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.

Live As Nature Made You

The secret to balancing the whole mind-body system is to make your doshas happy. To respect your body type you have to trust that its needs are good for you. No one can be happy or healthy in an unbalanced state, because it is just not natural.

Like the doshas, your prakruti is double edged. You can see yourself as trapped by it, or you can learn from it and benefit from what your system is trying to tell you. A pitta nature may predispose you to hostility and a Vata nature to irritable bowels, but nothing forces you to embrace the stressful lifestyle that fans Pitta to a flame, or drives Vata to exhaustion, bringing out such problems. Living with your doshas is a perfect example of how to find freedom within your nature’s limits.

Because you were born with it, your body type does not change. On the other hand, the doshas are constantly in a flux. Every time your doshas shift with actions and thoughts. A person whose heart is pounding is having a strong Vata reaction, no matter what his basic nature is. Whatever your prakruti happens to be, try to live all three doshas fully. To be the best that can be derived from each of the doshas – that is what it means to be a complete person.

The positive psychological traits of each dosha include the following:

Vata: Imaginative, sensitive, spontaneous, resilient, exhilarated
Pitta: Intellectual, confident, enterprising, joyous
Kapha: Calm, sympathetic, courageous, forgiving, loving.

Whenever you meet someone who lives up to all of these qualities, naturally you are impressed. Such a person has accepted the greatest gift of nature – perfect balance. Rare as it is, perfect balance is not abnormal; it is possible for everyone to achieve. Everybody type contains a wide range of possibilities. Unfortunately we all have a tendency to compare ourselves to a norm, which generates feelings of inadequacy when we cannot live up to the standards we feel everyone must meet.

Kapha Dosha And Subdoshas

The main features of Kapha are structure and moistness. These subdoshas are responsible for keeping tissues and joints soundly knit and well lubricated ; the moist senses, taste and smell, are also governed by Kapha.

Kledaka Kapha: Located in the stomach

This subdosha keeps the stomach lining moist and is essential for digestion. The stomach is an extremely important site of Kapha as a whole, since excessive buildupof this dosha appears here first.
In balance, Kledaka Kapha gives a strong, supple, well-lubricated stomach lining.
Imbalance of Kledaka Kapha is linked to impaired digestion (usually too slow and heavy).

Avalambaka Kapha: Located in the heart, chest, and lower back

Kapha’s seat is in the chest, so this is an important subdosha. Avalambaka Kapha keeps the chest, lungs, and back strong. A typical Kapha’s physical stamina comes from these areas, so the Kapha physique usually exhibits a powerful chest and shoulders.
In balance, Avalambaka Kapha provides strong muscles and protects the heart. Troubles develop when it goes out of balance, leading to chest congestion, wheezing, asthma, and congestive heart failure, depending on the seriousness of the imbalance. Under these conditions, Kapha types lose their accustomed energy and freedom from disease. Smoking is one of the worst insults to this critical subdosha.
Imbalance of Avalambaka Kapha is linked to respiratory problems of all types, lethargy, and lower back pain.

Bhodaka Kapha: Located in the tongue

This subdosha allows us to perceive taste. Kaphas respond to the world primarily through taste, along with its companion sense, smell. In Kapha types who have abused the sense of taste, compulsive eating becomes a problem. The taste buds lose their sensitivity if you eat too much or too often. They are also desensitized by concentrating on only a few taste sensations. When taste goes, the body becomes much more liable to other Kapha problems, such as obesity, food allergies, congestion of mucous membranes, and diabetes.
Imbalance of Bhodaka Kapha is linked to impairment of taste buds and salivary glands.

Tarpaka Kapha: Located in the same cavities, head, and spinal fluid

Keeping the nose, mouth, and eyes moist protects these sense organs; maintenance of spinal fluid is essential for the central nervous system. All of this is controlled by Tarpaka Kapha, which should be fluid and movable. When it goes out of balance, this subdosha becomes clogged or excessively runny, the two sides of typical Kapha sinus problems.
Imbalance of Tarpaka Kapha is linked to sinus congestion, hay fever, sinus headache, impaired sense of smell, and general dullness of senses.

Shleshaka Kapha: Located in the joints

Through this subdosha, the only one that is not localized, Kapha lubricates every joint in the body. Most Kapha imbalances appear in the chest, spreading up the head. The main exception is aching joint, which can appear anywhere. Too much Vata in a joint dries it out, creating arthritic symptoms; too much Pitta heats and inflames a joint, causing rheumatoid symptoms; too much Kapha creates loose or watery joints.
Imbalance of Shleshaka Kapha is linked to loose, watery, or painful joints and various joint diseases.

