Core Concepts in Ayurveda

Our eating habits, type of food, lifestyle, climatic conditions, action of pathogens, accidents, stress are a few reasons for causing imbalance. Some hereditary and karmic dispositions may also cause such imbalances as per Ayurveda. State of Agni - our digestive fire- is also crucial for maintaining the balance of these energies.

Generally, the imbalances are manifested as:

VATA imbalance produces the problems like constipation, hypertension, fatigue and mental health issues like anxiety, restlessness.

PITTA when imbalanced, the person may suffer from skin rashes, burning sensations, peptic ulcers, excessive body heat, heartburn, indigestion and anger issues.

KAPHA when goes out of balance, it can cause overweight, excessive sleep, cysts, diabetes, asthma and depression.

Our body performs so many functions so accurately, ceaselessly and without we being aware.

Some form of overall ‘Intelligence’ present within the body manages the 3 doshas and makes this possible, right? Some may call that Intelligence as mind, some argue it being the brain and so on.

But who provides that capacity to the mind or the brain- that apparently abstract energy is what Ayurveda refers as Bodily Intelligence or Prana / Life Force - as referred in Yoga.

It is present in each cell- how?

With Cellular Intelligence present in every cell, each cell not only communicates to other cell, but also chooses its appropriate nutrients e.g. red blood cells choose hemoglobin or iron molecules, bone cells choose Calcium-magnesium-zinc molecules and so on.

When this Intelligence is functioning optimally, body enjoys state of health. The imbalance in 3 doshas due to various internal and external factors cloud or cover this Intelligence per se, leading to disease conditions.

Ayurveda treatments are aimed at balancing the doshas and reviving this innate Bodily Intelligence so recovery is facilitated.

Isn’t it truly fascinating?

‘Absence of disease is not real health’ as per Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic concept of ‘Health’ prescribed by ancient sages is like a checklist that every person can assess daily to ascertain the state of their health & wellbeing.

You are Healthy if you:

• Have a daily bowel motion that is timely, easy to pass & is without much odour .

• Feel hungry at regular times during the day, without feeling the need to eat to satisfy emotional cravings.

• Sleep well

• Feel light & fresh on waking and after eating.

• Have good energy during the day, without feeling fatigued & tired in the late afternoon

• Have skin that is not dry or is flaky, saggy.

• Have a good control of senses

• Have urine that is clear, without much odour and easily expelled.

• Have good control of mind

• Does not have difficulty in fulfill your daily responsibilities with focus

• Have a positive attitude to Life

• Don’t loose your temper quickly

and you do not have any disease.

Agni (Sanskrit) means ‘Fire’. Ruler of all digestive and metabolic functions in our body and mind.

Our capacity to digest food as well as thoughts, emotions and experiences, our immune system depends on the proper functioning of Agni.

There are 23 types of Agni within us as per Ayurveda.

Agni helps to carry out the metabolic processes of the body to develop the essence of nourishment from food, and helps the immune system by destroying harmful organisms and toxins (Ama).

Therefore, the state of the digestive fire is one of the central most concepts of Ayurvedic way to health & wellbeing. It doesn’t matter how organic, fresh, healthy food you consume; if the body cannot metabolize it properly, then it is unable to distill and access the nutrients that the food contains and also may develop more toxins from non-metabolized food.

A well balanced Agni will properly digest the food, do excellent circulation of nutrients and proper elimination of waste products, leading to great mental and physical health!

Agni’s balance is restored and maintained by:

• Proper diet & eating habits

• Proper sleep

• Proper fitness routine

• Control over emotions

Ama is Ayurvedic reference for toxins that are produced in body from undigested components of food we eat.

Imbalance of any of the 3 doshas/intelligences or imbalanced Agni will result in ama formation.

Ama is sticky, subtle, mobile. Its accumulation in Dhatus (tissues) or Srotas (channels) leads to disease formation, which manifests as symptoms.

Our body has its own mechanisms to get rid of ama- in form of 3 wastes- feaces, urine and sweat. The coating on tongue that we see sometimes upon waking up is ama, which body is trying to get rid through mouth.

Ayurvedic treatments are aimed at breaking down and eliminating this ama, so health can be restored.

Ayurveda believes that total health can be achieved by reviving the Bodily Intelligence.

For that it aims to restore the balance of all doshas, through a vast array of preventive and rejuvenative practices : lifestyle and dietary recommendations, bodywork therapies, herbal medicine remedies and tonics, detoxification regimens, exercises and mental health practices. All of these are individually tailored according to person’s unique constitution to maximize benefit.

The treatments are aimed to balance doshas as well as break stagnated ama (toxins) in channels and dhatus, manifesting disease symptoms.

Once body is detoxified, doshas are in balance, the bodily channels perform optimally, giving adequate nourishment to all 7 tissues- dhatus, ensuring their healthy state.

Ayurveda bodywork therapies include energy balancing massages, therapeutic massages and other relaxation-rejuvenation treatments like Shirodhara.

Medicated oils along with specific strokes help to balance energy flows and also guide aggravated doshas from organs and tissues to GI track for elimination, restoring balance.

Ayurveda uses natural gateways of the body to administer herbal medicines. The most common gateway is skin which has millions of pores or gates to allow entry of herbal medicines inside the body. Many a times some vehicles like oil or ghee are used to facilitate entry of herbs in the body.

