The Definition Of Health : According to Ayurveda,health is not simple the absence of disease .It is rather a state of balance among body,mind, Consciousness .Health consists of a balanced state of the three humors (Doshas ) ,the seven tissues (Dhatus ) ,the three wastes ( Malas ) and the gastric fire ( Agni ) ,together with the clarity and balance of the senses ,mind, and spirit
There are three doshas ( Vata,Pitta,Kapha ) ,the biological humors or principles that govern all activity in the body ,Vata ,the energy or principle of movement.Pitta ,the energy of digestion and metabolism ,and Kapha ,the principle of lubrication and structure .Balance of the three doshas maintains health ,imbalance leads to disease .
The Dhatus are the basic bodily tissues .They are responsible for the entire structures of the body and the functioning of the different organs and systems .Crucial to the development and nourishment of the body ,the Dhatus unfold successively as follows ,starting with the nourishment derived from the product of digestion .
- Rasa (Plasma or Cytoplasm ) contains nutrients from digested food and subsequently nourishes all tissues ,organs and systems
- Rakta (Blood ) governs oxygenation in all tissues and vital organs and thus maintains life-function
- Mamsa (Muscle ) covers the delicate vital organs ,performs the movements of the joints and maintain the physical strength of the body
- Meda ( Fat ) maintains the lubrication of the tissues and serves as insulating materials to protect the body heat
- Majja ( Bone marrow and nerves ) fills up the bony spaces ,carries motor and sensory impulses and facilities communication among the body cells and organs
- Asthi (Bone and cartilage ) gives support to the body structure
- Shukra and artava (Male and female reproductive tissues ) contain the pure essence of all bodily tissues and can create a new life .
The three waste products (Malas ) are feces ,urine and sweat .The body must be able to produce these in appropriate amount and to eliminate them through their respective channels
Agni is the biological fire or heat energy that governs metabolism .It can be equated with the digestive enzymes and metabolic process involved in breaking down ,digesting ,Absorbing and assimilating our food . Agni maintains the nutrition of the tissues and the strength of the immune system .It destroys microorganisms ,foreign bacteria and toxins in the stomach and intestines .It is an extremely vital factor in maintaining good health
The Factors In Health And Illness : illness does not suddenly appear .There is a direct causal link between the factors that influence us and the effects they produce the cause is the concealed effect and the effect is the revealed cause . the cause is like a seed ,in which the as-yet-unmanifested tree is concealed .The tree is the expressed value of the seed .Health is the effect of a healthy lifestyle and healthy habits ,disease is the “tree”sprouted from unhealthy habits .
Both the patient and the patients environment need to be examined in order to arrive at an understanding of the disease and the causes of disease. It is important to know where the patient was born and raised and the time of onset of the imbalance .It is also important to know the climate,customs,common local diseases ,diet ,habits,likes and dislikes ,strength ,mental ,mental condition ,etc .
This enumeration opens the door to the wide variety of factors constantly influencing our health .Let us consider some of them .
- Like Increase Like : The first important principle in considering the potential causes of disease is “ Like Increase Like “.A dosha is increased by experiences and influences (such as food,weather,seasons ) with qualities similar to it . Dry foods ,dry fruit,running ,jogging ,jumping ,always being in a rush and working too hard are all factors that aggravate vata in the system .The antidote to “ Like increase like “ is “opposite qualities decrease or balance “.This is the key to healing
- Food And Diet : The principle is simply that eating that right kinds of food for your prakruti maintain vitality and balance ,while eating the wrong kinds creates imbalance in the doshas,the first step in the genesis of disease .Eating spicy food or sour or citrus fruit and drinking alcohol all increase heat and acidity in the body.Wrong food combinations ,stale food ,food with chemical additives and wrong eating habits ,such as eating too much late at night or eating in a rush ,also contribute to imbalance and lead to poor digestion and poor health .
- Seasons : Ayurveda classifies the seasons according to their predominant dosha . The windy ,cool,dry weather of autumn is largely vata lowered by the dark,heavy,damp,cloudy ,Kapha qualities of winter .Early spring is still primarily kapha ,but as late spring arrives ,the increased warmth ,light and brightness express pitta qualities ,which blossom in their full intensity in the summer . Each of these seasons brings its own challenges to health. The predominant dosha of the season will tend to build up at that time and can cause aggravation especially in someone of the same prakruti .If we act intelligently ,we can avoid this accumulation and aggravation .
- Exercise : Exercise is another factor that can profoundly influence your health for better or worse .Regular exercise improves circulation and increases strength ,stamina,and immunity . It helps one to relax and to sleep peacefully. Its benefits the heart and lungs,is vital for effective digestion and elimination and helps the body purify itself of toxins through sweating and deep breathing .On the other hand, insufficient exercise ,overexertion or exercise that is inappropriate for one constitution can lead to ill health .
- Age : Ayurveda divides the human life span into three stages .At each stage, certain diseases and types of disease are more common . Childhood bodies are growing and building up their structures ,their bodies are soft and gentle ,they require more sleep than adults . Adults are more competitive ,aggressive and ambitious then children ,they work hard ,they require less sleep. Elderly people sleep quite a bit less and their sleep is broken .They tend to get constipation ,cracking and popping of joints ,degenerative disease .
- Mental And Emotional Factors : Mental and emotional factors also play important role in one good health or worse .If one is happy then his or her health will good and visa versa .
- Stress : Modern medicine often views stress as the result of a particular lifestyle or of overwork ,emotional trauma and so on .Ayurveda considers stress less as a result or condition than as a causal factor in disease . A regular daily routine ,nourishing diet,positive emotions and loving relationships results in strength and health .But keeping late hours,eating food that is aggravating to one constitution ,travelling a lot ,using the mind or stimulating the senses too much, repressing negative emotions such as anger or fear and maintaining problematic relationships all put stress on the body and mind . In addition ,toxins in food,water,air pollution ,excessive noise and many other environmental factors are also stressful .