Pitta Dosha And Subdoshas

Here we will discuss Pitta dosha. It is responsible for metabolism and is equated with the body’s heat, as well as with digestion in general. Acuteness of sight and sharp thinking are also Pitta functions. There are five Pitta subdoshas, situated in various locations in the body.

Pachaka Pitta: Located in stomach and small intestine. Pitta’s seat is the small intestine, making this an important subdosha. Pachaka Pitta is vital in its function of digesting food and separating nutrients from waste products. It also regulates the “heat” of digestion, making it fast or slow, efficient or weak. The appearance of foul smell during elimination or an inability to properly extract nourishment from your diet may be due to imbalance here.

Its imbalance is linked to heartburn, acid, stomach ulcers irregular digestion (either too weak or too hyperactive).

Ranjaka Pitta: Located in the red blood cells, liver and spleen. The complex process involved in producing healthy red blood cells, balancing blood chemistry and distributing nutrients through the bloodstream are governed by this subdosha.

The presence of toxicity in the body, from impure food, air, water, alcohol, or cigarettes, is considered a primary cause of Pitta imbalance, acting through Ranjaka Pitta. Imbalance is linked to jaundice, anemia, various blood disorders, skin inflammation anger and hostility.

Sadhaka Pitta: Located in the heart. Besides controlling the heart’s physical function, Sadhaka Pitta creates contentment that comes from the heart, as we say; it is also associated with good memory. If you lack the heart to face challenges and make important decisions, this subdosha may be weak. Imbalance is linked to heart disease, memory loss, emotional disturbances (sadness, anger, heartache) and indecisiveness.

Alochaka Pitta: Located in the skin. Along with Vata dosha, our sensitivity to the world through our skin depends on Pitta, acting through this subdosha. It is very Pitta to have irritable, red or inflamed skin. Pitta types blush easily and show their emotions through the skin, developing rashes, boils and acne under conditions of stress. In balance, Bhrajaka Pitta gives a glowing complexion that radiates happiness and vitality.
Imbalance is linked to rashes, acne, boils, skin cancers and skin disorders of all types.

Doshas And Subdoshas

There are 3 main doshas – vata, pitta and kapha. Each dosha is broken into five subdoshas which make diagnosis and treatment more accurate in ayurveda.

Udana Vata: Located in throat and lungs. Physically, this subdosha controls the process of speech. Through the speech centre in the brain, it is also responsible for memory and movement of thought.
Imbalance of Udana Vata is linked to speech defects, dry cough, sore throat, tonsillitis, earache and general fatigue.

Samana Vata: Located in stomach and intestines. This subdosha controls the movement of food throughout the digestive tract; it is responsible for the rhythm of peristalsis.
Imbalance of Samana Vata is linked to too slow or too rapid digestion, gas diarrhea, nervous stomach, inadequate assimilation of nutrients and emaciated tissue formation.

Apana Vata: Located in the colon and lower abdomen. This downward moving sudosha is responsible for elimination of waste, for sexual function and menstruation. One of its locations, the colon is considered the principle seat of Vata and is the site where ready signs of Vata imbalance are likely to originate.
Imbalance is linked to constipation, diarrhoea, gas, intestinal cramps, colitis, genitor-urinary disorders, menstrual disorders, swollen prostrate, various sexual dysfunctions and lower back pain, including muscle spasm.

Vyana Vata: Located throughout the body via the nervous system, skin and circulatory system. This subdosha governs dilation and constriction of blood vessels and peripheral circulation. Blood pressure is regulated by Vyana Vata; it is also responsible for sweating, yawning, and sensation of touch.
Imbalance is linked to high blood pressure, poor circulation, irregular heart rhythem and stress related disorders.

To be continued

Mixing of Elements Leads To Three Doshas

The five elements earth, fire, air, water and space are a code for shapes of intelligence that make up man's mind and the world he perceives through that mind.

By mixing different pairs of the five elements one arrives at the three doshas:

Vata is composed of air and space.
Pitta is composed of fire and water.
Kapha is composed of earth and water.

The connection between Vata imbalance and cold, windy weather is clearer now, because Vata is the "airy" dosha and too much air, in the form of wind, creates too much Vata.

A Vata person typically complains of gas in the intestines, showing that Vata and air are linked in another way. Air is subtle, penetrating and light as is Vata.

A Pitta person generally feels warm, showing his fire and may be prone to sweating, showing the wateriness that is also in Pitta. Fire is aggressive, energetic, and mobile, as is Pitta.

A Kapha person is typically "down to earth' and prone to chest congestion, blocked sinuses, and other mucous problems, which are directly related to too much water. Together, water and earth are sluggish, viscous, and half-solid, half-liquid, as is the Kapha dosha.

The element of space, which seems odd in the company of the four elements you can see and feel, plays a unique role in the Ayurvedic system, because it allows the existence of sound, which needs space in order to travel.

