Origin of Ayurveda and Yoga

Origin of Ayurveda and Yoga

As said above, the sister science, Ayurveda and Yoga has its origin in India. Lord Dhanwantari is the creator of Ayurvedic medicine. Lord Dhanwantari combined the scattered pieces and practices of natural healing therapies and collectively formed the holistic medication, Ayurveda.

The origin of Yoga is not apparent or evidential. It is believed that Yoga has its origin in India, in Hinduism. In rig veda, the ancient most vedic script of India, Yoga has mentioned as a source to spiritual knowledge. Accordingly, we can conclude that Yoga has its prominence in the pre-vedic age. Yoga is mentioned as a way “to interpret the origin and early development of Indian contemplative practices as a sequential growth from an Aryan genesis“

While Yoga has numerous versions now, called Bikram Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Hatha yoga and many more, the core concept is same. The movement or series of yoga poses varies with each type of yoga.

While Ayurveda aimed at good health and wellness, Yoga aimed at attaining spirituality. In ancient days, Yoga was considered a practice to get spiritual divine and reach god.

Ayurveda and Yoga – Similarities

• Ayurvedic principle to optimal health is very simple. Any measures intend to build Oja, the immunity fights all diseases. It is not limited to immune system to fight against any bacterial or viral infections, rather includes a healthy body that has no traces of any diseases. And prominently, healthy mind! If you build Oja you can easily solve any kind of mental stress that continues to trouble you!  And you look beautiful with glowing skin and hair naturally with no use of artificial products, a part of Oja.
• Also, a treatment of a specific disease in Ayurveda not just intend to improve the symptoms of the disease, rather the root of the disease is identified, addressed with proper medications, say medicines, natural cure and diet.
• Yoga follows a similar kind of principles. The ultimate principle of Yoga is to benefit the mankind providing optimal health and wellness. Practicing yoga proven to cure many health ailments.
• Yoga aids in building health, relieves mental stress, balances the psychological emotions, makes you look younger and healthier. Also, the benefits of practicing yoga can be reaped for a long time, say even until death.
• Similar to Ayurveda, a specific yoga pose cures many health ailments. For instance, just think about breathing exercises. Breathing exercises cures sinusitis, nasal blocks, migraine, relieves stress and promotes the blood circulation in the body.
• Yoga proven to improve Oja in the Ayurvedic context. The goodness of Yoga is blended with miraculous healing medication, Ayurveda.
• Also, the effect of both Ayurveda and Yoga will not be at optimal level when the appropriate recommendation is not followed. For instance, if you don’t follow a specific diet, results for your efforts will be quite effective or will be delayed.
• Owing to the fact that Ayurveda and Yoga has many similarities, as the concept of benefiting the mankind is very similar, yoga always forms part of Ayurvedic treatment.

Yoga and Ayurveda – The Science of Longevity

The era of millennium, which is totally dependent on technology started paying great attention for health and wellness. Finally, people regained their health consciousness owing to flock of lifestyle diseases and disorders, which is attached with the sedentary lifestyle that we derived from hi-tech world. I’m not blaming about technology and advancements, rather blaming on people who almost became a potato couch!

Natural healing, which is quite prominent in Ayurveda started giving a new life to the people of new age! Combined with the goodness of natural bliss and exclusive healing principles, Ayurveda, the pre-historic medication cures the health ailments leading to optimal health and wellness in a long run.

Majority of the diseases which has a cure in Ayurveda doesn’t just limit the scope of treatment to a single aspect. Ayurvedic treatment is a combination of natural remedies, Ayurvedic herbs, meditation, yoga and minor modifications in the lifestyle.

Irrespective of the severity of any disease, the combination of Ayurveda and yoga provides optimum cure! For instance, imagine the condition Hypothyroidism, characterized by absence or low level of thyroid secretion. This is a lifestyle disorder with no cure, where the people with Hypothyroid need to rely on medicine until the entire life. To the contrary, combined with a specific asana, Sarvangasana, called Shoulder stand and along with Ayurvedic recommendation of diet, the functions of thyroid glands get improved.



This is just an example of a disease that can be cured effectively. Similarly, consider diabetes. Simple yoga poses which has miraculous herbs in Ayurveda, say ginseng, cinnamon, etc can improve the blood sugar levels and diabetics can overcome their lifestyle disease with little effort.

As such, Ayurveda and Yoga are termed as sister science. Both these natural healing therapies complement each other for the wellness of mankind.

Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Lemons

Top 10 Amazing Health Benefits of Lemons: 

Lemons are among the most popular fruits traditionally used for medicinal purposes. They have been used at home for healing sore throat, skin scars, fever, rheumatism, gallstones, cholera, dull hair, and of course, the common cold.  

Check out our report for the full science-supported details on the amazing health benefits of lemons!

Read here: Ayurveda Information & Yoga Treatments

Ayurveda-The Oldest Medical System

Life (ayu) is the combination (samyoga) of body, senses, mind and reincarnating soul. Ayurveda is the most sacred science of life, beneficial to humans both in this world and the world beyond. Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana

Ayurveda-The Oldest Medical System

Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word, derived from two roots : 'Ayush', which means life, and 'Veda', which mean knowledge. Therefore, Ayurveda is the science of life.

Ayurveda is a science dealing not only with treatment of some diseases but is a complete way of life. It is only system of medicine which imbibes suggestions and remedies for both healthy and diseased people. Centuries before the World Health Organization recognized that health is not merely the physical well being and just the absence of disease, ayurveda was dealing with the mental, physical and social well being of an individual.

