soul.
There is no doubt that diagnosis from the pulse can effectively prevent many diseases before symptoms appear. Many of my patients hadn’t yet complained of ailments, which were already detectable in their pulse. However, they would do the recommended tests, such as a morphology or ultrasound, because nowadays Ayurveda also employs contemporary Western diagnostic methods, which often confirm the diagnosed problems. Nadi Pariksha can only be properly performed by a highly experienced doctor.
Then how do Ayurvedic practitioners learn it—do they still have to go back to ancient books?
In India, you can still find Ayurveda practitioners who follow the ancient path—they grow herbs in their own gardens, harvest them, and use them to prepare potions. However, most modern people would be nauseated by the smell of these mixtures; they would not be able to drink even a drop. We must take into account the development of medicine, of the world, and of humans themselves. Nowadays, herbs are available for sale in compressed form, as ready-made tablets, subjected to rigorous inspection. Their form is different, but the action remains the same.
Similarly, the system of medical education has also evolved. It’s now based on a model of a five-year master’s degree, covering both modern medicine and classical Sanskrit works. Graduates then undertake a one-year internship in a hospital, followed by a three-year specialization. After completing it, many still opt for a doctorate, as part of which they conduct their research, which is becoming increasingly important in India. In 2014, the Ayush Ministry was established to provide research and education in traditional medical systems—such as Ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, homeopathy, unani (a fusion of old Greek medical traditions with Arabic and Persian medicine) siddha (a system close to Ayurveda that originated in southern India), and traditional Tibetan Sowa Rigpa medicine.
All these ancient traditions have a lot in common—a holistic approach, a desire to minimize side effects so that by supporting one system another one isn’t harmed, and a huge emphasis on prevention. It’s worth coming for an Ayurvedic consultation, even when one feels fully healthy and happy, precisely to maintain this state for as long as possible.
And this is where oils can help—poured heavily in Indian kitchens.
In many regions of India, the preparation of almost every dish begins with heating oil, then adding spices and, after they release the aroma, vegetables and other ingredients. In the Western world, far less oil is used, and it’s often treated as a side—poured over salads or used for dipping bread. However, let’s remember that Indian cuisine isn’t the same as Ayurvedic cuisine. Recently, a patient asked me to recommend an Indian restaurant in Warsaw, hoping that it would help him balance his dosha. Unfortunately, it’s not yet possible in Poland—it’s only done by Ayurvedic restaurants, where one can actually order dishes designed for specific doshas, which is clearly described in the menu. In India, there are now several such restaurants. I dream that they will also pop up in Europe, relying on local, fresh products. After all, you don’t have to import everything from the other side of the world, but just modify the rich and regional cuisine.
However, regardless of the cuisine, oils will not serve everyone. People with a Kapha constitution should use them in moderation, especially those with cardiac or liver problems. In their case, olive oil, mustard oil, or rice oil will be best. On the other hand, for people of the Vata type, oils are particularly advisable—dry foods, such as bread or dried fruits, are not good for this dosha. Therefore, it’s advisable for Vatas to ensure that their diet is rich in heavy, thick oils with warming properties, such as sesame oil. These oils, in turn, should be avoided by the Pitta dosha. For them, the best are coconut oil and ghee.
Ghee, which is Ayurvedic clarified butter, is valued for its health-promoting properties, right?
Yes, the source of its value lies in the purification process it undergoes during production. In the Vedas, the oldest group of sacred texts in Hinduism, ghee is called annashuddhi—ann means “food”; shuddhi means “purification.” Traditionally, even one drop of ghee is believed to purify a dish. Today, we know that it prevents gastric discomfort and slows the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins. That’s why people in the southern states of India, where the foundation of the diet is rice, always add a little ghee to it. It comes in many types—goat; cow; sheep; buffalo. Ayurveda recommends mainly cow ghee, especially for Vata and Pitta types. Kaphas should consume it in minimal amounts. Each type of it has different properties, which we can enhance or modify with herbs—in combination it will have a medicinal effect. In special cases of Panchakarma, or body cleansing therapy, the doctor may even recommend drinking liquid ghee. The patient starts with a small dose, gradually increasing it, even up to a glass per day. To such recommendations, some react with fear of getting fat. Meanwhile, the result is often the opposite—within ten days of Panchakarma, they lose a few pounds without murderous workouts.
