Six Distinct Phases Of Disease

Putting patients back in touch with their own nature is the main aim of medicine. The illness can originate in either the body or the mind. With the advent of mind body medicine, it is clear that these two cannot be separated.

According to Ayruveda the disease process has six distinct phases. The first three are invisible and can be tied in to either the body or the mind; the last three carry symptoms that can be detected by both the patient and his doctor. Each stage represents a loss of balance, but its appearance changes as the process continues:

• Accumulation: The process begins with the buildup of one or more doshas.
• Aggravation: The excess dosha accumulates to the point that it starts to spread outside its normal boundaries.
• Dissemination: The dosha moves throughout the body.
• Localisation: The wandering dosha settles somewhere it does not belong.
• Manifestation: Physical symptoms arise at the point where the dosha has localized
• Disruption: A full blown disease erupts.

As Ayurveda works at such a subtle level in our bodies, symptoms as unexplainable pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, etc, can be relieved, because they originate at the early stages of dosha imbalance. It is easy to manage them while they are still in stages 1, 2, or 3, when diet, herbs, exercise, daily routine and a special purification technique for the body called panchkarma can all be effectively employed.

Once we are dealing with full-blown illness, the damage to body tissues often goes far beyond what these treatments alone can undo. Then, we must progress to more advance Ayurvedic therapies, or call in Western medicine, which has been formulated to deal with acute conditions of all sorts.

What your body is telling you at stage 4 is not that you are in grave danger, but that you need to purify your tissues of excess doshas. Once you do, Vata, Pitta and Kapha will regain their natural balance. The basic approach of “talking” to the doshas via simple changes in diet and exercise and following a daily routine can bring dramatic results, even in cases of serious illness.

Note: The points discussed here are intended for prevention only. They are not suitable for treating diseases or as a substitute for a doctor’s care.