The Origin of Ayurveda

AyurvedaAyurveda is the ancient Indian medical science, which originated about 5000 years ago. The Ayurveda has its mention in one of the oldest (about 6,000 years) philosophical texts of the world, the Rig Veda.

In its broader sense, Ayurveda has always demanded to prepare mankind for the realization of the full potential of its self through a psychosomatic integration. A complete health care is what Ayurveda prescribes for the ultimate self-realization. The Rig Veda also mentions organ transplants and herbal remedies called Soma with properties of elixir.

During 3,000 to 2,000 BC Atharvaveda one of the four Vedas was authored, of which Ayurveda is an Upaveda (subsection). Though, Ayurveda had been practiced all along, it was during this period that ayurveda in India, was codified from the oral tradition to book form, as an independent science. Atharvaveda enlists eight branches of Ayurveda namely - Kayachikitsa (Internal Medicine), Shalakya Tantra (surgery and treatment of head and neck, Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology), Shalya Tantra (Surgery), Agada Tantra (Toxicology), Bhuta Vidya (Psychiatry), Kaumarabhritya (Pediatrics), Rasayana (science of rejuvenation or anti-aging), and Vajikarana (the science of fertility).

The most fascinating aspect of Ayurveda is, it uses almost all the methods of healing like lifestyle regimen, yoga, aroma, meditation, gems, amulets, herbs, diet, jyotishi (astrology), colour and surgery etc. in treating patients.

The Ayurveda & Our Body 

According to Ayurveda every body is made up of five elements, namely:

Prithvi or earth.

Jal or water.

Tejas or fire.

Vayu or air.

Akash or space.

The structural aspect of the body is made up of these five elements, but the functional aspect of the body is governed by three biological humors. Ether and air combine to form what is known in Ayurveda as the Vata dosha. Vata governs the principle of movement and therefore can be seen as the force which directs nerve impulses, circulation, respiration, and elimination. Fire and water combine to form the Pitta dosha. The Pitta dosha governs the process of transformation or metabolism. The digestion of food in our body is an example of Pitta function. Pitta is also responsible for metabolism in the organ and tissue systems as well as cellular metabolism. Finally, the water and earth combine to form the Kapha dosha.

There are seven body types: mono-types (vata, pitta or kapha predominant), dual types (vata-pitta, pitta-kapha or, kapha-vata), and equal types, (vata, pitta and kapha in equal proportions). Every individual has a unique combination of these three doshas. To understand the uniqueness of every individual is the very basis of ayurveda.

The Ayurveda & Our Mind

Ayurveda TreatmentAyurveda classifies human temperaments into three basic qualities: satvic, rajasic and tamasic. Satvic qualities imply purity and clarity of perception which are responsible for goodness and happiness. Rajas is responsible for all movements, and activities. It leads to the life of sensual enjoyment, pleasure and pain, effort and restlessness. Tamas is darkness, inertia, heaviness and materialistic attitudes. There is a constant interplay of these three gunas (qualities) in the individual consciousness, but the relative predominance of either satva, rajas, or tamas is responsible for individual psychological constitution.

The Ayurvead & the Disease Process

According to Ayurveda, health is a state of balance between the body, mind and consciousness. Within the body, Ayurveda recognizes the three doshas( bodily humors) vata, pitta and kapha; seven dhatus(tissues), blood, plasma, fat, muscle, bone, nerve, and reproductive; three malas(wastes), feces, urine and sweat; and agni, the energy of metabolism. Disease is a condition of disharmony in any of these factors. The root cause of imbalance, or disease, is an aggravation of dosha, vata-pitta-kapha.

Conclusion

Ayurveda is the system of medicine incorporating centuries of wisdom in it. The emphasis here is on ways to promote health rather than just treat disease. The beauty of the system is that every individual is unique rather than being just another case of particular disease. It is one of the few systems of medicine taking mental, emotional and spiritual well being into account. All the suggestions and remedies prescribed in Ayurveda are completely in conjunction with nature.

The Ayurveda & Our Ecosystem

Today we find a renewed interest in traditional medicine. In the recent few decades, it has been seen that people are becoming more inclined towards the Ayurveda, the green medicine. This renewal of interest in plant based drugs is mainly due to the current widespread belief that `green medicine' is safe and more dependable than the costly synthetic drug many of which have negative side effects.

This return of interest in the plant based (Ayurveda) drugs have necessitated a growing demand of medicinal plants leading to over-exploitation, unsustainable harvesting and finally to the virtual killing of several precious plant species in the wild. Moreover, the biosphere degradation due to increased human activities (human settlements, agriculture and other developmental programmes), illegal trade in rare and endangered medicinal plants, and loss of regeneration potential of the degraded forests have further activated the current rate of extinction of plants particularly the medicinal plants.

In this extremely difficult situation the country has to implement its commitment to the conservation of bio-diversity and its sustainable use. Considering that, at present 90% collection of medicinal plants is from wild, generating about 40 million mandays employment current practices of harvesting are unsustainable and responsible for depletion of resource base. To reverse this process Forest Departments have to initiate following actions -

Identify forest areas rich in medicinal plants (about 200 in number having an area of about 5000 ha) formulate a management plan for intensive management and sustainable harvesting of herbal products.

Establishment of 200 "Vanaspati Van" in degraded forest areas where medicinal plants exist or existed. Each "Vanaspati Van" should have an area of 3000-5000 ha, with irrigation facility and managed by a registered society headed by Divisional Forest Officer.

