Ayurveda is a science of health and longevity, which helps in the promotion of health, prevention of disease and in achieving a long life. The principle of Ayurveda is based on the five elements theory. Ayurveda teaches that the central principle of health is a balance. There are four aspects of the body that need to be kept in balance in order to maintain good health. These are the doshas, dhatus, malas and agni. Each of these four components must be in real harmony. Neither too strong nor too weak. This provides vitality by allowing greater capacity for prana and immunity from disease.
Doshas are energies present within the body and mind. Maintaining a balance of each dosha allows the body systems to work effectively.. According to Ayurveda the universe as well as the human body is made up of five elements, namely air, space, earth, fire and water. These five elements combine together to form doshas in the body. There are mainly three kinds of doshas. Vata, pitta and kapha. Ayurveda says that a balance of these doshas gives you good health and imbalance gives you disease. Vata is the force of movement ,activity and sensation. vata is responsible for active movements of different organs and parts of our body. There are five types of vaata. They are prana, udana, samaana, apana and vyaana. Pitta is the source of all transformative processes. It is responsible for all the chemical reactions that take place in our body. Kapha is the body's strength and stability. It refers to promotion or growth brought about by secretion of different types by the organs.
Dhatus are the tissues that make up the body’s physical form. Healthy dhatus allow the body to produce ojas, a form of energy that helps the body support prana and protects the tissues from damage. It is responsible for formation of basic structure of body. In ayurveda there are seven types of dhatus. They are lymph, blood, muscle tissue, fat tissue, bone marrow, sperm and ovum.
These are the excretory products of the body. These are the waste products of various dhaatus produced by the metabolic process in our body. According to Ayurveda sweat, urine, stool, gases, bile, ear wax are the waste products in our body. Passing them in a timely manner helps keep the body balanced. In all the Ayurveda treatments a balanced excretory process of the patient is always a matter of concern. Otherwise they can build up and cause disease.
In Ayurveda agni means fire. The main form of agni is the body’s digestive fire. Healthy agni allows food to be digested so that strong tissues can be formed. It prevents the accumulation of ama in the body. If agni is weak, the doshas are unbalanced and malas are eliminated inefficiently. As a result ama accumulates in the body. It acts as a toxin and disrupts the bodys healthy function. Kerala Ayurveda treatments focus on maintaining a healthy agni through diet and exercise. The body is able to digest food, properly absorb its nutrients and produce healthy dhatus. This means it can produce more ojas, providing more immunity and more capacity for prana. In Ayurveda all disease occurs due to the dysfunction of agni.
TC 53/1146(2), Avaduthura, Kovalam, Vizhinjam P.O., Kerala, Pin:695521, India