Sound is the basis of all existing things, according to Ayurveda, not audible sound like thunder but subtler vibrations that resonate in our silent awareness. Ayurveda uses such sounds to heal the body by moving its "vibrations" in various ways.

All 25 gunas can be contacted by sight, touch, taste and other senses. The same cannot be said for enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters, and the other building who can tell you the basic properties of insulin, but with an hour you can easily learn the qualities of kapha, the dosha which is most involved in balancing insulin.

Know Your Body Constitution

No individual constitution is made up solely of any one element. Each person is a combination of all three elements with a predominant tendency toward one or more.

The doshas are the powerful and important aids in understanding the characteristics, behavior of each human being and their reactions towards stress, certain foods and the environmental conditions. Any kind of imbalance in the doshas results in various diseases.

Vata Constitution

People of vata constitution are generally physically underdeveloped. Their chest are flat and their veins and muscle tendons are visible. The complexion is brown, the skin is cold, rough, dry and cracked. There usually are a few moles present which tend to be dark.

1. Vata people generally are either too tall or too short, with thin frames which reveal prominent joints and bone-ends because of poor muscle development.
2. Curly and scanty hair.
3. The eyelashes are thin and the eyes lusterless. The eyes may be sunken, small, dry, active and the conjunctiva is dry and muddy.
4. The nails are rough and brittle.
5. The shape of the nose is bent and turned-up.
6. Vata people crave sweet, sour and salty tastes and like hot drinks.
7. The production of urine is scanty and the feces are dry, hard and small in quantity.
8. They have tendency to perspire less than other constitutional types.
9. Their sleep may be disturbed and they will sleep less than the other types.
10. Their hands and feet are often cold.
These people are creative, active, alert and restless. They talk fast and walk fast but they are easily fatigued.

Pitta Constitution

1. These people are of medium height, are slender and body frame may be delicate. Their chests are not as flat as those of vata people and they show a medium prominence of veins and muscle tendons.
2. They have many moles or freckles which are bluish or brownish-red.
3. The bones are not as prominent as in the vata individual. Muscle development is moderate.
4. The complexion may be coppery, yellowish, reddish or fair. The skin is soft, warm and less wrinkled than vata skin.
5. The hair is thin, silky, red or brownish and there is a tendency toward premature graying of hair and hair loss.
6. The eyes may be gray, green or cooper-brown and sharp, the eyeballs will be of medium prominence. The conjunctiva is moist and copper-colored.
7. The nails are soft.
8. The shape of the nose is sharp and the tip tends to be reddish.
9. These people have strong metabolism, good digestion and resulting strong appetites.
10. The person of pitta constitution generally takes large quantities of food and liquid.
11. The pitta people have a natural craving for sweet, bitter and astringent tastes ans enjoy cold drinks.
12. Their sleep is of medium duration but uninterrupted.
13. They produce a large volume of urine and the feces are yellowish liquid, soft and plentiful.
14. The body temperature may run slightly high and hands and feet will tend to be warm.
15. The pitta people do not tolerate sunlight, heat or hard work well.

Kapha Constitution

1. These people have well-developed bodies. There is however a strong tendency for these individuals to carry excess weight. Their chests are expanded and broad. The veins and tendons are not obvious because of their thick skin and their muscle development is good. The bones are prominent.
2. These people have fair and bright complexion. The skin is soft, lustrous and oily; it is also cold and pale.
3. The hair is thick, dark, soft and wavy.
4. The eyes are dense and black or blue; the white of the eyes is generally very white, large and attractive.The conjunctiva does not tend to redness.
5. Kapha people have regular appetites, the digestion functions relatively slowly and there is less intake of food.
6. They tend to move slowly.
7. They crave pungent, bitter and astringent foods.
8. Their perspiration is moderate.
9. Sleep is sound and prolonged.
10. There is a strong and vital capacity evidenced by good stamina, and are generally healthy, happy and peacful.

Understanding of Tridoshas Functions

The three elements - vata,pitta, kapha - govern all the biological, psychological and physiopathological functions of the body, mind and consciousness. They act a s basic constituents and protective barriers for the body in its normal physological condition, when out of balance, they contribute to disease processes.

In general, there are seven types of constitutions - vata, pitta, kapha, vata-pitta, pitta-kapha, vata-kapha and vata-pitta-kapha. Among these seven general types, there are innumerable subtle variations that depend upon the percentage of vata-pitta-kapha elements in the constitution.

Functions of Tri-dosha

Vata is a principle of movement. Therefore, vata may be translated as the bodily air principle. Bodily air, or vata may be characterized as the subtle energy that governs biological movement. This biological principle of movement enegenders all subtle changes in the metabolism. Vata is formed from the two elements Ether and Air.