It should effectively regulate extraction and transport of medicinal plants from wild. Department should maintain a list of petty traders, private agents, wholesale dealers and final consumers of medicinal plants. It should organize training and awareness campus on various aspects of medicinal plant development.

Ayurveda Garlic Therapy

.........Ayurveda Garlic Therapy....... 

There are more than forty-five varieties of garlic which are used as medicine in several parts of the globe from Siberia to the tropical climes of India. Despite differences in colour and taste, they all have the characteristic odour of garlic.Its therapeutic properties are undisputed but Indian texts on religious rites categorize that it is food that rouses passion and emotion or rajsic food. Hence, it is taboo for Brahmins and those engaged I spiritual practices.
Garlic therapy or rasona kalpa which is a rejuvenation therapy can be administered only to persons who are physically strong and whose systems of digestion and metabolism are powerful. It should be administered only in certain seasons, according to the individual constitution of the person receiving the treatment. Ayurvedic texts are also emphatic in indicating the kinds of individuals (including children) who are not fit to receive this therapy. The list of such persons is fairly long and detailed.
For a long term effect and especially for rejuvenation, a large quantity of garlic has to be used which most people cannot tolerate. The procedure is therefore very gradual where due care is given to indications and contraindications. The plant has to be gathered in a specific manner and it has to be mixed with other drugs before administration. The dosage, the preparation of the patient, the processing of the drug and its administration are all part of a highly complex system which involves the patient and the physician in a protracted process of therapy and aftercare. Rejuvenation therapies likewise are not for everyone. These therapies can be administered only to persons who posses certain qualities that go to make a 'good' individual whose conduct and bearing in all respects make him or her an asset to society.

Ayurveda Rejuvenation Therapy

!!!!!!!Rejuvenation Therapy !!!!!!!

The averaged span of an individual has increased in present times due to better quality of medical help and improved nutrition. Therefore the number of old people in the society has gone up. Rejuvenation or rasayana therapy, prescribed in Ayurveda, is meant to help improve the lives of old people. Charaka, while defining the scope of this therapy, states that through it, the individual is endowed with longevity; memory; intellect; positive health; youthfulness; excellent complexion, voice, strength of the sensory and motor organs and luster. Instead of a society of old and invalid people, it aims at creating a society of youthful vigour-both physical and mental.
Rejuvenation therapy aims at keeping the enzymes in the tissues cells in their normal functioning conditions. These cells are revitalized and their composition is changed. Tranquility of the mind as well as bones kept in good condition. This prevents the process of aging and makes the individual free from any disease in his advanced years. He is able to see as clearly as before and maintain his hearing abilities, as also the glow on his face and the colour of his skin. The sooner the therapy is administered to the individual the better. As the person grows older, this therapy becomes ineffective.
For rejuvenation, many drugs are described in Ayurvedic classics, and prescribed by Ayurvedic physicians. The most important ones are amalaki, bibhataki, haritaki, guduchi and brahmi. Drugs of mineral origin like mercury, sulphur, gold and mineral pitch or bitumen are also extensively used for the purpose of rejuvenation. These drugs are detoxicated and assimilated before they are used. The mode of administration, the method of preparation, the dosage, the diet and the precautions to be taken while administering these drugs, vary from drug to drug. Normally, they require the supervision of experts. To obtain the desired effect, the therapy should be followed for a considerable amount of time. The duration of this therapy depends on the age and other physical and psychological conditions of the individual.
There are many pharmaceutical processes to make these drugs palatable. The most common tonic used by Ayurvedic physicians is Chyavanaprasha. Ayurvedic physicians consider Chyavanaprasha more a food than a medicine. The dosage of this medicine has to be increased gradually. This medicine is absolutely non-toxic. But, at times, it suppresses the power of digestion, if the dose is increased all of a sudden.

Ayurveda Regimen for the Nighr (Ratricharya)

Regimen for the Nighr (Ratricharya) !!!
Proper sleep endows an individual with nourishment, strength, virility, knowledge, longevity and happiness. On the other hand, improper sleep causes misery, emaciation, sterility and even early death. Untimely and excessive sleep as well as prolonged vigil take away both happiness and longevity.
Depending on the causative factors, there are seven types of sleep:

• sleep caused by lethargy
• sleep caused by vitiation of kapha
• sleep caused by mental exertion
•  sleep caused by physical exhaustion
• exotic type of sleep (agantuka) which is caused by artificial means like sedatives
• sleep caused by diseases
• sleep caused by nightfall when the body naturally demands sleep or physiological sleep.

It is not advisable to sleep during the day in seasons other than summer. Doing so causes vitiation of kapha and pitta. Obese people who are used to unctuous substances, those with a pitta constitution, those suffering from diseases due to vitiation of kapha and those suffering from artificial poisoning (which happens when substances are incompatible are mixed and consumed either deliberately or inadvertently; honey in hot water can act as a poison) should never sleep during the day. This could lead to liver problems, heaviness of the body, fever, loss of digestive power, oedema, anorexia, nausea, urticaria, eruption, abscess, drowsiness, coughing, diseases of the throat, impairment of the memory and intelligence, obstruction of the circulatory channels of the body and weakness of sensory or motor organs.
Sleeping during the day in all seasons is permitted for those who are exhausted by singing, studying, alcoholic drinks, sex, elimination therapy, carrying heavy weights, walking long distances; those suffering from diarrhoea, colic pain, dyspnoea, insanity; those who are too old, too young, weak and emaciated; those injured by fall and assault; those exhausted by a journey, vigil, anger, grief and fear. In summer, nights become shorter and vata gets aggravated in the body due to absorption of fluid because of perspiration. Therefore, during this season, sleep during the day is allowed for all.

