PRINCIPLE OF AYURVEDA

The body is thought of as being composed of five basic concepts:

1. The five basic elements of life

2. The three doshas (or humours), made up of the five basic elements of life
3. The seven tissues (dhatus)

4. The three waste products (malas)

5. The gastric fire.

Health is believed to comprise a balanced state of the doshas (made from five basic elements and senses), the dhatus, the malas

and a gastric fire (agni), together with the

clarity and balance of the mind, senses and spirit.

The five basic elements and senses of life

Ayurveda considers that the universe is made up of combinations of the five elements (pancha mahabhutas).

akasha (ether), vayu (air), teja (fire), aap (water) prithvi (earth)

The five basic elements join together in different combinations to make up the three doshas (or humours): 1. Ether (space), represented in the hollow spaces of the mouth, nose, gastrointestinal tract, thorax, capillaries and tissues associated with the sense of hearing (ear and speech) 2. Air, represented by movement of the various organs, i.e. expansion, contraction and pulsation associated with touch (hand)

3.Fire, the source of heat and represented by metabolism, digestion, body heat and intelligence associated with sight (eyes) 4.Water exists as secretions of the salivary glands and mucous membranes associated with taste (tongue)

5.Earth, represented by solid structures of the body, i.e. bones, cartilage and muscles associated with smell (nose).

The three doshas (humours)

The three doshas (humours) In biological systems, such as humans, the five basic elements outlined above are coded into three

forces, which govern all life processes. These

three forces (kapha, pitta and vata) are known as the three doshas or collectively the tridosha:

Vata (air principle) is responsible for all body movement; it represents the nervous system and controls the emotions of fear and anxiety.

Vata areas include the large intestine, pelvic

cavity, skin and ears.

Pitta (bodily fire principle) governs digestion, absorption, nutrition, skin colour, intelligence and understanding. It arouses hate and

jealousy.
governs

Pitta
all

areas
heat,

include

the

small
and

intestine, stomach, blood, eyes and skin. It metabolism transformation in the mind and body.

Kapha (biological water principle) is present in the throat, chest, head, sinuses, nose, mouth, etc. It governs body resistance and biological

strength,
supports

promotes
memory.

wound

healing

and
kapha

Psychologically

governs greed, envy and love.

A balance of the doshas is necessary for optimal health. In childhood kapha elements associated with growth predominate; in adulthood pitta is more important, whereas as the body deteriorates in old age vata becomes more important.

When there is an imbalance or disharmony in health more than one dosha may be present.

The seven tissues (dhatus)

The seven tissues are as follows:

1. Plasma or cytoplasm (ras), which contains nutrients from digested food

2. Blood (rakata), which governs oxygenation 3. Muscles (mamsa), which maintain the physical strength of the body 4. Bone and cartilage (asthi), which give support to the body 5. Bone marrow and nerves (majja), which fill bony spaces and facilitate communication 6. Fat (medas), responsible for body bulk 7. The sex hormones and immune system (shukra).

The three waste products (malas)

These are sweat (svet), faeces (poorish) and urine (mutra).

Must be produced in appropriate amounts and

eliminated through their respective channels.

The gastric fire (Agni)

The final element important for healthy life is agni, the fire that sustains vitality. Agni covers whole sequences of chemical interactions and changes in the body and mind. It has been compared with the digestive enzymes but is considered to be responsible for more than just the biochemical processes because it also maintains the health of the immune system, and destroys microorganisms and toxins in the gut.

Techniques used in Ayurveda to treat disease

Reducing (langhana) where there is an excess. Purification (sodhana) or palliation (samana) are prescribed for reducing any

excess pathologies.

Tonifying (brmhana) where there is deficiency.

Sweet and nourishing tonics (rasa-yana) are given for building strength.

Drying (ruksana) therapy is used to alleviate any excess fluids in the system. Herbs that are diuretic or remove mucus dry the system.

Oleating

(snehana)

treatments

moisturise

dryness and give unctuousness to the tissues

by using oily and demulcent substances.

Fomentation

or

sweating

(svedana)

therapy

reduces coldness, heaviness, stiffness, a - ma and trapped heat in the body by using steam and diaphoretic herbs.

Astringent (stambhana) therapy is used to slow the excessive flow of bodily fluids with tannin-rich herbs (Charaka Sam hita- Su-trastha-na 22).

Practice of ayurveda
Choice of treatment After a diagnosis has been made as to the particular dysfunction or disharmony present, there are several different types of treatment available to the ayurvedic practitioner. These may all be used alone or to complement each other and include:

Dietary advice

Administration of medicines
Aromatherapy

Enemas Massage Mindbody interventions Surgery.

An example of an ayurvedic treatment regimen is known as panchakarma.

To direct body toxins to specific sites for

elimination. The five techniques are:

1. Therapeutic vomiting 2. Purgation 3. Enemas 4. Nasal aspiration of herbs 5. Therapeutic release of toxic blood.