Ayurveda uses the natural bodily channels to carry these medicines to affected body parts, in the same way the bodily channels and intelligence digest the food and carry the relevant nutrients extracted from food to corresponding organs, in various forms as required by those organs.

Prana Vata - Governs inhalation, sense-perception and the mind. Located in the brain, head, throat, heart and respiratory organs.

Udana Vata - Governs speech, self expression, effort, enthusiasm, strength and vitality.
Located in the naval, lungs and throat.

Samana Vata - Governs peristaltic movement of the digestive system.
Located in the stomach and small intestines.

Vyana Vata - Governs circulation, heart rhythm, locomotion. Centered in the heart and permeates through the whole body.

Apana Vata - Governs all downward impulses (urination, elimination, menstruation, sexual discharges etc.) Located between the naval and the anus.

Pachaka Pitta - Governs digestion and metabolism of food, breaking it into nutrients and waste. Located in the lower stomach and small intestine.

Ranjaka Pitta - Governs formation of red blood cells. Gives colour to blood and stools. Located in the liver, gallbladder and spleen.

Sadhaka Pitta - Governs emotions, contentment, memory, intelligence and digestion of thoughts. Located in the heart.

Alochaka Pitta - Governs visual perception. Located in the eyes.

Bharajaka Pitta - Governs luster, complexion, temperature and pigmentation of the skin. Located throughout the skin.

Kledaka Kapha - Governs moistening and liquefying of the food in the initial stages of digestion. Located in the upper part of the stomach.

Avalambhaka Kapha - Governs lubrication of the heart and lungs. Provides strength to the back, chest and heart. Located in the chest, heart and lungs.

Bodhaka Kapha - Governs perception of taste, lubricating and moistening of food when eaten. Located in the tongue, mouth and throat.

Tarpaka Kapha - Governs calmness, happiness and stability. Nourishes sense and motor organs. Located in the head, sinuses and cerebrospinal fluid.

Shleshaka Kapha - Governs lubrication of all joints. Located in all the joints.

Our body is made up of Tissues (called Dhatus in Ayurveda) that are responsible for every function of the body- seen and unseen. These tissues, being composed out of 5 elements like all matter, possess all the 3 bodily intelligences, which control their nourishment, normal metabolic function & elimination of tissue wastes.

Disease only arises in the body when one of these intelligences are aggravated i.e. imbalanced and hence hampers the normal function of individual tissues, preventing their proper nutrition or proper formation.

According to Ayurveda, the food we consume is “cooked” in the stomach to become Rasa (chyle) or plasma. All the other tissues in the body derive their nourishment from Rasa.

The 7 body tissues are:

Plasma (Rasa) - Nourishes all the other tissues & organs in the body, acting as carrier.

Blood (Rakta) - Carries oxygen to all tissues, strengthening and maintaining the optimum function of the skin, other tissues and other sense organs. Also helps in tissue waste management.

Muscle Tissue (Mamsa) - Gives strength & stability to the body & covers and protects all internal organs.

Adipose Tissue (Meda) - Lubricates all parts of the body. Provides nutrition to tendons, ligaments & bones.

Bone Tissue (Asthi) - Supports the body by providing a frame and protects delicate nerve tissue.

Nerve Tissue (Majja) – It comprises of the nervous system, cerebrospinal fluid in our brain and is responsible for all communications and sensory and motor functions within the body.

Reproductive Tissues - Sperm (Shukra) & Ovum (Artava) are responsible for the generation of new life.

Our body is run by various interdependent systems called channels or Srotas that provide communication, pathways for the nourishment of tissues and the removal of waste products. The body and mind function properly when these channels remain open and are functioning optimally.

Disease can arise when these channels become obstructed, carry deficient or excess flow. This affects the delivery of nutrition to the tissues, removal of waste products and prtevents effective communication between different tissues and organs and other systems.

AS per Ayurveda, there are 15 Srotas or channels - 7 relate with the body tissues, 3 provide nourishment to the body through air, water & food, 3 remove waste products through urine, faeces and sweat, 1 channel for the mental processes & 1 channel for lactation in women:

Digestive System (Annavaha Srota) - Responsible for digestion of food, separation & absorption of nutrients and separation of waste products.

Water (Ambuvaha) - Carries water & regulates water metabolism. 70% of our body is made of water!

Respiratory System (Pranavaha) - Responsible for respiration and intake of Oxygen, necessary for living.

Lymphatic System (Rasavaha) - Carries nourishment to all remaining tissues and aids in waste drainage.

Hemopoietic System (Raktavaha) - Production, maintenance and circulation of red blood cells

Muscular System (Mamsavaha) - Creates muscles and supplies nutrients to muscle tissue & removes waste products.

Adipose System (Medovaha) - Provides protection to inner tissues, controls body temperature and removes waste products.

Skeletal System (Asthivaha) - Creates bones, supplies nutrients to and maintains bone tissues.

Nervous System (Majjavaha) - Creates Majja tissue, supplies nutrients to nerve tissue, maintains bodily communications & removes waste products

Reproductive System (Sukravaha/Artavaha) - Creates and supplies nutrients to reproductive tissues, controls menstruation cycles, necessary for life generation.

Excretory System (Purishavaha) – Remove solid waste products from the body.

Urinary System (Mutravaha) – Removes waste products from the body.

Sweat System (Svedavaha) – Regulates body temperature & remove waste products

Mind (Manovaha) – It controls the functioning of all the channels and governs our emotions, feelings and thoughts.

Lactation System (Stanyavaha) – Regulates production of breast milk in women.