Measures For Good Health of Use of Oil

The Use of Oil

The use of oils in therapies can be of two kinds - internal and external. Oil massage for the body is an essential part of the daily routine in most parts of India. The oil used for this purpose are generally mustard oil, sesame oil and coconut oil. Massage with mustard oil particularly in winter, is characteristic of the north of India while sesame oil is used in the south. Coconut oil is generally used for massaging the scalp and for luxuriant hair growth. A good oil massage slows down the ageing process. It keeps the skin moisturized and shiny. It helps to overcome fatigue, tones up the nervous system, promotes eyesight and nourishes the body by opening the pores of the skin. A good oil massage followed by a bath helps one to sleep well and feel rested. Applying oil (sesame oil or coconut oil preferably) on the head quite regularly is a good way to prevent hair from falling. Massaging the body with oil is also somewhat like oiling a machine. It keeps it in shape. It strengthens and maintains the body and relaxes the muscles. It smoothens the skin and removes roughness and dryness, prevents susceptibility to vata - aggravated diseases and relieves exhaustion and the effects of exertion. It alleviates the effects of strenuous physical exercise and even of injuries. Sesame oil has several excellent properties. It can be used for gargling, it effectively strengthens the jaws, gives depth to the voice, and a fuller to the face, provides excellent gustatory sensation and increases appetite. Regular gargles with this oil prevents dryness in the throat and cracked lips, while massaging the gums with this oil strengthens them and prevents caries. The teeth become strong and less prone to disease. Nasal inhalation with Anu taila during all the three seasons - the rainy season, autumn and spring - is an extremely useful practice with numerous benefits. Habitual nasal therapy according to the prescribed methods helps keep the eyes, nose and ears healthy, restores and strengthens hair, prevents greying. Inhalation therapy also helps cure disease such as torticolis, headache, facial paralysis, lockjaw, rhinitis, hemicrania and tremors of the head. It gives strength to the veins, joints, ligaments and tendons of the head and neck. The voice becomes stable and sweet and the face fills out. All the sense organs regulated. Signs of age such as grey hair are not manifested. Oil used as ear-drops prevents deafness and other diseases of the ear.
Massaging the soles of the feet with oil cures roughness, immobility, dryness, fatigue and numbness. The feet become strong and steady and eyesight is improved because the eye muscles are strengthened through this. Regular oil massage of the feet helps prevent sciatica, cracks in the feet, and constriction of vessels and ligaments.
Oleation relieves drowsiness and itching. It also eliminates unpleasant body odours because of perspiration.

Measures For Good Health

Regimen for the Day(Dinacharya) : Traditionally, a person should wake up before dawn when it is calm and quiet, the air is free from pollutants and there is time to pray or to meditate. There is also time enough to plan the day's work. After getting out of the bed one should wash one's face with water-lukewarm or cold according to the season. While gently splashing water over the eyes, it helps if one keeps one's mouth full of water. This helps exercise the eye-muscles. The eyes should be kept wide open while splashing water over them.
After this, the teeth should be brushed. In India, twigs of the neem tree and others are used for brushing the teeth. The neem twig is chewed at the top while brushing. Herbal tooth powders and paste are also available. Along with brushing the teeth, scraping is also highly recommended. Again this helps the eye muscles and therefore strengthens eyesight. Tongue scrapers should be made of gold, silver, copper, tin or brass. They should be curved and should have smooth edges.
After washing and cleaning one's face, it is always advisable to drink a glass of cold water. This is prescribed for all days in all seasons unless one has a cold, a cough or a sore throat. The importance of drinking a glass of water in the morning cannot be overemphasized for it helps in the excretory process. Drinking a cup of tea in the morning only produces pressure and stimulates the intestine to start the movement for evacuation of waste. It is like a reflex action which is different from the effect produced by drinking a glass of water. Hot tea stimulates the intestine so strongly that the effect loses its significance after some days leading to constipation. The caffeine content in tea also produces some adverse effects in the intestines. A glass of water, on the other hand, is excellent for the peristalsis of the intestines.
Evacuation of stool early in the morning should become a regular habit and a glass of cold water helps overcome any problems caused by indigestion and inadequate sleep if the previous night's meal has not been assimilated properly. Worry, anxiety, a short temper, over-sensitivity cause a lot of wind to form in the stomach which gets accumulated in the intestines at night. Fried food and certain 'heavy' lentils cause flatulence as also the absence of an adequate quantity of leafy vegetables and fruit in one's diet. Flatulence causes obstruction and irregularity in bowel movements. Very often this incomplete metabolism leads to loss of appetite, indigestion, headache, fatigue and even sleeplessness. Excessive flatulence can also put pressure on the heart and cause palpitation. Proper food, drink and sleep are therefore of primary importance.

Causes & Diagnosis of Diseases

Causes & Diagnosis of Diseases

Understanding our individual constitution, as we have seen, is one of the main ways of keeping good health. Diseases, according to Ayurveda are caused by the imbalance in the three doshas. The predominance of a dosha in an individual's constitution indicates his or her vulnerability to a particular disease. Diseases in Ayurveda are classified according to thee origin of their causes.

Diseases which originate from factors within the human body, including psychosomatic diseases, are called adhyatmika. Adhyatmika diseases are further divided into hereditary diseases, congenital diseases and those caused by the aggravation of the doshas. Adhibhautika diseases are those whose origin can be traced to external physical factors such as germs and accidents. Adhidaiveka diseases are caused by the seasons, planetary influential, providential causes and so forth.

