Physiology & Health Department
The future of healthcare
The Physiology and Health department at Maharishi International University offers undergraduate and graduate level degrees that prepare the next generation of alternative wellness practitioners for careers as wellness consultants, medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, and more.
Our program teaches students:
- The basic principles of natural preventative health through the perspective of Maharishi AyurVeda as well as the fundamentals of the modern scientific approach to medicine
- A working understanding of biology, anatomy and physiology, and other important areas vital to success in a medical career
- How to evaluate patients and give health recommendations through hands-on practice in our on-site Integrative Wellness Center
What is Maharishi AyurVeda?
Ayurveda — which means “science of life” — is a traditional system of medicine originating in ancient India. Ayurveda is a comprehensive, prevention-oriented system of natural health that addresses the body, mind and environment of the individual in order to provide a holistic cure.
MIU teaches Maharishi AyurVeda℠, a unique form of ayurveda that has been re-evaluated from a scientific perspective for modern day use. Our programs integrate Maharishi AyurVeda with the modern, scientific understanding of health to take an integrated approach to medicine.
Creating wellness
Our programs are based in integrative medicine because we feel that it is vital for future healers to not only treat disease and illness, but to help prevent it in the first place.
We take an integrated approach by incorporating modern medical knowledge with natural, preventive approaches to health like proper diet, nutrition, activity and rest. This balanced, integrative approach can be applied to many different careers in health and medicine.
Learn more with less stress
College doesn’t have to be stressful — that’s why our university uses a block system where students take just one full-time course per month.
Instead of focusing on 4-5 classes at once, our students dive deeply into one subject at a time and learn the knowledge deeply without the stress of balancing multiple classes.
In addition, MIU’s small class sizes mean that there are plenty of opportunities for class discussions, hands-on projects, and one-on-one attention from our experienced faculty.
Our Pre-Integrative Medicine track graduates meet entry requirements for integrative medical programs in naturopathy, homeopathy, chiropractic, osteopathic, allopathic and other graduate health care programs (N.D., chiropractic, M.D., D.O., or other graduate health programs).
Transcendental Meditation
Our class schedule incorporates daily practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique, which has been proven to reduce stress, enhance clarity of mind, and improve overall health.
Our students often report feeling happier, being more relaxed, and learning more easily after practicing meditation regularly, and the practice is even being incorporated by other university medical programs to help their students handle stress.
Graduate success
Our students graduate ready to pursue a variety of careers in natural health. Here are just a couple of stories from our successful alumni:
Angela Seng graduated with her BS in Physiology and Health in 2015. During her time at MIU, Angela completed an internship with an herbalist in New York and compiled a booklet on herbal medicine for women. She was recently accepted to a master’s program at the American College of Healthcare Sciences in complementary alternative medicine. “When you are here with the collective goal of growing and expanding your heart, your relationships go to another level,” she says of her time at MIU.
2008 graduate Varsha Khatri founded Illuminated Health, a small-but-popular practice in London that utilizes Maharishi AyurVeda, yoga, nutrition and herbal medicine to help clients achieve balance and health. Varsha is currently working on a book that brings together Maharishi AyurVeda with modern nutrition for everyday living. “The need is very real for a new paradigm of health which is more effective at solving health issues,” she says, “I like that Maharishi AyurVeda combines ancient wisdom with modern science.”
Want more information?
Faculty profile: Liis Mattik
Professor Mattik, PhD, is a natural, holistic, preventive health care practitioner-educator-scientist. She has been teaching, training, educating, overseeing curricula, and consulting people in methods of Maharishi AyurVeda over 20 years in University and public sectors. She has been giving individualized recommendations for maintaining or improving health, and preventing or reversing aging by utilizing pulse diagnosis, diet, digestion, nutrition, herbs, minerals, essential oils, color therapy, yoga asanas – body postures, pranayama – breathing therapies, prevention of disease, seasonal purification program including Pancha Karma, and the Transcendental Meditation™ technique.