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Ayurveda is a vast science that one could spend a lifetime studying.
However, there are a few fundamental principles that can help you in
better understanding how Ayurveda approaches health care. This basic
knowledge will also help you understand your consultation with an
Ayurvedic practitioner and the recommendations that practitioner will
make.
THE DOSHAS
Ayurveda suggests that there are three primary qualities or
principles that govern every human body. These principles are called doshas,
which are derived from the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and
space. It is the doshas that regulate the body. When the doshas
are balanced, we experience good health, vitality, ease, strength,
flexibility and emotional well-being. When the doshas are out of
balance, we experience dis-ease.
The doshas are named vata,
pitta and kapha, and every human body contains all three.
Each dosha has numerous traits that are described in terms such as
temperature, taste and movement, among other attributes. Although we
only offer the most basic primer here, interested readers will find
much more extensive descriptions about physical attributes and
character traits associated with the doshas in some of the
excellent and accessible books that have been written about Ayurveda in
recent years.
VATA DOSHA is comprised of
the air and space elements. Among its qualities, vata is cold,
dry, light and mobile. People with predominant vata are usually
tall, thin, fast talking and fast moving. When vata is in
balance, they get a lot done! Vata is aggravated by cold or dry
weather and cold or dry and raw food. Following are examples of the
kinds of discomfort that may be experienced when vata dosha
is aggravated:
- cold hands and
feet
- aching and
cracking joints, arthritis
- muscular and
general pain
- anxiety and
depression
- lack of mental
clarity
- difficulty
falling to sleep or insomnia
- constipation,
intestinal gas and colicky pain
THE PITTA dosha is
made up of the fire and water elements. Among its qualities, pitta is
hot, sharp, pungent and spreading. People with predominant pitta have a
moderate frame and weight and a sharp intellect. When pitta is out of
balance, people tend to be critical and irritable, angry or
controlling, and they may be red-faced. Pitta is most aggravated by hot
weather and spicy, hot foods. Physical disorders related to imbalanced
pitta include:
- acne and rashes
- heartburn and
acid reflux disease
- nausea and
vomiting
- diarrhea or
loose stools
- hot flashes.
KAPHA is associated with
water and earth. Among its qualities, kapha is heavy, cool, slow
and oily. Kapha individuals will have a large body frame and
heavy bones. They are usually calm and steady, and they tend to need a
lot of sleep. In general, kapha is aggravated by cold and wet
weather, and oily foods. Kapha problems include:
- Slow digestion
and slow metabolism
- Obesity
- Lethargy
- Swelling
- Colds, sinus
congestion and coughs.
AMA or TOXINS
Key to the understanding of Ayurveda is recognizing the
power of toxins to cause illness and disease. Called ama in
Sanskrit, these toxins can be both physiological or negative mental
concepts and emotions.
Have you ever scraped your tongue in the morning and found a thick,
yellow sticky substance? This is ama, which should definitely be
scraped off the tongue every morning!
On a gross physical level, most toxins are formed in the body
because of incomplete digestion, which is either the result of weak or
sluggish digestion, or because of eating heavy foods or too much food.
Toxins are also formed as a by-product of poor food combining, such as
eating fruits at the same time as other foods. Because the fruits and
other foods metabolize at different rates, fermentation occurs in the
stomach, which can cause the food to putrefy rather than be
assimilated. Again, this is especially true for people with weak or
sluggish digestion.
Toxins also form when we ingest chemicals that the body cannot
assimilate, such as chemical food additives found in most processed
foods. And finally, we breathe in toxins every day because of chemical
pollutants in the environment. When these toxins are not eliminated by
the body, they deposit themselves in the organs and joints, which over
time, cause disease and chronic pain.
If your ama is high, your Ayushakti practitioner will
recommend herbal remedies that help the body to naturally detoxify.
Sometimes, the body needs a more thorough form of cleansing, which is
offered in a five-week program called panchakarma.
Toxicity or energetic blocks are also formed in the body when a
person holds onto negative mental patterns or painful emotions. These
blocks can also be released with the help of herbs, marma
therapy and panchakarma.
At this time, Ayushakti offers panchakarma in its clinic near Mumbai, India,
although it will also be offered in the United States in the
future. |
914-218-8643