The physician diagnoses a disease in an individual by an examination of the patient based on three general methods. These methods are common to understanding any phenomenon in the universe.

Direct observation or pratyaksha: This is done through the senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. A direct contact between the senses and the object of examination is thus established.

Inference or anumana: Just as one deduces that there is a fire when one sees smoke, one can make deductions in the observation of certain substances under the microscope. For instance, the examination of stool under a microscope will give clues about the state of the health of a person.

Authoritative statement or shabda: Experts have bequeathed to us a legacy of authoritative statements regarding diseases. The patient is interrogated closely to determine the exact nature of the diseases. The patient's relatives too are questioned for in this way the patient's previous history of diseases can be recorded. Fortified with the knowledge from previously recorded cases and the findings of experts, the physician can make a diagnosis.

Following these three principles, a brief examination of the patient proceeds in three stages: visual observation or darshana, touch or sparshana, interrogation or prashna. Another tool of diagnosis in Ayurveda involves the eight-fold method of examination or ashtasthana pariksha which has the following steps:

Ayurveda Stool Examination

Applying these methods of examination, an experienced physician is able to comprehend a general impression about the patient's individual constitutionand which dosha or combination of doshas is affected. The treatment can thus be broadly identified.

The physician may ask the patient a few questions. For example, if the physician feels that a headache may be caused by a stomach problem he may ask the patient about the food he ate the previous night. Interrogation is thus also a tool of investigation and diagnosis. Ayurvedic classics caution the physician against being very specific in naming the disease in a patient . Names are attributed to some diseases purely in order to facilitate and aid the physician in ascertaining and understanding the entire gamut of the remaining diseases for which names are not furnished.

It is however essential to determinate the exact nature of a disease in order to prescribe the proper treatment. Each disease must be studied with regard to the following points:
Causes of diseases or nidana.
The premonitory signs or symptoms or purvarupa.
The actual signs or symptoms or rupa.

Exploratory therapy or upasaya.
The mode of manifestation of the disease or samprapti.
Causes of disease may vary. Some factors may cause diseases to appear quite early; others may have delayed effects; yet others may not be strong enough to cause disease. There are also some which cause instantaneous effects, for example strong poisons. Various types of diets, regimens and the effects of the seasons are exogenous factors which cause disease. The endogenous ones are attributed to the doshas and tissue elements. Premonitory signs can be general or specific in indicating the nature of the disease that will manifest itself. They provide a clue to the diagnosis of the impending disease. At this stage some diet restrictions as well as administration of medicines may avert the onset of the actual disease. Exploratory therapy is carried out to arrive at the correct diagnosis of a disease of doubtful identity. Actual signs and symptoms of the disease become manifest if it is not averted during the premonitory stage. The signs and the symptoms of the disease are related to the site of its origin or udbhava sthana, the site of its manifestation or adhisthana and the path of transportation or sanchara marga. All actual signs and symptoms are also related to the doshas, tissues, enzymes and channels of circulation.

Physcical Constitution

Ayurveda classifies individuals broadly into seven categories, according to their constitution or prakriti, which has specific physical and mental characteristics. These seven categories are in outcome of the dominance of a particular dosha; vayu, pitta and kapha or of combinations of the three doshas. These basic traits of an individual are developed at the very time of birth and remain until death.
A knowledge of constitution is essential for selecting appropriate food, beverages and other regimens are also for choosing medicines for the treatment of ailments. Furthermore, a person may be more prone to certain kinds of ailments because of his natural constitution or combination of doshas.
Primarily, human constitution is of seven types:

1. Vata constitution.
2. Pitta constitution.
3. Kapha constitution.
4.  Vata-pitta constitution.
5.  Pitta-kapha constitution.
6.  Vata-kapha constitution.
7.  Sama constitution.

The vata, pitta and kapha constitutions refer to constitutions having the dominance of the characteristic features associated with that particular dosha. The mixed constitutions namely, vata-pitta constitution, pitta-kapha constitution and vata-kapha constitution have the characteristic features of their respective doshas in a combined form. In sama constitution, which is the best, everything is in a state of complete balance.
The characteristic features of a person having vata constitution are:

• Dryness and roughness of the skin and body.
• Emaciated body.
• Short stature.

Prominence of tendons and veins, roughness of hair, nails, teeth, soles of the feet and palms.

• Appearance of cracks in limbs.
• Less hair and beard.
• Hair with split ends and of brown colour.
• Dryness and drowsiness of the eyes.

Some of the characteristic features of an individual with pitta constitution are:

• White colour of the skin.
• Dryness and tenderness of the body.
• Excessive appearance of black moles.

Intense feeling of heat in face and limbs.

• Early appearance of grey hair and wrinkles.
• Baldness.
• Less hair with a reddish brown tinge.
• Sloth in muscle movements.
• Looseness of the joints.
• Body colour.
• Coppery colour of nails, eyes, tongue, palate, limbs, palms and soles of the feet.
• Enthusiasm.
• Small reddish eyes.
• Sparse eyelashes.

Characteristic features of a person having kapha constitution are:

• Soft, smooth, unctuous skin.
• Compact and muscular body.
• White and tender body.

Corpulence.

• Compact joints.
• White-eyes with red tinge at the outer corner.
• Curly and black hair.
• Prominent forehead, chest and arms.
• Beautiful big eyes.
• Plenty of eyelashes.

