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The principles of Ayurveda are an invaluable link to understanding, in detail, naturally healthy living. People everywhere are realizing the importance and benefits of taking responsibility for one’s own wellbeing, making Ayurveda the perfect system of health knowledge for today’s world.
Ayurveda is a science of life. So, to know more about it, we must know what is life. Life according to Ayurveda is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So, it is clear from this definition of life that Ayurveda is not only limited to bodily or physical symptoms but also gives a comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and social health.
The words like soul and spirituality might sound outdated or create a negative thinking in some of you as they have no place in modern science. As soon as we hear about these topics, we become uncomfortable. Actually, it is our fault. No one has ever spoken about these things. We are always trapped in the attractions of the external materialistic world in order to gain happiness and peace.
Modern society, education, culture and the television – everything speaks about materialism. If this was everything why is it that most of us are unhappy? There is stress, fear, anxiety, mental tension, fighting and terror everywhere despite best efforts being made to stop them. This is because some part of our mind and body is not being nourished properly.
Ayurveda literally means “Science of life and longevity” and is considered to be the traditional system of medicine of India which is the oldest science, more than 5000 years old, and is proved, tried and tested on all living beings including plants, animals and insects. Ayurveda is a science – it is a complete system. It is a qualitative, holistic science of health and longevity, a philosophy and system of healing the whole person – body, mind and on spiritual levels.
The origin of this system goes back to a far past, in which philosophy and medicine were not separated. Therefore, philosophical views have strongly influenced the Ayurvedic way of thinking.
Ayurveda offers reference points for managing treatment decisions specific to each case. Ayurvedic theory is profoundly useful in analyzing individual patient constitution called Prakruti and understanding variations in disease manifestation called Vikruti.
The Ayurvedic framework can be used to structure working models of the unique state of each patient, and to project a vision or goal for a whole state of health, again unique to each case. Ayurveda offers specific recommendations to each individual on lifestyle, diet, exercise and yoga, herbal therapy, marma, Panchakarma, Home Remedies and even spiritual practices to restore heal and maintain balance in body and mind. Ayurveda sees a strong connection between the mind and the body, a huge amount of information is available regarding this relationship.
This understanding that we are all unique individuals enables Ayurveda to address not only specific health concerns but also offers explanation as to why one person responds differently than another.
Historians have not pin-pointed the exact time Ayurveda came into being. Most agree that Ayurvedic classical texts were written in India between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago, though some suggest an even longer history. According to Rishis, ayurveda is created by Lord Bramha before creating the world for the healthy and disease-free life for people living on earth.
Legend – The origins of this system of course are lost in time. According to legend it is said to have been taught by the creator, Brahma, to the Daksha Prajapati. (One of the lords of the animals) who taught it in turn to the divine twins called the Ashwinikumars. Ashwinikumars are the heavenly healers. They taught Indra, the chief of the shining ones. The personages mentioned were deities of early Vedic times. When mankind started suffering from various diseases wise men like Bharadvaja learnt from Indra the knowledge of medicine. Gradually a vast amount of knowledge accumulated was divided systematically into different branches.
There are many definitions of health in every science and field of medicine. Some say it is merely absence of diseases. Some say to be healthy is to be mentally and physically happy. Some say health is spiritual awareness and focus. WHO says a healthy balance mentally, physically and emotionally is Health.
“One who is established in Self, who has balanced Doshas, balanced Agni, properly formed Dhatus, proper elimination of malas, well-functioning bodily processes and whose mind, soul and senses are full of bliss, is called a healthy person.”
Physiology – All matter is thought to be composed of five basic elements ( panchamahabhutas ) which exhibit the properties of earth (Prithvi), water (Jala), fire (Tejas), wind (Vayu) and space (Akasha). These elements do not exist in isolated forms, but always in a combination, in which one or more elements dominate. According to Ayurveda, the human body is composed of derivatives of the five basic elements, in the form of Doshas, tissues (dhatus) and waste products (malas).
