Ayurveda is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “science of life.” Ayurvedic knowledge originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is often referred to as the “Mother of All Healing”. It stems from the ancient Vedic culture and was taught in oral tradition for many thousands of years by accomplished masters to their disciples. Some of this knowledge was prepared for print a few thousand years ago, but much of it remains untraceable. The principles of many natural healing systems now familiar in the West have roots in Ayurveda, including homoeopathy and polarity therapy.
Your Constitution and its Inner Balance
Ayurveda places great emphasis on prevention and supports the preservation of health by focusing on balance, right thinking, diet, lifestyle and use of herbs in one’s life. The knowledge of Ayurveda enables a person to understand how to create this balance of body, mind and consciousness according to his individual constitution and how to make lifestyle changes to bring and maintain this balance.
Just as everyone has a unique fingerprint, so each person has a particular pattern of energy—an individual combination of physical, mental, and emotional characteristics—that comprise their own constitution. This constitution is determined by several factors at the time of conception and remains the same throughout life.
Many factors, both internal and external, act on us to disturb this balance and are reflected in the form of a change in one’s constitution from a balanced state. Examples of these emotional and physical stressors include one’s emotional state, diet and food choices, seasons and seasons, physical trauma, work and family relationships. Once these factors are understood, one can take appropriate action to reduce or reduce their effects or to eliminate the causes of imbalance and to re-establish their original constitution. Equilibrium is the natural order; Imbalance is a disorder. health order; Disease is a disorder. There is a continuous interaction between order and disorder within the body. When one recognises the nature and structure of disorder, one can re-establish order.
Balancing the three major energies of the body
Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy or functional principles that are present in everyone and everything. Since there is not a single word in English that expresses these concepts, we use the original Sanskrit words vata, pitta and Kapha. These theories may be related to the basic biology of the body.
Energy is needed to create movement so that fluids and nutrients reach the cells, allowing the body to function. Energy is also needed to metabolize nutrients in cells and is said to lubricate and maintain the structure of the cell. Vata is the energy of motion; Pitta is the energy of digestion or metabolism and Kapha is the energy of lubrication and composition. All people have qualities of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, but usually, a primary, a secondary, and a third is usually the least prominent. In Ayurveda, the cause of the disease is seen as lack of proper cellular function due to excess or deficiency of Vata, Pitta or Kapha. Diseases can also be caused by the presence of toxins.
In Ayurveda, the body, mind and consciousness work together to maintain balance. They are simply seen as different aspects of one’s being. Learning how to balance body, mind and consciousness requires an understanding of how vata, pitta and Kapha work together. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, the entire universe is the interaction of the energies of the five great elements- space, air, fire, water and earth. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are combinations and permutations of these five elements that manifest as patterns present throughout creation. In the physical body, Vata is the subtle energy of movement, Pitta is the energy of digestion and metabolism, and Kapha is the energy that makes up the structure of the body.
Vata is the subtle energy associated with motion
Made up of space and air. It controls breathing, blinking, movement of muscles and tissue, heartbeat, and all activities in the cytoplasm and cell membranes. In balance, Vata promotes creativity and flexibility. Out of balance, Vata creates fear and anxiety.
Pitta expresses itself as the body’s metabolic system
Made up of fire and water. It regulates digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism and body temperature. In balance, Pitta promotes understanding and intelligence. Unbalanced pitta arouses anger, hatred and jealousy.
Kapha is the energy that makes up the body’s structure
Bones, muscles, tendons – and provides the “glue” that holds cells together, which is made up of earth and water. Kapha supplies water to all the organs and systems of the body. It lubricates the joints, moisturizes the skin and maintains immunity. In balance, Kapha is personified as love, peace, and forgiveness. Out of balance, it leads to attachment, greed and jealousy.
Life presents us with many challenges and opportunities. Although there is a lot over which we have very little control, we do have the power to make decisions about certain things, such as diet and lifestyle. It is important to pay attention to these decisions to maintain balance and health. A diet and lifestyle appropriate to one’s individual constitution strengthen the body, mind and consciousness.
Ayurveda as a Complementary System of Treatment
It is important to understand the basic difference between Ayurveda and Western Allopathic medicine. Western allopathic medicine currently focuses on symptomatology and prognosis, and primary
Dietary considerations
Common food guidelines for reducing vata include eating hot, well-cooked, raw food. Small meals should be taken three or four times a day and one can snack as needed by maintaining a gap of two hours between each meal. Regularity in meal timing is important for Vata. People with a Vata-dominant constitution do well with one-pot meals such as soups, stews and casseroles. They may use more oil in cooking their food than the other two doshas and may experience better digestion if they limit their intake of raw foods.
Well-cooked oats and rice are good for vata as they do not dry out much when cooked with lots of water and butter or ghee. While cooked vegetables are best for vata, occasionally a salad with a nice oily or creamy dressing is fine. Nightshades—tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers—as well as spinach should be avoided if the Vata person has stiffness, joint or muscle pain. Sweet, ripe and juicy fruits are good for Vata. Astringent and drying fruits, such as cranberries, pomegranates and raw apples should be avoided. Fruits should always be eaten on an empty stomach.
Many Vata people can meet their protein needs with the judicious use of dairy products, but can also use eggs, chicken, turkey, fresh fish and venison if they wish. Legumes are difficult to digest and should be consumed in limited quantities by those trying to pacify vata. The beans should be split type and soaked before cooking. Cooking them with a little oil and spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic and asafoetida (asafoetida) will help prevent vata from getting worse.
All nuts and seeds are good for Vata but are best used in the form of butter or milk. Ten almonds, soaked overnight in water with the skins removed the next morning, are a satisfying morning meal. Sesame oil is hot for Vata, but all oils are good. All dairy products are good for Vata as hard cheese is eaten in moderation. All spices are good, but they should not be overused. Vats may contain half a glass of wine, diluted with water, during or after a meal. Since Vata people have addictive tendencies, they should avoid sugar, caffeine and tobacco. The intensity itself can be intoxicating for Vata, so one should seek relaxation and meditation to reduce Vata.