What is Panchakarma?
Translated literally, it’s “five methods of treatment.” They are vamana (medicinal vomiting), virechana (cleansing therapy through the intestines), basti (medical enema), nasya (remedies applied nasally), and rakta mokshana (blood cleansing therapy). Altogether, these are more than five hundred techniques designed to deeply cleanse the entire body. They are used when diet, herbs, or a change in lifestyle don’t result in the desired effect. Because first it’s necessary to remove toxins that linger on various levels, both physical—these are referred to as ama—and emotional. For Ayurveda recognizes that body, mind, and emotions are intrinsically linked. That’s why Panchakarma also uses methods for restoring balance, such as meditation, mantras, pranayama—breathing exercises and yoga.
Is it possible to achieve balance without meditation and mantras?
Of course, you can skip any element, only the treatment will be incomplete then. Imagine you have an infection that manifests itself only as a fever, so you think you don’t need meditation—just stay in bed for three or four days. But when you return to the office after that time, you are likely to be stressed and overwhelmed by the number of tasks that have accumulated during your absence. In such a situation, meditation would be a great support—it would help quiet the mind and emotions, such as anxiety, and the immune system wouldn’t be as weakened by tension and stress. Simply, the results of treatment would be more durable.
Initially, one may wonder about it, have doubts or fears, but when it becomes apparent how much these practices benefit one’s health, all resistance of the mind disappears. Ayurveda is universal—it originated in India, but it isn’t tied to a particular culture or religion. Just as yoga was met with a lot of prejudice years ago, today, when people have already experienced how it affects their bodies and psyche, it has even become popular.
Most books, articles, and advertisements about Panchakarma are illustrated with a similar image—a person lying down relaxed, with an expression of bliss on their face, and a trickle of oil pouring over their forehead. What is this treatment?
It’s Shirodhara, one of the methods of Panchakarma. Although it looks like something out of spa catalogs, it isn’t a simple form of relaxation, but a therapy, individually assigned to the patient. A trickle of warm oil is poured on the forehead, where there are specific energy points, known as marma points, and the Ajna—the third eye chakra. This wonderfully balances the nervous system and reduces high blood pressure, insomnia, and mood swings related to menopause.
There are many therapies using oils in Panchakarma—they are applied to the face, nose, and even the ears.
Yes, but in those cases they are small amounts—literally a few drops. In the ear treatment, called Karna Purana, a massage that requires a lot of precision is performed after application. Such a treatment is used for many ENT disorders and is beneficial for relieving tinnitus.
Nasal oil application came into the spotlight during the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, India’s Ministry of Health distributed millions of Ayurvedic kits to prevent infections and to alleviate symptoms. These included Anu Taila oil with instructions to apply a few drops to the nostrils each morning to create a natural protective barrier.
I often recommend to my patients moisturizing the nasal mucosa with ghee. All you need to do is scoop a small amount with your finger and spread it around. Ghee is also used for a number of treatments, including Netra Tarpana, which involves pouring it into a container that looks like spectacles and applying it to the patient’s eyes. Netra means “eyes,” tarpana means “moisturizing,” and, as the name suggests, this treatment relieves dry eye syndrome—an increasingly common ailment due to screens that make us blink less often. Yet, this is when one needs to be careful—contraindications against this treatment are glaucoma, cataracts, and waking up with sticky eyelids after a night’s sleep.
I believe in Ayurveda, joints are also “oiled” in a similar way.
Yes, a joint, such as the knee, is surrounded by a container made of stretchy plastic that gets filled with herbs and oil of a specified temperature and for a specified amount of time. The treatment can be repeated, twice a day for a week, depending on the ailment. It can improve the function of the joint, such as relieving pain resulting from insufficient synovium. This therapy is called Janu Basti—janu means “knee” in Sanskrit.
A similar treatment, called Kati (“lower back” in Sanskrit) Basti, is performed on the lumbar spine. It brings relief from inflammation and disc problems, such as discopathies. I studied Kati Basti to check whether the relief was due to the heat alone. The conclusions were clear—the group treated with herbal oil (rather than just heat) experienced much more profound and long-lasting effects. This is why Panchakarma also uses oil baths that involve the patient lying in a tub filled with warm oil, as well as deep and soft-tissue oil massages.
