More than a Diet: History and Principles of Ayurveda Medicine Más que una dieta: historia y principios de la medicina ayurveda

Abstract

This manuscript aims to contribute to a critical understanding of the Ayurvedic medical system through a comprehensive synthesis of literature on the historical evolution of Ayurveda, and references to ethnographic data. The main objective is to offer a literature review that contributes to reflect on non-conventional forms of medicine in the global South. This is considered particularly relevant in a postcolonial context marked by South–South relations between India and several countries in the Americas, which are seeking to develop Ayurveda in Latin America in dialogue with local traditional medical systems. Methodology: A secondary analysis was conducted on the bibliographic sources used by the author in an ethnographic study on contemporary Ayurvedic practices in India. Findings: Since the mid-20th century, Ayurveda has expanded from South Asia to the West; firstly, through the Global North, and more recently through exchange processes between South Asia and Latin America. In this region, the presence of Ayurveda within networks of alternative and complementary health practices has been steadily growing throughout the 21st century. While discourses centered on healthy diets have become frequent and popular within secular therapies associated with Ayurveda, they fail to capture the full complexity of the medical system. Originality: Although nutrition constitutes a central axis in Ayurveda’s framework for a healthy lifestyle, the dissemination of Ayurveda as merely a dietary regimen reflects the political economy of local health systems more than the Ayurvedic medical model itself. This highlights the controversies that arise when medical systems are transposed into diverse healthcare contexts and calls for the exploration of alternative modes of exchange within the global South.