Ayurveda emphasizes balance, meditation in quest for health

• That is the essence of ayurveda, the ancient art of healing practiced in Nepal and India.
• "The spirit, the mind and the body need to be taken care of," Prajeep Adhikari said.
• For more than 3,000 years people in Nepal and India have been using hot oils, massage, yoga and herbal therapies to rid their bodies of toxins.
• He also centers himself in mindful prayer and clears his mind, as well as his body from toxins.
• By cooking a diet low in animal protein, the Adhikaris continue to abide by the ancient Hindu and ayuravedic principles.
• Samjhana and Prajeep Adhikari eat a clove of garlic each day in the hopes that they will continue to be blessed by good health.
• Lall, a trained pharmacist, learned many of the principles of ayurveda, though he mainly uses spices like coriander and ginger that can be found on the grocery store shelf.
• According to ayurveda tradition, nature consists of several basic elements --- earth, water, fire, air and space.
• "We get the digestive fire high," said Michael Sullivan, who practices ayurveda in Buckingham, near Charlottesville.
• Sullivan believes that the body must first be cleansed, through a series of mind and body techniques, including hot oil massage on the limbs and forehead, herbal tonics and cleansers, meditation, yoga and healing foods that resonate with one's body type.
• This is not the case in the United States, although the ancient practice has proliferated across the country, with the help of Depak Chopra, a renowned author, medical practitioner and healer.
• "There are many different oils for different doshas," said Ben Mosiman, the spokesperson for the Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla, Calif., one of the largest centers of its kind in the country.