Ayurveda: 5 Common Myths Debunked! (And the Truth That Actually Helps!)
- Natalie Elghossain
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
A Beginner's Guide on Your Path to Greater Health, Happiness, and Balance
Whether you’re brand new to Ayurveda or you’ve heard the word before and felt a spark of curiosity — you’re in the right place.
Here, you’ll learn what Ayurveda actually is, what it is not, and how it can truly enhance your health and daily life.
Ayurveda is the oldest holistic health system in the world, originating more than 5,000 years ago. It is a complete system for body, mind, and soul so you can feel healthy, happy, and fulfilled.
In Sanskrit, Ayurveda translates to “the science of how to live a long, healthy, happy life!”
And while that sounds beautiful… most people never learn the full range of benefits that Ayurveda really offers, much less how to apply it to their modern lives.
Keep reading as I break down 5 common myths I hear often that block people from unlocking Ayurveda's incredible benefits — and share the truths that can help you save time, money, and confusion on your wellness journey.
I first stumbled upon the word “Ayurveda” at a yoga retreat in 2018. It came up casually over dinner, but something in me lit up.
I immediately started reading books and articles, hungry to understand this ancient wisdom that felt like the missing piece in my wellness journey.
But even after trying to learn and even working with a practitioner briefly, the pieces didn’t fully click. I thought I understood the ideas, but I didn’t yet understand how to live them.
Everything changed in early 2021 when I discovered Authentic Ayurveda through Doctor of Ayurveda, Dr. Sylvia Strahl, in Maui.
It immediately felt different and so right receiving and applying this ancient knowledge from her, and at the time I didn't know why.
Now, I understand the reason is because she has been utilizing Authentic Ayurveda in her own life and patients'/students' lives for 18 years - after reading the ancient Ayurveda texts, meditating on their teachings, and through her embodied wisdom.
For the first time, Ayurveda felt clear, applicable, and deeply transformational. My health improved. My chronic health challenges cleared. I felt more calm, energized, creative, and joyful than ever before. My entire life began to shift in the best ways.
Ayurveda helped me in ways nothing else ever had — so much so that I decided to leave a successful corporate career to become an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner.
Today, I share this wisdom in simple, practical, and aligned ways so others can experience the same ease, clarity, balance, and joy that comes from embodying our True Nature.
So let’s begin with the basics.
Here are the 5 most common myths I hear about Ayurveda — and the truths that will help you understand how this ancient science can support your modern life:
ONE:
MYTH: Ayurveda is just about food and nutrition.
TRUTH: Nutrition is just one of four pillars of Ayurveda. The other 3 pillars of Ayurveda are Sleep, Relationships, and Lifestyle (includes career, travel, home life, exercise/movement, and more).
The purpose of Authentic Ayurveda is to transform at the root on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level, thus allowing enlightenment (clarity) - your True Nature. Ayurveda does this by balancing the elements in your body (Doshas), which naturally improves your:
Physical Health - Mental Health - Emotional Health - Financial Abundance - Relationships - Intuition & Spiritual Clarity - Career Fulfillment
Ayurveda helps you become more of who you really are!
TWO:
MYTH: Ayurveda is “woo woo” or a pseudo-science.
TRUTH: Ayurveda is backed by rigorous science grounded in 5,000+ years of observation, meditation, practice, and research.
Today, thousands of peer-reviewed research papers validate what Ayurveda has long known about its effectiveness in improving health, happiness, and longevity.
THREE:
MYTH: Ayurveda is only for Indian people.
TRUTH: Though India preserved Ayurveda’s teachings, Ayurveda was utilized worldwide long before modern medicine.
Ayurveda is for anyone, anywhere—
it’s about understanding what’s right for your unique body, lifestyle, and environment.
FOUR:
MYTH: Ayurveda is religious or only for “spiritual people.”
TRUTH: Ayurveda is a holistic health system – it has nothing to do with religion.
It’s sometimes confused with aspects of Hinduism because of its connection to India, but that is false. It can be utilized by anyone, regardless of religious or spiritual beliefs.
FIVE:
MYTH: Ayurveda is complicated to learn and utilize.
TRUTH: It can seem complex or overwhelming online—and even inaccurate or contradictory. That’s because some of what’s out there is not rooted in Authentic Ayurveda.
Once you learn the basics of Authentic Ayurveda, it can become simple to utilize.
With a trusted guide, it’s even easier.
Even small changes daily can create big benefits!
Ready to take the next step?
✨ Start with this Free Dosha Quiz to understand which elements need balancing in your body right now.
✨ Or book a 1:1 Ayurveda Consultation to receive personalized support to address your wellness challenges and create more ease, health, and joy in your life!
Ayurveda can transform your health and life in simple, doable, meaningful ways — and I’d love to guide you.
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