Ayurveda, extensively looked upon as the oldest system of medicine in the world, traces its roots to the Vedic period in ancient India. The essentials of Ayurveda can be discovered in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas — the ancient Indian books of wisdom. We can find a series of prescriptions that can help humans conquer various ailments in Rig Veda, which was written over 6,000 years ago.

Ayurveda is distinct as a system which is firmly based on the ideology of nature and upholds a person's health by keeping the individual's body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. The term Ayurveda is a Sanskrit term and is derived from the words words "ayus" and "veda. "Ayus" means life and "Veda" means knowledge or science. The word "ayurveda" thus means 'the knowledge of life' or 'the science of life'. According to the ancient Ayurvedic scholar Charaka, "ayu" comprises the mind, body, senses and the soul.

Unlike modern system of medicine which focuses on medical management of diseases, Ayurveda aspires to prevent illness, heal the sick and preserve life. The basic pillars of this ancient system are as follows:

To protect health and prolong life ("Swasthyas swasthya rakshanam")
To eliminate diseases and dysfunctions of the body ("Aturasya vikar prashamanamcha")

The acquaintance of Ayurveda, earlier which was only passed on through pedigree of sages, was assembled into text only around five thousand years ago. Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and the Ashtanga Hrudaya are some of the oldest known texts explaining the basics of Ayurveda. They give a detailed knowledge about principles and ideology of Ayurveda and the affect of the affect that the five elements found in the cosmic system - earth, water, air, fire, space – have on our individual system, and give further details about on the importance of keeping these elements balanced for a healthy and happy life.

According to Ayurveda, as a result of a person's prakriti or natural constitutions, he or she is influenced by certain elements. These constitutions are categorized into different doshas:

Vata dosha, dominated by air and space Pitta dosha, dominated by fire and water Kapha dosha, dominated by earth and water Each human being has a distinctive balance, and our health and well-being depend on getting a right balance of the three doshas ("tridoshas"). When any of the doshas accumulate in the body beyond the desirable limit, the body loses its balance. The dosha not only impacts just the shape of one's body but also bodily propensity (like food preferences and digestion), and the makeup of one's mind and emotions.