Ayurveda the Life Science

Ayurveda, the life science of holistic healing

Ayurveda, the life science of holistic healing, defines a healthy person as someone who is established in the self. Sushrutasamhita defines a healthy person as someone “whose doshas are in balance, appetite is good, all tissues of the body and all natural urges are functioning properly, and whose mind, body and spirit (self) are cheerful or full of bliss.” [Sushrutasamhita, Sutrasthan, Chapter 15, Shloka 10] Ayurveda encourages us to be responsible of our health and for this we may need to make appropriate changes in diet and lifestyle. Ayurvedic diet is the one that is selected and cooked according to the specific needs of an individual and is balanced of all doshas. In case of imbalance and need for ayurvedic treatment, we can achieve good health if we help our body eliminate toxins and re-establish constitutional balance through proper food choices, food combining and cooking methods, herbal nutrition – these should be based on specific needs of the individual and any current imbalance of the doshas.

Panchamahabhutas and Doshas

Ayurveda suggests every living being is composed of panchamahabhutas (five elements) – akash (space), vayu (air), jal (water), agni (fire), and prithvi (earth) mixed in infinite variety of relative proportions such that each form of matter is distinctly unique. In human being, spaces within the body e.g. mouth, nostrils, abdomen, etc. correspond to space; movement (essentially muscular) is denoted by air; functioning of enzymes is controlled by fire; fluids like plasma, saliva, digestive juices is water; and the solid body i.e. bones, teeth, flesh, hair etc. correspond to earth.

The Panchamahabhutas congregate in a certain pattern known as doshas (the basic physical energies/ humours). Dosha is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘the one that is quick to go out of balance’. Good health, vitality, ease, strength, flexibility and emotional well-being can be experienced when doshas are balanced. Otherwise, we suffer from diseases – physical, mental, and even emotional. Doshas are three in number (tridoshas) – vata, pitta and kapha – these three are responsible for all the physiological and psychological processes within the body and mind – the dynamic forces that determine growth and decay. The tridoshas are responsible for physical characteristic, mental capacity and the emotional tendency of a human being.

Dosha	Elements	Human Physical Character	Causes of Imbalance	Problems caused by the Imbalance
Vata	Air & space	TallThinFast talking and fast moving.	Cold or dry weatherCold or dry and raw food	Cold hands and feetAching and cracking joints, arthritisMuscular and general pain
Pitta	Fire & water	Moderate frame and weightSharp intellect.	Hot waterSpicy, hot foods	Acne and rashesHeartburn and acid reflux diseaseNausea and vomitingDiarrhoea or loose stoolsHot flashes
Kapha	Water & Earth	Large body frameHeavy bones.	Cold and wet weatherOily foods	Slow digestion and slow metabolismObesityLethargySwellingColds, sinus congestion and coughs

Dosha types, their functions and problems caused by their imbalance

Dosha	Dosha Types	Site	Normal Functions	Imbalance results to
Vata	Prana	Heart and head, between diaphragm and throat	Breathing and swallowing of foodLife and thinkingHeart rhythm	Respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and asthmaHeart ailments and impulse to vomitLife force is threatened
	Udana	From umbilicus to lungs, throat and nose	Speech, voice, colour, strength, immunity, energy, memory, capacity for effort.	Loss of memoryImpaired speechGiddiness or heaviness in headDeep seated fearsShortened life span
	Samana	Between diaphragm and navel (stomach and intestine)	Helps action of digestive enzymes, assimilation of end products of food and separation into their various tissue elements and waste products.	Mucus accumulation in the stomachIndigestionPoor assimilationDiarrhoea
	Apana	Colon and organs of pelvic region	Elimination of stools, urine, flatus, semen, flatus and menstrual blood	Diseases of bladder, anus, testicles, uterus, menstrual problemsObstinate urinary diseases including diabetes
	Vyana	Heart	Diffusion of energy from food and breath in the whole bodyHelps in the functioning of circulating channels as blood vessels	Dryness of skin and other body extremitiesPoor circulationFever
Pitta	Pachaka	Stomach and small intestines, gall bladder, liver, pancreas	Digesting and dissolving foodRegulating body temperatureSeparation of nutritive elements from wastes	IndigestionAnorexia
	Ranjaka	Liver, spleen and stomach	Blood formation and preservation	Anaemia, jaundice, hepatitis
	Sadhaka	Heart	Memory and other mental functions	Psychic disturbanceCardiac diseasesMental disorientation and extreme emotional states
	Alochaka	Eyes	Vision, lustre of eyes	Impairment of vision, yellowness of eyes
	Bhrajaka	Skin	Colour and glaze of the skin	LeucodermaOther skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema
Kapha	Kledaka	Stomach	Moistens food which helps in digestion, formation of mucus in body.	Impairment of digestion, heaviness in abdomen, nausea.
	Avalambaka	Chest and heart	Keeps heart limbs healthy	LazinessRheumatic heart disease
	Bodhaka	Tongue, palate	Perception of taste	Impairment of digestion, bulimia, anorexia, obesity
	Tarpaka	Brain, spinal cord	Nourishment of the sense organsLubrication and protection of nervous system	Loss of memoryImpairment of functions of sense organs
	Sleshaka	Joints	Lubrication of jointsProtection of joints from heat	Pain in jointsImpairment of functions of joint

Connection between mind-body and soul

Mind has influence over the body and vice versa; e.g. grief in the mind weakens the body and pain in the stomach causes tension in the mind. If the body is strong and healthy, mind also becomes strong and healthy. Bad thoughts directly cause disease in body. Ill-feeling or bitterness towards another person will affect the body and produce some kind of disease in the body. Hatred, longstanding bitter jealousy, corroding anxiety, fits of hot temper destroy the cells of the body and induce disease of the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen and stomach. Violent fits of hot temper do serious damage to the brain cells, throw poisonous chemical products into the blood, produce general shock and depression and suppress the secretion of gastric juice, bile and other digestive juices in the alimentary canal, drain away energy, vitality, induce premature old age and shorten life.

The conclusion is, what we think, do, observe, preserve… these all have something to do with our physical, mental and emotional health. Healthy diet, healthy thoughts, healthy imaginations, healthy behavior, healthy attitude are the essence of healthy life. But sometimes we find ourself in a state that we can’t control our own thoughts or behavior. Ayurveda has solution to it as well. Practice meditation on daily basis, follow the instructions of a mentor, chant mantras, practice yoga, practice healthy lifestyle, be positive in all the circumstances, make smile your habit, laugh often… blah blah blah… You can also take guided ayurveda retreat or ayurveda treatment, learn ayurveda cooking and prepare your own healthy diet.

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