Vata governs breathing, blinking of the eyelids, movements in the muscles and tissues, pulsations in the heart: all expansion and contraction, the movements of cytoplasm and the cell membranes, and the movement of the single impulses in nerve cells. Vata also governs such feelings and emotions as freshness, nervousness, fear, anxiety, pain, tremors and spasms. The large intestine, pelvic cavity, bones, skin, ears and thighs are the seats of vata. If the body develops an excess of vata, it will accumulate in these areas.

Pitta is translated as fire. The term 'fire' does not literally mean fire. The bodily heat-energy, the pitta-dosha manifests as metabolism, is not visible in this way. Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, skin coloration, the luster of the eyes and also intelligence and unserstanding. Psychologically, pitta arouses anger, hate and jealousy. The small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, blood, fat, eyes and skin are the seats of pitta. Pitta is formed from the two elements Fire and Water.

The translation of kapha is biological water and his bodily principle is formed from the two elements. Earth and Water. Kapha cements the elements in the body, providing the material for physical structure. This dosha maintains body resistance. Water is the main constitutent of kapha, and this bodily water is responsible physiologically for biological strength and natural tissue resistance in the body. Kapha lubricates the joints, provides moisture to the skin, helps to heal wounds, fills the spaces in the body, gives biological strength, vigor and stability, supports memory retention, gives energy to the heart and lungs and maintains immunity. Kapha is present in the chest, throat, head, sinuses, nose, mouth, stomach, joints, cytoplasm, plasma and liquid secretions of the body such as mucus. Psychologically kapha is responsible for emotions of attachment,greed and long-standing envy, it is also expressed in tendencies toward calmness, forgiveness and love. The chest is the seat of kapha.

Therefore a balance among the tridosha is necessary for health.

Tridosha -The Controller of Metabolic Actiivities

Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth, the five basic elements manifest in the human body as three basic principles, or humors known as the tridosa.

The basic constitution of each individual is determined at conception. At the time of fertilization, the single male unit, the spermatozoon, unites with the single female element, the ovum. At the moment of this union, the constitution of the individual is determined by the permutations and combination of the bodily air, fire and water that manifest in the parents bodies.

The tridosha are responsible for the arising of natural urges and for individual preferences in foods: their flavors, temperatures, etc. They govern the creation, maintenance and destruction of bodily tissue and the elimination of waste products from the body. They are also responsible for psychological phenomena, including such emotions such as understanding, compassion and love. Thus the tridosha are the foundation of the psychosomatic existence of man.

Together, the tridosha governs all metabolic activities: anabolism (Kapha), catabolism (vata), and matabolism(pitta). When vata is out of balance, the metabolism will be disturbed, resulting in excess catatbolsim, which is the breakdown or deterioration process in the body. When anabolsim is greater than catabolism, there is an increased rate of growth and repair of the organs and tissues. Excess pitta disturbs metabolism, excess kapha increases the rate of anabolism and excess vata, creates emaciation (catabolism).

In childhood, anabolism and the kapha elements are predominant, since this is the time of greatest physical growth. In adulthood, metabolism and the element of pitta are most apparent, because at this stage the body is matured and stable. In old age catabolism and vata are most in evidence as the body begins to deteriorate.

Relation Of Five Elements With Five Senses

In the previous article we have seen the direct relation of five elements to man's ability to perceive the external environment in which he lives.

In this article we will discuss the manifestation of the five elements in the functioning of the five senses of man, as well as in certain functions of his physiology.

The five elements are related to man through the senses also, to five actions expressing the functions of the sensory organs.

Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth - are related to hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell, respectively.

Ether is the medium through which sound is transmitted thus, the ethereal element is related to the hearing function. The ear, the organ of hearing, expresses action through the organ of speech, which creates meaningful human sound.

Air is related to the sense of touch, the sensory organ of touch is the skin. The organ of action for the sense of touch is the hand. The skin of the is especially sensitive and the hand is responsible for the actions of holding, giving and receiving.

Fire manifests light, heat and color, is related to vision. The eye is the organ of sight, governs the action of walking and is thus related to the feet. For example a blind man can walk, but that walking has no definite direction. Eyes give direction to the action of walking.

Water is related to the organ of taste, without water the tongue cannot taste. The tongue is closely related in function to the action of the genitals.

The Earth element is related to the sense of smell. The nose is the sensory organ of smell, is related in function to the action of the anus, excretion. This relationship is demonstrated by the person who has constipation or an unclean colon: he experiences bad breath and his sense of smell becomes dull.

The ancient rishis perceived that these elements sprang from pure Cosmic Consciousness. Ayurveda aims to enable each individual to bring his body into a perfect harmonious relationship with that Consciousness.