For Ayurvedic treatment, knowledge of individual constitution is very important. For example, a person with a vata constitution will be prone to vata ailments like bronchitis, asthma, common cold, hoarseness of voice, or various diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat respectively. He or she may have problems of indigestion and diarrhoea and diseases like diabetes. Diseases of other types will not give much trouble to such people.

To prevent the occurrence of diseases, the individual having a vata constitution should always avoid factors which would aggravate vata. He or she should take to vata-alleviating food, drinks and way of like. Food ingredients which are unctuous and hot are likely to suit such people the most whereas for a person having pitta constitution, cooling things will be most suitable.

Similarly, while administering medicines, a pitta constitution patient is to be given medicines which are cooling and a kapha constitution patient is to be given medicines which bring about a heating effect. Pitta ailments include indigestion, anaemia and jaundice, besides impairment of vision, skin diseases and psychological disturbances. Kapha ailments include impairment of digestion and of waste. There may be loss of memory and impairment of the functions of sense organs is also a tendency to have pain and malfunctioning in the joints.

Individuals with constitutions dominated by a mixture of two doshas characterised by the combination of the manifestations of the representative doshas. A sama type of individual has all the doshas in a state of equilibrium with the good qualities of all the types individuals described above. Thus, persons having different types of constitutions are vulnerable to some specific diseases, which can be healed by a particular kind of therapy.

Health according to Ayurveda, is not merely freedom from disease but a state of being in which the individual enjoys physical, mental and spiritual happiness and fulfillment over a relatively uninterrupted period of time. This state of being can only be experienced if all the aspects of the constitution are in state of balance. The external manifestations of this balance can be explained in terms of the individual's experience of hunger, thirst, sleep and ability to perform his or her normal functions at work and at home without undue strain on the body or mind. The normal human urges such as hunger, thirst and sleep help indicate that the bodily functions of indigestions, metabolism and elimination are being performed smoothly.

Ayurveda Elements of the Body

Elements of the Body........

The doshas have certain qualities or attributes, which characterize their effects on the human body. The individual remains healthy as long as these elements are in state of equilibrium in the body. The body has the capacity to overcome minor disturbances in their equilibrium. But if this equilibrium is disturbed beyond a point, the body succumbs to disease and decay. The doshas exist in two forms of the body, namely, gross and subtle. In their subtle state, they are beyond the normal cognition of the senses.
Their normal and abnormal states are ascertained by the manifestations of their respective actions. These three doshas control all the physical and psychological functions of an individual. Each one of these doshas is further subdivided into five categories on the basis of their actions on different parts of the body. The details of the actions of the three doshas can be found in Ayurvedic texts. They are briefly stated here.
Vayu or vata is unctuous, light, cold, mobile, abundant in quantity. It is the originator of all movement in the body and it governs, in general, all nervous functions. There are in all eighty kinds of possible disturbances that can occur due to vayu imbalance. Some of these are pain, stiffness, paralysis, hypertension and heart disease. Vayu gets aggravated by the suppression of natural urges, eating food before the previous meal is digested, remaining awake for long at night, excessive shouting, too much physical exercise, excessive jerks when traveling in a vehicle for long time, intake of ingredients having pungent, bitter and astringent tastes, eating dry food, worry, sexual indulgence, fear, fasting, cold and grief. It also gets aggravated during the onset of the rainy season.
Pitta is a hot, sour and pungent liquid. It mainly governs the enzymes and hormones. Pitta is also responsible for digestion, pigmentation, body temperature, hunger, thirst, sight, courage and so forth. There are forty kinds of possible disturbances caused by pitta imbalance such as burning sensation and excessive temperature, blue moles, jaundice, urticaria and pharyngitis. Pitta gets aggravated by excessive intake of pungent and sour things, alcoholic beverages, saline, hot and sharp substances. Other responsible factors are anger, excessive exposure to sun, fire, fear, fatigue, intake of dry vegetables and alkalies. Indigestion and irregular eating habits also aggravate pitta. During autumn, pitta tends to get aggravated.
Kapha is unctuous, smooth, soft, sweet, firm, dense, cold, viscous and clear. Kapha is responsible for the connection and movement of the joints, the solid nature of the body and its sustenance, sexual power, strength, patience and so on. Among the twenty possible disturbances that can be caused by kapha imbalance are anorexia nervosa, laziness, mucous expectoration, hardening of blood vessels, obesity, suppression of digestive power and so forth. Thus the three doshas govern the physico-chemical and physiological activities of the body. Kapha becomes aggravated by sleeping during the day, overeating, by the intake of sweet, cold, heavy and sour things, fish, meat, preparation of sesame, sugarcane and milk, by intake of food and drinks containing excess salt and water and during the spring season.
Doshas are aggravated under certain conditions and diminished under some. Both states lead to disease. They can also be in a state of equilibrium, which is a condition of perfect health and is called sama.
The three doshas pervade all over the body. There are however some elements of the body in which they are primarily located. For example, the heart, the throat, the urinary bladder, the intestines, the pelvic region, the thighs, the two legs and the bones are the primary seats of vayu. The seats of pitta are the eyes, the skin, the lymph, the blood and the stomach. Similarly, the seats of kapha are the thorax, the head, the neck, the joints, the upper portion of the stomach and the fat tissues of the body.
During different seasons of the year, these doshas undergo certain changes. In India, for example, vayu gets aggravated between June and August, i.e. at the end of the summer. Pitta gets aggravated between October and December, i.e. during autumn, and kapha gets aggravated between February and April, i.e. during spring. In other countries, while the months of the season may vary, the doshas are aggravated by seasonal changes. If certain precautionary measures are not taken during these seasons, a person becomes prone to diseases caused by these doshas. These measures include undertaking therapies such as vomiting, purgation and enema before the onset of certain seasons, following specific regimens during them and taking different herbal preparations to counter the disease caused by aggravation of the doshas. For example, the herb, baritaki (Terminalia Chebula), may be taken in summer with jaggery, during the rains with rock salt, in autumn with sugar, in early winter with ginger powder of long pepper (Piper longum) and in spring with honey.