Oil massages are an integral part of daily life in India.
Yes, starting almost as early as birth—infants are massaged with oil before each bath from the third or fourth day of life. This enhances the functioning of their digestive system, eases colic, helps falling asleep, and deepens the bond with the parent, who continues this practice for the first few years of the child’s life. My mother did it, and I also massaged my sons the same way. Moreover, in southern India, mainly in the state of Kerala, both men and women apply coconut oil to their hair and scalp every day to nurture and counteract dryness. The effects are well visible—most women have strong and shiny hair, either waist long or even down to their ankles. I also often advise patients to massage their scalp with oil, especially almond oil, which has a strong effect on the nervous system. Patients confirm that it improves the quality of their sleep, especially when they also massage the oil into their feet.
What oils, besides almond oil, are worth using this way?
It depends on the person’s constitution; their condition, ailment, as well as the part of the body—for the face one should only use oils that are particularly gentle, with cosmetic properties. Another important factor is the climate of the place. When it’s cold, sesame oil, which warms up well, is advisable, while, when it’s hot, coconut oil, which is cooling. It is essential that the oils are of good quality—that can be determined by the way oil spreads over the body and how it affects the condition of the skin.
Is it true that it’s also worth heating the oil slightly?
Heating purifies the oil and makes it easier to distribute over the body, making it more pleasant. The warmth expands the blood vessels, thus relaxing them. These effects can be further enhanced by using the sauna after the massage or taking a hot bath.
So is it best to oil the body just before bathing or showering?
Oil massage, known as Abhyanga, is a part of dinacharya daily routine in Ayurveda. Whether it’s performed in the morning or evening; before or after a shower, the same as applying only a few drops or all over the body—it will still benefit us, reducing tension, boosting immunity as well as the condition of the skin, and also delaying the aging process more effectively than anti-wrinkle creams.
It’s best to rub the oil all over the body, but it’s even more important to do it with full attention. Don’t think about what amount of oil to use; how many minutes it should take; how many movements to make or what they should be. Instead, while massaging, feel your body, every inch of it: your eyebrows; your eyes; your cheeks; every finger of your hands—what they are like: maybe tired, maybe worked up. We rarely have time for such observation, for being in full attentiveness with ourselves. In doing so, let’s try to look at ourselves and our bodies with love. In Sanskrit, “oil” is snehana, the same word for “love.” For many of my patients, such self-massage has had therapeutic value: releasing tears, emotions frozen in the body, as well as changing their view of themselves and their approach to many things in life.
Ayurveda also recommends a rather peculiar technique—oil pulling.
Yes. There are actually two techniques—Gandusha, which in Sanskrit means “to hold,” and Kavala, which means “to bubble.” Both usually use sunflower, coconut, or sesame oil. We can sprinkle into it a pinch of powdered cloves, a traditional ingredient in Ayurvedic toothpaste, or a dash of salt or turmeric. Gandusha involves scooping the oil into your mouth and holding it until you feel a real need to spit it out.
That is for how long: a few seconds or a few minutes?
A few seconds is definitely not enough, a few minutes would be advisable, but the threshold depends on the person. It will also change as one continues this practice. It’s worth doing so, as it prevents bad breath and improves oral hygiene as well as overall health. Before sucking on oil, one should prepare—first brush your teeth, clean your tongue with a tongue scraper, and, at the very end, perform some more Kavala, which is simply rinsing your throat with warm water.
As for those in a hurry to get to work in the morning, can they make it just a weekend practice?
Of course, if Ayurveda were a rigorous system, many people would quickly give it up. What we can do with complete flexibility is to incorporate selected elements of it—those that will bring us joy. And let’s not pressure ourselves to experience the entire spectrum of benefits and the immediate change in well-being every time. It’s a bit like a morning shower—there are days when it gives us an immediate boost of energy and the urge to be active as well as days when, due to hurry or stress, we barely notice we took one. And, yet, we don’t give it up. The same is true of Ayurveda. It’s an art of living that we keep learning.
Dr. Dilbag Jindal:
Doctor of Ayurvedic medicine at Sri Sri Ayurveda, a graduate of Rajiv Gandhi University in Bangalore. He was born in India and comes from a family with a multi-generational medical tradition.
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