Harmony is a  central theme to Ayurveda's wisdom and a key component in living an Ayurvedic lifestyle. The elements - Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth - and their attributes are represented in all matter in the form of the doshas - Vata , Pitta, Kapha.  Each of us are unique in our doshic makeup and understanding that constitution offers us the opportunity to make choices that do not violate the wisdom of our bodies.  A counseling session can determine your constitution - your unique blend of Vata, Pitta, Kapha - and make recommendations for food and lifestyle changes that can support balance and well-being...living in harmony with yourself and your surroundings.  

Honoring the body's wisdom requires us to practice being aware.  Keeping the doshas from becoming aggravated and out of balance is a critical component of Ayurvedic wisdom.  Yoga is the sister science of Ayurveda and as such has much to offer when applied as a compliment.  Each of the doshas have asana/postures, pranayama and meditation that are supportive, balancing and harmonizing.  Through awareness we will receive "clues" from the body's intelligence that will guide us to the appropriate postures that will calm an aggravated dosha.  Being aware of the attributes of the season will also lead us to a practice that can harmonize the doshas in the body with its surroundings. 

Ahara and Vihara are two very important Sanskrit words that mean food and lifestyle.  Ayurvedic principles rely heavily on using food and lifestyle to introduce the balancing affect of "opposites" when Vata, Pitta, Kapha has become aggravated and elevated.  Food and lifestyle modifications offer simple but profound remedies when seeking to return balance to the doshas in the body or when minimizing the affect of seasonal changes on the doshas.   

"The one who is established in Self, who has balanced doshas, balanced agni, properly formed dhatus, proper elimination of malas, properly functioning bodily processes, and whose mind, soul and senses are quiet and content, is called a healthy person."  Sushruta's definition of Health Su.Su. 15

Sushruta wrote his ancient text on medicine and surgery and it is one of the foundational texts on Ayurveda.  You can see from his definition of health that disease is not mentioned.  Health is viewed here with a much wider lens that includes the mind, soul, senses and begins by noting "the one who is established in Self".  Approaching health from this perspective sees the individual as so much more than the body.  All that makes up the individual - body, mind and spirit - is considered when offering the wisdom of Ayurveda.  A person may be free of disease, in the body, but if the mind and spirit are weak or disturbed then health has eluded him or her.