Ayurveda Natural Body Constitution

Natural Body Constitution !!!

Indian philosophy represents various schools or systems of thought, which are known as darshanas. Broadly divided, these systems fall into two categories: astika darshanas and nastika darshanas, the former acknowledge the authority of the Vedas while the latter do not.

The relevance of Ayurveda in today's world lies in the fact that the science is the product of an ancient civilization and culture that postulate man as part of and as microcosm of the universe, the microcosm. What this really means is that for Ayurveda, every phenomenon in the universe can be found to take place in the individual, albeit in a subtle form. Every individual act as therefore an impact on the environment (in a very broad sense of the term) and on the universe.

All matter and psyche, from the more subtle to the gross and characterized by three attributes or gunas, namely sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva stands for consciousness, rajas for energy and dynamism and tamas stands for mass, inertia and stability. These three attributes are conceived as real and substantive entities perpetually uniting, separating and reuniting. Everything in the universe is consequent upon their unique arrangement and combination.

In the phenomenal world whatever energy exists is due to rajas; all matter, resistance and stability are due to tamas, and all manifestations of consciousness are because of sattva. The predominant attribute in a substance becomes manifest while the other two become latent through their presence is felt by their effects. These collocations make for the difference in the psychological temperament physical constitution of an individual.

An understanding of these three attributes and what they represent is important for appreciating various Ayurvedic concepts. The individual according to the Vedas is made up of five successive layers of koshas: the annamaya kosha or the physical body; the pranamaya kosha: the astral body or the elan vitae or what the individual feels; the manomaya kosha: the psyche or what the individual thinks; the vijnanmaya kosha: the intellect which can discriminate; the anandamaya kosha: the sheath of bliss.

The physical body in its turn is composed of five basic elements or mahabhutas, which make up the universe. These elements are prithvi, jala, agni, vayu, akasha. Loosely translated, these five elements are often referred to earth, water, fire, air and ether respectively. They do not however, connote the correct and full implications of the original Sanskrit terms. They are used in the representative sense in order to help understand how the external world is linked to the world within us.

Here it may be useful to elaborate on the five element or pancha mahabhuta theory.

Man perceives the external world in five different ways through his five senses (indriyas): the auditory, tactile, taste, visual and olfactory. Through the corresponding sense organs, man not only perceives the external object but also absorbs it into his body in the form of energy.

Each element is composed of all the five elements but each also has one predominant characteristic, which gives it its name. For example, ordinary water does not contain water alone. Its composition includes water, air, earth, fire and ether. The force of cohesion or the power of attraction which is inherent in water is its characteristic feature.

Just as the individual body is composed of five elements, so also are food and drugs (and other objects in the world). In the human body, these elements are explained in terms of doshas, tissues or dhatus and waste products or malas. The meaning and relevance of these words will be explained in detail.

The Meaning of Ayurveda

Hello All,
  This is my first blog about Ayurveda !!

The Meaning of Ayurveda
Traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda have become popular in recent years. This is part of the renewed ethnic cultures the world over, in their lifestyles and religious beliefs. Medicine may be seen as a living component of an unbroken tradition stretching back to several centuries. In India and her neighbours like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, such systems have long being in existence and studies scientifically and codified, with written texts that have been preserved through the ages. Passed on from one generation to another, they have stood the test of time. Of the many systems Ayurveda is perhaps the best known most widely prevalent.

These systems are unique in that they are deeply rooted in traditional cultures and draw upon their wisdom, knowledge and experience. But at the same time, because they emanate from man's interaction with the environment or the macrocosm, they are applicable universally. They may be termed as alternative systems of medicine only in relation to modern Western medicine. Ayurveda and other such systems are both supplementary and complementary to modern medicine in helping to provide good health to humanity.

Despite the advances in modern medicine there are many drugs, which often cause toxic side effects. Painkillers and palliative measures offer only temporary relief. This has influenced the need for other kinds of treatment. A visible shift is also evident today from the over specialization which characterizes modern medical science to a more holistic viewpoint in the treatment of diseases. Holistic medicine as in Ayurveda, deals with the body-mind-spirit complex. More than the specific disease, it is the patient who is sought to be treated.

Good health thus becomes a whole way of life, which may be achieved by adopting certain general principles of behaviour and following certain regimens. Diseases may not only be cured but in fact may be prevented by observing these rules. Ayurveda also draws upon other traditional systems of medicines like naturopathy, Tibetan Buddhist medicine and Unani tibb (Graeco-Arabic medicine) since in theory and practice there is a high degree of commonality among them. Practitioners of one system freely use the medicinal products of the other, as they are all products of nature.