What is Balanced Doshas?
The most fundamental and characteristic principle of Ayurveda is called “Tridosha” or the Three Humours. Doshas are the physiological factors of the body. They are to be seen as all pervasive, subtle entities, and are categorized into Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata regulates movement and is represented by the nervous system. Pitta is the principle of biotransformation and is the cause of all metabolic processes in the body. Kapha is the principle of cohesion and functions through the body fluids. Together, these three Doshas determine the physiologic constitution of an individual.
What is Balanced Agni?
For the metabolic processes in the body, there are three main groups of biological factors, probably exhibiting enzymatic functions (Agnis). Jatharagni is responsible for the digestion and the absorption of nutritious substances During this process, digestion takes place in three stages: first the digestion of sweet (Madhura) and salty (Lavana) nutrients, then the digestion of Sour (amla) nutrients, and finally the digestion of sharp (Tikta), Bitter (Katu) and Astringent (Kasaya) nutrients. The respective products of these 3 stages are sweet, sour and bitter.
Panchabhutagnis containing five types of biological factors, is responsible for the processing of the five basic elements into a composition useful to the body’s 7 separate Tissue Fire (Metabolic Fire) Dhatvagnis. The third group contains seven types, each for the assimilation of the seven tissues. This assimilation takes place successively. From the absorbed nutritious substance, plasma (Rasa) is produced first; from plasma, blood (Rakta) is formed, then muscular tissue (Mamsa), adipose tissue (Meda), bony tissue (Asthi), bone marrow (Majja) and the reproductive cells (Shukra).
Every tissue has its own digestive fire which converts one tissue into the next tissue which has a different color, form, consistency and shape.
Suppplements – SUPITTA APITTA and APAN are excellent in balancing all AGNIS ,metabolism and provide proper nourishment to all dhatus and ojas
What is Balanced Dhatus?
The tissues are classified into seven categories: Rasa(plasma), Rakta (blood cells), Mamsa(muscular tissue), (Meda)adipose tissue,(Asthi)bony tissue, Majja(bone marrow) and Shukra(the reproductive tissue). The tissues should be in proper proportion. If they are very high or low or out of balance then the person is considered as unhealthy.
Supplements – SUPITTA (RASA) HRIDRAJ (RAKTA) AYURJA (MAMSA) SLIKONA (MEDA) CALCIMRIT ( ASTHI) HERBAYU (MAJJA)URJAN( SHUKRA) are very good supplements for balancing all 7 Dhatus respectively
For example, too much bone tissue will give extra teeth or rib, calcaneal spur and bone enlargement. In the same way less bone tissue will give osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, weak bones, tendons and ligaments, degeneration in the bones and vertebral column and a person becomes prone to fractures and ligament tear or injuries.
What is Balanced Malas?
Three main waste products are urine, Faeces and sweat. The quantity, color, consistency and frequency of the excretory products should be not too much or too less. It should be balanced. Then only a person is healthy. He should pass stools, urine and sweat at a proper time, proper quantity with proper color and consistency.
Supplements – LAXIGEN (CONSTIPATION COLOCARE (EXCESS MUCUS AND STOOLS ) UROSHANT(URINE) PYRINO(SWEAT) are very good for balancing the MALAS
For example, in diabetes, frequency of urine and sweat increases and in Urinary Tract Infection it reduces. Both are not healthy situations. In prostate cancer the smell of urine is like crab and so it is called Karka Roga (Kark is a Sanskrit name for Crab). In jaundice the urine is yellow and in UTI it is white. All these are imbalances. Healthy urine should be clear, without foul smell and in proper quantity.
Stools are frequent in IBS, diarrhea and dysentery but less in constipation. So, both conditions are not healthy. The color of stool is yellow in Pitta related problems and white in obstructive jaundice
Stools should be floating in the water. Then digestion is considered as good. If it has a foul smell then it indicates aam, indigestion and mucus.