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What Is Ayurveda? |
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Ayurveda (Ah-yur-VAY'-duh) was developed in India about 4,000 years ago and is one of the oldest documented health care systems. It is a "life-science", emphasizing health by integrating herbs, diet, exercise, massage and life style. In Sanskrit (the equivalent language to latin in India) the word Ayurveda literally means science of life (Ayur=life, Veda=science).
| Ayurvedic philosophy indicates that everything in the universe is made up of 5 elements; fire, air, water, earth and space. Air represents all that is gaseous, earth represents matter that is solid, all liquids are represented by water, fire represents any matter that can transform itself from a liquid to a solid to gas and back. |
Relationships exist between these elements as they pair together to help form the characteristics of all living things. These relationship exists under 3 "forces" or "energies", known as Doshas. The Doshas represent the "subtle energy" that combines and balances the characteristics of the elements it influences. This force has to often combine and balance seemingly contrary forces such as Fire and Water under Pitta. Vata combines air and space while Kapha brings water and earth together. Everything around us has the subtle energies; in people the Doshas are often referred to as the "body type".
In our bodies Vata is the force behind movement; hence anything that moves or helps create movement is the responsibility of Vata. Pitta is responsible for digestion and metabolism; right from food to the transforming materials into their most basic form for absorption on. Kapha is responsible for the fluids that act as the lubrication for movement, and as the glue that helps hold things together.
Every individual needs all the three Doshas to exist since they each play a role in our body and mind. Yet we normally exhibit greater characteristics of 1 or 2 of the Doshas.
This unique combination of Doshas defines the person's unique body type (or Dosha). The combinations could be Vata/Pitta, Vata/Kapha, Pitta/Kapha; for a total of 6 different combinations of these Doshas. Most people are a combination of 2; it is possible but unusual to have all three in equal proportions; or to be completely of 1 Dosha.
You can learn more about each Dosha by visiting the pages for Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
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| This combination of our Dosha is determined at birth and remains constant, by and large throughout the lifetime. When at their natural state of balance, our Doshas provide the strength our bodies need to prevent the conditions that may allow disease. When out of balance, the body's loss of homeostasis permits health conditions and diseases to develop. |
| Doshas, Our Body and Disease | |
When the natural proportion, or balance of our Doshas is disrupted, illness can occur. Our Doshas can go out of balance due to toxin accumulation, stress, improper diet, poor habits and even the weather. Ayurvedic philosophy emphasizes moderation rather than denial. We can be healthy by practicing moderation within the realms of our body type. Denial can be just as unhealthy as indulgence.
Our predominant Doshas will determine the imbalances we are prone to. Vata predominance when imbalanced, will experience conditions relating movement or of parts that help move us around. Pitta imbalances will lead to disruptions of metabolic and digestive systems and also lead to inflammatory diseases. Kapha imbalances lead to obesity and related conditions; fluid retentions, pneumonia, etc.
Take this test from Nature's Formulary website to determine your Dosha.
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