The word Ayurveda is made up of two Sanskrit words ayur and veda meaning 'life' and 'knowledge' respectively. Taken together they mean the 'science of life'; in a more limited sense, the term is used to imply the science of medicine. The origins of Ayurveda are shrouded in antiquity. Legend say that Brahma the Creator, a part of the holy trinity of gods, first perceived it and taught it to his son, Daksha Prajapati. Subsequently, Lord Dhanwantari, the god of healing and the teacher of the medical sciences passed it on to the prominent Hindu sages Atreya, Bharadvaja, Kashyapa, Sushruta, Parashara, and Charaka. Sage Atreya's disciple Agnivesha is said to have written the original Agnivesha Sambita around 1000 BC which has come down to us in the form of Charaka Sambita. This text is considered an authoritative pronouncement of Ayurvedic doctrine. Its present form goes back to the seventh century BC. Sage Charaka defines Ayurveda as 'the science through which one can obtain the knowledge about the useful and harmful types of life (bita and abita ayus), happy and miserable types of life, things which are useful and harmful for such types of life, the span of life as well as the very nature of life'. Ayurveda thus emphasizes on not only leading a happy life from an individualistic point of view but also aims to be beneficial to society as a whole.

Health, according to Ayurveda, is not merely freedom from disease. It is essential that body, mind and soul are in a excellent state so that the individual can perform his functions and fulfil his role in life which in Vedic philosophy is called dharma; and ultimately work towards the final goal of salvation or moksha with the help of wealth, economic means which artha satisfying his legitimate desires of love and sex which is kama. The roots of Indian Culture can be traced back to the Vedic period, from c. 5000 BC or perhaps even earlier. All the four Vedas - Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva - contain several references to the digestive system, metabolism, anatomy and s of diseases along with the bacteria that cause them and more importantly, the concept of tridosha or the three doshas. The doshas, according to the Vedas, are subtle elements in the human body responsible for all its functions. According to the dictates of Ayurveda, illnesses occur due to an imbalance in the equilibrium between the three doshas - vayu, pitta, kapha. Roughly translated, vayu (also known as vata) is wind, pitta can be represented by bile and kapha by phlegm.

In India a large section of the vast population depends on the indigenous Ayurvedic tradition, which has deep cultural roots because of its easy availability, accessibility and reliability. The carries of this tradition are the millions of housewives brought up in this culture, the hundreds of birth-attendance, bone-setters, village herbalists, those skilled in eye-care, dental care are in the specialized treatment of mental diseases. Ayurveda is a body of knowledge, which is extremely coherent and logical within itself yet not restricted by any fixed dogma. Like life itself, it is universal and dynamic.

The Basic Elements

The science of Ayurveda is a branch of Indian philosophy. Although it is deeply rooted in Indian culture, the university of Indian thought is widely acknowledged. Hence, the world can respond to Ayurveda as a science of healing based on man's response to his environment.
Its universal approach emphasizes its applicability and relevance to all, irrespective of their geographical, cultural and religious differences. As a science, it is founded on the rational principles of physiology, pathology, pharmacology and diagnostics, which have been critiqued, systematized and generalized, based on the rigid principles of logic.
Being a holistic science of life, it believes that the functioning of the body is closely related to the mind and soul of the individual. Ideally speaking the body should be free from disease, the mind should be happy and the person should be spiritually elevated. It follows that certain regimens regarding diet must be observed as also code of conduct in order to achieve a harmonious life. In prescribing medicines or therapies, Ayurveda takes cognizance of the mind as well as the body.

In Ayurveda, germs and organism cause diseases are described as secondary factors. The primary factor is the disturbance in the equilibrium of the three doshas. The doshas: vayu, pitta and kapha are three elementary functional units or principles on which the building up and sustenance of the body depends. They may roughly be represented by the terms, wind for vayu, bile for pitta and phlegm for kapha. But the doshas are not actually these substances. Vayu, pitta and kapha are more than that. They are forces that cause these substances to be produced in the body. They are the outcome of the absorption of the basic elements in the universe by the human sensory organs.

They exist in all individual constitutions, in certain combinations, endowing each with a characteristic feature. The body generally maintains an equilibrium in the functioning of these doshas. Ayurveda believes that just as seeds sown over the barren land will not take root, even virulent germs cannot multiply and produce disease if this equilibrium is maintained in the body. Maintaining good health is as important as treating diseases.
Therapeutic use is made of drugs of vegetable origin, animal products and metals, minerals, gems and semi-precious stones. They are processed only in order to render them non-toxic, palatable and therapeutically more potent. No synthetic additives are used in these processes. The processes themselves have been carefully designed to preserve the therapeutic properties of the medicines' ingredients. Toxic ingredients such as aconite, mercury and arsenic are made to pass through elaborate processes before they are used. Only minute doses are prescribed after their efficacy has been tried and tested over time. Ayurvedic medicines not only cure the patient of diseases, they also provide immunity against future attacks. In normal healthy individuals, they help to revitalize the body cells and stimulate the immune system.
Ayurvedic therapy is directed towards the patient rather than the disease. The line of treatment for two patients suffering from the same disease may differ. The physician prescribes medication and a regimen for each individual patient depending on his/her constitution and mental state. He does not prescribe for the disease alone.
The whole of nature is included in the realm of Ayurveda. The individual is the microcosm of the universe, which is macrocosm. All the elements of the universe can be found in the individual. Hence, the external world is, in a sense, represented in the individual. Because it is based on the elements existing in the universe and the individual's awareness of these, Ayurveda as a science must necessarily comply with the laws of nature. Therefore, Ayurveda and the world around it are inter-dependent. Both the healer and the healed are part of the same ecosystem. Ayurveda is an environment-friendly science, which enables the individual to live in harmony with nature as a part of nature.